Facilitate - September/October 2023 Full

The

System

designed by FM professionals with extensive experience of managing the maintenance of some of the UK’s largest blue-chip companies. Ostara was developed to improve the quality of your FM/maintenance activity, improve financial controls, reduce costs and ensure that your buildings are compliant and safe.

Ostara’s functionality includes:

Helpdesk and work order management

PPM planning tool

Contractor performance management

Invoice validation and financial management

Auditing

Compliance and health and safety

Extensive Reporting Suite with real time reporting

Mobile App with offline functionality

Asset Management

Internal resource management

The Ostara system is intentionally flexible acknowledging that no two clients have the same requirements. Ostara prides itself on being a market leader in innovation and customer service.

FRONT DESK

CONTENTS 36

06 Tool for climate justice New Met Office data tool to help FMs manage climate change

08 Schools are failing UK school buildings are falling behind on decarbonisation

10 Meet the PM’s former FM Recently retired, David Heaton tells of his time serving at Downing Street

12 News in Numbers

Numerical take on big news from July and August 2023

15 IWFM’s evolving policy

Four decades of focused action with plenty more to come

FEATURES

16 Giant leaps for FM kind The economical, political and technological landscape that preceded the formation of BIFM

22 FM through the ages Reflecting on the past, present and future of this thriving profession as IWFM turns 30

36 Composite character Step into the intriguing world of Helen Kenyon, the head of estates at the National Composite Centre

VIEW POINT

42 Perspectives

Four FM professionals seek to influence your insight agenda

46 A bit about you Behind the jobs of Katie Norris and Hayley Samuels

KNOW HOW

49 In it to win it

Make your bid stand out in competitive M&E tenders

51 Give thanks

Keeping a gratitude journal can help you manage work stress

53 The handback handbook Successful PFI handbacks require robust processes and open communication

54 Seasonal smarts

FMs need to ensure proper seasonal commissioning post practical completion

55 Time for a clean

Make sure your cold water storage tank cleaners are following best practice

56 Persona project

Developing accurate employee personas will optimise workplace improvement projects

SUPPLY SIDE

59 ISS elevates its outlook for growth in 2023

ISS has noted an uptick in organic growth and “vigorous progress” through its OneISS strategy

ONLINE

COMMENT

Childlessness is an EDI issue

Coaching support for ‘childless not by choice’ men and women is important because if action isn’t taken, employee performance could be adversely affected, argues Helen Gallagher, founder of coaching service Happy and Childless. tinyurl.com/Fac23410

Help ex-offenders thrive

Those leaving prison are often without a clear path forward. A key way to support them is by providing work opportunities. The benefits flow both ways with businesses and individuals reaping rewards, says SBFM founder Colin Shute. tinyurl.com/Fac23409

Use AI for seamless catering

With unpredictable employee schedules in hybrid workplaces, AI can be deployed in hospitality spaces to improve the catering offering by making it more efficient, says Rob Brown, BaxterStorey’s head of IT. tinyurl.com/Fac23408

Hospitals’ technical safety challenges

Dedicated resources are key for EFM teams to manage the NHS maintenance backlog data and associated risks, says Nick Fox, associate director at Capitec. tinyurl.com/Fac23411

REPORTS

Building safety is lacking

The Auditor General for Wales has said that despite governmental implementation of building safety actions, “much uncertainty remains” over how the regime will work. tinyurl.com/Fac23412

Green skills are in demand

UK companies and educational groups are ramping up training programmes to close the widening green skills gap as demand for workers in renewable energy soars, according to a new report. tinyurl.com/Fac23413

Discrimination of disabled

Disabled people are at higher risk of unemployment, zerohours contracts, and earning less than other workers, according to an EHRC report. tinyurl.com/Fac23414

Workers are AI-aware

A majority (85%) of workers have AI considerations when joining a new company – such as the transparency of AI use. tinyurl.com/Fac23415

FACILITATE YOUR AWARD-WINNING MAGAZINE

Facilitate – the magazine and online news content resource of the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM) – keeps IWFM members and others up to date on all workplace and facilities management issues, ensuring that you are informed of the latest developments and thinking.

In 2019, Facilitate won Best Magazine (10-32,000 members) award at the Association Excellence Awards, judged by a body which assesses the media brands of trade bodies, membership organisations and associations. Also, our editor Martin Read took the title of Editor of

the Year at the 2020 MemCom Awards, as run by the association for membership communities. We are further developing our award-winning product for you, so feel free to contact us with any thoughts and ideas. Got a story?

email editorial @ facilitatemagazine.com

Facilitate, incorporating FM World, is the publication of IWFM, the professional body for workplace and facilities management. For information on membership, qualifications and training contact us:

Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management

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Redactive Publishing Ltd

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EDITOR Martin Read 020 7880 7664 martin.read@facilitatemagazine.com

DEPUTY EDITOR Bradford Keen 020 7880 7615 bradford.keen@facilitatemagazine.com

NEWS EDITOR Herpreet Kaur Grewal 020 7880 8544 newsdesk@facilitatemagazine.com

SUB-EDITOR Deborah Shrewsbury 020 7880 6223 deborah.shrewsbury@redactive.co.uk

SENIOR DESIGNER Joe McAllister 020 7880 2747 joe.mcallister@redactive.co.uk

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Subscriptions IWFM members with Facilitate subscription or delivery queries should call the IWFM’s membership department on +44 (0)1279 712650. Facilitate is sent to all members of the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management and is available on subscription to non-members. Annual subscription rates are UK £110, Europe £120 and rest of world £130.

To subscribe call 01580 883844 or email subs@redactive. co.uk – alternatively, you can subscribe online at www.facilitatemagazine.com/about-us/subscribe/

Editorial Advisory Board

Simon Ball, market director, EQUANS

Peter Brogan, head of research and insight, IWFM

Rob Greenfield, health & safety director, Avison Young

Ian Jones, director of facilities, ITV

Dr Matthew Tucker, Reader in Workplace and Facilities Management, Liverpool Business School

Kate Smith, head of workplace & portfolio strategy UK, CBRE

Liz Kentish, managing director, Kentish and Co.

Simone Fenton-Jarvis, workplace consultancy director, Relogix Printed

COMMENTS

From the editor

THANK YOU

September is a milestone month for the Institute as it marks the 30th year of advancing our profession. As you’ll read in this splendid anniversary issue, it’s a profession that has strengthened and matured since the founding bodies AFM and IFM became BIFM in 1993.

As we enter decade number four, IWFM’s new strategy puts our members front and centre, enriches our professional development pathway, and enhances the value of belonging to an international community.

So far in 2023 we’ve delivered new memberexclusive services to empower you on your journey to a fulfilling and impactful career. These include: IWFM Mentoring, our one-to-one career support service, powered by the experience of IWFM Fellows; a members-only online forum to engage and interact in your chosen communities; new courses in sustainability and building safety to elevate your skill set and knowledge; new insights and new professional networks.

And we aren’t stopping there. Upcoming highlights include a Future Leaders Network to inspire a new generation to choose our profession and develop together, a new Learning Management System for an improved learning experience, a thought leadership resource exploring ‘30 years of change and changes yet to come’, plus a variety of industry-leading research, guidance and CPD opportunities.

On 14 September, we will raise a toast to our amazing volunteers and longstanding members who have helped the Institute and the sector become what it is today. I am deeply grateful to all our members for being a part of our community and I believe the best is yet to come – for our profession and your Institute.

In 2016, the former BBC economics correspondent Duncan Weldon declared that a 1% uplift in productivity for the UK economy would be rather a good thing, and a fit-for-purpose physical workspace might just be capable of bringing it about. Weldon’s comment came in the IWFM (then BIFM) sponsored report, ‘The Workplace Advantage’, in which some of this country’s finest workplace minds went on to explain ‘why the office environment is key to productivity’.

Since that report’s publication – late in year 23 of the IWFM’s 30 to date – the bothersome ‘P’ word has continued to confound and exasperate. The UK had a particular productivity problem before Brexit, it had one before Covid-19, and it has one today. If anything, productivity in the post-pandemic economy is more of a concern today than it was when Weldon wrote.

The 30 years of IWFM have seen this sector linked to the solving of so many megatrends. Energy management, employee wellbeing, social value, pandemic response – each difficult to address, yet each with an undeniable workplace and facilities component as part of any solution.

Here’s the thing, though: no response to these megatrend themes can come about without an impact on productivity, be it good or bad. From net zero to hybrid working, any course of action developed as part of a workplace strategy – indeed, any aspect of corporate climate crisis mitigation, for that matter – is only truly sustainable if its effects on productivity are part of the decision-making. Pursuing productivity is, and will always be, key to the health of any organisation. Figuring out how to improve it? Even if this country was a productivity powerhouse, economics dictate that it’s a quest without end.

