BOMI International Boost
THREE MONTHS ARE GONE, BUT NINE REMAIN
Make 2012 Your Most Successful Year Ever
It is hard to believe the first three months of the year have come and gone. For most, this means a lot of time spent reflecting on, analyzing, and closing out another quarter and preparing to move onto the next.
Although everyone will have different quarterly outcomes, we can all agree that the start of the year has proven to be a fairly good one overall. Positive trends in the industry and market are presenting many opportunities to help make 2012 a successful year for us all.
While the last issue of the Boost focused more on motivating yourself, this issue provides insight on how to increase employee productivity and contains information about events, announcements, and industry best practices.
SPOTLIGHT
Effective employee motivation.
There is no simple, step-by-step guide on how to motivate. So instead, here are some key rules of thumb you’ll want to understand.
The manager’s role in motivating employees is one that influences and facilitates. As a manager, you are a role model, as well as a leader. You affect the behaviors of others, not only through directives and assignments, but also through communications and interpersonal relations.
Managers influence employees to cooperate toward a common goal. As leaders, managers are expected to persuade others to solve problems objectively and work toward established objectives. You have the ability and responsibility to get others to perform necessary tasks and functions. By achieving this, you will gain respect, loyalty, and cooperation.
As a facilitator, a manager attempts to make the work environment cohesive and open, and to encourage free exchange of ideas. The manager acts to encourage teamwork and responsiveness for a shared vision and goal.
In order to motivate employees effectively, you must:
- develop challenging but attainable expectations for employees
- help make employees’ personal goals attainable and achievable
- help employees succeed by removing obstacles to progress and by placing them in positions where their skills will be fully used
- freely dispense positive reinforcement, including praise, recognition, consideration, and constructive feedback
- help ensure a safe work environment, both physically and socially, as well as provide adequate work facilities, which encourages quality production
- effectively interact and communicate, as well as clearly define expectations and responsibilities
- make yourself available and approachable, and remain flexible
- develop a fair system of rewards and incentives
Measuring Morale
Measuring morale is, in fact, measuring employee job satisfaction. Job satisfaction is necessary for full performance, and it too must be quantified. Morale should not be taken for granted. If it is not measured, problems will not be detected until they have reached a critical stage. In a sense, managing morale is similar to maintaining equipment performance: what gets measured gets done. Measurement is necessary to correct job weaknesses early.
To determine job satisfaction, employee surveys should be taken and evaluated. Survey questions may include:
- Do you feel you have the opportunity to do what you do best?
- Do you feel your opinions count?
- If you aspire to be a leader within the company, do you feel you have every opportunity to become one?
- Has anyone talked to you within the last six months about your personal goals and development?
Once survey results have been tabulated and evaluated, a committee of employee representatives may be created to help resolve particular employee concerns.
Although managers may easily overlook individual opinions and concerns when things are going well, it is advisable to listen and note all input as a preliminary indication of deeper problems that could surface later, perhaps disastrously.
And you may determine the answer to employee concerns may actually be surprisingly simple. Some of the best companies to work for (as identified by Fortune 500) offer these job-specific perks to their employees to help boost morale.
Getting More than Minimum Employee Performance
When an employee performs to barely adequate standards, extra effort is necessary to motivate the individual toward inputting more to ensure organizational goals are met. Strategies for motivating employees to enhance performance may include:
- Avoid categorizing the employee. Treat each aspect of performance separately, praising good performance and coaching that which is substandard.
- Investigate the employee’s work process to be certain no hidden obstacles are present, such as unreasonable time constraints, untimely information, or other barriers that hamper performance.
- Make sure the employee has all available and necessary resources. Demonstrate a willingness to help the employee improve.
- If motivational approaches are not successful the first time, consult with superiors, colleagues, and the employee to adjust management efforts.
- Praise workers when they achieve above-average performance levels.
Motivating through Goal Setting
Regardless of specific achievements, successful people and organizations are goal oriented. Performance goals and goal-based rewards are common motivational tools. For the manager to motivate employees effectively through goal setting, goals must be personally meaningful, which generates a commitment to see the goal attained. Deadlines tend to motivate, and early project completion incentives motivate employees to realize the goal sooner.
Goals must also serve to regulate effort. The degree of effort the employee expends is proportionate to the difficulty in reaching the goal. Specific, difficult goals are closely related to task performance. A difficult goal will have more value when it is attained; for less complex goals, if the manager can effectively remove obstacles, employees will be more motivated toward reaching the goal and not be as likely to lose interest before it is attained.
Goals should increase persistence, which is necessary when a goal is difficult. The goal must first be important to the individuals involved, and the manager must emphasize the importance of seeing it through to completion.
