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By
Jim Brown
“And down the stretch they come.” This famous terminology is frequently used
in the sport of racing, especially horse racing. Its meaning simply refers
to the fact that the race is just about over. This is the time where the
jockey and the horse must really bear down and focus on finishing the race
by hitting on all cylinders in the most efficient and productive manner.
The same analogy can be used in facility management, especially for
university venues at this time of year. The volleyball games are over, and
the basketball games are heading for the “stretch drive” as everyone
prepares for their final games, conference tournaments, and March Madness.
Other programming such as family shows and concerts are winding down their
arena seasons and are gearing up for the amphitheaters, fairs and festival
seasons. However, most of us as University venue managers still have
commencement ceremonies to host. These commencement ceremonies tend to
signify the “unofficial” start to the “offseason” - if there is such a
thing.
The challenge for professional facility managers is the same as the jockey
and the horse - to focus on finishing the season by hitting on all cylinders
with the utmost efficiency and in a productive manner to ensure that our
level of service is still of the highest quality and that the success of
those final events are achieved. One of the biggest challenges we face as we
get through our busiest of times is the wear and tear upon our staff and
employees. When we think about the number of conversions/ changeovers, the
number of hours the Zamboni has been run, the number of chairs that have
been set up and taken down, the amount of hot dogs that have been cooked,
and the number of times we’ve had to bring out the mops and buckets, it gets
pretty astounding (especially to those not familiar with the industry).
Our philosophy for achieving the highest level of success possible as we are
“heading down the stretch” lies within our employees and staff members. Our
staff and employees are our most valuable assets, and we will invest in them
whatever it takes to ensure they are at the top of their capabilities when
they work. Our goal is to have all of our employees and staff members become
“STARS.” There are a variety of ways we strive to help them achieve this
status. One way is the S.T.A.R. method.
1) S – Show your employees that we care.
We care about them as individuals, not just for what they bring to our
facilities as employees. We need to show them we care about them and about
the quality of performance they give to our guests. The saying “No one cares
how much you know until they know how much you care” is so true. The key
component in this phase is communication. Talk with employees. Ask them
questions. Get to know them. During this phase you will discover a lot of
information ranging from the personal to ideas they have that may make them
more efficient in servicing our guests and providing the quality of service
we have become accustomed to.
2) T – Train your employees. This
is a continuous process and happens in both formal and informal methods
covering a variety of topics. Some of the topics covered will obviously be
directed towards the employee and their responsibilities while working.
However, some topics can be presented to further enhance the employees in
non-job specific areas. Knowledge is a powerful resource. We believe the
more our employees know, the better equipped they will be to handle the
multitude of situations they encounter.
3) A - Acknowledge your employees.
This is a major component of the process and is not limited to when an
employee does something good. Acknowledging employees while they are at work
by simply taking a few moments to say, “hi” or to ask them how they are
doing can make the employee feel appreciated. Acknowledging employees,
especially in settings out of the workplace, can have an extremely positive
effect on an employee’s morale.
4) R - Recognize your employees.
This is not the same as acknowledging the employees, but it is closely
related. To recognize an employee, you have to acknowledge them. Recognizing
the employee is more of a public acknowledgement. This is where employees
will receive recognition at a staff meeting or receive a Certificate of
Excellence, a plaque, or a gift for an outstanding achievement. A lot of
times this recognition is linked to something the employee did on the job
(and it should be); however, recognizing an employee for a personal
achievement can have a far more tremendous impact on the employee’s self
esteem. The higher the employee’s self esteem, the more confident they feel.
Therefore, the more positive they are and the better their performance and
productivity will be.
At this time of year, we believe it is imperative to keep our employees
focused on “Finishing the Season” with the same amount of enthusiasm and
excitement as when the season first started. Our S.T.A.R. program has
enabled our employees to become the “real” star performers at our facility.
And, just like movie stars and rock stars, our STARS have raving fans as
well, like the management of the Nutter Center, the University
administration, and more importantly, the guests of the Nutter Center.
Here’s wishing us all a successful “stretch run,” a refreshing spring, and a
sensational summer. See you at the UVMC Conference and the IAAM Annual
Conference in San Antonio, Texas.
Jim Brown is associate
director of the Ervin J. Nutter Center at Wright State University in Dayton,
Ohio. |
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