Leveraging the experience gained across all our services and projects, SILA provides in-depth analysis, strategy and execution for Real Estate
Spread across 7 acres in the peaceful locality of Saral, Alibaug, and a short 10-minute drive from the Mandwa Jetty, Inner Circle offers a contemporary sense of community living with the convenience of a big city
Interior design has many decorating styles with distinct traits. Tap into the latest interior design trends 2022 to reinvent and refresh your home for the year ahead.
No matter how you invest in real estate, you may earn monthly cash flow, capital gains from appreciation, or interest on your loan. Managing wealth is a skill that one must know. Read this blog to know more about it.
Rainwater harvesting is a simple way to protect the planet’s natural resources and delicate ecosystems and utilizing it for daily uses of water. Check out this blog to know more.
Sila is committed to using technology to provide the best possible experience for us and our customers. Read this blog to learn more about it
The First half of 2020 was slow in the real estate market. But lately there is increased in demand for homes & higher sales. Read this blog to know more about these trends.
Feel like your home is too cramped up and makes you claustrophobic. Read this blog for some tips to make your home look bigger.
In summers it is natural to use electricity and in this extreme humid weather it is hard to survive without AC and fans. Read some energy saving tips
Most common mistakes people make during a fire emergency is not having a fire safety plan or panic. Read this blog to know more about how to avoid these mistakes.
Energy management is something so many companies struggle with. Here are some energy-saving tips that will hopefully save you and your company’s money and energy!
Energy costs are already quite high and only going higher. This is one of the reasons why we need to do energy audits, Read this blog to learn about other reasons
SILA has integrated contactless attendance tracking QR code enabled checklists and technology into industrial and commercial facilities. Visit the website for more information
Being a part of the Konkan region, Alibag is bound on the north and west by the sea, while on the south by the Kundalika River and Roha, and on the east by the Amba River and the village of Nagothna.
Malabar Hill (Walkeshwar) has a long and rich history associated with it. The first records of the region are almost a thousand years old, and the one of the earliest name associated with it was Walkeshwar as mentioned in the book Walkeshwar Mahatmya, a centuries old Sanskrit text which narrates the story of Lord Rama and Walkeshwar Temple, and later in an account of John Burnell, an English ensign and observer of early 18th century C.E.
With an increase in the number of skyscrapers being developed across the country, a focus on fire safety regulations and compliances must be maintained to safeguard inhabitants
Say goodbye to 9-5 working hours and say hello to the 3-2-2 Hybrid model instead! The pandemic era work-life-balance has seen a complete facelift
After having been cooped up indoors for the most part of 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic that has ravaged the world, the month of November is finally seeing signs of semblance as the total case count in India has reduced and the vaccination drive has picked up steam
Being a diverse country, the list of approvals required for a real estate development project in India may vary slightly in different states and cities within each state.
Riding on the back of multiple reforms, the Indian real estate sector is witnessing a growing trend of developers, companies and even individuals using organized contractors for the execution of a construction project.
A casual drive down Mumbai’s iconic Marine Drive, Worli Sea Face, or Haji Ali Road is met with awkward, unfamiliar, twists and turns, framed by blue-green notice boards that proclaim the words, “Mumbai is Upgrading”.
Client engagement has always been an important cog in customer relationship management. Every management firm organises and curates events to enhance clients’ overall wellness and brand experience.
The 2019 outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus took the world by storm, resulting in an economic crisis that teetered on the edge of a full-blown recession. All around the globe, organisations were forced to re-invent the way they functioned, shuttering physical workspaces temporarily to make way for remote-working.
The construction sector roughly contributes to 11% of India’s GDP and is estimated to employ more than 50 million people which is second only to the agriculture sector in our country.
The issue of sustainability in facilities management has become a global concern over the last decade, with governments and facility management companies alike striving for more environmentally and legislatively sustainable practices.
Alibaug, is a land of promise in more ways than one. Located in close proximity to Mumbai and Pune, Alibaug offers a respite from the hustle of city life.With multiple beaches, beautiful treks and more recently, alluring bistros and local stores; the island town is great for weekend vacationers, those looking to invest in holiday homes and soon a first home market (in our opinion).
Where work-from-home (WFH) was once a part-time perk offered to employees, it quickly became the status quo with the dawn of the new decade. According to a survey conducted by Enterprise Technology Research, the percentage of workers around the world that is permanently working from home is expected to double in 2021.
ESG has become a buzzword in the in-board rooms and investor conferences today, but its prevalence extends far beyond advertising appeal. The ESG revolution will run in parallel with the Digital Transformation that we are witnessing across the globe. Governments and investors are now tracking ESG performance metrics closely. Around the world, awareness is growing amongst consumers as well. As companies are being made report ESG metrics, management teams have begun taking strategic initiatives to solve for and better the ESG metrics that they now regularly report to boards and investors.
A chat with Runal Dahiwade, CEO, Peppermint Robots , a leading Indian company who specialises in creating intelligent robots to automate floor cleaning, to discuss the future of housekeeping services in India and the need for automation in the integrated facilities management.
A stroll through the busy streets and teeming alleyways of Mumbai is like a tour of its vibrant cultural and social history. Around every corner and every bend, a tale lies hidden, waiting to be discovered. To the keen observer, the city of Mumbai is a storybook, with lines inked in the links of sprawling railway tracks, and punctuated by monuments to its illustrious past.
The bustling metropolitan city of Mumbai is known as the Land of Dreams – a title that rings true in more ways than one. As part of our quest to foster a deeper connection with the land we call home, we explore the vibrant history of the nation’s financial capital.
Most businesses have had to realign their strategies to address the effects of the pandemic. This black swan event has accelerated the adoption of technology, requiring companies to go digital a lot faster than anticipated.
