As a facility or plant manager, you have a lot to keep track of. Your day-to-day responsibilities are already overwhelming. Then you throw in environmental permitting and reporting requirements to stay in compliance, employee training, safety procedures… And if you have an emergency or unexpected issue, chaos ensues. Like with many things in life, you can sidestep all of this and enjoy a less stressful existence with a bit of planning. The right plan will tell you what to do and how and when to do it. All you have to do is stick to the schedule.
Feeling overwhelmed can be challenging. But it’s nothing new for facility managers, whose plates are overloaded just about every single day. It’s part of the job. But you can ease the burden. Using some key strategies, you can manage and overcome your work-related stress and anxiety. In the process, you’ll become more effective, more productive… a better manager and leader. All it takes is some time management, self-care, the power of delegation, and a few other proven techniques. You can take back control… one step at a time.
When it comes to capital improvement projects, it’s all too easy to forget a key part of the process… and when that happens it can cause major headaches. We’re talking about permit management. In many cases, I see facilities running into three significant compliance issues: 1. A facility, either the existing facility or a construction site, doesn’t have a permit in place when needed. 2. They have a permit… but it’s not the correct one. 3. They have a permit, and it’s the right one. But they did not read the permit thoroughly and, as a result, did not follow the permit conditions correctly. This can result in notices of violation, fines, penalties, maybe even a temporary shutdown. Fortunately, there is an easy way to prevent this from happening.
It’s a nightmare scenario for any facility/plant manager. One of your key employees is resigning, retiring, or otherwise leaving the job. There’s more turnover than ever these days, especially with employees switching jobs to obtain promotions rather than climbing the corporate ladder at the same company. Now you’re faced with trying to find a replacement while at the same time trying to cover the tasks they were responsible for, as well as your own job. Recruiting, reviewing resumes, conducting interviews, and more – that can take forever. Then, once you’ve hired someone, you must train them, hold their hand at the beginning as they get settled… that sort of thing. It’s a big investment of time and money. But there is another way…
