How can you use feedback to improve safety in your FM program?

1 Feedback sources

The first step to using feedback to improve safety is to identify reliable and relevant sources for your FM program. Your own staff can provide feedback on incidents, hazards, near misses, suggestions, and concerns through various channels, such as surveys or online platforms. Additionally, customers can offer their experiences, expectations, and satisfaction with your FM services and facilities. Contractors can give insights, recommendations, and best practices on how to manage and maintain your facilities safely. Regulators can audit, inspect, and enforce compliance with safety standards. And peers can benchmark and compare other FM programs and organizations in your industry or sector.

3 Feedback analysis

The third step to using feedback to improve safety is to analyze the feedback you have collected and identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of your FM program. To do this, you can use quantitative methods such as descriptive statistics or trend analysis to measure and compare the frequency, magnitude, and direction of the feedback data. Charts, graphs, tables, or dashboards can be used to visualize the data. Additionally, qualitative methods like content analysis or thematic analysis can be used to interpret and understand the meaning, context, and tone of the feedback data. You can also use mixed methods such as triangulation or integration to combine and compare both quantitative and qualitative feedback data. This will help enhance the validity, reliability, and credibility of your analysis.

4 Feedback implementation

The fourth step to using feedback to improve safety is to implement the feedback you have analyzed and translate it into actions, changes, and improvements for your FM program. You can prioritize the feedback based on its urgency, importance, feasibility, and impact by utilizing tools such as the Eisenhower matrix, the Pareto principle, or the SMART criteria. Additionally, you can develop action plans based on the feedback that outline the specific tasks, responsibilities, resources, timelines, and outcomes for each feedback item with tools such as the PDCA cycle, the Gantt chart, or the RACI matrix. Furthermore, it is important to communicate the feedback and action plans to your staff, customers, contractors, and regulators and involve them in the implementation process. To do this effectively you can use tools such as the 5W1H method, the feedback sandwich, or the feedback grid.

5 Feedback evaluation

The fifth step to using feedback to improve safety is to evaluate the feedback and the action plans and assess their results, outcomes, and impacts for your FM program. To do this, you can conduct follow-up surveys or meetings to compare the feedback before and after implementation of the action plans. Additionally, key performance indicators (KPIs) such as safety incidents, safety audits, safety training, or safety awards can be used to monitor progress. Finally, return on investment (ROI) analysis such as cost-benefit analysis or social return on investment (SROI) can be employed to calculate the value of the feedback and action plans for your FM program and its stakeholders.

6 Feedback improvement

The sixth and final step to using feedback to improve safety is to continuously learn, adapt, and innovate for your FM program. To do this, you should review and refine your feedback sources, collection methods, analysis techniques, implementation steps, and evaluation methods based on the feedback results. Additionally, seek out new feedback sources, methods, techniques, tools, and best practices that can enhance your feedback quality. Finally, create and foster a feedback culture that values safety awareness, commitment, and excellence in your FM program.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?