The Internet of Things, or IoT, refers to the billions of physical devices around the world that are now connected to the internet, all collecting and sharing data. With the use of wired or wireless networks often using the same IP (Internet Protocol), it is possible to turn anything, from something as small as a pill to something as big as an aeroplane, into a part of the IoT.
SILA was awarded the best Integrated Facility Management Company Award at the Infhra Workplace Partner Awards 2020-2021. The virtual ceremony took place on February 24th and SILA was recognized as the winner from over several different IFM companies.
The economic conditions and ravaged markets are a testament to the magnitude of the situation of COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic has put the spotlight on the facility management (FM) services, with a focus on cleaning, disinfection and sanitisation. As health and hygiene standards are witnessing major attention, the need for facility management has escalated to serve the same. Facility management companies are implementing the learning from other countries, ahead of the curve in handling COVID situations by introducing best practices, technology and innovative solutions.
While writing our bi-annual memo we speak to industry leaders and our teams that are maintaining over 60 million sqft, managing developments of over 5 million sqft across India.
Facilities management was initially considered as a simple function carried out by small contractors or in-house members, but now it has undergone a tremendous change. From covering the housekeeping services to looking after the operational upkeep of functional infrastructures, the demand for facility management is growing in the real estate sector.
Warehousing work activities create numerous health and safety risks. If you fail to control them, your warehouse may face a high employee turnover, underperforming staff, injuries and illnesses, lost working days, legal issues, and, at worst, fatalities.
As the rain settles in for the season in Mumbai, it is imperative for us to protect ourselves and our loved ones from waterborne diseases such as dengue and malaria. Malaria is mainly caused by mosquitoes, which are rampant during this season.
The Disinfection treatment done will remove the Bacteria, Germs and is termed as Anti-Viral treatment for any commercial or Residential spaces. The chemical used to execute this treatment using Diversey Virex 256 (Ammonium Chloride-5 to 10%) or equivalent disinfectant (Sodium Hypochlorite) approved by EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) which helps to sanitize and disinfect the treated areas.
Daily morning briefing session health and safety meeting to be arrange to review and ensure social distancing norms.
The purpose of this document is to lay down the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to be followed to resume operations post the Lockdown period.
The purpose of this statement is to lay down the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to be followed to resume operations post the Lockdown period.
Central Governments across the world have provided unprecedented stimulus to solve economic problems arising due to the Covid 19 crisis, however, it is still likely that United States and most parts of Europe are going to go into recession in 2020, impacting global growth.
2020 is going to be an exciting year for real estate. According to this study, by 2030, the real estate market in India is expected to have a market size of USD 1 trillion. With a slew of reforms in 2019 such as RERA and housing for all schemes, the real estate sector is poised to become one of the biggest gainers in 2020. So here is a roundup of the emerging trends that will shape the real estate sector in India.
Designing a new office space is not a joke. A great interior is key to creating a good work environment that boosts productivity among the employees and makes them happy. A quality workspace is just not about rows of cubicles anymore. As employees spend the majority of their day inside an office space, it is crucial that the office space is functional, comfortable, and aesthetically pleasing. According to this study, individuals who work in spaces that are adorned with natural features have 15% higher levels of overall well being. They also feel 6% more productive and 15% more creative at work. However, very few organizations pay attention to the office interior essentials that can truly elevate the workspace.
COVID-19 is an enveloped RNA (Ribonucleic Acid) virus, meaning that proteins and lipids are part of its structure. Therefore, detergents such as soaps work very well by dissolving the lipids. Even the 60% alcohol based sanitisers work in the same pattern.
As we self-quarantine, ensuring the safety of our families and those around us is crucial. There is a chance that someone tests positive for COVID-19 in your Residential Complex or Building. In the unfortunate event of a suspected infection found among residents/visitors within the premises, there is no need to panic. We recommend the following procedure:
Nutrition Tips by Nutritionist - Juhi Agarwal From SelfCare
As we tackle the challenging environment, we would like to assure you that we are here to support you in any way. Our teams have been in touch with all our existing clients and stakeholders over the past two weeks on measures to control the spread of COVID-19.
Noted Holistic Lifestyle Coach, Mr. Luke Coutinho gave SILA Engage his input on kidney health on World Kidney Day 2020
Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV).
With 2019 under our belts and the new year under way, Indian real estate is set to see a challenging year ahead. The economy this year looks strained and will affect industries across the board, especially Real Estate as the overall liquidity in the market is tight. Here’s what we believe Indian Real Estate 2020 has in store:
Journal of Labor Economics had published a report in 2016 that stated that ‘Happier people are about 12% more productive’. This result was based on four different experiments that employed a variety of tactics on a total of 713 subjects at an elite British university. Now how do you ensure employee productivity? Let’s look at few ways to work on it.
We often hear how ‘networking’ is important to build your career or business. The real so-called sauce is in networking or interacting with others and exchanging information in order to develop professional or social contacts. Although this concept is true to an extent, it’s no longer entirely relevant.
As an employer, you have the ability to set the tone of the workplace culture and steer your employees towards choosing a healthier lifestyle and be happier. One of the ways to do this is to adopt a wellness strategy that benefits your employees, your business, as well as the community at large. An employee wellness program can be defined as a set of activities and interventions offered by the workplace with the primary aim to improve the health and well-being of the employees.
An important aspect of facility management is security. A sound facility management security strategy protects the facility from numerous threats. Such an approach also ensures that the people, equipment, and data at a facility are protected and continuously safeguarded. Here are some of the critical elements inv
According to a recent report by Research and Markets, the global facilities management market is predicted to grow from USD 34.65 billion in 2018 to USD 59.33 billion by 2023 at an annual growth rate of 11.4%.
According to a recent report, the Indian facilities management market is expected to grow almost 18% by 2022 and cross USD 19 billion (approximately Rs. 131,461 crores). This will make facilities management one of the most extensive domains in the Indian real estate sector, and as such, you should leverage it to your advantage.
