FM Resource Planning: The Growing Knowledge Gap Between Maintenance and Engineering
According to SHRM, 10,000 Baby Boomers reach the age of 65 every day. Also referred to as the “silver tsunami,” the aging workforce – and the 31 million job vacancies it is estimated to create – is a threatening prospect to business leaders across all industries. Facilities Maintenance is no exception. As the workforce ages, facility managers have developed new training methods for their less-experienced technicians.
Today’s facility managers face a unique resource planning and readiness challenge: a growing knowledge gap exists between maintenance and engineering in less-experienced technicians. Of course, the need to meet occupant needs is ever-present. Yet, the modern facility manager also balances system operations needs and resource management challenges.
Facility managers’ success is measured by several factors, such as energy and water efficiency, minimizing downtime of crucial systems, attentiveness to occupants, and timely maintenance. Those in the facilities profession lead the team in focusing on tasks and accomplishing goals.
However, what can facility managers do to address the growing knowledge gap and lack of technicians? Facilities must be maintained daily to achieve excellent building performance, requiring a focused and dedicated workforce. The facility workforce must comprehend and actively complete the facility manager’s plan. Successful facility managers have embraced the following methods to create this ideal workforce.
Offer Comprehensive Training
A successful training program needs to be efficient, not elaborate. A well-designed program stays aligned with organization and department practices while offering a comprehensive view of training needs. The following categories are often included:
General skills: emergency procedures, equipment safety, injury prevention, etc.
Regulations: proper equipment handling and storage, confined space entry, asbestos procedures, etc.
Basic employment practices: department procedures, work orders, etc.
Trade-specific certifications and licenses
Ensure preparedness: In-house and on-the-job training does not always cover every topic; here are two programs that can help fill in the gaps:
Building Efficiency for a Sustainable Tomorrow
This platform lists local training programs and publicly-funded colleges with programs in various subjects, including facilities maintenance, HVAC controls, and building automation. It is part of a national effort to improve technician education and promote research, technology, and industry knowledge in energy-efficient buildings.
Building Re-tuning Training
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory offers a free online training program. This building re-tuning program is designed to equip building operators to improve existing facilities. It focuses on building automation system data analysis, which helps to identify and address problems in facility operations affordably.
Prioritize training: Facility managers must understand the importance of a highly trained workforce. Unfortunately, training programs are often the first to be cut during financial hardships; however, highly skilled and trained technicians can reduce operations costs while maintaining performance requirements by improving operational strategies. Training programs do not need to be expensive, but they do need to be efficient and accessible.
Benchmarking your building and tracking operations performance is a great way to demonstrate the need for training programs. By highlighting performance metrics such as response times, occupant feedback, crucial system downtimes, energy consumption, and maintenance completion rates, it’s easy to understand the value of comprehensive training programs.
In conclusion, there’s no denying that the workforce is changing. However, the solution is clear: priority must be placed on comprehensive technician training programs. The more knowledgeable and skilled the workforce is, the smaller the knowledge gap will be, and the better facilities will be run.
