THE PLEDGE

Is there an industry that has a bigger impact on society than facilities management? We are one of the biggest employers. We touch lives daily by keeping buildings functioning across public and private sectors.

We really do make a difference, which is why our focus on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is so important. And if we’re honest with ourselves, we can do better.

Look at our frontline workers – we have a wonderfully diverse group of people of different ages, ethnicities, genders, speaking many different languages and expressing themselves as they wish. Yet when we look at our leadership and management, it is a totally different story.

Diverse talent is not rising through the ranks. We have to do better at talent-spotting, supporting and nurturing. We are in an enviable position that we have diverse talent working for us already (many industries do not have that), we just need to tap into it and deliver rewards to our people, businesses and clients.

I am pleased to see us making progress on the Real Living Wage, with a number of FM providers not bidding for contracts that do not pay the Real Living Wage.

Paying a fair wage will have one of the biggest positive impacts on EDI. Historically, marginalised groups of people are often amongst the lowest paid. If you are not paid enough to live on, constant financial stress affects your mental health, and you may have to take on extra work, with no time or capacity to upskill. All of this negatively affects the chances of being socially mobile, and the cycle of poverty continues.

By FM providers paying the Real Living Wage, they are giving people an opportunity to grow and succeed. So why aren’t all FM providers making that pledge?

When your team is undertaking an office space reallocation, it can create high levels of stress across the organisation. The logistics behind an office reallocation to ensure a safe, smooth process is always planned and assessed with high levels of detail. But what happens after the move is complete?

Your team is in its newly reallocated space. However, it feels different. They’re not comfortable. This is where the work of guest services comes in. Welcoming people back into a new space and making them feel relaxed, at home, and having a sense of belonging is key to a successful move. The best way to create this atmosphere is to organise fun events in the new space to create a buzz. This can even start before the move takes place.

Creating a party invitation for your ‘guests’ to get them looking forward to the move and the events coming thereafter will help make the move seem less daunting. These pre-communications are essential for keeping all employees informed about what to expect and to get them looking forward to their new surroundings post-move. When employees arrive in the reallocated space, having an extra special welcome will help to alleviate any nerves they may have, and create a personal feel.

Ensuring the guest services team is familiar with the new space to help the broader team with wayfinding or any FAQs is essential so they know who they can turn to if they have any issues in the new space. If the guest services team doesn’t know, then this could cause a sense of confusion and unwelcomed disruption. All these extra details help to make the new reallocated office space a destination where employees want to be, rather than a space they dread.