Home loans are considered to be one of the most straightforward and secure forms of investments as they incur low-interest rates and provide you with several tax benefits. Typically, home loans are a long-term commitment, lasting from 15 to 30 years.
According to a recent report, NRI (Non Residential Indian) investments in real estate in India have almost doubled from just $6 billion in 2013 to $11 billion in 2018 due to a depreciated rupee and increased transparency from regulations such as RERA (Real Estate Regulation and Development Act) and GST.
While there was a time when the real estate industry of India was mainly driven by the metro cities like Mumbai, Chennai, and NCR, unaffordable property prices, high construction related costs, scarcity of land resources, and constantly declining demands are forcing both property investors and developers to move to Tier-II cities instead.
No matter how amazing your startup idea is, if you are not able to sell it to investors and customers, then you will never be able to get it off the ground. That is why selling is one of the most important key skills that every founder should have. Without a killer salesperson attitude, you may not even be able to create a product that can get people excited.
Over 71% of organizations across the world use agile approaches in some way or the other. Of all the organizations implementing agile, 98% of them were able to achieve success.
When you transition from being an employee to an employer, everything changes and no amount of leadership or management courses can prepare you for what’s to come. As an employer, your responsibilities change completely and you become responsible for managing teams, optimizing business operations, and driving organisational growth.
As a startup founder, it’s not uncommon to devote every hour of your life to building your business. The idea of taking up activities that are fun sounds like a waste of time or a luxury that most founders cannot afford.
When you decide to acquire a home loan, you must sign a home loan agreement, which is a legally binding document that dictates the rights, rules and liabilities of homeowners. Since a home loan is a long-term investment that lasts 15-30 years, it’s essential to carefully go through the home loan agreement and understand its clauses.
Most of us dream of owning a home in our favourite city where we can build a future with our family and create new memories. But purchasing a home isn’t as easy for most people. It will be one of the biggest investments you make in your life.
A common practice among homeowners is to look for an architect, designer, and contractor separately. Homeowners don’t look at the three roles as part of a single team, which leads to conflicts and a mismatch of expectations.
While being an entrepreneur may sound enticing and easy, that hardly is the case. Most entrepreneurs fail and for the ones who succeed, it takes years to start breaking even. It is a high-stress occupation involving many risks. However, it’s possible to improve your odds of succeeding.
Despite the surface-level differences, athletes and entrepreneurs have more in common than you know. Value for hard work, perseverance, being a team player, are some of the most basic and fundamental values of entrepreneurship and sports.
Calling for an expert for pest control services is the second thing you do after panicking during an infestation. However, unfortunately by the time you’ve encountered an infestation, the damage is already done.
In today’s rapidly changing and competitive world, it is critical that organizations have high employee motivation and productivity to achieve their vision and mission statement.
While conducting an interview, I often ask the candidate if they have any questions and responses like “Not really” or worse “How long is the probation period? leaves me questioning the candidate’s actual interest in the job and the organization itself.
SILA recently announced an investment from Norwest Venture Partners, a global Private Equity firm. With this investment, we are glad to have delivered on our seed investor’s capital by giving them a 30x exit. We are grateful to all of our stakeholders who supported us along the way – employees, clients, vendors, and other associates in the business.
Performance Reviews are a herculean task, the HR Manager and the employees both would agree. ‘You need to perform better’ is definitely not the feedback an employee is looking for, especially in a work environment where there are constant changes these days. Performance reviews until today have more or less focused on the big picture whereas an employee prefers detailed feedback. Let’s look at a few gaps that a performance review process usually has and the possible ways to resolve them.
The corporate life has been glamorized since the better part of the century, spurned by a robust and fast-growing economy following the industrial boom. Industrial tradesmen were replaced with mechanized solutions and a ‘traditional’ job became mainstream. An individual with a nine-to-five job was suddenly considered stable and hardworking, and the daily grind became the status quo. The corporate workplace has since evolved and continues to be a dominant part of a worker’s life - particularly those who spend an upwards of 40 hours at the office.
When one studies great entrepreneurs, there are individual traits that will stand out, however, there are few that I believe are common amongst most.
The prospect of seeing a design develop from an idea to a completed project is an exciting experience for a brand that is looking to increase its momentum. Communicating your goals for the project can still be a difficult task hence here is the basic guideline to communicate your requirements to your architect for a commercial space.
The facility management industry has seen exponential growth in the past decade. The increased growth has resulted in a spurt of activity, consolidation has increased and new organized players have begun entering the space.
Today, organizations across industries are keen on employing and grooming leaders at all levels. Although role definitions are important, in the present business scenario it is important to empower and encourage employees to explore roles that lie beyond their job description?
How important is Impression Management? What kind of influence it has on your clients, colleagues and especially your top management? And more importantly how can an HR Manager help with it?
A leader is a person who ensures that his team grows along with her/him and for this; the leader is mandatorily required to be inclusive, but how? To achieve that, the leadership style has to be dynamic and it also needs to vary based on the situation in hand. But what is essential for every leader to be successful is to be inclusive.
Of the people, by the people, and for the people; that is what HR is all about. Let’s elaborate on how you should learn to manage that when you begin your HR career.
Project Managers have been involved in the construction of complex buildings for centuries, although in that period it was the architect himself overseeing the entire construction of the ancient structures such as the pyramids in Egypt and the aqueducts of Rome and more.
It is evident that the economy is slowing and that we stand on the brink of another possible recession. As alarming as this seems, it mustn’t be a death knell - the business environment tends to go through these cycles of peaks and valleys every few years. Most companies tend to weather this storm in the short term and manage to turn it around.