Were we asked to describe in a single word what the core concern is of this profession –for individuals, organisations, the economy, the environment – then what better answer than productivity? I’ll leave that with you as I prepare to embrace this month’s other ‘P’ word – party! Happy 30th anniversary, IWFM.

LINDA HAUSMANIS is CEO of the IWFM

LINDA HAUSMANIS

No response to megatrend themes can come about without an impact on productivity

FRONT DESK

08 Schools are failing to decarbonise and refurbish their buildings

10

Meet David Heaton, the Prime Minister’s recently retired facilities manager

Awareness of the climate crisis continues to spread – with many emphasising the extent to which facilities managers can help tackle the challenge. Back at the IWFM’s annual conference in 2020, Arctic explorer turned conservationist Pen Hadow called FMs “agents for change” uniquely placed to tackle the dangers to global biodiversity through the infrastructure they manage.

At COP26 in 2022, Cristina Gamboa, CEO of the World Green Building Council, said that the buildings and construction sector “must be elevated as a critical solution provider to the climate emergency” because “the built environment is responsible for almost 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions”.

A new data tool from the Met Office should help FMs factor climate change objectives into their management of buildings. The Met Office’s Climate Data Portal aims to give organisations “improved access to climate data and other resources, allowing them to better understand and respond to climate change”.

The portal, part of the Met Office’s wider strategy “to maximise the benefits of its data”, contains 60 different data layers, as well as guidance and information.

So how does it work – and how can FMs use it to get tangible results that really will make a difference?

The portal enables any business or government organisation to combine open climate data with their own data and “reveal the future impact of extreme conditions on their operations, including heatwaves, floods or droughts”.

The tool presents complex scientific climate projections in “easy-to-use formats, ready to visualise and analyse in GIS [geographic information systems] and non-spatial applications or integrate into business processes for improved decisionmaking”. The Met Office said that spatial analysis can be performed at “a global,

SUSTAINABILITY

12 News in Numbers: key stories boiled down into numerical form

15

IWFM policy: systematically documenting FM’s needs is key to successful collaboration

New weather tool to help FMs enact climate justice

by Herpreet Kaur Grewal

HOW TO USE THE CLIMATE DATA PORTAL

● Users select the climate data they want to view in a range of file formats and display it on a map to understand how climate change impacts the areas that matter to them, such as where their offices are. Users can either download the data, visualise it on the portal itself or open the data in their own GIS (Geographic Information System).

● Data can be browsed by category; for example, precipitation or temperature, or by time period, including

projections (future) and observed (past) data.

For example, if you search for temperature data sets, many different data sets will appear. Selecting ‘Monthly Temperature Projections 2050-2079’, will bring up the data and offer the user more information about exactly what the data is.

The amount of future global warming depends on future emissions. For some data sets there are multiple future emission scenarios available to

choose from. For example, for sea level, you can choose from more than one scenario.

● Data on the portal can be used to inform the impacts of climate change. Data on temperature extremes can be used to understand the impacts on infrastructure, health and energy demand.

● Going back into the explorer view and using the filters on the left and the legend on the right, users can display the data according to a number of different

reveal a greater chance of warmer, wetter winters and hotter, drier summers – and these help users plan and prepare for extreme weather, climate change and the reporting which new regulations, linked to climate change, will require.”

criteria and visualisation styles. Hovering over the map at a particular location will display the specific temperature projection while panning and zooming in and out lets you quickly move about the map.

● As well as being able to view the data sets available, the portal allows users to overlay their own data – which could range from the location of offices or staff to transport and logistics routes. The climate data can also be added to other applications, such as Excel and Power BI.

SOURCE: MET OFFICE

action plans.”

regional or local level, enabling locationspecific action plans to be developed”.

Climate reporting

The project is part of a strategic partnership between the Met Office and software company Esri UK, which have been working together for 20 years.

Professor Jason Lowe, head of climate services at the Met Office, said: “Historically, climate science has defined the problem – now it’s moving to help with the solution, providing information at a local level which is highly relevant to UK organisations. By combining the Met Office’s latest projections with Esri UK’s geospatial tools, the reach and value of this data is greatly extended. UK stakeholders can investigate their physical climate risks over the next 50 to 100 years.

“The most detailed climate projections

The portal is also intended to provide insight to help organisations start their response to regulatory climate reporting programmes such as Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), which is being rolled out across the UK, making it particularly timely.

Pete Wilkinson, managing director of Esri UK, added: “The Climate Data Portal is a giant step forward in making climate data more usable for UK stakeholders. Climate change presents a major challenge, and this challenge is a geographic one. Using geospatial technology as a delivery mechanism for climate data makes it quickly accessible and usable in spatial and temporal analysis, helping to identify at-risk areas and develop location-specific

Ian Cameron, Met Office markets director told Facilitate: “The Met Office Climate Data Portal is a vital progression to put our pioneering science data in the hands of the people who need it, in a format that is most useful to them, to enable people to make better decisions to stay safe and thrive.

“There are numerous industries that utilise Esri GIS software, so it is significant that they wanted the best environmental data available to make better decisions for their sectors to thrive in a changing climate.”

ONE FOR THE GAUGES

Summer days – when the temperature reaches over 250C

Hot summer days –when the temperature reaches over 300C

Extreme summer days –when the temperature reaches over 350C

Tropical nights – when night temperatures don’t dip below 200C

Frost days – the number of days with a minimum temperature of less than 00C

Stephen Belcher, chief of science and technology at the Met Office, added: “Climate change is having more and more impact on our lives, and it is crucial that new technologies, such as data integration tools, are harnessed to make sure the insights from science are getting into the hands of people who make decisions.”

How FMs put this tool to use will be of great interest in the months and years ahead.

The Climate Data Portal is a giant step forward in making climate data more usable for UK stakeholders

PETE WILKINSON

The current media furore about the state of school buildings, focused on the inclusion and subsequent deterioration of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in their construction, is part of a wider narrative about school facilities and their potential to negatively affect childrens’ wellbeing uncovered by a National Audit Office (NAO) report on the condition of school buildings.

This concluded that around 700,000 children in England attend schools requiring major rebuilding or refurbishment that can diminish pupil attainment and teacher retention. And in a separate report – DfE: Environmental sustainability overview – the NAO found that the Department for Education (DfE) had insufficient plans to decarbonise the school estate.

The UK’s independent public spending watchdog’s report established that more than a third (24,000) of English school buildings are past their estimated initial design life. While these buildings can normally continue to be used, they are generally more expensive to maintain and, on average, have poorer energy efficiency – leading to higher running costs.

In recent years, there has been a significant funding shortfall contributing to deterioration across the school estate. The DfE has reported £7 billion a year as the best practice level of capital funding to maintain, repair and rebuild the school estate. In 2020, it recommended funding of £5.3 billion a year to maintain schools and mitigate the most serious risks of building failure after expanding its school rebuilding programme over

Schools getting an ‘F’ on decarbonisation and refurbishment of buildings

by Herpreet Kaur Grewal

the next few years.

The DfE was subsequently allocated an average £3.1 billion a year of relevant funding from HM Treasury. This includes funding to rebuild 500 schools in a 10year programme, on which the DfE is making slower than initially expected progress awarding contracts. Between 2016 and 2022, the DfE spent

an average £2.3 billion a year.

Prone to failure

The report says the DfE has assessed the possibility of a building collapse or failure causing death or injury as a “critical and very likely” risk since summer 2021. It also highlighted continuing concerns about the use of RAAC – a lightweight form of

concrete now seen as prone to failure – that was used between the 1950s and 1990s. The DfE has been considering the potential risk posed by RAAC since late 2018, following a school roof collapse. It is continuing to build its understanding of where RAAC is used, including by collating questionnaire responses from schools, but

EDUCATION FACILITIES

does not currently have the information required to fully manage potential risks. As of May 2023, 6,300 (42 per cent) of the schools on which the DfE has chosen to focus had completed work to establish if it was present. At that point, through questionnaire responses and wider work, the DfE identified that RAAC may be present in 572 schools. It has allocated £6 million for specialists to investigate 600 schools potentially affected. By May 2023, 196 investigations had been conducted, with the presence of RAAC confirmed in 65 schools. In May 2023, the DfE announced that, where RAAC is present in schools, it would provide funding to guarantee that it does not pose an immediate risk.

