Case Study: WashREIT achieves business continuity and mobilizes its remote workforce with Firstup

Business continuity during work-from-home: Lessons from WashREIT

WashREIT, a $3.5B publicly traded real estate trust managing 45 properties in the D.C. metro (about 4M sq ft of commercial space and 6,861 multifamily units), faced the challenge of moving 100% of its office workforce to work-from-home during the COVID-19 crisis while still supporting field agents and keeping operations running. Leadership needed ways to communicate frequently, maintain morale, and ensure every employee stayed informed and aligned with rapidly changing policies.

Using the Firstup platform alongside a cross‑functional crisis taskforce, WashREIT deployed push notifications with automated follow-ups, targeted content streams, weekly CEO livestreams, initiative tagging and analytics, and regular surveys and wellbeing programs (Zoom workouts, Calm app). These actions ensured messages reached and were measured across the workforce, built trust in leadership, sustained productivity, mobilized employees to support field operations, and maintained business continuity.

WashREIT

Deanna Schmidt

Senior Director of Marketing and Communications