For decades, Marketing and HR teams have lived in the same friendly work ambiance but have never had a collaborative relationship. Marketing has been focused on positioning their firm in a way that would help them garner new businesses, whereas HR has been focused on talent acquisition, performance management, employee engagement and more. Honestly, there has not been a reason either for these verticals to collaborate
Top management today faces multiple business challenges, on a smaller as well as the higher level and one of the solutions to these is hiring and retaining the right talent to tackle them. Besides making the correct hiring decisions, HR today is also given an important role that includes being a part of the processes that lead towards achieving the overall targets for the organization. This has helped HR is moving beyond a traditional role to a more strategic one.
As an HR Manager, you might be dealing with untimely appraisal requests on a regular basis. There can be multiple reasons for it - At times an employee might feel underpaid or s/he might feel that they are doing work above their profile and requests for an appraisal. How do you respond to it? Let’s look at few ways to handle it.
When do you think about a professional network, a complete B2B platform, which is the first name that comes to your mind? LinkedIn! Besides helping you largely for building connections and networking, it also serves as a huge platform for recruitment. Let’s look at a few measures through which you can make the most of it.
To begin with, if you are looking to buy a home then look for an offer that fulfills your basic requirements and if you are looking at buying a house as an investment then look at the most lucrative offers available in the market. Now let’s look at a few parameters, both external and internal that need to be considered before making a property purchase.
Facilities Managers have a moral responsibility towards providing a safe environment on site for the residents, tenants, and visitors of the building. Let’s look at a few measures that need to be kept in mind with respect to safety management in residential buildings.
Every profession has its own set of definitions, dialogue, terms and more; here are few of the expressions and words that you would be hearing on a regular basis from your HR Manager. Let’s understand what they mean.
Many of us have experienced being blinded with hiring a promising candidate who at a later date turns out to be a disappointment. At times like these, you end up wondering as to what went wrong? It is definitely not the candidate you had hired then where did the loophole happen? Let’s look at a few ways to set the right process and gauge the person accordingly.
Every Facility Manager (FM) should be experienced with the guidelines for fire safety. To begin with, the equipment that every building mandatorily needs to have is fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems, smoke alarms, fire panels, smoke control systems, fire hydrants, emergency power supply, mechanical ventilation, air conditioning systems, and emergency exit signs.
Vendor management is a fundamental component of facilities management. While the majority of skills essential to manage a residence/building are available in-house with the FM team, there is still expertise that is required for additional services/operations that an FM Manager needs to outsource.
When a company decides to merge with another or acquire another company, the idea is to form an entity that is bigger in terms of value, resources, expertise than the sum of the two individual companies. The idea behind merging or acquiring with companies is to use synergies to create efficient processes.
Every organization is looking for an asset/assets for their organization and some of our best ones are the interns we hire! Know you have hired correctly when you decide to extend a permanent position to your intern and when they decide to accept it too. Let’s look at how to do the right hiring in this vertical, to begin with.
Buying a house in Mumbai is a dream for many, but only a few are able to make it a reality. A dearth of real estate in the ever-expanding city and sky-high property rates leave most to compromise on space and some resigned to alternative living situations such as co-living. As a result, Mumbai residents are often called the matchbox dwellers because for them, staying near the city line is more important than living in a spacious house.
A traditional performance evaluation system has only been about a single process – The managers and employees would have a review meeting once in a year where the employee’s performance would be given a numerical rating based on their results and at times a ranking would also be given after comparing their work with other employees. This system has now started acting as a huge demotivation for the employees as it’s not structured correctly. Let’s look at a few ways that the performance evaluation system can be altered to make it more efficient and effective.
Managing and maintaining multi-tenanted properties comes with its share of challenges and the Facility Manager requires a varied skill set. However, the challenges increase manifold if a certain number of apartments/offices are unoccupied or rented out. Here we discuss some effective methods that a facility manager can deploy to efficiently control aspects like security, safety, parking, and office/apartment maintenance issues:
A major task today is getting the right handover from your developer/builder to the Residential Association/Society to ensure that there are no obstacles in the future. Let’s look at a comprehensive checklist that you need to cover in this process.
Owning a home is a never-ending list of to-do activities, which can be - the cleaning of your furnace filter, cleaning of the heat pump, inspecting plumbing leaks and electrical circuits amongst many others. Let us help you with a few tips for the maintenance of your home.
With the emerging trends and changes on the outside, there are a couple of changes inside the real estate system. We expect the impact of Demonetization, implementation of Real Estate Regulatory Act (RERA) and Goods and Services Tax (GST), to have a significant impact on the Real Estate sector. These are few trends we expect to play out.
A worldwide study by Gallup determined that engaged employees are far more productive, profitable, and dedicated to customers than those who aren't engaged. Gallup also determined that companies with more engaged employees are far more profitable. This report is based on an unprecedented study of engagement among more than 47,000 employees in 120 countries around the world during 2009 and 2010. We agree but with a difference, just don’t engage your employees, engage them holistically.
Nothing is truer about Indians than their love for owning properties. But the biggest myth that needs to be busted is that the real estate sector is a homogeneous one-dimensional sector. Instead of looking at real estate as a whole, it should be seen from the lens of asset classes.
The term ‘turnkey’ refers to a service where the Project Manager takes responsibility for the entire process, from design to manufacturing, to completion to the set-up which includes communications and transactions with designers, civil engineers, electrical and plumbing contractors, laborers, painters, welders, etc. In other words, it’s a ‘One-stop all’ destination for the client. Let’s look at a few ways that a Turnkey Interior Contracting benefits the client.
With the trends and ideas changing every day, innovation is the key to be up-to-date with all the upcoming evolution. New technologies and trends are shaping the future of Interior Contracting in an innovative and productive way, here are looking at a few of them.
Project cost overrun is a common dilemma in Project Management. Let’s look at a few comprehensive ways as to how to invest in quality project management, develop a sound plan which incorporates all the costs and at the same time give flexibility to the unexpected expenses.