More positively, the report shows that the DfE had collected better evidence on the condition of the

whole estate. This included identifying 13,800 system-built blocks – almost all containing asbestos. However, of these, around 3,600 may be more susceptible to deterioration. In September 2022, plans were approved for a structural assessment of 200 systembuilt blocks to help better understand the risks – but none had been conducted as this report went to publication.

Shouldering pressure

Steve McGregor, group managing director at DMA Group, a property maintenance specialist working across the education sector, said: “We’ve increasingly encountered some management teams in the education space looking to source cheaper parts themselves off the internet. It’s an understandable tactic, because parts can often appear less expensive online, but that’s not the whole story.

“If the wrong parts turn up, or they’re late, or faulty, it causes delays and further costs. The senior leadership teams across schools have shouldered immense, yet routine pressures in trying to reconcile the financial and operational challenges of delivering education in a costdown environment.

“These establishments are scrambling by cutting costs wherever possible, to the detriment of their buildings.

DOING THE SUMS £2.3BN

The average amount of annual capital funding for school rebuilding, maintenance and repair spent by DfE between 2016-17 and 2022-23

38%

The proportion of school buildings that are believed to be past their estimated initial design life, which could be extended with adequate maintenance.

600

The number of assessments that DfE has planned, by December 2023, on school buildings that may have reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) – a lightweight form of concrete that is susceptible to failure.

500

The number of schools in the most urgent need that are due to undergo major rebuilding or refurbishment under the School Rebuilding Programme.

15% The proportion of eligible schools that made no application for maintenance and repair funding between 2016-17 and 2022-23. SOURCE:

Now it’s catching up. Purchasing a lesser standard of parts will save money initially, but the increases in running, maintenance and replacement costs over the longer term will be a false economy. Buying the wrong or lesser-quality kit will cost more or, even worse, damage a premises, risk the health and wellness of its occupants, not to mention the reliability of the building.”

Urge for local funding

Councillor Louise Gittins, chair of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board, said: “Councils are very concerned by the findings of this report. It is not right that a child’s ability to do well at school is potentially jeopardised by the conditions of the building in which they study.

“To help address this, we are calling for a single, local funding pot that funds school capital projects to replace the existing fragmented system and for this to sit with councils, who should have the power to determine how and where this is best spent in their local areas.

“Given the shortage of structural engineers with experience of identifying RAAC, it is important that the Department for Education continues to provide schools with access to people with the specialist knowledge to identify RAAC, and the funding to address any safety issues.”

Simon Allford, president of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) urged the government to seize what he called an opportunity to invest in good design, adding that: “after years of falling funding, recent investment has not been enough to make all schools safe”.

SCHOOL BUILDINGS

It is not right that a child’s ability to do well at school is jeopardised by the conditions of the building

David Heaton, who has just retired as facilities manager at the Prime Minister’s Office, was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for public and voluntary service as a part of the King’s Birthday Honours List earlier this year.

Heaton began his civil service career as a filing clerk, and went on to serve seven prime ministers during his time at 10 Downing Street. He spoke to Facilitate about his time as a facilities manager in the civil service.

Can you briefly outline your career including your appointment as FM in the Prime Minister’s Office?

I began 42 years ago, as a filing clerk in Brixton at the Department of Health and Social Security. A couple of rungs up the ladder and a change of direction saw me dealing with local office accommodation, then regional estates, culminating with moving to the Central London Estates team. During this period, I joined the recently formed British Institute of Facilities Management at student level.

Then in 1999, I successfully applied for the assistant FM role at Downing Street, and joined the Prime Minister’s Office in 2000. Back then, it was very strange to receive a telephone call that started with “This is the Downing Street Switchboard” – you do get used to it after a while. I am retiring as facilities manager after 23 years, having served seven prime ministers (also briefly working with two former PMs) and two monarchs.

What were the biggest challenges working in the Prime Minister’s Office?

The speed of change. Number 10 will always be a very busy office on a normal day, but this ramps up considerably when a transition occurs, whether it’s the same party with a new leader, a coalition, or a complete change of government.

FM and the wider operations

team have to react speedily to both common and somewhat unusual requests in short time frames whilst allowing the business of government to continue uninterrupted.

What did you learn most about working there?

Downing Street is an incredible place to work – high-pressure, challenging, hair-pulling at times, but it gave me the opportunity to

The FM at No.10

by Herpreet Kaur Grewal

make positive change in supporting the house and families.

The property dates back to the 1600s, and is now a working office to about 250 people, the home to two families, and a place of historical significance, both past and present. It houses key works of art, a loaned contemporary silver collection, historic furniture and furnishings. It is a 24/7/365 operation that receives visitors in the form of royalty, heads of state, dignitaries, celebrities, charities and members of the public alike.

Throughout my tenure, I’ve had the privilege of working with some amazing artists and historians and I have been keen to incorporate what I have learned into my tours. This is to preserve the heritage of the house, so these valuable insights

Q&A

and stories are not lost.

One also needs a (very) wide perspective, good team working and fast reactions. The role is both hands-on FM, and contract management, working in the spirit of partnership with the FM provider.

How much does FM get involved when premiers move in and out?

A PM move is essentially a political move, which is led by the relevant party, but naturally FM and the operations team have integral roles to play. This typically includes churn of the exiting and incoming staff, and deep cleaning of offices and residences by an in-house/contractor team. This gives a small (but predictable) insight, but naturally I can’t get into specifics here.

Possibly less predictable, once

the new PM and staff settle, they have the opportunity to consider art works in the residences and office areas, which has meant close working relationships with the Government Art Collection.

Is the PM’s residence within No. 10 treated separately? Naturally, if there is an issue in a residence, whether the prime minister’s, or the chancellor’s family, they will take a high priority. But the offices and public areas are

equally looked after closely with the proactive aim of the families or staff experiencing a seamless service. With a house of this age and its media visibility, that can sometimes be very challenging or require unusual solutions.

What would surprise other FMs most about on-site service provision?

The in-house FM team is supported by an on-site seconded contractor team, and that contractor supplies an FM provision to the wider Cabinet Office. The FM team has to manage high internal expectations and negotiate closely with the provider (and contract management team), both the requirements within the FM contract and those elements that fall outside the contract.

Additionally, FM supports house events for the PM. We also work closely with the capital works team, heritage architects, specialists and historians, all the time, constantly being mindful of ensuring value for public monies.

One key project that gave me both great pleasure and great worry is the annual Christmas Tree installations, planning for which starts in June… especially when it includes a visit from Father Christmas and reindeer in the street. So, in summary, similar issues to FMs around the country, I’m certain, but ours tend to run at quite high speed and under intense media scrutiny.

How did provision of facilities management at No. 10 change over the years?

I’d suggest that the big changes in FM won’t come as a surprise to the industry, namely finding more efficient ways of working both in terms of cost, people resources and energy efficiency. The ‘other side of the road’ brings 24/7 news, instant reporting across television and the internet, and sometimes a nearconstant presence of photographers and news crews in both the Whitehall area and opposite the big black door.

The role is both hands-on FM and contract management

David Heaton with one of the more unusual pieces of equipment to find its way into Downing Street

16 October 2023

JW Marriott

Grosvenor House London

#IWFMAwards2023

@IWFM_Awards

FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

Congratulations to our fantastic shortlist

Workplace Experience

SPONSORED BY: ARCUS FM

•MOJ Shower pods, Amey

•Three - Workspace Team, CBRE and Three

•Cardiff Office Reimagined, Eversheds Sutherland

•Twice the Experience, JLL & Standard Chartered Bank

•Together, Wherever, Livv Housing Group

•The Workplace Hub Pilot, Mitie and LBG

•Redesign of its London HQ, Sodexo and TSK

•UCAS WOW!