Finally, goals must encourage strategies and action plans. Managers can develop long-term goals as encouragement. Goals can be set, and employees can develop strategies to achieve the long-term goal; the motivation for the worker is being involved in strategizing and working toward achieving the goal.
By measuring morale, you’ll be better able to identify and address motivational issues, establish appropriate goals for yourself and your team, and ensure a very productive 2012.
This article is adapted from BOMI International’s brand new course, Managing the Organization, part of the Real Property Administrator (RPA®), Facilities Management Administrator (FMA®), and Systems Maintenance Administrator (SMA®) designation programs. For more information regarding this course and BOMI International’s education programs, call 1.800.235.BOMI, or visit www.bomi.org.
12 key items to review and evaluate often.
Recent news in the commercial real estate (CRE) industry has focused on energy management and what the current state of the overall economy means for CRE. Specifically, as state and federal laws begin to call for, and even mandate, carbon footprint reductions as a response to global warming concerns, heavy emphasis is being placed on long-term renewable energy. Additionally, recent articles in news sources such as The Economist and The Wall Street Journal are reporting an increase in overall economic growth, and a positive outlook for the CRE market.
While asset management has always been a job requirement for property managers, the trends noted above reflect the growing importance of asset management to the bottom-line income statement. Building owners depend on property managers to assist them in creating and preserving the maximum value for their assets while ensuring operations are at peak efficiency, sustainability is given a high priority, and the environmental impact is minimized.
Property management professionals must make recommendations and identify actions/alternatives that meet ownership and financial objectives. They must also determine highest and best use—the lawful use of a property that produces the greatest net income to the owner. However, before recommending any plans for a property, the manager needs to effectively understand what exactly is owned, identify the investment risks versus the payoffs, and conduct thorough research that reveals relevant economic data, as well as specifics about the property and its surrounding market.
While many factors encompass a final recommendation, the following are 12 key items a property manager should review and evaluate often.
Curb Appeal
Start with the property’s curb appeal. Is the property presented in the most favorable manner possible? Will prospects looking for space find it attractive for their business operation? Is there deferred maintenance? This may include everything from landscaping to roof repair.
Sustainability
Consider making efforts toward reducing the environmental impact of the asset. Such efforts may include alternative energy sources (solar panels or cogeneration, for example), convenience to mass transit, water submetering, stormwater management, and commissioning. In addition to reducing environmental impact, many sustainable measures also increase asset value by reducing operating costs.
Interior Quality
What is the status of cleaning, carpet repair, wall coverings, ceilings, and lighting? The common areas of the property should be properly maintained, especially as this minimizes liability.
Mechanical Records
Is maintenance on the mechanical equipment contracted out or performed in-house? You should inspect the mechanical areas of the property. Are adequate records being kept of preventive maintenance work? For example, is there a significant chance that a chiller overhaul or compressor replacement will be needed? Make similar determinations for all major equipment.
Foundation and Exterior
What is the condition of the building’s foundation and exterior? A careful examination will reveal if there is any cracking or other signs of structural problems. A qualified structural engineer should be hired to perform a detailed review of any of these conditions. A roof survey is essential and helps in budgeting. Make sure to determine whether there is a roof warranty that can be transferred.
Compliance with Disability Legislation
Is the building compliant with relevant disability regulations? Any deficiencies should be addressed, and you should take note of how much work may be necessary to bring the property into compliance.
Property Operations
When an asset management plan is being prepared for a property, there will be a thorough review of current management and leasing personnel. It is important to spend time evaluating the personnel who will be working at the property. Without question, the success of any plan depends on the knowledge and effectiveness of the people implementing it. This is a good time to assess education and training needs for a facilities staff.
Security and Life Safety
Each property must have an emergency and disaster plan in place and distribute it to the tenants. Having a copy of this plan available for prospective tenants will show them your preparation. A comprehensive security program should be prepared, implemented, and practiced periodically at each property you manage. Asset managers should oversee the business continuity plan, which is put in place by the property manager. Each and every tenant should be consulted to establish the protocol and procedures for resuming business after a major interruption. Security consultants offer a wide array of surveys and assessments to help in evaluating threat levels and physical improvements for greater safety and security, and, ultimately, enhanced marketability.
Vacant Space
Are all vacant spaces clean and in showable condition? Is additional demolition required to make the space more marketable? Is building out a model suite justifiable? Ask the leasing agent to discuss the current leasing activity on those vacancies, and establish a plan for how the facilities department can support leasing efforts.
