Recent Articles

• Oklahoma City’s First Americans Museum: A celebration of native culture

  Dave G. Houser Facilities & Grounds

  ​The rhythmic sounds of drumming, shaking and chanting of ruffled and beaded Chickasaw dancers echoed off the looming glass and steel edifice of Oklahoma City's dazzling new $175 million ​First A​mericans Museum on Sept. 18 – signaling the opening of a repository uniquely designed to tell history through the lens of the region's tribal peoples.

• What if labor shortage is a long-term threat to the hospitality and tourism…

  Linchi Kwok Facilities & Grounds

  The U.S. economy finally shows signs of a strong recovery from the pandemic. Nevertheless, the surging delta variant cases, inflation, and the global supply chain disruption, among other concerns, add considerable uncertainty to the economic outlook. However, the hospitality and tourism industry is unlikely to recover any time soon.

• Infographic: Why the hybrid workplace is the future of work

  Brian Wallace Facilities & Grounds

  Many have conceded that a hybrid workforce — sometimes in an office and sometimes remote — may be the most effective way to keep a company humming along at optimum capacity and resources. Learn more about how and why the hybrid workplace is the workforce of the future.

• What does the research say about COVID-19 safety protocols in schools?

  Brian Stack Facilities & Grounds

  I noticed the other day as I walked the halls of my high school that no one follows all the one-way floor stickers we placed all over the building last summer — no one. The funny thing is, no one has been following them at the Demoulas Market Basket grocery store I shop at either. Maybe that’s why the grocery store got rid of them last week. I just told my head custodian to do the same this summer when they do their annual deep clean and waxing of our school floors. The floor stickers may be one example of a safety protocol that we won’t need this fall, but we know that COVID won’t be gone. The question is, what protocols will we need?

• Balancing compassion and performance in a pandemic world

  Courtney Lynch Facilities & Grounds

  When I served in the Marines, we had a saying: Mission first, people always. Everything about leading Marines came down to achieving results in times of challenge, chaos, and uncertainty while taking care of your people. Now, as an executive coach, as I’ve helped my clients navigate pandemic times, often I’ve been guiding them in demonstrating service-based leadership. Leading with service is about acting selflessly on behalf of others to ensure their success. It’s about the simple actions you take to support others so they can thrive. The great news for leaders is that service can be demonstrated in the simplest ways.

• 6 ways construction companies can lower carbon emissions

  Facilities & Grounds

  Recent reports from the United Nations Environment Programme found that the construction industry accounts for 38% of global energy-related CO2 emissions. Under the Paris Agreement, the building sector must operate at “net-zero carbon” by 2050. For this target to be possible, cosntruction carbon emissions need to halve by 2030. All construction firms need to do their part by following environmentally friendly practices. Here are six methods to implement for lowering your company's carbon footprint.

• Pandemic-created challenges become corporate responsibility opportunities

  Peggy Smedley Facilities & Grounds

  Uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has plagued businesses around the globe — particularly those in the supply chain community — accentuating weaknesses never seen before. However, if considered from a different perspective, it has given rise to opportunities for these same companies to shine like beacons in the night. When the pandemic first hit, supply chains were disrupted — so much so that an everyday consumer quickly understood what the supply chain was and how it might impact being able to access goods in a timely manner.

• Infographic: How to set work boundaries to avoid burnout

  Pia De Los Reyes Facilities & Grounds

  With remote work being the new professional normal, it can be especially challenging to stay productive and separate job stress from our personal lives. When stress is high and maintained over a period of time, it can lead to burnout or a type of work-related stress that can have a myriad of negative effects on your health and productivity. Those experiencing burnout can suffer from fatigue and mental exhaustion, and it can also lower work performance and cause job dissatisfaction. Over time, burnout can increase your vulnerability to disease and even potentially cost you lost income because of unpaid sick leave or a missed promotion.

• With succession planning, avoid the ‘Alice in Wonderland’ syndrome

  Donald F. White Facilities & Grounds

  Do you remember Alice, the little girl who fell down a rabbit hole and ended up in Wonderland? As Alice wandered about Wonderland, she came upon a Cheshire Cat with a distinctive, mischievous grin. Too many people are on their way to somewhere, with little to no idea what or where somewhere is. They assure themselves that someday they’ll know what and where somewhere is because, well, aren’t they on their way there? Sadly, when it comes to business continuity and succession planning, most business owners are like Alice — on their way to somewhere, yet with little to no idea what or where somewhere is.

• 5 ways to increase productivity in manufacturing

  Stephanie Armstrong Facilities & Grounds

  Productivity in the manufacturing process is critical as low work levels equate to money lost. If your company's production output isn't aligning with the business hours, examine how to improve efficiency. Not only does quickening and organizing the workflow save time, but it also allows you to produce more goods to increase profits. It's important not to cut corners as this will likely diminish the quality and lead to complaints or even recalls. Examining the current practices will help you discover what's slowing down the process. If you aren't sure what changes will enhance productivity, here are five factors to consider.

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