A Day in the Life – Workplace Manager Edition – Part 1
It’s the people that make a place feel like home. At CommonGrounds Workplace we are so fortunate to have incredible workplace teams full of genuine, talented and intelligent people. Our staff works incredibly hard to ensure success for the members in our spaces.
That being said, we decided to follow each of our workplace managers around for a day to showcase the hard work they put in to make CG a place where people love to work. Part 1 of our “Day in the Life” (Manager Edition) series begins with Erik Alcantar, Workplace Manager of CommonGrounds San Jose. Follow along as he takes us through his day:
Author: Erik Alcantar, Workplace Manager (San Jose) | CommonGrounds Workplace
In San Jose, CA my strategy when it comes to time management is to break down my calendar by time slots. I base my calendar off of my to do lists and factor in deadlines for certain responsibilities. That being said, the first thing I do each week is block out an hour time slot every morning for when I first get it in. The first hour is crucial, as it allows me time to determine what my week looks like, as well as set aside time to complete additional tasks that pop up throughout the day.
First things first, I always do a complete walkthrough of the space to make sure everything is clean and in an orderly fashion, so that our members can best utilize the space. This walkthrough entails making sure the conference rooms are in order, such as stocked with writing instruments and that the chairs are organized properly. I also check all of the bathrooms and make sure everything is restocked properly within the communal areas. Our communal areas are the most used spaces, especially the kitchen and coffee station, so each morning I double check to ensure sugar packets, teas, coffee, and all beverages are in stock. Throughout this walkthrough, I make sure to greet all of our members and have a small chat, or even just check in on how they’re doing if they don’t have time to talk.
My walkthrough takes about 30 minutes to complete, leaving me with the second portion of my hour for administrative work. My admin time consists of sorting through emails, checking Slack messenger, scheduling any calls, running finance/bills and placing any necessary orders for my space.
After my administrative duties are complete, I use the next hour of my day to sort through unanswered emails, send reminders to vendors, and follow up on member requests. This time also gives me a chance to check the status of prospective members who are searching for a new workplace, as well as check our internal resources to see if there are any new opportunities I can offer them. At CommonGrounds, we really try to go above and beyond for our members and prospective members to make our spaces a good fit for their workplace needs!
This brings me to what I call “coffee hour”. Coffee hour happens around 11:00am where a few members request a coffee break, so since I am a certified CG barista, I make a few lattes and cappuccinos. Once the drinks are made, we all take a break to talk about their companies or if anything new is happening, in both their professional and personal lives (if they choose to share).
Once I get back from lunch, I make sure to again check my emails, and wipe any counter tops or handles that might be a high touch point due to the pandemic. It’s of high importance to create a safe and clean environment for our members, so I constantly wipe down surfaces throughout the work day.
Most tours, calls, or tidying up happen in the afternoon. The latter part of each day is where I really focus on catching up on anything that might have carried over from the morning and really making sure that I’m prepared for the following day. Preparing for each day in advance really ensures that nothing unexpected comes up, and if something does, I know exactly where I would have time in my day to accomplish any unexpected events.
I’ve been the Workplace Manager at CommonGrounds San Jose for over a year and I can say that the community is what makes each day a great day to come to work. I’ve gotten to know our members both professionally and personally, and our community is truly what makes CG a special place to spend each day.
