Category: Community

What Is MaintenX’s Rapid Disaster Response?

Natural disasters are an unfortunate part of life, no matter where your business facility is based. Whether hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, tornadoes, or snowstorms, disasters can be majorly harmful to the operations and infrastructure of your facility. When the worst happens and disaster strikes, it is important to know who you can depend on to step in and help get you back on track. We at MaintenX, through our rapid disaster response service, are the reliable team you can count on to recover after a disaster and return to normal as quickly as possible.

 

Specific Facility Repairs and Restoration

 

When it comes to helping facilities get back on their feet after a disaster, we at MaintenX have you covered! During the course of the disaster, we can help by repairing and refueling generators, and performing emergency repairs to facility components. After the incident is over, we can be on site shortly after to help clean up any damages in and around the facility and get equipment and systems back online by performing any necessary repairs. Once you are back to normal, we can help you set up preventative maintenance plans and devise the right strategy to help you mitigate damages during the next disaster.

 

Community Outreach and Recovery

 

In addition to helping private companies and their facilities, we are also active in communities affected by natural disasters. In the wake of a storm or incident, we work alongside FEMA and Red Cross to help get their operations up and running for impacted communities. We also help repair homes and provide essential services to those caught up in the emergency circumstances of the natural disaster. Over the past few years, we’ve been active and on the ground in many hurricanes and major storms in Florida, Texas, Louisiana, and the Midwest and plan to continue this outreach for many years to come.

 

The MaintenX rapid disaster response is an important aspect of our dedication to helping not only our customers, but whole communities when they need it most. To learn more about our emergency services and how we can assist your company in both good times and bad, please call us at (855) 751-0075.

How to Make Socially-Distanced Workplaces More Employee-Friendly

In the past year, the COVID-19 pandemic has created a need for socially-distanced workplaces in a way that was never needed before. As companies mandated that many employees work from home, the reality is that many employees across the country were unable to work remotely. In industrial facilities, an employee’s presence is necessary, and many companies scrambled to adhere to social distancing guidelines. If your facility falls into this category, here are some helpful tips for how to make socially-distanced workplaces more employee-friendly.

 

Position equipment in a distanced, but effective way.

 

While social distancing is an important concern for the health of your employees, it needn’t be at the expense of productivity. If the equipment in the facility is already positioned in a way that puts employees close together, now is the time to rearrange the furniture and separate out production-necessary machinery. So long as everyone is kept apart, it shouldn’t impact performance and you likely have the space in your facility to accommodate a move.

 

Give all employees plenty of room.

 

While the nature of social distancing requires employees to be six feet apart, they can be spread out farther. Employees will work better if they are comfortable, so if you have the space for it, give them even more room. Being apart doesn’t mean crammed in another room and ensuring that each employee has plenty of room to breathe is key to making it comfortable in these circumstances. 

 

Work outside if possible.

 

Finally, although it may not be possible for all facilities, employees should be able to work outside if group meetings or activities are absolutely necessary. This should not be done if outdoor working is not feasible, but if it is possible, it is certainly a worthy option to consider.

 

As many companies still struggle to meet socially-distanced guidelines, many still have found comfortable balances to help both productivity and employee health and happiness. At MaintenX, we support all endeavors to make this possible and will help in any way we can through our facility maintenance and equipment management services. To learn more, please call us any time at (855) 751-0075.

Will We Meet These Sustainability Goals By 2030?

Sustainability is an important goal that both companies and individuals have been working toward for a long time. Businesses in particular have a higher responsibility to become more sustainable and thankfully it seems to be a trend that more and more businesses are implementing changes in pursuit of this goal. In the interest of setting tangible, clearly defined goals, the United Nations set up the Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform to lay the roadmap for sustainability in the upcoming years and the result is powerful.

 

What are the 2030 sustainability goals?

 

The UN’s framework for sustainability laid out seventeen goals for all businesses to work for, with the expectation being that they should all be able to meet them within a decade. The list of goals is as follows:

 

  1. To end poverty in all its forms everywhere.
  2. To end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.
  3. To ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
  4. To ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
  5. To achieve gender equality and empower women and girls.
  6. To ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
  7. To ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.
  8. To promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.
  9. To build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.
  10. To reduce inequality within and among countries.
  11. To make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
  12. To ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
  13. To take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
  14. To conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development.
  15. To protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
  16. To promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels.
  17. To strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.