*Category to be split with two winners at the Awards ceremony

Positive Climate Action: Small Organisation (<250 employees)

SPONSORED BY: GSH

•Customer Experience Team, GPE

•Positive Climate Action, Pareto FM

•Solar PV project, Wales Millennium Centre

Positive Climate Action: Large Organisation (>250 employees)

SPONSORED BY: CEF

•Together Further for Climate: Carbon Reduction Plan Initiative, Bouygues Energies & Services

•Zero Carbon Partnerships, Equans and Cheshire East Council

•Peterborough Project, Johnsons 1871 and DEFRA

•Net Zero Transition Investment Plan, Landsec

•Decarbonisation, Delivered, Mitie

•RICS Member Space Relocation Project - ESG, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

•Reducing food waste and carbon emissions in food services, Sodexo UK & Ireland

Excellence in Customer Experience

SPONSORED BY: LANDSEC

•Patient Experience Programme, Mitie at UCLH

•Lifescan Team, Robertson Facilities Management

•Applicant to Alumni - Supporting our residents through innovation, Sodexo

•London Stadium, VINCI Facilities

Change Management

•Sopra Steria in partnership with CBRE

•Enterprise Asset Change Management, NatWest Group in partnership with Mobiess

•Plant Lifecycle Replacement Project, Savills and Combined Technical Solutions

•Pareto FM, Claremont & Flutter Entertainment partnership

Social Value

SPONSORED BY: WASTE TO WONDER

•Red Box - Menstruation Stations, Edge Hill University

•Allyship, well-being and resilience building, EMCOR UK, Access Community Trust and British Sugar

•Junior Chef Academy, ESS Defence

•Brightening the future for under-represented groups, Mitie

•Social Value Partnership: One Workplace, Zurich and CBRE

Wellbeing

SPONSORED BY: SBFM

•Healthy Eating Champion, 14forty

•Wellbeing Initiative, Cloudbooking

•Ireland’s Fittest Workplace Challenge, Zevo Health

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative

SPONSORED BY: THOMSON FM

•The Women @ Amey – Secure Infrastructure Committee and Network, Amey

•Real Estate Diversity & Inclusion, Meta & JLL

•#LOVEWHATWEDO, Pareto FM

•Evolve, SBFM

People Development and Talent Retention

SPONSORED BY: EQUANS

•Qube Learning, BGIS

•E.ON and Mitie

•Core Competencies & Learning and Development Framework, Knight Frank Promise

•You are Mitie

Headline Sponsor:

Sponsored by:

Supported by:

BOOK NOW: iwfmawards.org

Product or Service Development

SPONSORED BY: REXEL

•SDG12 in Action, JPA Workspaces

•Aria, Mitie

•Lateral Access System, Pendrich, part of PTSG

•Software Launch 2022, Reset Compliance Systems

•SMART Store, YESSS Electrical

Technology

SPONSORED BY: KIER

•14forty and Optiqo partnership

•Autocanteen Self-Service

•Project Oculus, Churchill

•KLIQ App, Homes for Students

•FM Assist, Refrigeration Assist, FMA Core and FM Automate, Sainsburys Group FM

Collaboration

SPONSORED BY: WASTE TO WONDER

•CRED Programme, Amey

•Broadgate, British Land

•Landsec Aspire

•SSRM Strategic Relationship, Mitie Security & HMRC

Best SME Led Innovation

•Energy Management System, Jones FM

•CAFM system innovation, Linaker

•ESG Innovation, Pareto FM

Team of the Year: Public or Third Sector

SPONSORED BY: PREMIER TECHNICAL SERVICES GROUP

•GSH Facilities Management

• Safe2GoHome, Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust

•Estates and Facilities Team, The British Antarctic Survey

Team of the Year: Private Sector

SPONSORED BY: PREMIER TECHNICAL SERVICES GROUP

•Customer Experience Team, GPE

•ISS SLT Team, ISS UK and Santander

•Desalination and Distribution Systems, King Abdullah University of Science & Technology

•Facilities Team, The Gym Group

IWFM Newcomer of the Year

SPONSORED BY: 14FORTY

•Georgina Evola, BGIS

•Sean Power, CBRE

•Darwin Lloyd, ISS UK

•Oliver Boote, Mace

IWFM Manager of the Year

SPONSORED BY: JONES FM

•Bally Purewal, 14forty

•Richard Bostelmann, Anabas

•Nikki Gibson, Ashdown Phillips & Partners

•Jack Brown, Kier Facilities Services

•Prithika Selvadurai, Salisbury (part of Atlas FM)

•Louise Sheppard, Zurich

IWFM Leader of the Year

SPONSORED BY: WASTE TO WONDER

•Dominic Ponniah, Cleanology

•Jennie Davies, Linaker

•Colin Kimber, Pareto FM

•Lorraine Thomas, Sodexo

Frontline Heroes

SPONSORED BY: LINAKER

•Jackie Kennedy, 14forty

•Nikki Mortimer, Bouygues Energies & Services

•Emergency life-saving action, Guardian, part of PTSG

•Donna Askew, ISS UK and Santander

• Defence Training Estate Team, Landmarc Support Services

•Estates and Facilities Transformation, Leicestershire

Partnership NHS Trust

NEWS IN NUMBERS

700,000

Around 700,000 children in England attend schools requiring major rebuilding or refurbishment that can negatively impact pupil attainment and teacher retention, says an National Audit Office (NAO) report on the condition of school buildings.

74%

74% of firms have already started reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions linked to employees’ commutes to and from their workplaces.

87%

87% of office stock has an EPC rating of C or below

94%

Work-from-home flexibility is the most highlyvalued benefit, with 94% of those who receive this benefit saying it increases their work productivity and happiness, however, just |over a quarter of office-based workers are currently receiving this (27%).

2

MILLION

Of the 2.27 million fulltime students in the UK, around 1.42 million require accommodation

2.27 MILLION

Office space take-up for Central London totalled 2 million square feet for Q2 2023 – 34% below the long-term average, according to real estate adviser CBRE’s Monthly Index.

£8.6 BILLION

The market for lighting controls for commercial and industrial buildings (C&I) will reach nearly $11 billion (£8.6 billion) by 2032, according to research.

44%

Worldwide, 44% of employees claimed they experienced a lot of stress at work

1.04 MILLION

A National Institute for Health and Social Care Research report states that with a basic universal income scheme “between 125,000 and 1 million cases of depressive disorders could be prevented or postponed” and “between 120,000 and 1.04 million cases of clinically significant physical health symptoms could be prevented or postponed”, saving the NHS billions.

A fourth decade, a full focus on policy

We’re heading into Q4 2023, and you’ll note elsewhere the celebrations around IWFM’s 30th anniversary. As we enter IWFM’s 31st year, policy work has never been more important

From a policy perspective it’s fair to say that we’ve never been as busy as we are now in pursuit of changes that favour our members’ interests and provision of subsequent guidance. The issue can often be where best to focus. It’s why we return so often to the topic of building information’s golden thread. We’ve previously mentioned our work in helping to complete ‘the List’, a master list of documents and other information sources currently used by industry, which can be used to identify the key data which needs to be specified for the Golden Thread Information Requirements. This guidance will be made freely

IWFM SUSTAINABILITY SURVEY

available on the Building Safety Alliance website in the future. The NBS, the organisation behind Uniclass, is participating in it, as is the Real Estate Data (RED) Foundation and NIMA - and that means we are also linked within the work NIMA is doing as the driving force behind the fire safety information standard BS8644.

We are also now partnering with ARK, providers of operational risk, compliance and safety solutions, to add depth to guidance on the key area of structural safety, to which end we ran a webinar with ARK in the summer. This is an area in which there has been little discussion and we think there

IWFM NET ZERO TOOLKIT

is a knowledge gap concerning structural safety (RAAC, anyone?) We’re also working with ARK on safety management systems as we seek to cover all areas of guidance related to the Building Safety Act 2022.

On sustainability, we will be guided by the results of our current annual sustainability survey results but it’s clear that we’re looking at pinpointing FM’s critical role so that organisations’ sustainability goals can be achieved. This will filter through in things like engaging with landlords on lease arrangements and positioning arguments on return on investment in the right way so necessary investments can be made.

To support members, our partnership with Carbon Numbers will see us publish updated Energy management Good Practice Guidance in Q4. We’re also working with Wates on guidance on how to position your maintenance strategy and make the case for one, emphasising its importance to wider business objectives. This will complement work by our Procurement SIG in this area.

Which brings us to our work on equity, diversity and inclusivity (EDI) . We’ll wait for the Young Foundation report later this year, but there is evidence that levels of discrimination are often linked to the number of an individual’s protected characteristics. FM has an incredibly important role to play towards greater equality of opportunity in society because of the number of lives it touches through the services it provides and people it employs. We also need to to attract and retain more people into our profession, and it’s clear where and how we can make progress!

All told, our policy work has never been so important or so varied.

