Education shouldn’t stop once facility managers get the job of their dreams. No matter what position they’re in, from intern to president, education should improve and enrich one’s experience on the job. In fact, continuing education on the job can help an organization reach peak performance levels by encouraging creativity and productivity.
Too often, managers concern themselves with hiring people who have a good education, without looking at other characteristics, such as logical thinking or flexibility. Then, once they are hired, employees forget about the importance of continuing the learning process.
According to consultant and author Winston Scott, part of the responsibility belongs to the employer to provide opportunities for education. In his article, “The ABCs of Education in Business,” Winston gives tips on harnessing the power of learning to improve business skills at every level. In it, he shows how to:
• Consider not just the education of each hire, but other attributes such as logical thinking and problem-solving skills;
• Create a hiring process that measure other skills in an essay format or cognitive tests
• Offer on-the-job training to improve efficiency and proficiency
• Ask the right questions to help employees advance in weaker areas and learn more about new skill sets
The role of education goes far beyond just opening the right doors. If facility managers continue to learn on the job, their company will benefit from the confidence they build from their experiences.
