The Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast

Episode #26: Evaluating Maintenance Employee Performance

As a manager or supervisor, have you fallen into this trap? 
You spend time and energy on employee selection, hiring, and training. Once the workers are on the job, they get left to their own devices. 
You let them find their bearings, have the team help manage issues, and deal with the bigger picture. 
Before you know it, it’s time for the performance review. This extra paperwork seems more like a formality to please the HR department than anything else. 
You’re not alone. That’s how it happens for a lot of agencies. 
But what if evaluating employee performance was more than a formality? 
Something that can actually benefit you, your team, and your agency?
In this episode of the Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast, we talk about why it is important to evaluate maintenance employees, give an example of the evaluation process, and finish off with some considerations you want to make while evaluating an employee. ___________________________________________________________________________
The Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast is for busy professionals working to change the game in the Parks and Recreation field. If you liked this episode, please check out more of our park and recreation maintenance podcasts or view some articles on our blog (https://productiveparks.com/blog).
What’s Next?
SUBSCRIBE to Stay Updated About Future Productive Parks Podcasts -  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm3w8OBmlidtNLntib1-6cw?sub_confirmation=1
 
SEE A QUICK VIDEO of Productive Parks in Action - https://productiveparks.com/features/overview
 
LEARN MORE and Schedule a Demo of Productive Parks - https://productiveparks.com/demo

Episode #25: Maintaining Pickleball Courts

Keep your pickleball courts safe and looking their best for years to come!
 
After spending the time and money installing a pickleball court, you will want to protect that investment. Pickleball court maintenance helps to increase the playing area’s lifespan and keep it looking good. 
 
In today’s episode of the Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast, we discuss the different components of a pickleball court, what to look for during inspections, and how to maintain them. 
 
We’ll also touch on how to maintain your pickleball court if it doesn’t get used in the winter. 
 
A little maintenance goes a long way. After all, you want to catch any small issues before they turn into something requiring an expensive repair.
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The Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast is for busy professionals working to change the game in the Parks and Recreation field. If you liked this episode, please check out more of our park and recreation maintenance podcasts or view some articles on our blog (https://productiveparks.com/blog).
 
What’s Next?
SUBSCRIBE to Stay Updated About Future Productive Parks Podcasts -  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm3w8OBmlidtNLntib1-6cw?sub_confirmation=1
 
SEE A QUICK VIDEO of Productive Parks in Action - https://productiveparks.com/features/overview
 
LEARN MORE and Schedule a Demo of Productive Parks - https://productiveparks.com/demo

Episode #24: Pickleball Court Installation Options to Explore

You’ve heard the public’s opinion. They want pickleball courts! So how are you going to deliver?
High demand shouldn’t keep your agency from making sound decisions about the best placement and option for installing a pickleball court. Each type of pickleball court installation comes with its set of pros and cons.
In today’s episode of the Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast, we explore the common pickleball court installation options available to many parks and recreation agencies. 
Here’s the good news: You can set up a pickleball court with just about any available budget. We will explore cost-friendly options for setting up a pickleball court and creating brand-new courts. 
And we’ll briefly touch on the pros and cons of each installation option.
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The Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast is for busy professionals working to change the game in the Parks and Recreation field. If you liked this episode, please check out more of our park and recreation maintenance podcasts or view some articles on our blog (https://productiveparks.com/blog).
 
What’s Next?
SUBSCRIBE to Stay Updated About Future Productive Parks Podcasts -  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm3w8OBmlidtNLntib1-6cw?sub_confirmation=1
 
SEE A QUICK VIDEO of Productive Parks in Action - https://productiveparks.com/features/overview
 
LEARN MORE and Schedule a Demo of Productive Parks - https://productiveparks.com/demo
 

Episode #23: Pickleball Courts: What to Consider Before Installing

Pickleball is America’s fastest-growing sport. Its popularity surged during the height of the pandemic. More and more parks and recreation departments are installing pickleball courts--or getting requests from the community to add some. 
If you’re not familiar with pickleball, you may be wondering what you need to add pickleball courts to your parks or facilities. Or if pickleball can be played on regular tennis courts.
In this episode of the Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast, you will get a brief primer on the sport of pickleball, how pickleball courts compare to badminton and tennis courts, and what to consider before installing a pickleball court. 
Ready to learn more about adding pickleball courts to your assets? Let’s get started. 
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The Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast is for busy professionals working to change the game in the Parks and Recreation field. If you liked this episode, please check out more of our park and recreation maintenance podcasts or view some articles on our blog (https://productiveparks.com/blog).
What’s Next?
SUBSCRIBE to Stay Updated About Future Productive Parks Podcasts -  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm3w8OBmlidtNLntib1-6cw?sub_confirmation=1
SEE A QUICK VIDEO of Productive Parks in Action - https://productiveparks.com/features/overview
LEARN MORE and Schedule a Demo of Productive Parks - https://productiveparks.com/demo

