The report, commissioned by Crown Workspace, an expert in everything from office removal to workspace refresh, and full refurbishment, reveals a growing disconnect between the design of today’s offices and the evolving needs of their occupants.

Office attendance: preference vs reality

A staggering 91% of employees say they would return to the office more often if the space better supported their needs, highlighting a clear opportunity for businesses to reimagine their work environments. Yet there’s a noticeable disconnect between attendance and employee preferences: while 59% currently work in the office full-time, only 41% say they actually prefer to. Nearly half (47%) favor a hybrid model, reflecting the growing demand for greater flexibility.

Despite this shift, the office still holds value. A full 45% of employees report feeling more productive in the office compared to just 25% at home.

How environment and design are impacting productivity

Open-plan office spaces may have once been seen as a solution for collaboration, but the reality is they often fall short, especially when it comes to supporting creativity and productivity. Three quarters (75%) of employees say that the furniture, layout and flexibility of their office space have a significant impact on their well-being and performance, yet fewer than one in four (24%) feel their current setup actually supports those outcomes. The message is clear: employees want spaces that work with, not against, how they focus and create.

Quiet zones and personalized workspace are high on the wish-list — 67% say access to quiet areas is essential, while 77% value having a dedicated workspace. A further 70% believe having a designated desk with a personalized setup (rather than hot-desking) is critical to a positive office experience. For businesses looking to boost productivity, creativity and a meaningful return to the office, designing workspaces that prioritize focus, ownership, and comfort is essential.

While the survey shows collaborative, open spaces can be positive for offices, it also suggests companies and organizations have neglected the role of quiet spaces for some time.

The role of technology

Employees may be less productive at home simply because they don’t have access to the same equipment they use in the office. Notably, more than a third of employees (36%) only have access to a second monitor at work, highlighting the workplace’s advantage in providing specialized tech resources. Similarly, 40% of employees say they only have access to a printer in the office, compared to just 5% who have access to one exclusively at home — further reinforcing the gap in essential tools between remote and in-office setups.

Other tools, such as industry-specific equipment, are also largely office-based — 58% of employees report having access to these only in the office, compared to just 4% who have access to them exclusively at home.

The future — flexible, focused, and fit for purpose

Looking ahead, 76% of facilities managers say they expect to create more interactive and engaging office environments within the next three years. Many are also evolving how they use space — storing desk equipment, furniture, and safety supplies off-site to make room for new layouts that better suit hybrid and collaborative workstyles.

Interestingly, 48% of facilities managers expect to downsize their office during the same period. This trend may be driven by evolving workplace dynamics in the wake of the pandemic. As Phil Oram, UKI regional director at Crown Workspace, explains:

Since the pandemic, the physical space that an office occupies has come under greater scrutiny. With fewer people in the office, it’s more important than ever to design Workspace around the needs of the workforce. At the same time, organizations must plan for a more sustainable future, aligning with global sustainability goals. As offices downsize, equipment doesn’t need to be discarded — there are real opportunities to upcycle and recycle, giving these items a second life.

The verdict? Reimagine or retire the open office

Commenting on the findings from the report, Oram continued:

Our research shows that the modern workforce wants more from their office environments. Employees are looking for spaces that support both wellbeing and performance. Despite decades of popularity, the fully open office consistently falls short—failing to provide the quiet and personalized spaces people need to thrive. The future of the successful office will need to be flexible, functional, and above all, designed with people in mind. It’s time for employers to rethink their approach and take decisive steps to create Workspace that truly support their people—because when employees thrive, businesses do too.

The report, Is It Time to Kill the Open Office, for Good? (PDF), is available from Crown Workspace.

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By Sara Marberry  — Since the current U.S. president took office in January, chaos has reigned. The administration’s push for deregulation and new financial incentives could ease some red tape and open up funding opportunities. But then there’s the fine print: labor shortages, tariffs on materials, slashed federal grants, and policy pivots that make long-term planning difficult.

