Are you ready for this year's "National Field Staff Appreciation Week" for Facility Management?
No? Well, don't worry - because as far as we can tell, there is no "National Field Staff Appreciation Week." Darn shame, right? (Especially with summer coming right around the corner.) The good news is that you have time to properly plan your own appreciation week.
Here are 6 ways to show your Field Staff
they are appreciated:
#6) Eliminate mundane, routine tasks
Mobile Platforms for your Field Staff have come a long way in a short period of time. At this point, organizations who have not adopted mobile field apps, proceed with the status quo at their own peril. Eliminating the repetitive paper processes will increase operational efficiencies and work related data; while decreasing your Field Staff’s frustration and time wasted.
#5) Dedicated budget for Training
Capital invested in your Field Staff, is capital invested in your organization. Dedicating time and money to train your Field Staff clearly communicates the organization’s desire to see your personnel grow in their career.
#4) Public displays of affection
The occasional social media post, or hand-written note, or video testimonial, are just some of the tools at your disposal to show gratitude. Whichever method works for you, don’t be afraid to get “real” with your message. A sincere and genuine moment of gratitude is something your Field Staff will remember for the rest of their lives.
#3) Improved communications
Are your lines of communication up to speed? If your mobile application doesn’t provide real-time, secure access to browse assignments, recording time, record material usage, update status, view / enter notes, map phase / work order locations, request / receive parts, capture field photos, and even launch directly into the web application to the relevant screen while recording… chances are your Field Staff doesn’t think so.
#2) Hard to go wrong with Food
Whether it’s the occasional breakfast tacos, stocking the pantry with their preferred snacks, or even a fully catered lunch – everybody feels appreciated when management delivers food.
#1) Equip them with the necessary tools
All the ideas listed above are essential, but none more so than giving your Field Staff the necessary tools to succeed. This should be a no brainer, right? Many organizations are simply blinded by the upfront costs, without considering the longstanding value gained. Studies have shown that providing your employees with the right tools will significantly increase job satisfaction, performance, and work efficiency.
FacilityForce’s Perform Mobile Apps have provided serious (impossible to ignore) efficiency gains for our client’s Field Staff. One client estimated that upgrading to Perform Mobile apps increased their daily volume of completed work orders by 1 to 1.5 times per tech. Another client saw Perform Mobile pay for itself within 8 months of the 1st year and within 5 months of the following year. Click here to learn more about FacilityForce's Perform Mobile Apps and how they have improved efficiencies for many organizations.
Summary
Good help is hard to find, and even harder to keep. While there is no official "National Field Staff Appreciation” Week for Facility Management, yet… we think there should be. And more importantly, Facility Managers should not wait to let their Field Staff know just how valued and crucial they are to the organization’s success. What ways are you preparing to show your Field Staff your appreciation?
