What is the best way to develop a stakeholder communication plan for Facility Management (FM)?

Setting the right expectations are important rather then committing unrealistic goals. Usually stakeholders do not have holistic view on various dependencies, they only see goal post. Hence having clear communication and requesting to assist overcome certain hurdles, plays crucial role. They get engage and it becomes common goal on same post.

Stakeholder management is one of the key aspects in FM and hence identifying right set of stakeholders plays an important role.

I recommend following Mendelows matrix in identifying the different groups of stakeholders. Often the low power highly interested individuals are overlooked and whilst they may be 'low power' they can still create issues and/or influence the high power individuals!

For me you must document stakeholders in a stakeholder register which documents the following I'd Name Stakeholder category Power Interest We must clearly understand before we design communication channels.

1. Identify stakeholders: Make a list of all relevant stakeholders involved in your FM project. 2. Determine objectives: Clearly define your communication objectives. 3. Understand stakeholder needs: Analyze the communication needs and preferences of each stakeholder group. 4. Define key messages: Identify the key messages for each stakeholder group. 5. Select communication channels: Choose appropriate channels to reach each stakeholder group. 6. Develop a timeline: Create a timeline for communication activities. 7. Assign responsibilities: Define roles and responsibilities for executing the plan. 8. Monitor and evaluate: Continuously monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of your communication efforts.

Setting expectations is an important exercise before defining the goals. It's a two way process. For a successful delivery FM and Stakeholders have to understand each other's perspective.

Are they qualified to be your customer, do your competitive advantages bring enough value to them to use you. Have a conversation about their goals and decision process, do they have pain we can solve, do they have a budget that we can work with and do they have a decision making process that we are willing to participate in, these are the important communication factors to decide whether we move forward or not

In developing a communication plan, have discussions with your stake holders. Some will want regular updates; others don't have time to read a report and only want power point presentations. The conversations should include what they want to see, frequency of communication, and prioritization. Don't forget to include timing of communications with your team.

Establish clear and measurable communication goals that align with the overall FM objectives. These goals should address the specific outcomes you aim to achieve, such as informing, educating, persuading, consulting, or collaborating with stakeholders.

In the following stage, it becomes essential to establish specific communication objectives tailored to each stakeholder group. This involves clearly outlining what you intend to achieve through communication with each group, articulating the key messages you aim to convey, and identifying the desired responses or perceptions you hope to elicit from them. This process ensures that your communication strategy is targeted and effective in meeting the unique needs and expectations of different stakeholder segments.

One thing I have found useful is communication channel for emergency or for outside normal office hours must be made available. Depending on the type of project and cost, Live Chat or Whatsapp message or even 24 Helpline may be provided for communication of such nature.

I agree, different communication mode apply for different stakeholders. The level of influence and interest that a category of stakeholders has also determines the impact of their feedback and engagement. Mapping the influence and interest levels helps one know where to focus.

Communication methods should be part of your discussion agenda for stakeholders, your team, and departments. As Poh Siang Teo pointed out, include emergency communications in your plan. Bulleted Power Point presentations work for some, others want face-to-face meetings, and others will want a brief email. Try to use a communication system that will keep information confidential when appropriate. When you rely on mobile phones or the internet, you should have backup plans. Mobile phones on separate networks, alternate internet connections, etc.

Depending on what stage we are at. In the beginning stages it may be best to keep it open source available to all to attend, add and remove, etc. But as a project/phase advances, there will be a need to withdraw those access or even needing to know. And as the project or phase has a need for immediate communication for emergency situations, then a 24/7 communication method may be required. All to say that communication will change with the phase of each project and with the need. So get good with most of the common applications/software used.

Hopes with promises specially with time for attending the issues will make the things easier.KAIZEN will play the pivotal role to understand the need of client

Communication is a challenge in situations or we would not be discussing it. Also, it is not "rocket science". It just needs to work. One of my mentors taught me the KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) principle. It needs be simple in multiple ways with some feedback loops. Some people hear best in writing, some in oral form, some like info via computer, today a short update video may be appropriate. The challenge is you need to reach as many as possible with as much as possible of the critical information your seeking to communicate. The way I monitored it was walking through our facilities with the rank and file and ask leading questions on key information we were trying to convey. It taught me a lot about what was working or not.

Include your contractors when planning your communication. Getting them involved early on, can prevent communication errors later on.

Determine the frequency of communication for each stakeholder group, balancing the need for regular updates with avoiding information overload. Consider factors like stakeholder expectations, the pace of FM activities, and the importance of the information.

Una vez definido el medio, la línea directa de voz a voz es la más eficiente, aunque haya medios electrónicos como segunda opción.