For those of you in planning, designing, and constructing healthcare facilities and senior living communities, this new policy landscape probably feels like a rollercoaster ride.

Anxiety is high. Uncertainty is real. And many of us are asking: When will the chaos subside?

Likely not anytime soon. And there’s not a lot we can do about it.

So, to provide a little distraction and make you laugh, here’s the best healthcare design joke I know. In fact, its the only healthcare design joke I know.

I’ve shared it before, but it’s still funny.

Doctors were asked to contribute to the planning and design of a new medical center. Their responses?

• The allergists voted to scratch it.
• The dermatologists preferred no rash moves.
• The gastroenterologists had a gut feeling about it.
• The neurologists thought the administration had a lot of nerve.
• The obstetricians were laboring under a misconception.
• The ophthalmologists thought it was short-sighted.
• The orthopedists issued a joint resolution.
• The pathologists said, “Over my dead body!”
• The pediatricians said, “Grow up.”
• The proctologists said, “We are in arrears.”
• The psychiatrists thought it was madness.
• The surgeons decided to wash their hands of the whole thing.
• The radiologists could see right through it.
• The internists said it was a hard pill to swallow.
• The plastic surgeons thought it put a whole new face on the matter.
• The podiatrists called it a big step forward.
• The urologists warned it wouldn’t hold water.
• The emergency physicians said it needed resuscitation.
• And the cardiologists? They just didn’t have the heart to say no.

Laughter really is the best medicine, right? If you know another healthcare design joke, please share it in the comment box below!

See the original article as well as more insights on Sara Marberry’s Blog.

This column originally ran on Sara Marberry’s Blog on April 18, 2025. Marberry is a healthcare design expert with over 25 years of experience in the healthcare and senior living design industry, who has written/edited five books and is a regular contributor to Healthcare Design magazine. Marberry also is a former Executive Vice President of the nonprofit Center for Health Design.

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By Sara Marberry  — I’ve been having a lot of conversations with people about AI recently. Love it or hate it, AI is here to stay and will only grow in importance in our daily lives.

AI isn’t perfect.

It sometimes messes things up. Its ability to generate highly realistic deepfake videos and images is very disturbing. And some think AI could surpass human intelligence and take over the world.

But AI isn’t inherently good or evil — it’s all about how we use it.

AI in healthcare

In healthcare, AI is already impacting patient care, staff productivity, and facility design.

AI-powered imaging tools can detect anomalies like cancer, fractures, or infections faster and with higher accuracy than traditional methods. It also scrutinizes patient data, genetics, and past medical history to tailor treatments specific to individual needs.

And there’s more.

AI models can analyze trends and identify individuals at risk of diseases like heart disease or diabetes before symptoms appear, enabling early interventions. AI-powered virtual assistants and chatbots are able to provide 24/7 patient support, answer medical queries, schedule appointments, and even help monitor chronic conditions remotely.

By reducing administrative burdens and optimizing workflows, AI is also reducing time spent on things like paperwork and data entry, allowing staff to focus more on patient care.

AI in healthcare facility planning and design

A recent paper published by the American College of Healthcare Architects offers a great overview of AI in healthcare facility planning and design, with 10 conclusions and predictions at the end. Some that stood out for me are:

1. Data-driven design: AI’s ability to collect data in a number of different areas. such as outpatient care and customer preferences, will inform new and flexible facility design solutions.
2. Efficiency and workflow optimization: By streamlining administrative tasks, AI will free up time for healthcare professionals and eliminate the need for some staff. This will impact the types and amount of workspaces that are needed.
3. Population data mining for everyone: AI’s ability to analyze and predict diseases and new treatment options will present new design challenges

On the creative side, AI allows healthcare architects and designers to run different scenarios for their designs by generating multiple solutions based on specific things like space utilization, sustainability, and aesthetics. It’s also being used to design more energy-efficient buildings by simulating how they will interact with natural elements such as sunlight, wind, and temperature.

AI-powered virtual staging tools can give clients an idea of what a space might look like with out physical staging. And AI can be used to suggest furniture arrangements, color schemes, and design themes.