 

Will we reach these goals?

 

While these goals may seem lofty, they are completely attainable if we all do our part. If you are a business owner or facility manager, you have a social responsibility to work towards these goals as well, and you don’t have to do them alone. We at MaintenX are here to lend our support through our facility maintenance services and equal dedication to being as sustainable as possible. To learn more about our services and initiatives, please call us at (855) 751-0075.

Keeping Employees Healthy Can Save You Money

Health and wellness incentives are becoming increasingly popular across the country and the world. As a new generation of workers is joining and advancing the workforce, it’s important for companies to keep up with developing trends to ensure they get top talent. What’s more, companies can also save money on healthcare expenses by promoting healthy lifestyle trends.

While LEED and other initiatives come with their own pros and cons, it’s important to view each program with an eye on the big picture. Think about your specific company, industry, and physical environment. Rating systems like LEED and WELL can guide you in the right direction, so you’re not starting from scratch when developing a holistic employee health incentive program.

Office Design

As anyone who has worked in an office in the past 20 years will tell you, office environments have evolved. Individual offices were the standard for decades, then came the sometimes dreaded and often satirized “sea of cubicles” depicted in popular culture. Most recently, the open office has drastically increased in popularity in businesses around the world. Each format has its own effects on employee wellness, and your choice should depend on many factors, including the nature of your work, your corporate culture, and even the “brand” the organization wishes to present to its workers and the world.

Cost Considerations

What about the bottom line? This also isn’t an easy question to answer. As with most decisions for a facility or office manager, it’s important to set priorities. Health and wellness should be at the top of that list, but the individual setup you decide on should be well-researched and tailored to your specific company.

Cheapest Places to Get an Office in the US

One of the hardest things for a new business is finding money to cover its start-up cost. That’s why fledgling companies oftentimes must get small business loans or seek capital from investors to get themselves up and running so they can make a profit.

For this reason, it’s crucial for new businesses to keep their costs as low as possible. Where you choose to start or continue your business is one of the most important factors, because rent prices vary wildly. Below are some of the cheapest places for a business to start or grow without breaking the bank on office rent costs.

Greensboro, North Carolina

The highest corporate income tax rate in North Carolina is a measly 5%, one of the lowest in the country. That’s probably one of the reasons Greensboro is such an attractive places in the U.S. to start a company. Rent in this area is cheap, even for the South, which, as you’ll see dominates this list.

Lexington, Kentucky

Lexington is Kentucky’s second largest city and one of the most highly educated in the U.S. Astoundingly, 40% of those living in Lexington have a bachelor’s degree. That’s probably why new businesses have a lot of options when looking for qualified employees to help their companies shine.

Chattanooga, Tennessee

One of the first cities in the country to invest in high-speed fiber optic internet service, Chattanooga has become very attractive to businesses. Chattanooga has some of the most affordable office rent rates in the U.S. A one year lease for 1,000 square feet of office space there would cost less than $15,000.

Office Perks Employees Actually Want

Happy employees are driven, reliable and productive. That’s why employee satisfaction is critical to a company’s success. But how do you keep your workers satisfied?

Below are some of the most requested employee perks and incentives.

Flexibility and the Virtual Office

You’ve probably heard of the work-from-home opportunity, but how about the ability to work from anywhere?  Companies across the country are now giving employees the option to choose the location most conducive to their work and work style. That’s why telecommuting and the possibility of flexible work hours are two of the most sought-after employee perks.

Parking and Transportation

If workers have a long commute, have to cross bridges, or slog through public transportation, offering to pay for part of the costs would go a long way to making going to work more appealing.

What Perks do YOUR Employees Want?

Want to know what your employees really want? Just ask them.

Survey your workers. Employee surveys can reveal the perks that are most in-demand at your business. It also gives you the chance to learn what your employees really think about their workplace.

Ask them face-to-face. If you can’t get together an employee survey, ask your workers what perks they really want during a one-on-one meeting or during your annual performance reviews.

Consider satisfying requests from top achievers in your company. If they’re already working hard for you, you want to keep them satisfied.