The biggest trend has to be technology considering that artificial intelligence, virtual reality, robotics, drones, machine learning and IoT (Internet of Things) have already become an essential part of the sector. Technology has and continues to play a huge role in streamlining facility management; it began with security applications, smart surveillance, technology sensors and is now moving on to robotics, wireless technology and more. Technology will definitely shape the future of FM in a huge way.
From IoT (Internet of Things) to Artificial Intelligence, we have begun using sophisticated technologies to aid service delivery in Facility Management (FM). Internet of Things (IoT) - The data generated through IoT backed technology will soon assist an FM team in performing various tasks more efficiently than before.
Security Management is an integral part of Facility Management (FM) services as not only is it responsible for creating and maintaining a safe and secure environment for the residents and other key stakeholders, but also for the protection of the entire premises.
The facility management industry has seen exponential growth in the past decade. The increased growth has resulted in a spurt of activity, consolidation has increased and new organized players have begun entering the space. In the ensuing clutter, very few companies have been able to differentiate themselves. A facility management company can tread a different path, stand out and grow by being competitive in the following ways:
Consider all the times you’ve made a transaction for real estate – got your credit checked, paid rent or mortgage, spoken to brokers, listed a house, or simply responded to a call-to-action online. In this age where your private information is a commodity, is there enough emphasis on data privacy?
As HR professionals, we get a lot of questions from the male team members on the non-existent father friendly policies which brings up the question that a lot is being spoken & written about women’s role as a parent however what is under-played many-a-times is the role of men as parents which holds an equal importance in the growth of a child. Though companies have started taking steps in that direction but are those steps sufficient?
Heavy workload, targets, deadlines, pressure are a part of a management life. Most of the times it leaves us feeling exhausted, overwhelmed and stretched. Employees usually express it in two ways – either they tend to doubt their own work and value in the organization or they start questioning the processes of the organization. This stage then leads to a weakening state termed as burnout, which not only affects one’s performance but also her/his well-being both professionally and personally.
Conscious or unconscious bias has become an undeniable part of our day-to-day work routine. It acts as a blockage in the employee’s as well as organization’s growth as it restricts the line of thought due to the added subjectivity. In such cases, diversity which usually acts as a strength of the organization turns into its weakness. Corporates are now becoming aware about the consequences of letting bias create a hindrance in their culture & processes, hence the HR team needs to put in a lot of effort in bringing in this paradigm shift in the culture to create a neutral workspace. Companies like Facebook, Google, Apple, Microsoft, Twitter and others have recently announced their commitment towards hiring more women, veterans, minorities and older employees. Let’s look at a few ways an HR team can work on introducing the diversity and reducing the bias while hiring.
There is a constant pressure on the FM (Facility Manager) and his team to use resources more efficiently and conduct operations proficiently. There are several measures that can be adopted to increase the building efficiency and most of them are low cost and simple to execute. Let’s look at a few of them.
Most of us live in Apartment or Housing complexes that are governed by Co-Operative Housing Societies or Resident Association Bodies. As Property Managers, we are contracted to increase the efficiency of the day-to-day operations at the buildings that we manage. One of our most important tasks is to control expenses incurred to operate the building. These expenses form components of a Maintenance Bill, which every apartment or home owner pays. We often question maintenance charges and are curious to know what our maintenance bill comprises of.
Hiring the services of the right Facility Management Company is of utmost importance for the longevity and maintenance of a building. An equally important task is to clearly define the role and responsibility of the facility management service provider and give them the authority and framework to make decisions with regard to building operations. Once a framework is set, the Managing Committee of the building can ensure optimum utilization of the capabilities and track the performance of the facility management service provider through the following methods.
Energy conservation is a topic that has been in working for a long time now. A well planned and regulated system for electricity conservation is vital for all houses and business organisations. Lowering your energy bill can be accomplished easily by improving the home's electricity efficiency. Here are a few ways to do the same.
A well furnished and organised house is desired by everyone. A planned solution for designing your house can make a whole lot of difference in the way your interior looks. Here we have some tips that will help you design your ideal home.
There are a lot of essentials that go behind building a good home, more importantly keeping it safe and healthy. Let’s see how can we be bring huge changes by doing little things.
Direct property ownership is one of the best real estate investment options, especially in a country like India where property rates soar every year. Sadly, it’s not for everyone. It requires you to spend excessively on down payments and mortgages However, it’s possible to reap the benefits of real estate investments without shelling a lot of money on direct property investments
From conducting minor repairs in your home to working on DIY projects, a toolbox can be a godsend. Have a look at which tools are a must for every home.
In today’s dynamic world, both in terms of academics and the corporate jobs, change being the only constant, the need of the hour is to regularly upskill the employees to maintain a competitive edge in the industry. From an organization’s point of view, it works both ways, organizations can provide the employees with regular opportunities to learn and employees can contribute by implementing the learning in their work, hence adding a value to the system.
An evaluation process by definition means having a system that gives you a feedback on the performance of the employees as per the role assigned to them, it’s a systematized way of evaluating your employee’s performance as per her/his job profile.
Artificial Intelligence has now become an integral part of every industry from real estate to marketing, advertising, finance, education, and now finally Human Resources.
As humans, we crave importance and belonging in our surroundings. With family, friends, acquaintances or colleagues, being valued contributes to a sense of well-being and productivity. And when you’re spending over eight hours working in an office every day, it’s natural to want to feel appreciated by those you work with and those you work for.
Living in Alibaug is something most people living in Mumbai covet, but the Alibaug experience is not limited to its beaches. Here are five factors of living in Alibaug that you may not have thought of:
As a business, we have one goal – to get (and keep) customers. For years, we’ve sought out formulae and brought in marketing experts to find out how we can find the biggest, best customers to make our business profitable. There has been a consensus over the years that the marketing funnel is the most effective way to convert a customer.