What to make of AI

So, are all of you healthcare architects and designers going to be replaced by AI? Heck no. It cannot replace the deeply human qualities of empathy, ethics, intuition, and a sense of purpose that is essential to you and the work you do.

But if you’re not using AI as a tool to help problem-solve, stimulate your creativity, and produce better designs, then you’re missing the boat.

See the original article as well as more insights on Sara Marberry’s Blog.

This column originally ran on Sara Marberry’s Blog on February 28, 2025. Marberry is a healthcare design expert with over 25 years of experience in the healthcare and senior living design industry, who has written/edited five books and is a regular contributor to Healthcare Design magazine. Marberry also is a former Executive Vice President of the nonprofit Center for Health Design.

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Thank you to all of you who attended. Sorry some of you had to sit on the floor.

Because we only had an hour, we shared a few of the most significant design innovations that were short-term fads and lasting trends in these four categories: Patient & Staff Safety, Efficiency, Patient Experience, and Staff Experience/Satisfaction. We also spoke about emerging design responses that may become trends.

The criteria we presented for evaluating trends is (in no particular order):

1. Evidence based and/or researched informed
2. Operationally efficient
3. Improves clinical outcomes
4. Cost and schedule positive
5. Long term ROI
6. Flexible/adaptable

And for a design innovation to become a trend, it doesn’t have to meet all six criteria. Here are a some of the fads and trends from the past 20 years we discussed.

“Safe by Design” Patient Rooms

Remember these? Designers were trying to show that physical design of patient rooms could directly influence adverse events by adding design features such as:

• Nursing cockpits between rooms that directly faced the patient (not noting that staffing ratios on acute care units are not 1:1).
• Moving toilet room doors closer to patient bed to reduce falls, but not understanding furniture elements in the way or how IV poles are tethered.
• Designing same handed rooms, which are great for modularity and sound attenuation, but not proven to reduce medical errors.

Standard practice now is to design for fall prevention in patient rooms by including night lights, visibility from central core, additional grab bars, and sliding doors for toilets

Highly Designed Patient Room Sinks

The theory here was that if you emphasized the the design and location of patient room sinks by using special lighting, and wall and/or flooring patterns, it would encourage handwashing. It didn’t really work, so most hospitals now have alcohol solution and glove dispensers near sinks or at the entrance to rooms.

Recent studies have shown the potential for bacteria growth in water locations, so many now are even questioning the need for patient room sinks at all.

Private Offices

Private offices are nice, right? Physicians and managers like to have ’em.

But they take up a lot of valuable real estate. And the pandemic showed us that we don’t have to be an office all the time to do our work.

The current trend, which will likely become standard, is to “right-size” hospitals, including removing or reducing private offices, providing hoteling spaces, and offering telecommuting options for administrative staff.

Customized Interiors

Twenty years ago, interior design was very customized, sometimes with totally different looks and materials per department. A healthcare designer’s dream, right?

While often beautiful and patient focused, these designs forced hospitals to stock many types and colors of finishes and learn how to maintain them correctly.

As the number of healthcare systems grow, a continuing trend to standardize the look of sister facilities to solidify their brand for customers. The standardization of furniture, fixtures, and equipment reduces maintenance and repair costs, allowing for more economic and efficient operations.

Standards also create an economy of scale that increases purchasing power and deep quantity discounts. Interior design standards are an HR benefit, as they ensure that workspaces are consistent for all employees, regardless of title.

Indoor Gardens, Water Features, Aquariums

Access to nature through indoor gardens, water features, and live aquariums were also fads. Maintenance was difficult for both and we realized that water features were a health hazard because they can spread waterborne organisms that cause Legionnaire’s disease and other infections.

Standard practice is to have large windows in exam and patient rooms, nature themed art, and outdoor spaces to provide patients and staff with access to nature and fresh air.

Biophilic design principles that integrate nature-inspired elements are also standard in many healthcare interiors today. This includes using fractal patterns in textiles, flooring, decorative elements; as well as the use of wood and curved shapes.

