7 Steps For Establishing An Effective Office Building Maintenance Plan
Office buildings require more effort for owners and managers to maintain than most other building types because of their size, diversity, and the number of people inside. In today's article, you'll find seven effective steps for establishing an office building maintenance plan that works best for your company's needs.
1) Conduct a Comprehensive Inspection
A detailed inspection should be completed before starting any work or planning on how to handle future problems that might arise. Maintenance inspections should focus on roofing, plumbing systems, HVAC equipment, electrical systems, interior finishes, and the physical structure itself. Any problems with these areas should be noted to either be rectified immediately or scheduled for repair as part of a maintenance plan. If needed, hiring a professional inspector can help create the most detailed report.
2) Establish a Plan of Action and Identify the Maintenance Needs
The maintenance plan should include:
Creating an inventory list of all items that need servicing.
Scheduling needed repairs.
Setting up a budget for repairs.
Addressing equipment failure and what to do with work orders as they come in.
If no plan is established, then all future problems will likely be ignored or handled without complete knowledge. Every company should prioritize its needs based on importance and urgency so issues don't fall through the cracks and worsen over time.
3) Schedule Regular Inspections & Maintenance Appointments
A specific day and time frame should be chosen by management every month where inspections take place. These monthly appointments should be scheduled in advance so everyone can plan their day accordingly. Making this appointment part of the monthly management meeting is easy to ensure that it gets done without fail.
4) Establish a Maintenance Policy & Program
A maintenance policy is set in place by management to avoid unnecessary costs for equipment failures or repairs. Often, owners automatically blame employees for every problem that arises with the building's equipment, even if they had nothing to do with it. With an established maintenance program, owners will gain valuable insights into how dependable each worker truly is when faced with mechanical issues. This policy should also show employees what they are required to do if something breaks down either on their own or while they are working.
5) Keep Accurate Replacement Parts On Hand
Companies should keep replacement parts available at all times to avoid more significant, more costly breakdowns. Maintaining stock of needed components is also necessary if something breaks down and an immediate part replacement is required. At the same time, inventory should be kept to track how much each item is on hand so replacement orders don't get delayed because they are not ordered immediately.
6) Know When Not to Make Repairs
Whenever you decide that making any repairs is unnecessary for this particular piece of equipment or system, never make them. Just like with employees who do what they're told without question (which might not always be best), these pieces of equipment need to follow suit as well because their "repairs" might make the problem or issue much worse.
It's a good idea to have a list of qualified professionals like plumbing contractors who can work on your equipment when needed. This will save time and money in the long run by allowing them to perform the required service and offer competitive rates for their work.
7) Evaluate Regularly & Make Necessary Changes
A regular evaluation process should be established so managers can track how well each task has been accomplished after being completed. Making any necessary changes shouldn't happen every day, but there should be enough times during the year to reassign duties to employees based on their overall performance. In turn, these re-worked assignments give employees more opportunities to learn new skills while building trust with management.
When it comes to your company's success, maintaining office equipment is crucial for getting work done efficiently and avoiding unnecessary costs that might arise from repairs or, even worse, breakdowns. Every employee has a responsibility to make sure this equipment works appropriately, so their tasks are not hindered at any time throughout the day.
Follow these steps outlined above to keep your business running smoothly without interruptions!