KEY CONTACTS

Sofie Hooper Head of policy

● Look out for the survey and share your views on FM’s role in driving net zero targets, plans and key barriers and solutions

SCOPE 3 EMISSIONS GUIDANCE PROJECT

● The SFMI standardised Scope 3 emissions measuring project is consulting on the initial framework and associated guidance

● IWFM published its toolkit developed with Inenco to help FMs develop holistic strategies for tackling net zero as part of a wider guidance programme

GIIG INTEROPERABILITY CODE OF PRACTICE FOR TECHNOLOGIES IN THE BUILT AND MANAGED ENVIRONMENT

● Promoting interoperability good practice in technologies, supporting

procurement to improve data delivery

EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION FOCUS GROUP

● Colleagues are raising their voices throughout the year; Q4 will see the publication of our collaboration with the EDI consortium of chartered bodies

BUILDING SAFETY ACT

● Building registrations need to be done by

October 2023 for all higherrisk residential buildings; more secondary legislation is expected soon

BUILDING SAFETY ALLIANCE

● The golden thread Special Interest Group will publish its golden thread guidance, supporting interoperability requirements

GET INVOLVED

● Share your views on IWFM policy at policy@iwfm.org.uk

THE GIANT LEAPS FOR FM KIND

The origins of the British Institute of Facilities Management, today’s IWFM, can be traced to a series of events in the space age of the 1960s that carried on into the 1970s and 1980s, all driven by the economics, politics and technologies of the times. Martin Read picks out the key years in the countdown to BIFM’s 1993 formation.

Anyone assessing the pre-IWFM world of facilities management in the decades before 1993 will conclude three things: that the trigger points, while extraordinary in their variety, were principally office-focused; that an immense amount of sector defining work was conducted long before thoughts turned to collective representation of practitioners; and that the many great characters to emerge in that first generation of 1980s FM professionals were indeed a special breed. It was they who banded together to give life to a whole new business sector in what little spare time they had as the world of the workplace shifted around them.

These four pages can only serve as a primer; a guide to how the concept of a more all-encompassing business support function coalesced into facilities management over the three decades prior to BIFM’s birth. There’s certainly not the space here to bring to life the many characters involved along the way – for which purpose we have various interviews online.

So there are only a few names in these pages. But we’ll start with one particularly significant one: architect Frank Duffy. Duffy is unquestionably one of FM’s earliest thinkers, a man who first questioned the notion that a building, once designed, had to stay true to its original architect’s purpose. Duffy co-founded the pioneering office design consultancy DEGW, and he and his organisation’s work were key to FM’s 1980s development. But first, let’s go back a bit further.

The 1950s

Duffy took inspiration from the late 1950s concept of burolandschaft (office landscaping) – the notion that, because offices were essentially networks of communications, desk layouts and the shape of entire office buildings could be derived from analysing patterns of user interaction. Management consultants the Schnelle brothers came up with this term in the late 1950s, promulgating the idea through a newsletter that had a profound impact on Duffy, as we shall see.

The 1960s

As for ‘facilities management’ itself, the term is commonly held to have been first coined in the 1960s by Ross Perot, the businessman who would go on to run for president against Bill Clinton in the 1990s. Perot’s company, EDS, specialised in IT systems and facilities management was initially used solely to describe IT networking management within buildings.

1969 Much of what would go on to shape facilities management occurred around the time man first set foot on the moon. The late 1960s typical office set up (left) came under pressure from such developments as Herman Miller’s modular ‘AO’ system, which revolutionised office layout for decades to come

1968

Yet the term was soon to take on a wider resonance within American offices. In 1968, manufacturer Herman Miller introduced an open-plan modular office furniture system comprising panels and attaching components, since seen as presaging a revolution in office design. In the UK, 1968, also saw the Institute of Administrative Management (IAM) establish an Office Design and Office Services division, to ‘stimulate interest in the promotion of higher standards of office design and layout and of the supporting services in business establishments generally’. In 1969, two months before man stepped on the moon, this body ran a conference ‘intended to make known the latest thinking and practice of the new concept of the organised office’.

1971

The IAM’s new division then created the “Office of the Year Award’ for 1971 – the first scheme of its kind, and the roots of today’s IWFM Impact awards. The initial intent was that a ‘national paper’ be persuaded to sponsor such a scheme in conjunction with the institute. More broadly, the 1970s oil crisis had a huge economic impact, helping to focus organisations on the need for greater discipline in the management of their overall business support

costs, with facilities services increasingly classified and assessed.

1976

In 1976, the Architects Journal (AJ) published ‘Planning Office Space’, a compendium of articles composed by Frank Duffy and his colleagues at DEGW and other design practices, described by Duffy in later years as “a unique acknowledgement of the potential importance of facilities management”.

1979

Back in the US, Herman Miller continued its development of new furniture system formats. However, the firm was frustrated by a lack of client-side interest or awareness of these products’ potential. Seeking to spark the market to life, it brought together a group of clients who it felt best understood the value of space planning and could thus deploy its systems. It was this group of property users and advisers that came to recognise FM’s unique role in strategic organisational planning, and in 1979 , Herman Miller set it up as the Facility Management Institute (FMI) with the aim of establishing FM as an all new management science and professional activity.

1982

A year later, with membership growing and awareness of the need to become independent of its commercial origins, FMI became the National Facility Management Association (NFMA) and then, in 1982, the International Facility Management Association (IFMA).

The turn of the eighties is also where FM as a discipline really took off in the UK. Two events marked key points of sectoral development, with DEGW’s Frank Duffy instrumental in both.

The journal Facilities was launched in 1982 by the Architectural Press with Duffy as its founding editor, issuing the rallying cry that “the occupier needs a voice”. Over the following years the influence of Facilities was felt far beyond the UK as it landed on desks across the Channel, where European notions of FM were also evolving.

1983

With information technology’s introduction into workplaces “a technological phenomenon changing every aspect of the office, from office culture to the fabric of office buildings”, Duffy’s DEGW agency persuaded a range of organisations, including the UK government, to invest in a multi-client study exploring the impact on workplace of IT systems; on workplaces, organisational structures, interior design, on developers and letting agents – in fact, the entire corporate real estate chain.

The report, dubbed ORBIT (‘Office Research: Buildings and Information Technology) came as the young Conservative government sought to entirely reconfigure public and private sector relationships within the CRE sector, bringing what were often competing professional stakeholders together for the first time.

Another factor was the government’s enthusiasm to retain the City of London as

AFM IN ACTION

The AFM quickly built up a portfolio of activities and content, from best practice on smoking in buildings to an early guide to facilities contracts

Top: taken from an AFM photoshoot in the 1980s, Marilyn Standley (top), went on to become the first chair of the BIFM in 1993. The name of the late Chris Stoddart (below), would adorn a key BIFM report in 2016 Left: Early office tech such as the Wang word processor helped kickstart debate about FM’s potential in the 1980s

IMAGE: ALAMY

A HISTORY OF FM: THE PEOPLE

Space restricts us from detailing the many characters involved in the gestation of this profession. However, Facilitate has a series of video interviews with many of the major players and further character profiles of FM’s founding figures. Scan the code here for access to these and other ‘IWFM at 30’ resources.

become the BIFM’s first chair – joined soon after). Both organisations would grow their memberships as the eighties progressed, developing qualifications and events. Understandably, talk soon turned to the need for a single voice with FMs confused as to which horse to back: IFM or AFM? The merger process lasted two years.

1991

Europe’s financial services capital. Game-changing developments at Broadgate and Canary Wharf were each influenced by ORBIT, which posited that a different class of office building, one capable of accepting new technology, had to be created.

Core to all of this, of course, was FM as a distinctive key component in the service mix. The impact of ORBIT was considerable, with FM as a service discipline rapidly gaining traction in 1980s London as a result.

As organisations responded, and with the term FM beginning to be used in earnest, this and the existence of the journal Facilities helped in bringing many UK FMs together, even if in most cases these individuals did not yet operate with FM in their title and were often making up polucy and practice themselves. Increasingly desperate to seek out likeminded others, these FMs began networking casually at first before recognising the need to band together in a more formal manner.

1986

As desperate early practitioners sought to obtain and share knowledge, this was the year in which the gathering of British communities of FMs really took off. The IAM’s Office Design and Office Services division was spun out to become the Institute of Facilities Management (IFM) and, at around the same time, the Association of Facilities Managers (AFM) came into being. This latter organisation comprised 35 founding members (all men, although Marilyn Standley - who would

As talks progressed, 1991 saw a landmark move in the outsourcing of FM as a service. A new services business was born out of computer firm IBM’s decision to cut its operating budget in a recession, providing an opportunity for its market-leading property services division to be bought out by its employees and turned into a separate business offering facilities services to others. Groundbreaking contracts with BP and British Gas followed as the newly named Procord approached businesses in a similar position to IBM with the UK headed for recession. The immediate success of Procord’s outsourcing model helped bolster outsourced FM’s emerging identity and professionalism, the firm’s subsequent acquisition by Johnson Controls in 1994 offering clear evidence of its commercial influence. It is easy to see much of FM’s formative growth occurring in parallel with the Conservative administration of Margaret Thatcher. From no specific identity as she took power in 1979, the various convulsions detailed above led to a formalisation of the discipline during Thatcher’s tumultuous 11 years, her government’s eulogising of business service outsourcing a clear accelerant.