Family Kitchens

And who can forget about the impact Planetree had on the design of healthcare environments? Many of their ideas about patient units, such as lower counters at nurse stations and incorporating artwork, have become standard practice.

But things like family kitchens on units — touted for their benefits to support family members and provide calming smells like chocolate chip cookies baking, have not. They proved to be problematic because clinicians couldn’t control the nutritional needs of patients due to the fact that family members were bringing in food.

Emerging solutions for family amenities include privacy booths for family members to make phone calls or work while waiting; as well as and sensory rooms to help reduce stress for patients and families.

Decentralized Nurse Stations

While decentralized nurse stations were developed to bring nursing care closer to patients, practical challenges related to communication, collaboration, efficiency, safety, and staff well-being have led to a shift back to more centralized or hybrid models.

For example, when nurses are spread out in smaller, separate stations, it becomes more difficult to share critical information, provide support, and coordinate care effectively. Decentralized stations can also lead to feelings of isolation and reduce opportunities for immediate peer support and mentorship, which can affect morale and job satisfaction.

Interior Staff Break Rooms

Staff break rooms have traditionally been interior spaces with a few tables and chairs and no windows. Standard practice is heading toward exterior break areas with windows and comfortable seating that encourages social interaction.

Also called respite rooms, Tranquility Rooms are an emerging trend in hospitals because they provide a practical and meaningful way to support the mental health of staff, reduce burnout, and promote overall well-being. In many cases these are repurposed spaces, like the chapel that was converted to a staff respite room at AdventHealth in Winter Garden Fla.

And while these types of rooms are trending, for them to be used, staff will only use them if the culture supports it. Because nurses often don’t want to leave their patients for fear that something will happen while they’re gone or they’ll get behind in the work.

Another staff amenity that’s emerging are the Apple store-inspired “genius bars” where staff can get help with technology and equipment, as well as Amazon lockers in offstage areas for staff to receive packages safely. The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center’s new inpatient tower, expected to open in 2026, is going to have one.

On Stage/Off Stage Design

This concept came from Disney, where you never see any of the offstage production while you’re in its theme parks (Mickey just appears out of nowhere!).

While this concept has its merits in creating more patient-centered environments, the complexities and dynamic nature of healthcare delivery made it less effective in hospital settings. For example, it often resulted in longer travel distances for staff, making it harder to provide timely care or transport equipment.

More physical space was also needed to create separate pathways and entrances for patients, families, and staff – which increased construction costs. Also, healthcare managers realized that the presence of staff is important to patients and families. They want to see them doing their job.

Emerging Design Responses to Current Healthcare Topics

We wrapped up our presentation with some ideas about emerging design responses to some current healthcare topics, such as technology, access to care, and being a better corporate citizen. I’ll write about them in a future blog post.

Bottom line? A fad is sometimes an overreaction to the healthcare issue “du jour.” Applying the criteria listed about helps qualify trends vs. fads.

And there will always be unknown factors. The ultimate test is the test of time.

See the original article as well as more insights on Sara Marberry’s Blog.

This column originally ran on Sara Marberry’s Blog on November 1, 2024. Marberry is a healthcare design expert with over 25 years of experience in the healthcare and senior living design industry, who has written/edited five books and is a regular contributor to Healthcare Design magazine. Marberry also is a former Executive Vice President of the nonprofit Center for Health Design.

The post Marberry: Trends and fads that have impacted healthcare facility design and construction appeared first on FMLink.

With over three million air miles traveled globally, Davis has spent years speaking and training leaders on the nuances of business etiquette and ethics. Infused with humor and real-world anecdotes, Navigating Virtue makes complex topics approachable, relatable, and even entertaining for professionals at every level.

More than just a book, Navigating Virtue is a full-fledged education in business excellence. Whether you are an aspiring professional or an established leader, this essential guide provides the tools you need to transform your career. Davis empowers readers to rise through the ranks, build strong professional relationships, and gain respect in any corporate setting.