Want to know more about keeping your workforce happy and healthy? Call MaintenX today!

Ways to Encourage ‘Active Commuting’

The benefits of a healthier staff include better productivity, higher morale, and more profit for businesses. That’s why you should consider active commuting.

What is Active Commuting?

Put simply, active commuting programs encourage workers to bike or walk to work, rather than driving or taking public transportation. These programs can be beneficial to companies and workers alike.

Benefits of Active Commuting

  • Improved physical activity
  • Better physical fitness
  • Enhanced health outcomes
  • Reduction in miles driven
  • Lowered greenhouse emissions

Why Consider Active Commuting?

Only half of American adults report getting enough daily exercise. Active commuting brings physical activity into your workforce’s daily routine. Physical activity also saves companies in their annual medical costs.

Active Commuting Incentives

There are many ways to make employees want to bike or walk to work. You can offer incentives for those who join the program or give prizes to workers who active commute to work the greatest number of days in a given period.

Corporate Culture

Active commuting can become a part of your company’s culture. Active cycling programs are a great addition to other green policies (recycling, charity work, community involvement programs, composting, etc.).

Showers, Locker Rooms, And Drying Facilities

Providing a place to shower and dry off is a great incentive to convince people to bike to work every day. Many facilities already offer showers for their staff. If you don’t already have such facilities, think about installing a shower or two. If this is not feasible, consider enrolling in a corporate program with a local gym or rec center.

Making Your Property Bicycle-friendly

Making your property more bicycle-friendly is a good way to improve your workplace and the health of your workforce. Buildings that are bike-friendly tend to have a better social environment—which means higher-quality work and improved customer service.

Health Benefits

Making your property more bicycle-friendly can lower healthcare costs. Workers who ride to and from work frequently tend to be in better physical condition.

Getting Started

What are the principal needs of your business or organization? Are there bike-friendly streets leading to your property? Do you have many employees who already have bikes, or would they benefit from a bike-share program? Answering these questions will illuminate the bicycling challenges facing your particular facility.

Bike Storage

Your workers will want to know their bikes are safe and secure while they’re working. Position your bike parking area in a well-lit and accessible place. Also make it as close to the building’s entrance as possible.

Think about setting up an outdoor bike rack and/or have an indoor rack and a ramp for easy bike access and storage.

Showers and Changing Facilities

Some employees will want to have the option of showering when they get to work after a long bike ride. If your staff is small to medium-sized, one shower should be adequate. In buildings with many employees, two showers is recommended.

If you cannot provide changing rooms and showers for your workers, think about getting a corporate membership to a nearby gym or rec center.

Want to know more about making your facility bike-friendly? Call MaintenX today!

Supporting the Community and Giving Back

At MaintenX, we believe in giving our time and talents back to the community. It’s always an immensely fulfilling experience to volunteer and with technicians from coast to coast, we feel a close personal connection with communities all over the United States.

2020

This year MaintenX has donated over $200,000 to various non-profit organizations and volunteered time and our skills on multiple occasions to help the community. We wanted to share with you a summary of our 2020 giving activities.

Habitat For Humanity

For the second year in a row, MaintenX partnered with Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas and West Pasco Counties to help build a home for the Ross family in Pinellas Park, FL.  As an essential business and the subcontractor on the project, team MaintenX was able to lend additional help this year with installing the Roof, Plumbing, and HVAC in addition to the typical volunteer duties. To read more click here!

 

With more challenges than normal for families in 2020, MaintenX stepped in to sponsor an additional Habitat for Humanity home allowing the Massey family to move into a safe space that they can call their own during the pandemic! To read more click here!

Back to School Drive

For the second year in a row, MaintenX partnered with Metropolitan Ministries for their Backpacks of Hope drive to provide school supplies to children in need in Tampa Bay. MaintenX employees filled 20 backpacks with supplies while MaintenX provided an additional $500 worth of school supplies. To read more click here!

Golf Charity Events

The MaintenX team participated in various golf charity events throughout the year including the CVS Charity Classic, the Tarpon Springs Leadership Conservatory for the Arts, and Golfing Fore Habitat. To read more click here!