1993

By 1993, the structure of a new, unified British Institute of Facilities Management was in place, with tthe advantages clear: a single association with a single voice, a new forum for corporate members to meet prospective clients, and a sense of clarity and integration for the profession. Thus it was that the ground was laid for the new BIFM to take on the fight – as our following pages explain.

The Facilities Manager’s Desk Reference by Jane Wiggins informed the development of this article. Details of this book can be found with our other IWFM anniversary articles.

More AFM alumni: Derek Paxman (top), another founding member and Geoff Gidley (bottom), a key figure in the running of the association

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SELLING THE CONCEPT

British Gas’ outsourcing of FM services to the service provider Chesterton was seen as a particular bellwether.

TIMELINE

1993

BIFM is launched. Members vote 10-to-one in favour of the new name

1993

Six new sets of health and safety legislation are introduced

1994

The introduction of the CDM regulations changed not just how designers had to think about how buildings were constructed, but, for the first time, how they were maintained as well

1995

BIFM’s first national conference, themed ‘Meeting the Challenges of Change’, was held at London’s Heathrow

1997

Tony Blair is elected in a landslide election that would introduce fresh challenges and opportunities for the still-nascent FM sector

If the turn of the 1980s was when external political, economic and technological indicators spurred FM to life, the turn of the 1990s was when the fledgling sector sought to secure itself a more solid form and structure.

In a nod to FM’s roots, Ross Perot, to whom the term ‘facilities management’ is often credited, helped Bill Clinton get elected as US president by taking nearly 20% of the US election vote in late 1992.

New financial models were catalysts, too. In 1992, John Major’s recently returned government introduced the concept of the Private Finance Initiative, with the services component of these construction projects going on to drive further awareness of facilities services as the decade progressed. It was a time when major infrastructure projects, commissioned in the 1980s, were coming on stream, with the Channel Tunnel, as one major example, opening in 1994. For the newly formed BIFM, AFM brought the most members while IFM came with an existing awards infrastructure. Early board meetings for the combined organisation could consist of about 32 people. Conflicting IFM and AFM approaches to corporate and individual membership, education and qualifications were ironed out during the merger process, with founding chair Marilyn Standley keen to build bridges with other built environment professional bodies. BIFM was soon helping put FM on the map with its first formal education qualifications (The First Foundation Course in FM, as delivered by the then AFM), while 1994 saw the publication of its first newsletter and the staging of the first BIFM conference.

1993 >>

The newly operational BIFM came into being at a point when increasing numbers of organisations were looking to outsource services to specialist providers for the first time, the era’s recessionary economy a primary trigger. In 1996, the scale of

Bluntly, today’s top-tier issues of energy and sustainability were still some distance from the forefront of FMs’ minds in these early institute days with the breadth of the sector’s remit relatively thin by comparison with today. New workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) regulations were more prominent in people’s minds while workspace utilisation was steadily advancing up the corporate agenda with

As the British Institute of Facilities Management sprung from the merged Association of Facilities Managers and Institute of Facilities Management, promoting the discipline in a fast-changing world was a top priority

better measurement tools available and newly empowered professionals working with users to challenge the ways in which workspace, increasingly recognised as an expensive commodity, was deployed.

As FMs began to share their knowledge, many processes and solutions had to be invented from scratch in organisations that now required them. Existing standards, including what was the BS5750 Quality Management standard (now ISO 9001) allowed FMs to introduce quality audits and quality assurance that “brought concepts of consistent performance through defined process control rather than hands-on active management”, recalls former IWFM leader of the year Andrew Smart.

However much BIFM and others now sought to market FM as a new yet critical discipline, the sheer breadth of industrial sectors yet to engage with sector made this an era of explanation as well as deployment.

“The challenge for us in the 1990s was in telling people what FM was,” explains training consultant Jane Bell.

Documents: A late 1993 newsletter remained branded jointly for both IFM and AFM. The 1994 BIFM Bulletin, with the institute’s new logo, soon succeeded it. New magazine formats (Facilities Management World) were trialled while events such as this Irish BIFM conference in 1997 took off.

1992: Ross Perot

1993: The European single market was created

1994: The Channel Tunnel finally opened

1994: Nelson Mandela won in South Africa’s first democratic election

With all these relationships developing and new FM models on the horizon, another phenomenon was slowly emerging. In 1993, people gasped to find that a document from someone else’s desktop had somehow appeared, having travelled over phone wires, on theirs. In the early years of the BIFM, the internet – with all it presaged – merited barely a mention.

1995: John Major had a difficult spell as PM

1996: Nokia popularised mobile phones

1997: Tony Blair’s policies would influence FM in several ways

BACKSTORIES THOUGHTS ON THE PRACTICE OF FM AT THE TIME

“I forged a thoroughly enjoyable career out of a secondment into a role most people at the time did not really understand or find attractive, which has allowed me to experience so many very different working environments. I have loved every minute of it – well, almost every minute.”

Marilyn Standley, BIFM’s first chair

“As a profession, the biggest challenge was probably lack of organisation and consistency. This was just before the explosion of the internet; my mobile phone was the size of a brick and had a 90-minute battery life.”

Andrew Smart

“There was a notable lack of collaboration between resource specialisms that reflected decades of protecting respective trade skills and years of indoctrination of worker productivity. By the time I migrated into dedicated FM activities in 1995, improvements were achieved by shedding the more traditional, inhibiting work practices and replacing rigid, ineffective routines with collaborative, performance-based, highproductivity policies, processes and procedures.”

David Carey

“In 1996, I’d just finished a postgraduate degree at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. There was an advert for an information manager at the Centre for Facilities Management, part of the graduate business school. I literally walked over, went into the office and saw a tall dishevelled man surrounded by piles of paper. ‘When can you start?’ he asked. That was my first impression of Keith Alexander, one of the founders of the facilities management profession.”

Simon Ball

TIMELINE

1998

Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations

1999

Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations

1999

The introduction of a UK Minimum Wage would go on to feed into the debate about service provision and quality, social sustainability set to become a discussion point. The first rate, set in April 1999, was £3.60 an hour for adults aged over 22; 1.2 million adults received an immediate average pay rise of 10%

2002

Other key aspects of health and safety legislation, the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations, were introduced

As FM approached and passed the millennium, issues seen as only tangential to the function’s early practice began to enter its orbit. Customer service and soft skills rose in prominence, and the business world’s increasingly systematic understanding of support services and how they should integrate with operations in general saw risk management, business continuity and security all take on increasing resonance. Alongside all of this was an explosion in corporate technology, the migration to computer-based records offering efficiencies, and computer-aided FM systems moving beyond pure space planning into more all-encompassing

workflow and portfolio management tools. Linkages between sites were still mainly fixed in form, the internet’s cloud revolution some years away – but concepts such as customer relationship management were in vogue, as was electronic (‘e’) procurement.

FM departments and supply-side providers were becoming more ‘intelligent’ through their use of IT tools. Client-side interest in the potential of integrated service provision and technology were underpinning an ongoing outsourcing boom, the new political landscape adding to rather than dampening its potential, with competition between service providers making for a febrile market marked by the increasing scale of providers. Mergers and acquisitions

ADDRESSING AN EXPANDING REMIT

With the BIFM advancing its activities on all fronts, the practice of facilities management was increasingly influenced by the political and technological underpinnings of an era in which experimentation in facilities service provision came to the fore

became more frequent as the ambition of the sector’s supply-side blossomed. Organisations worked more with service providers, attracted to the prospect of taking cost off the balance sheet with headline-grabbing figures about how outsourcing could achieve efficiencies through slashed workforce numbers. However, concerns were expressed that FMs were all too often obliged to force contractors to reduce costs rather than consider a more sophisticated and sustainable approach.

Pan European and Global FM contracts were taking shape as theoretical economies of scale were identified. The scope of service was being extended as multinational businesses sought to introduce single-source solutions across territories.

Documents: BIFM introduced a standards framework for FMs, while the Egan Report in 1998 saw government seeking to improve the ‘quality and efficiency’ of UK construction – a highly influential report. The BIFM Bulletin moved to fortnightly while the 2001 BIFM conference stated bluntly: ‘No FM, no commerce’.

1998: The Good Friday agreement is signed

1998: CRT screens were dominant in offices

2001: The Eden Project 1999: The Euro 2000: The Queen and Tony Blair at the opening of the Millennium Dome

Meanwhile, in the public sector, April 2000 saw New Labour’s ‘Best Value’ legislation introduced. While technically seeking to dial back from the all-out compulsory competitive tendering that had so defined the 1990s, this less dogmatic focus on how continuous improvement in service delivery was realised – internal teams could bid for service work – would lead in due course to the growth of social value.