Navigating Virtue delivers a practical, hands-on approach to success. Davis embraces the power of micro-learning, presenting bite-sized lessons on communication, transparency, and collaboration. These lessons provide a clear path to leadership, teaching readers how to excel in their careers and earn the recognition they deserve.

In this timely and relevant guide, Davis updates 21st-century standards for business, highlighting the indispensable role ethics and etiquette play in fostering trust, cultivating positive corporate cultures, and creating harmonious workplaces.

Don’t miss your chance to transform your career and workplace. Say goodbye to office drama and hello to a productive, thriving work environment.

Navigating Virtue: Ethics and Etiquette in the American Business Landscape is available for purchase from Amazon Books. Learn about certification as an Ethics and Etiquette Expert in American Business within the American Business Ethics and Etiquette Trainers Association (ABEETA) at ABEETA.

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Many professionals fall into the facility management industry by accident. Unfortunately, there isn’t too much information available tailored specifically to the new facility manager with no official experience. No descriptions on what to expect or how to achieve success. For many, being thrown into the fire and tossed to the sharks is the only approach. While this can be an effective strategy, it’s not for everyone.

For those new to the industry, or even those who still feel new after years on the job, this is the guidebook for you. Through articles and videos, industry consultant Charles M. Thomas will detail 10 must-have skills to become a stand-out facility manager.

To be successful with adapting the information in this guidebook, the keyword to take full advantage of is “Application.” With each chapter, readers should think about how the information coincides with their work life, jot down some notes, and put them to action when on site.

A summary of the 10 essential skills follows.

Skill1: Teamwork wins — How can you be an outstanding asset for the team you are now on?

Skill 2: Preparation — Preparation put in toward how your day looks makes the random and sometimes difficult “Murphy’s Law” moments much easier to handle.

Skill 3: Warm-up — Arrive on time, get your mind right and set yourself up for a day of high performance.

Skill 4: Look up, look down — Notice in detail, and then pro-actively execute, what’s needed to be done before any of the end users even notice what’s going on.

Skill 5: Learning to care — The customer service experience a facility manager can give is something that end users will never forget, if done correctly.

Skill 6: Speak the language — By putting the effort into learning and speaking the FM language, working with vendors and others in the industry takes an immediate leap into a realm of high efficiency.

Skill 7: Adaptability — From you being the new facility manager on the team, to getting feedback from a superior, to reacting to an emergency; being able to think on your feet or adapt to any situation will be a big part of how any new FM proves themselves to be a great resource to the organization.

Skill 8: Be curious — Curiosity about any and everything involving facility and operations management is one of the biggest personal attributes an aspiring facility manager can have for a successful career.

Skill 9: Vendor relationships — From the sales rep to the technician that comes on site to conduct work, the key is to always strive to conduct good business, keep an open line of communication on expectations, and to give the vendor the respect you expect them to give you.

Skill 10: White collar meets blue — As a jack of all trades, a facilities manager must be knowledgeable in many areas, know how to speak with the experts of a specific area and communicate with all departments, and master being both white collar and blue collar at any given time, expecting each day to bring different challenges and experiences.

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That’s why the team of mental health experts at Delamere has shared five ways to open up the conversation about mental health with your employer, listed below.

1. Find the right time and place to talk

When approaching the conversation of mental health with your employer, one thing that will help is finding the right time to talk. Taking to your boss on a day when they seem overwhelmed might result in you not getting the best response, so make sure to schedule a call or an in-person conversation with them ahead of time.

As well as the right time, it’s also important to find an appropriate place to have the conversation. Find a place that will allow you to talk in a professional and calm way, and is a quiet space in your workplace. If somewhere suitable isn’t available, you could also suggest meeting outside the office or even going for a walk.

2. Plan what you are going to say ahead of your meeting

Before speaking to your manager, one of the best ways you can prepare is by planning what you want to discuss ahead of time. This will not only calm any nerves you might be having ahead of the conversation but will also ensure that you are only sharing what is needed to frame how your mental health is impacting your work.

