As a property management company owner, understanding labor efficiency ratios can help you unlock ideas for making operational improvements. If you’re inspired by the DLER (Direct Labor Efficiency Ratio) and MLER (Management Labor Efficiency Ratio) concepts after reading the NARPM financial metrics guide, or reading “Simple Numbers” by Greg Crabtree, you’re on the right path.
However, you may be wondering how to put these labor efficiency ratios into practice and make them work for your company. In this article, we’ll explore how you can visualize and automate these crucial ratios to transform your property management business.
Which Efficiency Ratios Are Important in Property Management?
While DLER and MLER are at the forefront of labor efficiency ratios in property management, there are others that can provide valuable insights:
- Operational Efficiency Ratio: This ratio measures how well your operational expenses align with revenue. It helps you identify whether your property management operations are cost-effective.
- Occupancy Rate: The occupancy rate assesses how efficiently you’re filling your rental units. A high occupancy rate indicates effective marketing and tenant retention strategies.
- Rent Collection Efficiency: This ratio gauges how efficiently you collect rent payments from tenants. It helps you identify and address potential cash flow issues.
- Maintenance Efficiency: Assess the efficiency of your maintenance operations by tracking response times, work orders, and costs. Efficient maintenance keeps tenants satisfied and minimizes costs.
Why DLER and MLER Stand Out
While these additional ratios have their merits, DLER and MLER remain the cornerstones of efficiency in property management for several reasons:
- Relevance to Operations: DLER and MLER directly relate to the core operations and management of property portfolios, making them highly relevant.
- Actionable Insights: These ratios provide actionable insights into your workforce’s efficiency and management effectiveness, leading to tangible improvements.
- Strategic Decision-Making: DLER and MLER inform strategic decisions regarding staffing, resource allocation, and growth opportunities.
What is DLER and MLER? A Quick Recap
Before diving into the benefits of these metrics, let’s briefly revisit what DLER and MLER represent and why they are essential for property management businesses:
- DLER (Direct Labor Efficiency Ratio): DLER assesses the efficiency of your front-line operational staff. It helps you gauge how effectively your team utilizes their time and resources in delivering property management services. A higher DLER value indicates greater efficiency in service delivery.

- MLER (Management Labor Efficiency Ratio): MLER focuses on the efficiency of your management and administrative staff. It evaluates how efficiently your leadership team manages operations, allocates resources, and oversees personnel. A higher MLER value signifies more effective management.

Why DLER and MLER Matter in Property Management
In the property management industry, where operational efficiency and effective management are vital, DLER and MLER are game-changers. Here’s why these ratios are invaluable:
- Performance Insights: DLER and MLER offer precise insights into how efficiently your teams are operating. This information allows you to identify areas for improvement and recognize successful strategies.
- Resource Allocation: Tracking DLER and MLER enables data-driven staffing decisions. You can pinpoint areas where staffing adjustments are needed, ensuring optimal resource allocation.
- Cost Control: Efficient labor management translates to cost savings. Lowering labor costs without compromising service quality is a common goal, and DLER and MLER can guide you in achieving it.
- Strategic Growth: If you’re planning to expand your property portfolio or services, DLER and MLER can help determine the right times to hire additional employees or optimize your existing workforce.
Our Experience With DLER and MLER
We have built a DLER/MLER dashboard that takes the principles from NARPM and “Simple Numbers” and put them into action for a property management company just like yours. If you’d like to see an example, visit our Dashboard Catalog.

What’s Next? How You Can Apply Direct and Management Labor Efficiency Ratios to Your Business
Are you ready to take full control of your property management business and harness the power of DLER and MLER? Our DLER and MLER Dashboard, inspired by the insights from “Simple Numbers” and your NARPM webinar experience, allow you to visualize and automate these critical ratios. This means you can make informed decisions with ease, optimize your operations, and elevate your property management success. Contact us today to learn more about how our dashboard can transform your property management business for the better.
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