You may have heard the terms ‘facility management’ and ‘property management’ quite frequently, and wondered whether they are used interchangeably. Truth is, both are responsible for constantly improving and maintaining property standards.
Alibaug is a destination that makes the dreams of owning a seaside property achievable. Nestled between the tranquil beaches of the Konkan region and located far away from the fast-paced metropolitan cities of Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, and Pune, Alibaug is the perfect place to own a holiday home.
The Human Resources team is one of the most important pillars of an organization as it is the one responsible for hiring as well as managing the right people hence creating a backbone for the growth of the organization. Let’s look at a few recruitment skills every HR Manager should possess that would help in making the process more effective.
We tend to idolise founders who are able to take their company from the ideation stage to multibillion-dollar organisations. But the truth is, founders like Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg are rare to find -- they are, in fact, an exception and not the norm.
From hypercompetitive markets, changing demography, oversupply of hotel rooms and an untapped religious tourism market, the Indian hospitality sector is set to see a big change.
Developers of residential buildings, in order to attract home buyers, are providing amenities that are way beyond necessities. But do we really need all these luxurious amenities and are they worth it? Let us look at a few points that would help explain it.
For as long as it has existed, real estate has been about transacting a piece of land for a purpose. Be it for families to have a secure roof over their heads, or for companies to have a communal and organized space to churn work out of employees, or for patrons to sit down for a meal at an establishment, space has always been a product. Today, while traditional buying and selling of real estate exist, one might be remiss to not notice it dwindling. With the rising cost of real estate as a factor and the entire notion of land ownership being questioned, we are noticing a steady but swift change. What is changing now is the expectation from land – it is no longer static.
Facilities management is broadly divided into two sections – Soft services and hard services. Soft services involve the provision of services that are variable in nature and help in making the premises a better place to work/reside in.
A Business school experience teaches you a lot more than finance, entrepreneurship, or how businesses operate. You learn as much, if not more, outside the classroom than inside it.
There has been a significant shift in the design, construction and service offerings of buildings in recent times, leading to a simultaneous change in the way these buildings are managed and maintained.
When you define your company’s culture and the brand, do they have the same definition? Are you giving the same experience to your employees that you give to your customers? It’s very important to have the same culture internally as well as externally because your employees are your biggest brand ambassadors.
Project cost overrun is a common dilemma in Project Management. Let’s look at a few comprehensive ways as to how to invest in quality project management, develop a sound plan which incorporates all the costs and at the same time gives flexibility to the unexpected expenses.
A Project Management Consultant brings the skills and the technical know-how required for a turnkey project. They provide the expertise, tools and manpower required in executing the project from planning to completion. The parameters that help determine the right PMC can broadly be categorised into two categories – Macro Parameters and Micro Parameters.
Have you looked at the Uber or Amazon app on your phone in the past week? Chances are that you have. Congratulations, you’re a part of the phenomenon that is the rise of tech. Real estate is no different. Proptech is the acronym used to describe any technology that is set to disrupt the real estate space. This can include software, hardware, materials or manufacturing.
Lowering your energy bill can be accomplished easily by improving the home's electricity efficiency. Here are few ways this can be done:
Detailed planning forms a base to every successful work renovation which leads to creating a checklist. Let’s look at few steps that shall help you sidestep the possible obstacles that you may face during a renovation or an expansion at a workspace.
It is incorrect to conclude that pursuing Entrepreneurship is better or worse than pursuing the role of a senior corporate executive. Being an entrepreneur is not for everyone. However, not every successful entrepreneur has the skillset to thrive in a corporate environment.
Hiring the right talent is critical for any business to succeed. Companies must focus on both the technical know-how of a candidate as well as their belief in the company’s value systems, which eventually helps in setting the culture of the organization.
In every household or office, a running kitchen or pantry is very important. We all want a kitchen that meets our needs and requirements. Let’s look at a few basics that you need to keep a check on when you consider renovating your kitchen.
The International Energy Association predicts that electricity usage for residential appliances would grow by 12% between 2000 and 2010, eventually reaching 25% by 2020. This means strict measures need to be undertaken in residences as well buildings not just to conserve energy but also help protect the environment.
We used to compare Entrepreneurship to running a marathon. However, over the years we have learned that it is more like an ‘Ironman’ race (3.86 km swim, 180.25 km bicycle ride and a 42.20 km run). Not only will you need to grind it out like an Ironman, but you will also need different skills during this journey.
Many people look at their interior design refurbishments as an expense, but if done in the right way, they are infact an investment in your business’s/home’s growth and success after on. Though poorly orchestrated fitouts can often result into a nightmare, so it is essential that you plan out the fitouts in a way that you it can take into account several different variables that often lead to a bad fitout experience.
Invest with a Reputed Developer: Investing with a developer who has a proven track record always pays off, even if you have to pay a premium for the Asset.
An entrepreneur is bound to make mistakes throughout his/her journey. However, the lessons a leader can learn from a mistake are invaluable. Entrepreneurs in their learning stage make plenty of mixed decisions – decisions related to hiring, investing in wrong projects, overspending, taking on more work than they can handle.
A major task today is getting the right handover from your developer/builder to the Residential Association/Society to ensure that there are no obstacles in the future. Let’s look at a comprehensive checklist that you need to cover in this process.
Maintenance and operations of an asset is an ongoing process which includes facing challenges on a regular basis; the key here is to identifying them and solving them in the most efficient and effective way. Let’s look at a few challenges that the Facility Managers (FMs) are facing today and the solutions to them.
Instead of looking at real estate as a whole, it should be seen from the lens of the different asset classes within Real Estate.
Every Facility Manager should be well-versed with the guidelines for fire safety.
If you've ever wondered how to begin investing in property, there are a few points you can keep in mind. Here are a few pointers:
Hiring the services of the right Facility Management Company is of utmost importance for the longevity and maintenance of a building.