Points you can prepare in advance could include: identifying tasks within your current role and workload that is making you stressed; reminding your boss of your achievements so that they remember you are more than capable; and explaining what factors might need to change in order to help you.

3. Decide who to speak to

If you decide to open up to your employer about your mental health, consider who you will feel most comfortable having the conversation with.

If you have a good relationship with one of your managers, it might be helpful talking to them about what you are going through. However, if you find that they aren’t very approachable, consider speaking to someone within your Human Resources (HR) Department that will be able to help you.

4. Consider that your boss may be more receptive than you think

Though talking about your mental health with your employer may feel like an uncomfortable situation, they may actually be more understanding than you anticipate them to be.

Mental health is a very common illness that a lot of people, unfortunately, suffer from in the workplace. So when you start the conversation, the chances are your boss or employer will have already had direct experience with dealing with it or even experienced it themselves.

5. Focus on your productivity and ability to work

To get the most out of your conversation with your employer, think beforehand about how your mental health is impacting your productivity and ability to work.

If you go into the meeting with this already prepared, the chances are you will have greater success coming up with solutions on how your employer can support you and what you need to get better, whether it’s more flexible working hours or a lighter workload.

For more information on mental health in the workplace, see Delamere’s 2023 Wellness & Quality of Life Report.

The post Starting the conversation: 5 tips to talk to your boss about your mental health appeared first on FMLink.

The full 2023 final report will be published in May. While you’re waiting, check out last year’s report results here.

Find out more about the ProFM Credential at ProFMI.

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This scene illustrates one of the most overlooked, yet important, traits of a great facility manager: the ability to listen.

Most facility managers will say, “Sure, I listen,” but do they really? Active listening skills, when given the appropriate attention to learning and practicing, can greatly improve a facility manager’s customer service and level of respect from staff, as well as help fully understand complex issues.

A great FM will always listen more than he or she talks. Most people want to be heard, and many people have their own ego that facility managers must deal with and manage. This is where active listening skills can help.

7 components of active listening

Active listening is a technique of careful listening and observation of nonverbal cues, with feedback in the form of accurate paraphrasing that is used in counseling, training, and solving disputes or conflicts. Facility managers must wear many hats — even the hat of counselor, trainer, and mediator. That is why active listening skills are particularly relevant.

Active listening includes seven components: neutrality, patience, feedback, questioning, reflection, clarification, and summarization.

Neutrality refers to being nonjudgmental. Facility managers must keep an open mind and focus on the words and gestures of the person talking. The person is communicating with the facility manager because they think the issue is important, regardless of the FM’s predetermined opinions on the matter. This person is most likely not interested in the FM’s opinions on the issue. The facility manager’s function is to fully understand the speaker’s perspective and importance to their job and the organization as a whole.

Patience can be challenging considering that most facility managers are trying to fit 20 hours of work into a 10-hour day. A FM must be calm and give the speaker full attention while letting them finish what they have to say. A FM should not cut off the speaker or interrupt. The facility manager should let the person fully express the issue because it is therapeutic for them. Being patient is a completely unselfish act and speaker can sense the FM’s level of engagement and commitment to solving their issue. The facility manager needs to shut down the internal dialogue and avoid daydreaming or thinking about the next meeting.

Feedback is tricky. Although critical to the active listening process, too much can seem insincere or rushed. Facility managers should try to avoid saying “I understand.” This implies a full understanding of the speakers’ experiences, knowledge, and attitudes. The FM can’t possibly fully understand the speaker’s full personality or background. It is better to say, “I hear you.”

The feedback should be specific to the speaker’s issue. Avoid frequently used phrases like “very good,” “yes,” or “indeed.” The listener should not cut the speaker off, but when they are done speaking ask specific questions to the issue so the listener can gain a deep understanding of what the speaker’s needs are.

Questions can help the FM remember what the specifics are. The human mind is notoriously bad at remembering details. This is compounded with time. Asking specific questions will help the FM remember what the goal of the conversation is. By asking relevant questions the listener also helps to reinforce that they have an interest in what the speaker is saying.

