People aren’t your most important asset, the RIGHT people are
I saw this headline today, it came from an FM recruitment company, and it got me thinking.
How often do we recruit people into FM roles because they have ‘some’ experience – perhaps they have worked in an engineering role, or maybe as office manager they ended up managing an office move, or did they work for a construction firm?
I have coached numerous people who have ‘fallen into’ Facilities Management, and there seem to me to be two key issues:
1. do they have an understanding of their new role before they agree to take it on?
2. do we (as employers) have a development and induction plan in place to help them be successful?
Too often, these people have a short induction (some site visits, a corporate induction day) and then nothing. I have often heard criticisms of front line managers who have been in the role for 6 months to a year – is the criticism fair? In the majority of cases, no.
These people need mentoring, coaching and training – they need to know that their employer cares enough to invest in them and their development. People become far more efficient and productive when they have the right support.
So, the recruitment company was partly right, in my opinion. Yes, it’s about the right people, but it’s also about how you support them.
To find out how coaching can bring you results with your people – fast, contact Liz Kentish, The FM Coach on Tel: 01778 561326 / 07717 870777 or email: coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk