SPECIAL Q&A ASSOCIATE INDUSTRY SEGMENT FOCUS IN THIS ISSUE: JANITORIAL
January Luncheon Sponsors
January 2007
Volume 4, Issue 1
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
*Speakers, Happenings &
Events
*President’s Message
*Professional Development
*Membership News
*Programs
*Luncheon Info.
*Sponsorships
Happy New Year! I hope you and your family had an enjoyable holiday season.
We are off to a snowy start to 2007! For those of us that came to Colorado Springs within the last decade, we have not truly experienced a traditional winter season. If the last few weeks are any indication of what is to come, I am a little nervous . . .
Depending on what part of town you live in, you may have escaped some of the winter phenomenon. I recently experienced my first ground blizzard that resulted in getting my car stuck in a 2 foot drift. How can the sky be clear but visibility on the road be so poor? High winds caused snow to blow across roadways, creating large drifts. And shoveling . . . I’m sure we are now experts at clearing sidewalks and driveways in front of our home. Have you had to re-shovel everything after the plow goes by? Lessons learned, or perhaps remembered: expect something, and always have chains and a heavy-duty shovel in the trunk.
Facility Managers are in the spotlight at times like this. Whether roads to our buildings are accessible, we are responsible for ensuring that building occupants can safely reach their workspace upon entering the property. This can mean working around the clock to keep roads and walkways clear of snow and ice. The freezing temperatures are sure to keep crews working overtime until surface temperatures rise.
Stay warm and safe. And, please take a moment to recognize Facilities and Maintenance team members that continue to work hard during this wintry start of 2007.
Sincerely,
Rachelle Otis
Professional Development
IFMA's LIVE Webinar Series PresentsCritical Influence Design™: Preventing Workplace Strategy Failure
Feb. 14, 2007
10:00 a.m. MST
90-minute session
Audio & Web Presentation
Register online now! And Participate from your desk!
Previous attempts to implement workplace strategies to improve collaborative behavior have produced less-than-optimal results—or failed altogether—due to critical influences outside the facility realm. The physical workplace has a strong impact on employee behavior, yet employee use of the space is also influenced by other key tangible and intangible factors that can enable or hinder the achievement of organizational goals.
Author Diane Stegmeier will introduce an interdisciplinary approach to planning effective work environments and preview the results of a 10-year research initiative featured in her upcoming book, Innovations in Office Design: The Critical Influence Approach to Effective Work Environments™. By analyzing 15 critical influences on behavior in the workplace coupled with the impact of the physical space design itself, facility managers can ensure that workplace strategy incorporates a holistic perspective of organizational requirements and has a much higher rate of successful implementation. This new insight can help FMs articulate to executive leaders the other elements within the organizational infrastructure that must be addressed to ensure the total workplace solution can successfully transform the way people work.
Objectives:
v Identify barriers to the successful implementation of workplace strategy and how to avoid common mistakes
v Learn how to serve as a strategic business partner to the organization and participate in the decision-making process earlier
v Ensure that the physical workplace solution does not bear the entire burden of transforming the way people work
Cost per site is $49.00
MEMBERSHIP UPDATES
Current Pikes Peak Roster stands at 107 members
Article I.
2007
JANUARY LUNCHEON
Note: JANUARY Luncheon Location: Academy Hotel
WEDNESDAY, January 17, 2007
11:30 AM
Cost: Chapter members - $20 reserved by January 15 at Noon; Chapter members –
$25 at the event; Non-chapter members - $25
Payment by Credit Card Online now Available on Chapter Website
Program: LIFE SAFETY AND FIRE EVACUATION
By: Sandy Freidman, Colorado Springs Fire Department
The E-mail Reservation Address is:
When leaving an RSVP for a Guest, Please Include your Guest’s Name…..
You will receive an e-mail confirmation back after you have RSVP’d.
NO SHOWS WILL BE BILLED
Upcoming Luncheon Dates and Agenda:
January 17th – Fire Life Safety and Evacuation
February 17th – Colorado Springs Utilities Water Works Project.
