Operations Directors - help is at hand!

Over the past week several Operations Directors within the FM industry have openly shared with me their current key people issues.

In times of economic uncertainty, your people become ever more vital to the smooth running of your service.

Here are some of your key issues and some ideas for resolving them - fast.

Retaining qualified employees
Ensure every individual has clear objectives and still understands the need for flexibility and working as a team. This will also help tackle the 'it's not my job' syndrome. Give people development opportunities. Find out what drives every individual in your team - it may be security, variety, a sense of belonging, recognition, status - who knows? And how do you find out? Ask them! Once you know, use it in managing them.

Motivating a multi-site team
You need to see them face to face as often as you can - not necessarily for formal meetings - just show you care about their welfare, development etc and say thank you to them. Find the 'key communicator(s)' on each site and give them responsibility to e.g. contribute to your newsletter, intranet etc. Some of these people may even be the 'moaners'; get them on side and they will be valuable assets to you.

Stopping gossip
Why do people gossip? Because a) we all want to communicate and feel we belong, b) we need to feel informed. One way to stop gossip is to communicate regularly and honestly - good news and bad. Right now your FM teams may be clearing the desks of colleagues who have been made redundant, cancelling meeting and conference bookings, cutting back on using sub-contractors - all this makes them feel uncertain. Give them answers to their questions, even if the answer is sometimes 'I don't know'.

It all comes down to you
Yes, quite often it feels like that. Are you talking with people in your peer group, your coach and your mentor, to find out what's working well for them, and exploring ways to cope more effectively? It's good management to ask for support.

For more help and advice, download your free report 'Building confident, high performing teams in FM' here