Reflection, or the reflective technique, involves reflecting back to the speaker what the believed meaning is. Reflection is related to clarification of meaning. Reflection increases the FM’s own understanding and helps the speaker clarify his or her thoughts based on the facility manager’s reflection. It can reassure the speaker that the FM is interested in their point of view.

By using reflection, the speaker can see that the FM is paying attention to them and making a conscious effort to understand what they mean. The facility manager can slightly alter posture to show interest. Slightly moving forward, leaning in, or nodding one’s head shows interest and concern. The listener should use the appropriate facial expression and make eye contact to signal interest and engagement. This tends to encourage people to open up and make their case in an honest and heartfelt way.

If the FM feels there is more to explore, paraphrasing of the last few words spoken or an open question to keep the conversation alive is a good technique. In some instances, the FM may just want to remain quiet in order to give the speaker time to gather their thoughts. These simple techniques can help bring to light issues that the manager was previously unaware of. Don’t be afraid of the silent pause. Don’t try to fill the silence. Be patient.

Clarification, like reflection, will help the listener fully understand the issue and make the speaker feel that the facility manager is engaged and sincere. Clarification questions need to be specific to the issue. Try to avoid generalizations as the speaker will see this as lack of appropriate attention to the issue at hand. A mixture of direct questions for clarification and reflection can get to the core of the issue and create a positive relationship with the speaker. Clarification can help fill in the gaps and correct misconceptions.

Summarizing involves taking the main points of the received message and reiterating them in a logical and clear way, giving the speaker chance to correct if necessary. Summarizing statements serve to tie together multiple ideas expressed by the speaker to help focus the speaker’s thoughts. The FM’s summary should also include a cordial end to the conversation such as “Thank you for taking time to make me aware of your concern.” Try to give a firm timeframe for follow up, such as “I will look into this issue and get back to you by the end of business tomorrow.”

Nonverbal communication

Throughout the conversation, the active learning process includes close attention to nonverbal communication. The facility manager needs to be conscious of what the speaker is communicating nonverbally. Likewise, the FM needs to control their own nonverbal communication to control the message.

Bad nonverbal communication includes arm crossing, eye rolling, avoiding eye contact, fidgeting, or swaying. It is particularly rude to continuously look at one’s phone or watch. Other bad nonverbal communication signals include standing with arms crossed, the fig leaf position with the hands protecting the crotch, creating a church steeple with one’s fingers, and washing one’s hands while speaking. With every one of these practices, the speaker is creating a physical barrier between her or him and listeners. To avoid them, simply start with arms at the sides, and bring them up to make a gesture. Avoid clumsy use of objects like fiddling with a tape measure or tapping a pencil or pen on the desk.

Good nonverbal communication includes eye contact; a calm, firm and steady posture; hands by the side; nodding in agreement with the speaker; and the occasional, yet appropriate, smile. Gestures should be essential to the conversation. As Hamlet put it, “Suit the action to the word, the word to the action.” By keeping that thought in mind, the facility manager should find it difficult to use too many gestures, since any one gesture couldn’t possibly fit that many expressions. The other half of this equation is the power and spareness of the gesture. Each gesture should be strong, clearly support the phrase or idea, and end cleanly. The fewer the nonverbal gestures or cues, the better.

Effective facility managers are great listeners. Active listening skills can help the facility manager improve overall effectiveness and be the groundwork for positive work relationships with customers, peers, and subordinates. A great facility manager always listens more than he or she talks.

The post How well do you listen? appeared first on FMLink.

This short, virtual networking opportunity connects facility managers together to ask questions and share advice.

For this session we will discuss onboarding, training and retention strategies. Bring your questions, tips and experiences regarding this current industry challenge.

The Facilities Managers (FM) Huddle has become a favorite benefit of members. Come join the conversation!

The next FM Huddle takes place Friday, February 17 at 9 a.m. Eastern. Click here to register.

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