March 21st - Rebuilding Together Summary
Please Note:
For Luncheon Sponsorships Information, Contact:
Mitch Hamdeed 719-634-6277, , or
Randy Zornes 719-471-385,
LOOKL
Please thank your luncheon
PLEASE THANK YOUR JANUARY LUNCHEON SPONSORS:
LLOOKL
Our January luncheon will be co-sponsored by Advantage Security, a full-service security company offering on-site security officer, security patrol, and dignitary protection and investigation services throughout the state of Colorado. Mr. Mitch Hamdeed is the Vice President of Operations here in Colorado Springs.
ASI also offers pre and post employment background checks, security survey/threat assessment, dignitary protection, security consulting and mystery shopping. The Dignitary Protection & Investigations Division offers extensive experience in investigation of sexual harassment, workplace violence, theft, fraud and insurance cases. ASI also offers state-of-the-art mobile and fixed surveillance equipment and technicians for almost any environmentL
FBG Service Corporation is an employee owned building Maintenance Company committed to providing a clean, safe and healthy environment. We depend on our ISO 9001 Quality Management and ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems to guide the documentation of processes that prove we are providing you with continuous improvement. Using MyPortfolio, our web-based information management program and FBG’s team-based call center, you can request and monitor services. Contact: Randy Zornes, CBSE, Regional Manager, (719) 471-3851, mailto:.
NEW IN 2007:
QUARTERLY ASSOCIATE MEMBER
Q&A SESSION
ASSOCIATE FOCUS THIS QUARTER: JANITORIAL CONTRACTORS
(These excerpts originally appeared in the November 2006 issue of
Housekeeping Solutions magazine and is reprinted here with permission
from Trade Press Publishing Corp. For more information please go to
http://www.cleanlink.com")
1) From new-age microfibers to riding auto-scrubbers to nanotechnology, a surprising number of tomorrow's cleaning innovations are already in widespread use today - in Europe. "Europe is three to five years ahead of us,
typically," says William Griffin, president of Seattle-based Cleaning Consultants, Inc. "It's been that way for many years."
Take microfiber technology, for example. First developed by Scandinavian cleaners, microfiber was in general use in Europe years before most cleaning professionals in the United States decided to implement it into their cleaning program.
"I remember when we first started hearing stories of case studies from Europe where hospitals were using microfiber technology to clean with just water - no chemicals. People here were quite stunned and even cynical about its effectiveness," recalls Dianna Bisswurm, director of marketing for ISSA.
Agree____X ____
No way!______
Comments_ By Randy Zornes, Regional Manager FBG Service Corporation, Colorado Springs
Agree almost, however, in response to the statement "cynical about its effectiveness." By using chemicals, we prevent resistant strains. From babyhood, U.S. teaches the fundamental values of disinfecting and sanitizing for germ control as "clean", rather than just cleaning visually.
2) "One thing that's very significant in Europe is ISO 9000," says Rita McCauley, president of Grosvenor Building Services, Inc., a commercial cleaning company with offices in Orlando, Fla., Ireland and the United Kingdom. "It is the gold standard. All large companies in Europe must be ISO 9000-certified. It's really only in its infancy in the United States, but in Europe it's the benchmark for every type of organization."
Agree_____X___
Disagree_____
What is ISO 9000?_ By Randy Zornes, Regional Manager FBG Service Corporation, Colorado Springs A process approach to design, develop, implement, and improve internal systems to produce/provide product/service to meet/enhance customer requirements/satisfaction.
Comments___ By Randy Zornes, Regional Manager FBG Service Corporation, Colorado Springs Many cleaning companies in U.S. do not have standardized procedures or processes. Their processes are people based, rather than systemic. They rely on service delivery on the people hired, rather than training for expectations.
3) And that problem, notes Frank and others, has its roots in a deeper
issue: a lack of public and even institutional respect for the people who do the actual cleaning.
