 What's Next? Economic Forecast 2012
As 2011 comes to a close, what does the economy have in store for us? Weary investors search for answer and try to make sense out of the economic data and news. The U.S. Real Estate Investment Trust magazine assembled four leading economists for a discussion on the economy as well as the commercial real estate sector. The participants were: Glenn Hubbard, dean of Columbia University's Graduate School of Business; Larry Meyer, senior adviser of Macroeconomic Advisers, LLC; Tim Riddiough, professor of Real Estate and Urban Land Development at the University of Wisconsin -Madison; and Diane Swonk, chief economists for Mesirow Financial. The roundtable discusses the following topicss:
- Job Outlook: The federal government can stimulate job growth by doing a number of things like cut taxes, create job programs, etc but according to Riddiough, "...these things require reducing revenues or increasing spending."
- Lending & Commercial Real Estate: Short-term interest rates remain low and are expected to stay that way. Yet Hubbard believes that the low interest rates will not translate into a leaning boo.
- Supply & Demand Effects on CRE: Swonk believes that "The market will be much less dominated by retail, however, as we move to re-balance the economy away from the costumer toward investment and exports."
 Read the entire magazine article at Reit.com
Selecting Green Cleaning Vendors
How extensive are your green services and products? What certifications & procedures vendors adhere to? A recent article from FaciliesNet explores the topic of Green Cleaning and Green Cleaners, giving managers tips on selecting a "Green" vendor.
Since not all vendors offer the same services,use the same procedures and products, FacilitiesNet advices that managers should ask specifically what they are. "Ask the service provider if it offers complete janitorial services, or just daily and routine cleaning. Some janitorial companies are not well-prepared to do complete floor maintenance, especially for stone floors or periodic deep carpet cleaning, which requires specialized equipment." A professional Green Cleaning vendor will be able to not only answer your questions regarding procedures and certifications, but also explain how they are implemented in your facility. The vendor's answers to this question can provide a lot of insight. Read More on Green Cleaning Vendors on FacilitiesNet.com.
Management Metrics You Need to Know
Most managers only measure outputs, not inputs. In an article on Forbes.com, James Slavet, recommends managers to focus instead on how to improve the company on an atomic level: how to make a meeting better and more productive. Here are the five metrics Slavet recommends great teams to measure:
- Flow Stage Percentage: You know that feeling when you’re “in the zone,” cranking on something. That is flow, a term coined by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Unfortunately, most of us are constantly interrupted during the day with meetings, emails, texts, or colleagues who want to talk about stuff. These interruptions that move us out of “flow state” increase R&D cycle times and costs dramatically.
- The Anxiety-Boredom Continuum: We shouldn’t be so overwhelmed with work that we break down and give up, but we also shouldn’t be coasting either. With this in mind, check in with your employees periodically about where they are on this continuum, while also keeping an eye out for signs of where they stand. If they have low energy, or are showing up late and leaving early, they may be bored. If they’re responding to small setbacks with anger or frustration, or getting sick a lot, they may be pushing too hard.
- Positive Feedback Ratio: John Gottman, a psychologist, is the author of “Why Marriages Succeed or Fail”. In his research, he found that marriages that succeed tend to have five times as many positive interactions as negative ones. And when a couple falls below that ratio, their relationship falls down too. The same is true at the office, where you’re often connected for years in relationships with people who can either become wary of your criticisms or eager to give you their best effort. Catch people doing good things. Never miss a chance to say something nice, even if you feel a little silly. Then when you have feedback on areas to improve, they‘ll really listen. It may be hard to manage to the 5:1 ratio at the office, but you should be mindful of the balance.
Visit Forbes.com and read more on The Five Management Metrics You Need To Know.
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3 Tips for Effective Facility Management
Building Operating Management offers three key points to keep in mind that can help facility managers improve their communication skills.
- Know & Understand the needs of your audience: Keep your information clear and concise.
- Repetition & Reinforcement: The average person is bombarded with over 300 messages at work. Getting a message to land with an audience might take as many as 12 repetitions, in some cases.
- Write conceptually and procedurally: Keep in mind, different people have different learning styles. Some people are visually oriented while others need step-by-step exact directions. To communicate effectively, facility managers need to remember that everyone assimilates information differently.
Read the entire article at FacilitiesNet.
Obama, Clinton Unveil $4 Billion Green Building Program
Program Could Save Up to $40 Billion A Year in Energy Costs and Boost Construction Employment.
President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton announced a $4 billion effort to improve energy efficiency in federal and private-sector buildings across the country over the next two years. The program, which could create up to 114,000 jobs by one estimate, would boost manufacturing of energy-efficient materials and help the construction industry, hurt by millions of job losses since the housing and commercial real estate downturn began.
Read the entire article at FacilitiesNet.
A Vital Connection: Executives & Employee Volunteers
Can an Employee Volunteer Program increase employee loyalty and help to motivate & engage employees? According to a Sabrina Dinelli-Viva, such programs not only engage employees but provides leaders an opportunity to provide support and teach rather than lead from a removed corporate office. "Something happens when leaders are present and involved in the day to day operations. They are able to stimulate ideas, motivate, and engage and find better practices."
Read the article
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