Inside HFM

Investing in your future

Key takeaways from the 2017 Management and Compensation Survey
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Welcome to Health Facilities Management’s biennial Salary Survey, conducted with the American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) and the Association for the Healthcare Environment (AHE).

This year’s respondents report being busier than ever, with new responsibilities, departments and entire facilities being placed under their job descriptions as organizations attempt to squeeze out still more operational costs. They also are being rewarded for taking on these new responsibilities, the results show, though these rewards may not necessarily be commensurate with their greatly expanded workloads.

Indeed, a much clearer connection can be seen between salary and education, where managers of all stripes report an increased average compensation by level of education. What’s more, the connection between salary and certification is equally clear, with ASHE Certified Healthcare Facility Manager and AHE Certified Healthcare Environmental Services Professional certificants each reporting
30 percent salary increases over their peers who aren’t certified.

Fortunately, many health care organizations are actively encouraging health facilities professionals to take advantage of such offerings and sometimes tying them to compensation, according to our cover story and the following unpublished comments from respondents:

  • “[Our hospital] has been supportive by providing tuition, professional association and licensing fees reimbursement.”
  • “Part of our compensation bonus package is tied to professional development.”
  • “We support higher education and professional certifications and do not recognize time served as an alternative to education.”
  • “Certifications come with a pay raise for front-line staff and are requirements for promotion and succession opportunities.”

With so many professionals receiving health care organization encouragement and potential financial rewards for expanding their education and training, it makes sense that they should explore these opportunities. And, as noted by many survey respondents, two of the best places to start are through ASHE and AHE. 

So, check out their websites to see how you can invest in your future too.

Mike Hrickiewicz is the editor of Health Facilities Management.