4 Things the C-Suite Must Give Facilities Leaders in 2017

In every social circle, there’s that one couple. When things are good between them, they’re fun, and their energetic dynamic is contagious. But when things are bad, they aren’t shy about their frustrations with one another, and the tension weighs on everyone around them. 

Facilities leaders and C-Suite are the corporate equivalent of that couple. If their relationship is strong, the workplace is vibrant and productive. But a bad relationship between the facilities leader and the C-Suite can stunt progress and impact the organization at every level.

In problematic relationships, a common underlying issue is poor communication about wants and needs. Not surprisingly, the same is true for the relationship between C-Suite and facilities leaders.

If you want to start the year off right, check out these four things the C-Suite must give facilities leaders in 2017.

1. Workplace Technology

Technology is to business as water is to life — it’s what makes the existence of your company possible. If your organization is running on outdated technology or lacks key technological components, facilities leaders will be thirsty for support.

Here are a few mission-critical technologies that must be in place and up-to-date for success:

• Integrated Workplace Management System Software (IWMS)
  • IWMS solutions are tremendously important for successful facilities leadership because they provide extensive insight into daily space and asset utilization, equipment availability, work order requests, inventory and more. With this insight, facilities leaders can make data-driven decisions to improve processes and increase productivity. Greater workforce efficiency is sure to follow, as well as a stronger, more accurate risk management strategy.
• Employee Feedback Tools
  • Just as the C-Suite must know what facilities leaders need to be successful, facilities leaders need the same input from the workforce they support. Feedback tools are an excellent way to survey employees and candidly collect opinions about how well (or poorly) processes and protocols align with employee needs.
• Mobile Software
  • Mobile technology gives the workforce real-time access to events. And with mobile-enabled software and apps, facilities leaders can monitor operations from any location and react the moment something occurs. This is particularly helpful when managing more than one location.

2. Decision-Making Rights

Give your facilities leaders plenty of opportunities to show you how well they translate workplace data into action. After all, it’s their job to make day-to-day decisions, and if you limit their power to do so, you aren’t using your investment wisely.

As you give your facilities leaders space and freedom to make decisions, it’s also important that you support them in their choices and in the goals they set. Never underestimate the power of a shared vision for the future.

3. Adequate Staff Levels

Does your facilities leader have a proper team in place to help them reach their goals? If not, add “new hires” to your provisions list for 2017. The responsibility of optimizing your facility to maximize productivity and efficiency is bigger than one person can carry alone. It’s going to take a talented, qualified team, and that means your facilities leader will need hiring power, a budget, HR support and a training strategy.

4. Professional Development

If there’s one thing we can predict with absolute certainty in 2017, it’s change. Your facilities leaders will adjust operations for impact. Provide them with plenty of opportunity for professional development. E-learning sessions, webinars, seminars and conferences will help them stay ahead of workplace trends and be in-the-know about new technologies.

When the facilities leader and the C-Suite are aligned on goals and priorities, the entire workforce and workplace benefit. As long as both parties keep the lines of communication open and recognize and respect) the needs of each other, the organization will flourish.

One of the most important and powerful investments you can make to benefit your facilities leader and your entire workforce is integrated workplace management system software. Learn more by checking out The Ultimate IWMS Buyer’s Guide.