Page 24
— Property Management Quarterly — April 2016
A
s the Great Recession loos-
ens its grip on the economy,
more Americans head back
to work. This is particularly
true in Denver as the city is
growing and more businesses are
launching. The numbers don’t lie
– Denver truly has become a boom-
ing area for commercial properties.
In addition to local and national
accolades recognizing Denver as an
ideal place for economic and job
growth and the tax benefits many
technology companies receive when
moving to Denver, it’s no wonder
why dozens of new age companies
who call Denver home are poised
for explosive growth.
Naturally, all of this new business
growth is accompanied by a grow-
ing need for property managers.
We’ve noticed a recent trend toward
consolidation that puts a lot of
pressure on property managers who
are expected to work with office
managers and other staff members
to handle more facility mainte-
nance projects on a smaller budget.
So how can property managers,
working on a budget, keep their
facility looking great while keeping
the work environment green, clean,
safe and healthy?
The tips to follow are suggestions
property managers can share with
their tenants and their tenants’
office managers during annual or
semiannual meetings in order to
help everyone
work together to
keep the facil-
ity looking great
while keeping the
work environment
green, clean, safe
and healthy.
Let’s start with
the tips that will
get employees
involved in ways
that help delegate
responsibility.
First, establish a
cleaning policy with your tenants.
Educate your tenants on the dam-
aging effects of cleaning products
and create real consequences for
those who disregard warnings and
instructions. Then, encourage your
tenants and office managers to
work with their employees to come
to a consensus on temperature. A
recent survey suggests that employ-
ee conflicts over room temperature
is as much literal as it is meta-
phorical, as more than 50 percent
of employees fight over the office
temperature. Get everyone together
to come to a consensus and restrict
employee access to the thermostat
to keep the peace.
Next, make sure the companies
occupying your properties are will-
ing to pivot for millennial employ-
ees. The same survey showcased
the difference between millennial
and baby boomer employees – 55
percent of millennials would con-
sider taking a new job and/or less
pay to work in a clean office set at
the temperature they prefer (only
25 percent of baby boomers said the
same).
Two additional employee-focused
tips to help property managers
make that pivot are urging employ-
ees to stay home when sickness
strikes and encouraging employees
to take food home. Few things are
more disruptive than a sick office
mate and more annoying than a
cluttered fridge full of food that’s
gone bad.
Now on to tips for property man-
agers seeking to help office manag-
ers protect their fellow employees
and effectively maintain their office.
Most importantly, remind them that
that quick fixes mean danger. Ten-
ants should avoid using air fresh-
ners and fabric protection sprays
because they contain chemicals
linked to endocrine system issues.
Also, if possible, avoid carpet. How-
ever, if an office already has carpet,
encourage office managers to rely
on steam cleaning over carpet treat-
ment processes that can expose
their office to dangerous chemicals.
And lastly, beware of old furniture
that puts offices at risk. Many old
items contain PBDEs – fire retar-
dants that break down into danger-
ous metabolites linked to cancer –
so when in doubt, get them out!
On a more granular level, anyone
responsible for office cleanliness
and facility maintenance should
carefully inspect warning labels
and avoid any cleaning products
that contain dangerous chemicals
like phthalates, formaldehyde and
“chemical surfacants.”
To combat these problems, they
can replace cleaners with do-it-
yourself tricks – like using lemon,
cooking oil, vinegar or baking soda
to clean surfaces and handle tough
odors. Using those tricks and mak-
ing sure maintenance staff sets
reminders to change filters often
will keep younger employees hap-
pier and, hopefully, more productive
because these efforts will make air
quality a high priority. That’s a big
deal in light of a recent U.S. Envi-
ronmental Protection Agency study
that concluded the toxic chemicals
in household cleaners are three
times more likely to cause cancer
than outdoor air.
These are tips property manag-
ers can share with office managers
and tenants, but if it all becomes
too much for one person or a small
staff to handle, hire an experienced
integrated facility services partner
who can help you embrace new
cleaning technology while cutting
costs on expensive products and
equipment.
s
Katrina Hughes
Regional director,
OpenWorks,
Denver
