All in a day's work

If it sometimes feels like your job is getting tougher, you're not alone. As with just about all positions within health care, many environmental services (ES) directors find themselves assuming ever-broadening responsibilities. Whether it's overseeing areas like food service, transport or other services, the workload of ES leaders often is increasing.

At the same time, the steady march of mergers and acquisitions has brought with it an increased focus in many organizations on reducing the total number of managerial titles. The result: Those remaining in place often have to assume greater duties.

So what about compensation? What about your bottom line? Is it tracking with the added responsibilities so many ES directors seem to be assuming these days?

As you'll learn in much greater detail in the July issue of Health Facilities Management, there's some good news to report. Our 2015 Salary Survey data shows that wages for ES directors increased in the high single digits since our last poll was conducted in 2012 — the largest percentage increase among any of the facilities-related job titles covered in the poll.

This is progress to be sure, but some experts you'll hear from in the July report characterize the gains over past several years as more of a “catching up period” for ES directors after a period of far more modest pay increases.

The survey, which was jointly undertaken earlier this year with the Association for the Healthcare Environment and the American Society for Healthcare Engineering, produced a number of interesting findings related to overall compensation as well as trend lines on bonuses, the graying of the workforce and the impact of certification on pay levels. Hint: Those respondents who successfully achieved Certified Healthcare Environmental Services Professional status earned appreciably more per year than those who didn't.

The complete results of the Salary Survey will be available in the July print edition of HFM, which will reach subscribers in the first week of the month, and online at www.hfmmagazine.com. Inside the report, you'll find exclusive data that will enable you to compare your salary by organizational setting, number of beds, square footage of facilities, average years of management experience, by region of the country and much more.

We hope you will find the report helpful as you continue on your career development.