Tenant Feedback
What do tenants have to say about the property? Perform tenant interviews. This is an important step that is often overlooked. While inspecting the property, the manager should coordinate an effort to take as much time as necessary to hear tenant comments on the property management and maintenance. You can also learn what their expectations are regarding continued tenancy. Generally, tenants do not hesitate to offer their opinions on how they feel the property is being operated. Most recently, security, commitments to conservation, and green energy have become the top concerns for tenants, particularly in large and/or publicly held companies.
Building Plans
Where are the building plans? A complete set of plans is important, especially if any alterations are anticipated. As-built drawings are plans drawn or modified after construction has been completed, and they are always preferable. In addition to a hard copy, make sure you know where plans drawn with CAD (computer-aided design) software are stored electronically. CAD drawings prepared by an architect should always remain the property of the building owner. A full set of up-to-date plans should be available to both on-site staff and the asset manager. Some architectural firms maintain that they own CAD drawings and in most cases will not release them to other architectural firms.
Aerial Photo Inspection
Aerial photos, particularly when available in a time series over a number of years, can be extremely helpful in identifying attributes of your property, local development trends, adjacent property issues that might affect your property, and other maintenance issues such as roofs, parking surfaces, drainage, and landscaping.
For additional information relating to asset management, register for BOMI International's course Asset Management.
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EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS
Accelerated Review offerings for April-June.
BOMI International offers a $100 discount for a BOMI International-sponsored Accelerated Review course to students who register 30 days prior to the start of the class. BOMI International offers a $200 discount for a BOMI International-sponsored Accelerated Review course to students who register 60 days prior to the start of the class. Ethics Is Good Business® Short Course™ is not included in either discount. Please note BOMI International courses offered by BOMAs throughout the nation may be subject to different pricing.
If you are not in the area, or do not see a course listed below that you need, check out our comprehensive course schedule to find a course near you.
April
May
June
Register before April 21 to save $100.
This study method is highly recommended for business professionals needing the flexibility to learn conveniently when and where they want. Courses are accessible 24/7, including mobile connectivity. Online courses allow for daily interaction with expert instructors and the sharing of professional knowledge and experiences with peers on a national level. With the exception of Ethics Is Good Business® ShortCourse™, all courses adhere to a 15-week schedule. Each course will have a specific schedule and syllabus relating to the number of chapters covered throughout the course (with a minimum of one chapter covered per week).
BOMI International offers a $100 discount for an Instructor-Led Online course if you register 30 days prior to the start of the class. Please note that Ethics Is Good Business® ShortCourse™ is not included in this discount. This discount is automatically added to your registration at the time of payment.
The next set of Instructor-Led Online courses begin May 21, 2012. Register before April 21, 2012 to save $100!
- Air Handling, Water Treatment, and Plumbing Systems
- Boilers, Heating Systems, and Applied Mathematics
- Budgeting and Accounting
- Energy Management and Controls
- Ethics Is Good Business® ShortCourse™ (this is an 8-week course that ends July 16)
- Fundamentals of Facilities Management
- Fundamentals of Real Property Administration
- Managing the Organization
- Real Estate Investment and Finance (CN)
- The Design, Operation, and Maintenance of Building Systems, Part I
- The Design, Operation, and Maintenance of Building Systems, Part II
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UPDATES AND MORE
Tradeshow events and other notifications.
BOMI International will be exhibiting at the following upcoming tradeshows:
Submit Scholarship Applications: The deadline is April 1.
BOMI International is still accepting applications for the 2012 J. Bradley Kennedy Scholarship. However, the application deadline for the 2012 scholarship award is April 1, 2012, so apply now! Click here for all scholarship information and materials.
NFM&T 2012 Prize Winners
Thank you to all of our booth visitors at the 2012 NFM&T show in Baltimore, MD! We would like to announce and congratulate the following prize winners:
- Jim Clark from Sunrise Senior Living won a new Samsung Galaxy tablet.
- Beverly Dyer from the United States Department of Energy won a new Samsung Galaxy tablet.
- Bonnie Pealer from Cornell University won a free Instructor-Led Online course for the month of May.
BOMI International Goes Social
Check out our Facebook page here and “like” us for access to special monthly promotions and offers!
Thank you all active graduates.
As you are an active graduate of BOMI International’s Real Property Administrator (RPA®), Facilities Management Administrator (FMA®) and/or Systems Maintenance Administrator (SMA®) designation program(s), we want to offer you an amazing opportunity to register for a BOMI International-sponsored course and receive a 10% discount. Register for as many courses as you want, as often as you want.
Click here to view our list of courses. Once you have chosen your course, be sure to enter Promo Code: BWGD1734 at the time of checkout. If you have any questions while registering, please call 1.800.235.BOMI, or e-mail service@bomi.org.
Thank you for your support of BOMI International’s designation programs!
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