Holiday Giving

For the third year in a row, MaintenX employees participated in sponsoring 135 children in the Salvation Army Angel Tree program. For every employee-sponsored Angel, the company matched the sponsorship. We encouraged employees across the country to participate with their local branches and their donations were matched by MaintenX in the Tampa Bay area. To read more click here!

2019

This year MaintenX has donated over $200,000 to various non-profit organizations and volunteered time and our skills on multiple occasions to help the community. We wanted to share with you a summary of our 2019 giving activities.

Habitat For Humanity

In 2019, MaintenX sponsored our first Habitat For Humanity home in partnership with the Pinellas and West Pasco Counties branch in Tampa Bay. Our team volunteered more than 1,000 hours on the home for the Garcia-Sparling Family! To read more click here!

Hurricane Relief

The MaintenX Puerto Rico team lent a hand to install additional water fountains, sinks, and toilets for the All Hands and Hearts Foundation in Puerto Rico. This was for a local school that was hit hard in 2018 by Hurricane Maria. To read more about this effort click here!

Back To School Drive

Team MaintenX filled donation bins at our Tampa office with supplies ranging from backpacks and USB drives to pencil cases, crayons, and colored pencils. MaintenX also donated $500 worth of additional school supplies in partnership with Tampa Bay Metropolitan Ministries. To read more click here!

Golf Charity Events

The MaintenX team participated in various golf charity events throughout the year including the CVS Charity Classic, the Tarpon Springs Leadership Conservatory for the Arts, and Golfing Fore Habitat. To read more click here!

Breast Cancer Awareness

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Treasure Chests 5K + Fun Run was held in November. We had over 35 participants from MaintenX run for Breast Cancer research and patient services in the Bay area. To read more click here!

 

Lending a Helping Hand in the Community

MaintenX also volunteered and donated to the Home Depot Foundation, Girl Scouts of the USA,  The Whelan Foundation in Long Island, Susan G. Komen-Philadelphia, Humane Society of Tampa Bay, Easterseals Florida, and many more. To read more click here!

Holiday Giving

This holiday season MaintenX employees participated in sponsoring 140 children in the Salvation Army Angel Tree program. For every employee-sponsored Angel, the company matched the sponsorship. We encouraged employees across the country to participate with their local branches and their donations were matched by MaintenX in the Tampa Bay area. To read more click here!

2018

In 2018, MaintenX donated over $125,000 to various non-profit organizations and volunteered time and our skills on multiple occasions to help the community. We wanted to share with you a summary of our 2018 giving activities.

Puerto Rico Hurricane Relief

MaintenX helping the community in Puerto Rico

Earlier this year, the MaintenX Puerto Rico team lent a hand to install water fountains, sinks, and toilets for the All Hands and Hearts Foundation in Puerto Rico. This was for a local school that was hit hard in 2018 by Hurricane Maria. To read more about this effort click here!

Golf Charity Events

MaintenX golf team supporting the community with Jackson in Action 83 Foundation The MaintenX team participated in various golf charity events throughout the year including the CVS Charity Classic, the Tarpon Springs Leadership Conservatory for the Arts, St. Joseph’s Hospitals Foundation, and the Jackson in Action 83 Foundation that supports local Tampa Bay, military families. To read more click here!

Breast Cancer Awareness

MaintenX team supporting breast cancer awareness in the Tampa Community

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Treasure Chests 5K + Fun Run was held in October. We had over 20 participants from MaintenX run for Breast Cancer research and patient services in the Bay area. To read more click here!

Hurricane Michael Relief

MaintenX donated $1,000 to the City of Lynn Haven and the City of Callaway to support Hurricane Michael relief efforts. We also sent two technicians to help distribute supplies and holiday cheer! To read more click here!

Lending a Helping Hand in the Community

MaintenX Team helping at the Home Depot Foundation event

MaintenX also volunteered and donated to the Home Depot Foundation, Girl Scouts of the USA, Operation Giving Sunshine- The Skills Center, The Whelan Foundation in Long Island, Special Hearts Farm, and the Alpha House of Pinellas County. To read more click here!

Holiday Giving

This holiday season MaintenX employees participated in sponsoring 150 children in the Salvation Army Angel Tree program. For every employee-sponsored Angel, the company matched the sponsorship. We encouraged employees across the country to participate with their local branches and their donations were matched by MaintenX in the Tampa Bay area.