"In Europe, these are often career jobs and skilled labor jobs, not entry-level and cheap-labor jobs, as they are perceived in the United States," Frank says. "What needs to change is that at some level there has to be recognition that this industry is a profession and that it requires professional workers. This message has to come from upper management. We can't begin the educational process with janitors."
Griffin, for one, agrees that an emphasis on cleaning as a career in Europe has helped the industry there stay strong. "Europeans are more advanced when it comes to training and certification, and some of that is driven by their unions," he says. "They've put some credibility into the job
Agree____X___
Disagree_____
Comments_ By Randy Zornes, Regional Manager FBG Service Corporation, Colorado Springs "...this industry is a profession..." Many cleaning businesses in the U.S. were started by one individual or as a family business. The bulk of these businesses remain small and never really change ... and so do not fundamentally nor see any need for knowledge change. The Ma and Pa mentality still drive the nature of the business. Many cleaning businesses and customers consider cleaning a commodity that can be done by anyone ... after all, anyone can clean and little to no education or training is required to do so ... there are five year olds cleaning their rooms.
Not only within our own industry, but also customers fail to understand that because of the geographical dispersion, the different levels of understanding of what "clean" is, the different surfaces and materials used in buildings, and the different use of areas ... a lot of coordination, expertise, and knowledge is required to deliver consistent, quality service at a competitive price. The unprofessional cleaners and customers make it difficult for the professional company who invests heavily in its people and knowledge to compete in the market place when the only differentiator is price.
4) Beyond specific cleaning advancements, facility managers in Europe have also updated their human resources and hiring processes. Armitage notes that cleaning personnel in the United Kingdom now use a swipe card that contains information on previous employment.
"It's a very revolutionary thing," he says. "Every cleaner in the industry now has an ID card. They swipe it through a machine and the employer can see where, and for how long, he or she has worked."
Good idea__X__
Big Brother_____
Comments_ By Randy Zornes, Regional Manager FBG Service Corporation, Colorado Springs Actually, this should not be restricted to "cleaners." This should be available to all employees for employers. All employees are always asked for this information in applications. What a nice source of information if this card would have the standard information, provided by employer automatically on the card with most recent on top ... Employer Name, Address, phone, and immediate supervisor name, Employee Title/Responsibility, Hire date, Termination date, Start Wage, End Wage.
Because FBG has an internal intensive training program, we do not rely on prior cleaning company employment to determine the knowledge and capability of an applicant.
LET’S END WITH A LAUGH……………………………………………………….
FROM: YOU CAN’T WIN SOMETIMES!
I BECAME FED UP WITH MYSELF OVER CERTAIN MEMBERS OF MY CUSTODIAL CREW FROM A PREVIOUS JOB BECAUSE I COULD NOT MOTIVATE THEM TO VACUUM THE CARPET IN THEIR ASSIGNED AREA FOR THE LENGTH OF TIME EACH NIGHT THAT IS REQUIRED IN ORDER TO DO AN ADEQUATE JOB…………I WOULD USUALLY GET THE STANDARD REPLY “But I did do it, you are just picking on me!”
I DECIDED THAT DISCIPLINE WAS IN ORDER, BUT I NEEDED IRREFUTABLE PROOF, SO I INSTALLED ELAPSED TIME COUNTERS IN ALL OF THE VACUUMS, AND …TO BE ABOVE BOARD…TOLD THE CREW THEY WERE THERE AND I WOULD BE CHECKING THEM.
WELL, I THOUGHT I WAS PRETTY SMART UNTIL I RECEIVED A CALL ONE SUNDAY FROM AN EXECUTIVE WHO WAS WORKING, SAYING “JOHN, THIS VACUUM IS IN OUR CONFERENCE ROOM, RUNNING, AND NO ONE IS HERE EXCEPT ME!” (THE CREW HAD LEFT ON FRIDAY.) John Pamperin, Communications Chair
Please send me your funny stories for future editions
PO Box 1573 · Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA 80901 · www.ifma-pikespeak.org
PO Box 1573 · Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA 80901 · Phone: 719-579-8455 · www.ifma-pikespeak.org