Not fading from view in the new political landscape, Private Finance Initiative (PFI) projects continued to gain momentum as the new government’s initiatives targeted major schools, hospitals and government property overhauls. And although PFI fed public sector construction, private sector firms took a more forensic look at costs. The

BACKSTORIES THOUGHTS ON THE PRACTICE OF FM AT THE TIME

“I started my career using paper-based ‘Kalamazoo’ matrices for planning and recording daily, weekly and monthly routine maintenance tasks. The late 1990s migration to computer-based records, integrated systems, and dashboard reporting, as a progressive analogue-to-digital transformation, took time and commitment to implement. Organisations that were quick to adopt technology and adapt enterprise-wide CAFM systems became market leaders, thanks to such innovative changes.”

David Carey

“The biggest challenge for me and my peers at that time was the lack of formal recognition amongst the longer established built environment professions. There wasn’t a lot of acknowledgement about what FM was bringing to the debate. Peers working as architects, surveyors and engineers, in part, viewed FM as a type of expanded administration role. Obviously, as an emerging profession it had a long way to catch up to the chartered status these professions enjoyed.”

Finbarr Murray

“At the beginning we were trying to get to terms with what a TFM contract really meant in operation. Clients and suppliers were finding it difficult to adjust and find their position in respect of the Intelligent Client Function.”

Steve Roots

“When I started, it felt like a profession that wasn’t professionally recognised and progression seemed challenging for new starters. We just used to crack on and solve problems without any planning!”

Ben McClemens

concept of what constituted ‘core’ and ‘non-core’ activity was being stretched ever further, with firms attracted to the potential flexibility offered by a new breed of serviced offices providers. Employees were also starting to demand better-quality workplace service provision.

With BIFM leading the charge, FM was being recognised within some – certainly not all – organisations as an unavoidable and potentially game-changing function

tied to operational performance. FM was being seen as an overhead, yes – but one increasingly identified and costed, and thus a new tool for greater efficiencies.

Yet despite BIFM networking expanding through new niche specialist interest groups, many FMs still had to explain their role to others within and outside of their organisations. Nevertheless, the seeds of the sector’s growth had been sown. Better training was also climbing up the agenda –with BIFM rising to the challenge.

2003 >> 2007

This was a period of extraordinary growth for the sector, with negotiation and implementation of both first and second generation outsourcing contracts leading to a situation in which anyone looking in from outside may well have been forgiven for concluding that FM was an exclusively client-provider affair, being close to synonymous with outsourcing at this point. The question was more likely to be about which flavour of outsourcing would work best: the more dominant strand, in which clients managed their providers’ supply of the specified service, or the more ambitious strand in which providers managed the budget and planning of FM – or ‘total’ facilities management. Much outsourcing took place in innovative contractual arrangements

TIMELINE

2006

UK implements the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive

2006

The Health Act leads to the controversial but soon highly popular ban on smoking in the workplace

2007

BIFM’s Women in FM group is formed, nurtured initially within the BIFM’s London region

2007

FM World runs a campaign to find the most influential women in the FM sector

somewhere between these extremes. With outsourcing’s expansion came concern that too much was being ceded to the supply-side market; the idea of returning FM in-house was also becoming a conversation point.

With investors seeing the commercial value of outsourcers, the market for service providers continued to convulse as the pace of mergers and acquisitions quickened. But fears of a service being ruthlessly pursued for cost-saving rather than the addition of value galvanised the wider FM sector to seek to take control of the narrative. Several membership organisations, including BIFM, set up an ‘Action FM’ task force to promote FM’s ‘strengths, benefits and opportunities’. The need to sell FM was not going away; if anything, its growing complexity demanded more explanation.

This was also the era in which environmental sustainability began colouring FM policy and practice. The BIFM’s annual Sustainability Survey was launched during this period, while the government sought to implement the European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). Calculation of carbon footprints was beginning in earnest. It was also the period in which

SEEKING RECOGNITION

Greater expansion of outsourcing and awareness of FM did not necessarily result in a rounded understanding of the sector’s capacity to boost organisations’ performance. Communicating on all fronts was the name of the game

smoking in the workplace was banned, helping to change the dynamic about what an office environment could offer users.

For BIFM, the years 2003 to 2007 saw the introduction of an employer steering group comprising HR directors, training and development managers and senior FMs to shape and structure the content of new qualifications. There was also an application to the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to become an awarding body.

Networking between FMs and between suppliers rose to new heights, with the launch of BIFM special interest groups that would go on to become highly influential.

This title, then called FM World, was first published as a fortnightly magazine in April 2004, and in one of our first surveys we found an increase in women taking FM roles. Three years later, Lucy Jeynes, Anne Lennox-Martin, and Linda Tilbury would be among the luminaries setting up a ‘Women in FM’ group within BIFM, with FM World running a campaign to find the most influential women in the sector. FMs in general were taking on an increasingly diverse range of duties with the sector now seriously spoken about as a ‘profession’.

Documents: As its remit grew, this 2003 BIFM event spoke of ‘re-thinking’ FM. In 2004 FM World was launched, offering a trendy iPod for those completing its first ever salary survey of the profession. The same year saw the International Investors in FM Excellence Awards.

2003: Incredibly, England won the Rugby World Cup – the same year Concorde took its last commercial flght 2005: London winning the right to host the 2012 Olympics brought with it opportunities for FM 2007: The rebuilt Wembley Stadium opened, Gordon Brown became prime minister –and Steve Jobs changed the world by introducing the iPhone

Training was also on the agenda as the market for FMs matured. The government introduced sector skills councils in 2002, and the one specific to

FM – Asset Skills – published a skills needs analysis in 2006. This suggested an FM workforce of about 42,000 across various roles, but that further outsourcing and the as-yet ill defined concept of ‘intelligent buildings’ might reduce that figure. Low margins and short contracts – familiar refrains – were seen as hindering training and development. A bid by Asset Skills and the Business Services Association for government funding of a ‘national skills academy’ faltered because assessors could not entirely grasp what FM was.

BACKSTORIES THOUGHTS ON THE PRACTICE OF FM AT THE TIME

“After leaving Loughborough University I worked for a major construction firm. While I enjoyed the roles I held, I had a desire to move to London to try something different. [The biggest challenge when I started] was purely around data, or lack thereof. Everything was on clunky Excel spreadsheets and generally became a bit of a nightmare.”

Peter Burnell-Jones

“Back in the mid-2000s, diversity really was focused on young people and apprenticeships. It hadn’t blossomed into mental health, neurodiversity, LQBT+, ethnic diversity and general inclusive thought. I am so proud of the journey facilities management has been on but it has a long way to go.”

Andrew Hulbert

“I think at this time facilities management, in the UK at least, had only started to become a defined support service in its own right, mainly driven by the experiences of large portfolio owners in the US who were looking for a defined person to oversee the working environments of largely corporate portfolios.”

Finbarr Murray

“The more involved I got with the building management, the more I began to love it. I’d never heard of facilities, I had no idea it was an entire industry, let alone that there was a professional body.”

Kellie Lord-Thomas

“The Olympics will not happen without FM. We’ve never had a better opportunity to sell the sector.” Val Hiscock, speaking as deputy director-general of the Business Services Association in 2006

TIMELINE

2011

New BIFM entry-level Affiliate grade

2008

BIFM agrees to a Global FM alliance with FMA Australia and IFMA

2008 Corporate Manslaughter and Homicide act

2009

BIFM publishes its first Good Practice Guides

2010 CBIFM grade introduced

2012

EU Energy Efficiency directive introduced

2012

BIFM’s 1,000th learner registers for qualifications

2012

BIFM sets up CPD (Continuing Professional Development) scheme

2012

BIFM Level 7 qualifications launched

2012

First BIFM WiFM conference held at Channel 4’s headquarters in London. More than 150 delegates attend

IDENTIFYING FM’S VALUE

Such was FM’s growing status at this point that the question often heard was – shouldn’t FMs be on the board? Cost control was forced on FM departments by fearful clients in the wake of the global financial crisis in a period that can be looked back on, with hindsight, as one of positive change. The London 2012 Olympics demonstrated strong FM involvement in the creation and management of the venues, while one particular aspect of London 2012 would come back to the fore eight years later –the edict to get as many office commuters working from home as possible during the showpiece event saw the first comprehensive test of flexible working for many businesses.