Communication Plan: 1. Stakeholder Identification and Analysis: - Categorize stakeholders based on influence and interest. 2. Communication Goals: - Stakeholder Groups: (Objective, Key Messages, & Desired Response for each group). 3. Communication Methods: - Tailor methods to each group: meetings, emails, presentations. 4. Timeline: - Define a timeline for communication initiatives. 5. Evaluation: - Gather feedback after each communication initiative. 6. Alignment with FM Strategy: - Ensure all communication aligns with the overarching FM strategy and vision. 7. Responsible Parties: - Assign individuals responsible for executing each communication initiative. This plan ensures targeted & effective communication, among diverse stakeholders.

To develop a stakeholder communication plan for facility management, you need to identify and analyze stakeholders, define communication goals, choose effective channels, plan the frequency of communication, and create a communication grid. Tailoring communication to each stakeholder's needs ensures they feel valued and involved, leading to a successful project. For instance, keeping a vendor updated about the procurement schedule via regular emails can manage their expectations effectively.

La comunicación de voz a voz debe ser periódica para informar y retroalimentar a los grupos mediante su líder, debe quedar un registro de acuerdos y tareas en un medio electrónico.

Implementation Summary: 1. Stakeholder Identification: - Use tools for categorization and understanding of stakeholder groups. 2. Communication Goals: - Define objectives, key messages, and desired responses for each group. 3. Communication Methods: - Tailor methods to each group based on preferences & styles. 4. Timeline: - Monthly team sessions for Operations Team. - Board meeting briefing & budget review for Senior Management. 5. Evaluation: - Gather feedback after each initiative. - Adjust methods based on stakeholder responses. 6. Alignment with FM Strategy: - Ensure all communication aligns with FM strategy & vision. 7. Responsible Parties: - Assign roles to individuals for each communication initiative.

This is an excellent practice. Also, I would like to add that flexibility is key. As you implement your plan, you may encounter unexpected obstacles or challenges. Being willing to adapt and make changes when necessary can be very beneficial. It's also helpful to remember that communication is a two-way process. It's not just about conveying information, but also about listening and responding to feedback. This can help foster greater stakeholder participation and engagement.

Si bien es cierto todas o la mayoría de las compa?ías desde el plan de comunicación definen el área o la persona responsable de este proceso, considero que todos los actores debemos trabajar en ello, por eso se convierte en una habilidad fundamental en los entornos actuales.

Regularly review and adapt the communication plan as stakeholder needs, FM activities, and organizational goals evolve. This ensures that the plan remains relevant, effective, and aligned with the evolving demands of FM stakeholders

At the end of the day, if you are in charge of something; you need to check. One of my mentors showed me you could learn a great deal by walking around and asking the rank and file at various levels about the critical information that desired to be conveyed. One day, we visited rank file at the very end and asked only on one key subject--no knowledge. Then we walked back up the chain until we found it was common knowledge, we knew the communication got there and stopped there. He then went to appropriate leadership at that level presented his findings and asked how they were going to fix it. He repeated the process next week and observed the process had been corrected. He adjusted his pattern to be less frequent in this facility.

El principal catalizador o movilizadosr de la revisión del plan de comunicación es el continuo cambio del entorno cultural, laboral y económico. Las expectativas y necesidades se ajustan acorde a esta realidad y desde el FM debemos velar que nuestra adaptación sea una realidad.

El FM va a necesitar una revisión con el cliente siempre, dado que sus necesidades pueden cambiar. Y una buena comunicación establecida al principio de la relación quedar obsoleta al cambiar sus necesidad reales.

I advocate for simplicity and clarity: 1. Implement a call tree for efficient communication. 2. Schedule meetings for progress updates and directives, documented in concise minutes with an action tracker. 3. Optimize day-to-day operations through a responsive chat group. Would be good to reduce unnecessary reporting, streamline the processes for greater efficiency.

Training for staff in facility management communication involves enhancing interpersonal skills, conflict resolution, and customer service, specifically tailored for an FM context. Workshops can cover effective communication techniques and using digital communication tools. Staff should be familiar with software for managing emails and CAFM tools. Support includes regular feedback sessions, access to updated facility management policies, and clear communication of the FM objectives. This approach ensures staff are prepared to engage effectively with stakeholders, contributing to a well-managed and effective communication.

The final FM solution should be a "Single Source of Truth" Platform based on a universal connector to any presystem, ERP, WMS, MES...

Minutes and Action Plan are important aspects for any communication plan as deviations are to be corrected in a time bound manner. It is a continuous process to achieve the goals.

A comprehensive plan that considers the unique challenges and opportunities today should priorities the following:- 1. Understanding Stakeholders. 2. Clear Vision and Objectives. 3. Regular Updates and Feedback Mechanisms. 4. Training and Skill Development. 5. Change Management. 6. Cybersecurity Awareness. 7. Pilot Programs and Demonstrations. 8. Sustainability Messaging. 9. Collaboration Platforms. 10. Risk Mitigation and Contingency Plans. 11. Celebrating Success. 12. Accessibility and Inclusivity. 13. Measuring Impact. 14. Continuous Improvement. By implementing this communication plan, facilities management stakeholders will be well-informed, engaged and supported.