The introduction of RERA after the Demonetization drive will result in institutionalizing and consolidating the Real Estate Sector in India. Both, smaller developers/landowners & cash-starved developers will be forced to partner with larger developers or raise equity from institutional investors to survive post RERA.
The way facility management functions as an industry is rapidly changing. Let’s look at a few trends that are already a part of facility management and others that will soon be integrated into the sector.
Employee(s) are the biggest asset in any organisation. Sincerity, honesty, productivity and mutual trust are essential qualities to be possessed by them. Not only do they work hard, but they also work smart.
The prospect of seeing a design develop from an idea to a complete project is an exciting experience for a brand that is looking to increase its momentum. Communicating your goals for the project can still be a difficult task hence here is the basic guideline to communicate your requirements to your architect for a commercial space.
Employee(s) have their own capabilities and limits, but some push themselves to get the best out of them, holding firm their curiosity for learning new things.
Two of the important aspects a candidate looks for in a company are diversity and freedom to learn more. Meet Hareesh Pillai, Project Engineer, who understood that SILA is for even more, currently handling multiple projects, learning and growing with the every opportunity that comes through. Delving deep into what inspires him, and drives him ahead at work.
Stakeholder Management is one of the most important roles of a Founder. Employees, Clients and Investors form the 3 key stakeholders for any startup. In our opinion each one is equally important.
At SILA, employee experience is more important than ever. As our Founder and Managing Director, Sahil Vora says, ” I get more excited when someone gives me a reference for a great candidate over a business lead.”
Having been in the real estate services business since 2010, we believe that 2017 was an inflection point for SILA. We had one of our best years from a growth perspective, but more importantly, we have clarity on the next growth drivers and the road ahead.
Facility Management Companies play a key role in enhancing & sustaining the value of real estate asset. The term Facility or Property Management broadly encompasses the maintenance related activities of all classes of Real Estate Projects – Commercial, Residential, Infrastructure, Retail, Hospitality, Industrial.
A professional property management firm can easily become one of your greatest assets, second only to the properties that they steward on your behalf. That said, your property manager will make critical decisions on your behalf making it extremely important that you do your homework during the hiring process.
Organizing your closets, fixing issues like a broken door or a chipped paint or simply decorating your house with flowers, wall art, paintings and more are the easiest ways to increase the allure of your home. Let’s look at few more elaborate improvement projects that would help you do the same with them being feasible as well.
Sumer Trinity is a 36 story, premium, luxury apartment complex in the Prabhadevi neighbourhood of South Mumbai. The iconic residential skyscrapers provide luxury that is seldom matched elsewhere.
When Tara Jewels Ltd. contacted SILA, they were in the middle of planning an IPO. To give investors confidence in their plans, it was necessary for them to complete the roll out of their 35 stores across the nation within a short period of 4 months.
Searching ways to Improve Building Operational Efficiencies? Want to make the most out of your Building? Is Productivity at workplace your utmost concern?
When you are planning to sell your house, you definitely would want to look for the best possible rate from the sale. Let us look at a few economical ways to upgrade your house which indirectly would upgrade the value of it.
India is fortunate enough to have an abundance of household help which skillfully keeps most homes clean through a range of cleaning services. However, despite daily sweeping and mopping of the house, most nooks and crannies stay untouched unless they're deep-cleaned.
There are several definitions for a fair workplace; the base to it remains the same – A company that ensures that their practices & processes are balanced and every employee is treated right. The fundamentals of a fair workplace begin with equality.
Every building – be it residential, commercial, schools, hotels, restaurants and hotels, produces substantial amounts of materials and waste. Hence the facility team needs to focus on managing the same in the most optimum manner.
Want to roll out stores for your company? Don’t know how to go about it? Need guidelines to roll out multiple stores?
A Turnkey Contract is a business arrangement where the project is undertaken from the nascent stage and delivered upon completion. However, there are points that need to be kept in mind before entering the contract for the project from the technical, legal and other aspects.
Many industries have nowadays started adapting tech in order to increase efficiency and accuracy of the business. One of those really fast growing businesses after real estate sector is Construction, which is going to get crowded in the next two years.
‘Honesty is the Best Policy’ was a case well proven by one of our own who is deployed currently at Terminal T2 in Mumbai International Airport. Suman Dhoiphode when she returned diamond rings worth lakhs to their rightful owners last year made us believe again in today’s world that “Honesty is the Best Policy” indeed.
What’s With Design Management ? How does it affect any project and what are the factors related to it ? In any Real Estate Project, the Art or Creative part of the Design process should largely end at the Concept Stage of Design.
Facility Management is a profession that encompasses multiple disciplines to ensure functionality of the built environment by integrating people, place, processes and now technology as well. Facility Management Services refer to the use of third-party service providers for the maintenance of the building/office facilities or outsourcing the management of entire facilities to an organization for the professional delivery of services.
When Hikal Pharmaceuticals circulated their RFP for Facility Management at their 5 units across the country, SILA had been posturing itself to take up an increased number of industrial clients in the facility management space. On winning the contract, between January and April 2016 we deployed 200 odd staff in total at their 5 sites.
At SILA, our businesses include – real estate advisory, project/construction management, turnkey interior fit outs, facility management, & on-demand home services. As a result, the teams are spread over all business verticals lending great diversity to the organization.
Understanding and analysing an employee’s journey and growth have emerged as a key priority for human resources and business leaders. Here at SILA, we ensure that work satisfaction and self development go hand in hand.
HR (Human Resources) professionals get a lot of questions from the male team members on the non-existent father friendly policies which brings up the question that a lot is being spoken & written about women’s role as a parent. However, what is under-played many-a-times is the role of men as parents, which holds an equal importance in the growth of a child.