Episode #22: Addressing Resistance to Maintenance Management Software

Your maintenance team has been doing things one way for as long as anyone can remember. Now the decision to shake things up is met with plenty of mumbled (or not so mumbled) complaints and resistance. 
Implementing something new, like computerized maintenance management software (CMMS), takes people out of their comfort zones. But it doesn’t mean they have to stay out of those zones--they simply redefine what is comfortable.
Addressing resistance in a calm, factual manner helps to address fears and concerns--and maybe even quiet the grumbling. 
In this episode, we’ll discuss some of the more common initial resistance examples we’ve encountered with teams that ultimately made the leap to save time, money, and headaches by implementing maintenance management software.
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The Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast is for busy professionals working to change the game in the Parks and Recreation field. If you liked this episode, please check out more of our park and recreation maintenance podcasts or view some articles on our blog (https://productiveparks.com/blog).
What’s Next?
 
SUBSCRIBE to Stay Updated About Future Productive Parks Podcasts -  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm3w8OBmlidtNLntib1-6cw?sub_confirmation=1
 
SEE A QUICK VIDEO of Productive Parks in Action - https://productiveparks.com/features/overview
 
LEARN MORE and Schedule a Demo of Productive Parks - https://productiveparks.com/demo

Episode #21: What to Consider When Purchasing Maintenance Equipment

At some point, you will be looking for your next big maintenance equipment purchase. As you probably already know, there is a lot of building maintenance equipment available. 
How will you know what is best for your facility? 
After all, there are a lot of distractions--the latest technology, newest innovations, hottest trends, and ads targeted at you. 
Or you just might want a newer version of something you’ve already purchased without looking for other (and better) options. 
Invest in the best equipment based on your agency’s needs. In this episode of the Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast, we’ll review the 7 questions you should ask yourself before making a maintenance equipment purchase. 
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The Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast is for busy professionals working to change the game in the Parks and Recreation field. If you liked this episode,  please check out more of our park and recreation maintenance podcasts or view some articles on our blog (https://productiveparks.com/blog).
 
What’s Next?
SUBSCRIBE to Stay Updated About Future Productive Parks Podcasts -  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm3w8OBmlidtNLntib1-6cw?sub_confirmation=1
 
SEE A QUICK VIDEO of Productive Parks in Action - https://productiveparks.com/features/overview
 
LEARN MORE & Schedule a Demo of Productive Parks - https://productiveparks.com/demo

Episode #20: Types of Parks and Recreation Software

Many park districts, parks & recreation departments, and municipalities streamline their operations, registration, marketing, and maintenance tasks with the help of software. 
Let’s face it. The days of managing complicated operations tasks with just word documents, spreadsheets, and an email account are becoming a thing of the past.
And for a good reason!
Good software is designed to make our lives easier. When software is created with our specific industry in mind, the benefits and features address the unique challenges we face daily.
In today’s episode, we discuss the types of parks and recreation software available and how they help the everyday operations of agencies.
Join us with an open mind as you discover what is possible with the help of parks and recreation software! __________________________________________________________________________
The Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast is for busy professionals working to change the game in the Parks and Recreation field. If you liked this episode,  please check out more of our park and recreation maintenance podcasts or view some articles on our blog (https://productiveparks.com/blog).
 
What’s Next?
SUBSCRIBE to Stay Updated About Future Productive Parks Podcasts -  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm3w8OBmlidtNLntib1-6cw?sub_confirmation=1
 
SEE A QUICK VIDEO of Productive Parks in Action - https://productiveparks.com/features/overview
 
LEARN MORE & Schedule a Demo of Productive Parks - https://productiveparks.com/demo

Episode #19: Snow Thrower Preparation & Safety

For many parts of the country, snow removal is an inevitable part of the winter workflow.  The mowers get placed in storage. The snow throwers come out. 
So are your snow throwers ready for the inevitable snowfall?
Does your team know how to operate them safely?
Is your crew prepared for snow removal during non-business hours if needed?
In this episode, we talk about what you need to do with your snow throwers--and the team using them--before it snows. Then we’ll go over what to do after it snows and why it’s important to track the time spent with snow removal. 
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The Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast is for busy professionals working to change the game in the Parks and Recreation field. If you liked this episode,  please check out more of our park and recreation maintenance podcasts or view some articles on our blog (https://productiveparks.com/blog).
What’s Next?
SUBSCRIBE to Stay Updated About Future Productive Parks Podcasts -  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm3w8OBmlidtNLntib1-6cw?sub_confirmation=1
 
SEE A QUICK VIDEO of Productive Parks in Action - https://productiveparks.com/features/overview
 
LEARN MORE & Schedule a Demo of Productive Parks - https://productiveparks.com/demo