Make The Financial Case For Additional Facility Staff
December 3, 2013
Today's tip from
Building Operating Management: Facility managers can boost their chances of getting approval to hire new employees by making the financial case for additional facility staff.
Making the case for an increase in staffing is one of the more difficult proposals facility managers may have to write. That's especially true in a down economy. But it's not impossible and the case should be made on a financial benefit basis, just like any other facility proposal.
"In the case of staffing, you make the case that adding a body will save us X," says John Balzer, vice president, facility planning and development, Froedtert Hospital and Community Health. To do that, though, you have to have pretty detailed numbers of how that will happen. Will you be able to complete a higher percentage of preventive maintenance, which allows equipment to stay in service longer? Will you be able to offer better facility customer service to make building occupants more productive? Will you be able to start a new service or make an existing one (like a BAS) more efficient? It’s important to building the answers to those questions out of data.
Another tip is to compare your organization to others, especially those you know your financial folks admire. "This is why your network is important," says Stormy Friday, president of The Friday Group. "Show what other organizations have done and what's working for them in regards to staffing."
Increased staffing may be a back-up plan if a facility equipment proposal doesn't pass or if a facility is aging. For example, Bob Holesko, vice president of facilities, HEI Hotels & Resorts, says that for hotels that haven't been renovated for a while, and thus need more maintenance, "that's when I have a good shot at getting another body."
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