In 2012, SILA – Facility Management was asked to propose a solution to maintain a few of Alok Industries’ manufacturing units in Silvassa. Focus was to implement an efficient solution and upgrade the maintenance levels at their factories.
Facility Management is all about people, technology & processes. Our focus on training, standardization, and human resource management has allowed us to build best in class processes and systems to better optimize our service delivery.
There are a number of myths about a facility manager. Modern office environment has evolved dramatically over the past few decades, roles and responsibilities are drastically changing, but unfortunately our concept of a facility manager has not changed. We still consider these professionals as someone who flies under the radar, who is unseen and less sociable as compared to the other roles in the real estate services sector.
A milestone is a hard and fast due date that represents a major accomplishment during the course of the project that is being managed. Sometimes these milestones represent the approval of a major component in the project, like approved testing of the product for release one.
CM&D SILA‘s relationship is exclusive to the owner as they act in the client’s best interests at all times; providing comprehensive management at every stage of a project. Whether it is in the creative stage starting with a concept, and project definition to the completion of construction and turnover of a quality project on budget and on time.
Delving deep into what inspires her and drives her ahead at work.
The year 2006 witnessed a momentous change for the airports in India with the privatization of Mumbai’s GVK Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (GVK CSIA). In order to achieve a global standard, GVK CSIA has partnered with well-known international experts for airport design and operations.
Facility Management is an interdisciplinary field devoted to the maintenance and upkeep of real estate assets. Large Facility Management efforts often cost much more than planned, some can put the whole organization in jeopardy. The companies that defy these odds are the ones that master key dimensions that align real estate and business value.
In February 2015, in order to offer an extensive list of home services to residences across Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru and New Delhi. The services include deep cleaning, sofa shampooing, pest control and home health analysis.
What’s a workplace without Mutual Respect ? In today’s world of cruelty and rudeness, here’s highlighting a tale of mutual respect between colleagues.
The communication and operations gaps in a people intensive business are understood by industry veterans. Before technology was as cheap and easy to implement as it is now, certain mishaps were taken to be a part of the business and the margin was calculated keeping these gaps in mind.
Facility Management businesses form a part of the service sector, and it is plagued with issues for the human resources teams to manage. Organizations have huge diversity across employees, owing to the geographical, nature of isolated sites and lack of competencies which allow communication gaps to be bridged. What makes technology in facility management industry a value added to their services ?
Performance Management relates to monitoring the performance of employees. It proves out to be a crucial factor in improvising the key areas where the organisation is concerned about. Performance Management in the Real Estate Sector is an essential factor as it involves determining the trends and using certain strategies to shoot them.
Though this may not be exclusive for the facility management sector in India, a Gallup study highlights how employees who make the most of their strengths in their workplace, are six times more likely to be engaged than their colleagues who seem to be lost on this crucial alignment.
The percentage of stand-alone residential buildings & gated communities that outsource the management of their properties is increasing steadily. This trend of outsourcing Building Management to professional property management companies will continue to grow as per the needs of the consumer.
As the world becomes increasingly connected, it offers organizations in the facility management sector an opportunity to engage with an employee at an enhanced level. Today’s teams seek job fulfillment and are keen to work for organizations which are known for their employee friendly policies.
Attrition rates in the services sector are 19.3%, according to a survey conducted by Aon Hewitt, as published in Business Standard. It is an understood fact that the front line teams face the massive churn throughout the year, owing to the lack of awareness, loyalty and stickiness. Let us understand the “Work culture in facility management companies”
SILA, being one of the leading and the fastest growing Facility Management service providers in India, focuses on training, standardization, and human resource management has allowed us to build best in class processes and systems to better optimize our service delivery.
SILA provides professional housekeeping services in India.
CM&D SILA’s expertise is in mediating construction disputes, which expedites the schedule and minimizes delays and cost overruns – all projects in India to date have been examples of where capital market client have brought in CM&D SILA to expedite or take control of the project in order to ensure timely delivery.
For anyone involved in project delivery, it highlights how understanding the customer’s goals and requirements from the very start, has the power to either make or break a project. Being in the Facility and Construction management business, its highly essential for us to understand customer service in all detail.
Back when SILA started with facility management operations in April 2010, we had not expected that our culture would eat our strategy for breakfast. the fact that is has, speaks of our inclusion in the global movement that is revolutionizing work cultures.
Being in the services business comes with its own basket of wins and challenges. Facility management remains as core business for SILA.
SILA is the one of India’s fastest growing facility management providers – with clients ranging from the pharmacy giants, premium commercial properties, exclusive gated communities to highly respected real estate developers. What has truly contributed to the growth is our focus on key differentiation, which leads to a superior customer experience.
The journey of Sahil Vora and Rushabh Vora through building and growing SILA has been equally fascinating as it has been inspiring. Having young bankers open up a facility management shop is quite unusual, though you have had engineers venturing into home services.
The Indian Facilities Management (FM) industry is in the midst of rapid developments in end-user industries, which has led to the considerable growth of commercial activities in metropolitan cities such as Delhi /NCR, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune, Chennai, and Bengaluru.
Watch brothers Sahil and Rushabh Vora who decided to move from high flying careers in investment banking to starting up a facility and project management venture for the realty sector
On 3rd March 2014, the Property Times carried the following headlines which led to the birth of our new company. SILA and Construction Management and Development Inc. (CM&D) have formed a joint venture – CM&D SILA Development Services India Pvt. Ltd. – to provide Project Management and related services for Real Estate development projects across India.
Facility managers face many challenges each day. From maintenance issues to working on long-term energy efficiency goals, there is a lot to worry about when your job title is Facility Manager. So what are some of the most common and most difficult challenges for a Facility Manager?
HR leaders are on a constant lookout for new strategies that can make organizations dynamic, agile, and future-ready. While you cannot accurately predict the business challenges that your company might have to face, the right HR leaders can be the key to overcome those very challenges.