Over the three-year period ending December 31, 2022, 582 associates were promoted. Of the associates that were promoted to the positions of community director, director, or a higher job classification during the period, 59% were female and 33% were non-White.
Associate Engagement and Outreach
We conduct an associate engagement survey every two to three years, which surveys all associates on a variety of issues. The results of our 2021 survey showed that 94% of associates feel that they can build relationships with colleagues, 89% of associates feel that they are treated fairly and 87% of associates feel that they can succeed and thrive at work.
We believe that our associates should also be involved in their communities and that we should assist with those efforts. In 2022, UDR provided 1,072 hours of paid time off for our associates to be used for volunteer work with more than 20+ local organizations that make a difference in the communities in which we operate. UDR provides paid time off during specified, Company-wide volunteer days in 2022 and our associates responded with a 179% year-over-year increase in volunteer hours. While the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected the program in 2020, we were able to re-implement it on a limited basis in 2021 and fully re-implement it in 2022.
Employee Health, Wellness and Safety
The health, wellness, and safety of our associates is of utmost importance to UDR to maintain our inclusive culture and ensure our associates are engaged. We publish a monthly Wellness Newsletter for our associates as part of our UDR Wellness Initiative. The Wellness Newsletters cover multiple topics, including preventative care, fitness and heart health, managing anxiety, mental health, fatigue, healthy eating habits, and provide an avenue for associates to access the CDC’s updates and recommendations related to COVID-19 and other illnesses. We have developed a number of integrated programs to help ensure the health, wellness and safety of our associates.
In early 2021, we rolled out access to a confidential on-demand behavioral health support mobile application, providing associates 24/7 access to a care team comprised of coaches and mental health professionals through text-based chats and self-guided activities at no cost to the associate. The program was enhanced in 2022 to provide access to three additional free confidential visits (six total) with a counselor.
In early 2022, associates were invited to participate in a third-party benefits survey. This survey yielded that 72% of associates who responded believe that UDR offers benefits that meet their needs. Utilizing feedback from this survey, as well as additional sources, including our most recent associate engagement survey, UDR introduced the Lifestyle Spending Account and Roth 401(k) retirement plan in 2022. The Lifestyle Spending Account was established for all full-time UDR associates, totals $1,000 per associate annually, and provides our associates with the flexibility to choose among a list of health, wellness, and lifestyle categories to which to apply the $1,000, including mental, physical, financial, or emotional health, family support, professional development, student loan repayment and more. Starting in the fall of 2022, we also introduced a Roth 401(k) plan that is available to all UDR associates. By adding this benefit option, our associates have the choice to invest their money for retirement on a pre- or post-tax basis.
We also provide all associates with the opportunity to participate in a wide set of other employee benefits, including health, dental and vision insurance coverage.
Reporting Segments
We report in two segments: Same-Store Communities and Non-Mature Communities/Other.
Our Same-Store Communities segment represents those communities acquired, developed, and stabilized prior to January 1, 2021, and held as of December 31, 2022. These communities were owned and had stabilized occupancy and operating expenses as of the beginning of the prior year, there is no plan to conduct substantial redevelopment activities, and the communities are not classified as held for disposition at year end. A community is considered to have stabilized occupancy once it achieves 90% occupancy for at least three consecutive months.
Our Non-Mature Communities/Other segment represents those communities that do not meet the criteria to be included in Same-Store Communities, including, but not limited to, recently acquired, developed and redeveloped communities, and the non-apartment components of mixed use properties. For additional information regarding our