This free and open web conference session is to facilitate sharing of practices and lessons learned among utility facility managers, especially with respect to maintaining critical company facility operations.
- March 11 call notes: Utility Group COVID-19 notes 03-11
- March 24 call notes: Utility Group COVID-19 notes 03-24
- Additional Information About National Grid Cleaning (requested during 3/24 call)
- March 31 call notes: Utility Group COVID-19 notes 03-31
- April 7 call notes: Utility Group COVID-19 notes 04-07
- April 14 call: Bernard Newman, VP Strategy for MCP Enterprise BPO Services spoke on best practices for mail operations (tip: go digital).
- April 21 call:
- April 28 call: Discussion of work place re-opening planning approaches and status
- May 5 call: Continued discussion of issues and topics as part of bringing staff/contractors back to the workplace. Because of the number of references becoming available on this topic (see bottom link in this section), the discussion was about specific issues and questions arising as people work on a plan for their organization. Social distance planning for the office with your space management software:
- Trimble/Manhattan
- iOffice tool
- FMSystems
- I am sure there are others…
- May 12 call: Issues for the Interim Offices. Doug Pilgrim from Davies Office shared furniture adjustments they are helping utilities with for the post COVID office.
- May 19 call: Restroom Make-overs: What are you Doing/Planning? See our Changing Workplace post for slides from Restroom Design Best Practices to Prevent the Spread of Infection Webinar, and American Restroom Association Policy Recommendations.
- May 26 call: HVAC system changes and U/V lights – see Illuminating Engineering Society Committee Report CR-2-20 FAQs (Germicidal Ultraviolet)
- June 2 call: revised space standards and layouts for initial phase of return to office.
- Incomplete list of emerging COVID Inspired Products and Services
- See also reference on COVID/post-COVID in our Changing Workplace post.
The participants have requested that we continue this networking call, so we will do this weekly on Tuesday at 1:00 pm EDT. We have the tentative topic agendas below but will adjust in response to interest and availability of subject matter experts or volunteers willing to share and lead discussions. If you would like to volunteer, suggest a topic, or upvote one that has been suggested – go to this link: http://agile.coffee/#0efecda4-cfff-4212-bb00-8cc0599dc1d0
*** Stay Tuned for Date/Topic Changes *** We will add or move topics if we have a SME or someone willing to lead discussion for a specific date.
Jun 9 – Share your draft Return to Workplace plan
This will be a general group discussion on the initial phases of returning to the workplace *NOTE we will use Webex instead of regular GoToMeeting link
Jun 16 – Signage, Communication & Re-orientation Packs for Employees
This will be a general group discussion on the signage and communications about new/temporary procedures.
Jun 23 – Cleaning standards and products; Allowing chemicals from home?
This will be a general group discussion on the cleaning tasks, frequencies, and products you are using. Do you allow bleach or other chemicals to be brought from home and how do you protect from dangerous chemical interactions?
Jun 30 – Re-entry Facility Planning – Lessons Learned Developing Plans/Preparing Facilities
This will be a general group discussion to share lessons learned as your team drafted your plans and got your facilities ready for the interim workplace.
Each call will also have short part of the agenda on New Products and Services since this is likely to continue to be an area of rapid change. Links to all these are in the COVID Inspired Products and Services document above.
Future – Tools, Techniques, and Suggestions for remote meetings and work
This will be a general group discussion on all apps and approaches people find useful for virtual meetings, managing their staff, providing remote inspections of equipment, etc.
Future – Meeting rooms, Cafes, Mail, Break, Fitness areas & other common spaces
This will be a general group discussion on all the common and support spaces in the current workplace – how to provide social distancing, and other requirements.
Future – Anticipated Facility Budget Impacts (for this year)
This will be a general group discussion about impact to your facility budgets from lower organizational revenues and increase/changes in service levels. Are you planning to shed leases and close facilities to reduce costs?
Future – Re-entry Facility Planning – Lessons Learned From Initial Re-entry Phase
This will be a general group discussion to share lessons learned as you went live with your initial interim workplace.
Future – Strategic Facility Planning – Customer Operation Facility Changes
Is this the time to close public walk-in offices if you still have them? Is this the time to shift a portion of your call center operations to work-from-home on a permanent basis? If anyone is contemplating this, contact us with the date you would like to share your progress so everyone can invite their customer operations folks for this session.
Future – Strategic Facility Planning – Increased Technology
Are your organizations planning to expand or roll-out technology to better support remote work, logistics, and touch-free operations? Are you considering “virtual receptionists” for visitor/customer interactions? Are you planning any automation initiatives to eliminate the need for manual or clerical workforce being on-site?
Future – Strategic Facility Planning – The New Office
Office space was undergoing transitions to open workspace and more team space. How has the need/ability for remote work and social distance changed your plans? How quickly are you planning to make changes in physical office space, meeting space, and remote work support? The focus is sharing plans and getting feedback from the group on utility specific issues (please see the various references above for general issues).
Future – Re-entry Facility Planning – Lessons Learned After Re-entry
This will be a general group discussion to share lessons learned after some time in your interim workplace.
Please us the form below to request the meeting invite or submit questions for our next call. (This is open to utility company staff regardless of whether you currently participate in one of our programs.)