A positive development was the evermore noticeable shift in gender balance

among FM practitioners. The age profile on the BIFM foundation training course came down by 10 years or more, with a more equal mix of men and women. More people were choosing to become involved in FM, however, those in FM displaying the strong interpersonal skills necessary to succeed were too often being moved to other areas of the business. It was no longer a case of explaining what FM was – at least, not so often. It was more a case of communicating the extent of FM’s potential. The sector bemoaned the fact that ‘facilities manager’ was all too often media shorthand for the tip of the FM iceberg – cleaning of washrooms, fixing the air conditioning, etc. – and not the totality of FM’s ‘value’, a word that would dominate the period.

More specialised FM for more specialist industry sector requirements

It was an era when FMs tried to gain entry to the boardroom; when a greater age and gender mix began to emerge; and when FM proved a backstage ‘winner’ at the London 2012 Olympics – an event that helped boost the hitherto niche concept of remote working

BACKSTORIES

THOUGHTS ON THE PRACTICE OF FM AT THE TIME

“I remember there was an air of optimism at the start of 2008. However, we were then slapped with the emergence of the global financial crisis. We started to see the scale back of workplace services to colleagues. Everything was put under the microscope. We went from providing best-in-class service (that is the desired service level now) to a much more stripped back offering.

Will Easton

Documents:

was discussed amidst talk of FM being too broad and generic. A greater interplay between operations and FM support was called for, but in fact much of this was actually happening as clients experimented with the breadth of workplace support and the extent to which it tipped over into operations. Many ways of expanding the FM remit were up for debate, and while some bemoaned the absence of FM’s involvement in, say, embedding service operatives directly into clients’ operational teams, others were actually doing it. So while many complained that FM remained too poorly defined, service innovation made it difficult – and arguably counterproductive – to fix on definitions. Into this environment came the idea of chartered facilities manager status. Those against it suggested that chartership would force needless barriers to entry for practising FMs. This remains a hot topic, IWFM committed to eventual chartership status.

Sustainability rose up the agenda, informing the 2008 BIFM conference. The variety of training courses expanded, while in FM World we focused ever more on stories of FM having high profile impact on businesses.

2012 saw us celebrate emerging new talent.

2008: A global economic crisis, the first Tesla car and an era-defining new US president – quite a year

2010: A first coalition UK government since 1945

2012: Everyone feared the worst, but London’s Olympics turned out to be a triumph

“Back in 1980, the term ‘facilities manager’ might have been used in one business out of 10. In 2012, it’s used by seven or eight out of 10. The title and the value it contributes is understood.”

Bernard Williams

“When I first started out in the FM profession I felt the biggest challenge was the client’s lack of understanding of the true value and impact the service provider brings to the table.”

Rezki Karar

With broadband and cloud computing becoming economically attainable objectives, focus on IT and IT infrastructure meant more rationalising or repurposing of space to allow users to work most effectively with it. The interplay between corporate real estate professionals, IT specialists and FMs demanded more from the latter party than was often comfortable.

With IT so prevalent, ‘innovation in systems and services’ was added as a BIFM Awards category in 2008. A year later, another new category recognised customer

2012

service and another still focused on ‘major change projects’ while in-house FM teams got their own category in 2011.

For the BIFM, activity included the introduction of good practice guides, memorandums of understanding with several partner membership organisations, and new apprenticeship and qualifications.

BIFM was now also an accredited qualifications awarding body, and a growing

thirst by practitioners, service proviers and clients alike for recognition of best practice saw a 50% increase in BIFM Awards entries between 2011 and 2012 alone.

Finally, worker wellbeing was on the cusp of going mainstream. The Social Value Act 2012 was a significant piece of legislation that would go on to place health, diversity and equitable provision of service for workers and communities higher up the FM agenda.

TIMELINE

This was a period when the environment, economics and technology were key factors.

In 2014 BIFM published its comprehensive new qualification framework – one of several documents helping to broaden both the business and political worlds’ understanding of the extent to which workplace and facilities management intersected with the economy.

Productivity was a recurring theme. In 2015, a newly returned all-Conservative government introduced its ‘Plan for Productivity’, and then in 2016 the

BIFM worked on The Stoddart Review – with the Crown Estate among its partners – to develop ‘The Workplace Advantage’, a report promoting the concept of a ‘chief workplace officer’ to help bring into focus the productivity potential of the workplace. Stoddart’s research partners established that organisations rarely considered the extent to which their workplaces could impact productivity, and that there were also social value dimensions to workplace’s role.

2013 >> 2017 2013 >>

Productivity would remain front and centre in 2017 when the McKinsey Global Institute published the fruits of its research into automation technologies (‘A future that works: Automation, employment, and productivity’) and their potential effects on work in general. Alongside all of this were new ways of using technology to extend the reach of FM. A 2013 revision to the RIBA Plan of Works, an industry-wide tool detailing all stages of construction projects from concept to operation, was a catalyst for more calls for FM to feed operational detail into the concept stage, with building information models (BIM) now seen as key to shining a spotlight on the FM sector. Government Soft Landings was another initiative, with government

THEWORKPLACE ADVAN

BIFM got onto the front foot as the worlds of politics and technology provided new problems and platforms from which to get across the message about the sector and its impact on people, place and performance

seeking to enshrine in public sector building projects the principle of optimal operational performance from day one. Trouble was that FM was too often seen as being insufficiently skilled for this new and potentially transformative role. Along with other built environment associations, BIFM formed the BIM4FM group to help form the sector’s response.

It was a time in which sustainability began a gradual metamorphosis. From an energy use perspective, the EU’s energy efficiency directive requiring member states to bring in mandatory energy audit systems for larger organisations, resulted in the introduction of ESOS (Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme) legislation in 2014.

Yet while still growing in importance, environmental sustainability was increasingly being joined by both its economic and social value components, particularly in the public sector with new rules extending it into contract procurement conversations. BIFM’s own sustainability surveying reflected these changes. The Conservative government, having once railed against the very concept, fully embraced and indeed extended the concept of a National Living Wage, which it introduced in 2016.

2017

Documents: This period saw an expansive BIFM publish its FM Professional Standards in 2014 while in 2016 FM World, now Facilitate, became a monthly in print and The Stoddart Review made the economic case for the workplace as source of productivity gains. Culturally, it was a time of high political drama with Brexit and Trump in 2016. Music saw the rise of Taylor Swift while in 2017 the musical Hamilton debuted in London’s West End.

TAGE

Soon after, the Brexit vote led to concern that availability of facilities personnel would be affected, as has proved to be the case since the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.

In terms of outsourcing, it was a period in which client and provider emphasised the value of mutually successful partnering. This meant higher quality awards submissions but more difficult decisions about winners – a nice problem.

BIFM also extended its geographic reach with a series of new international groups.

Just as this period started with a link to government – the BIFM signed an agreement with the Department for Work and Pensions to support growth in the FM sector in 2013 –so it concluded with BIFM introducing the role of policy adviser in 2017, a position that would go on to bolster the institute’s burgeoning policy work with government and other key stakeholders on a range of topics. The seeds were sown for a further shift in the institute’s identity to better reflect its purpose.

BACKSTORIES THOUGHTS ON THE PRACTICE OF FM AT THE TIME

“We were looked down upon and treated poorly. We had to work around people in the building and were told to go away and come back at a time that suited them. There was impoliteness and a lack of manners. The attitude towards maintenance as a role was negative and looked down on.”

Dan Cook

“In 2014, as a woman working in an office environment, you were automatically given the title of office manager – but when did it cross into FM? Within the first year of my new position, I was looking after multiple offices and I was providing support to other FMs within the business, however, I was still not recognised as an FM.”

Michelle Harris

“We were gearing up for ESOS Phase 2, which was a particular focus as we had already achieved ISO14001. We were very proud of this accomplishment and were continually looking for ways to improve and have a positive impact on the environment.”

Eleni Apostolou

WORKPLACE: ENSHRINED, THEN SUDDENLY REDEFINED

Rebranding to the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management at the end of 2018, IWFM has since sought to chart a new course for members and the wider profession while economic traumas and a global pandemic frame the agenda

TIMELINE

Arguably the most recent five years of institute life have been the most transformative. It began in 2018 with the collapse of Carillion, one of the biggest outsourced service providers. A year later, Interserve went into administration. High-profile examples of outsourcing too stretched? In truth, both companies’ woes were rooted in their construction activities, yet their failures nevertheless affected many thousands of service professionals.

Between the announcements of these two corporate failures, BIFM engaged with members in a debate over its own name and, by association, its future remit.

2018

In the more than two-and-a-half preceding decades, FM professionals had struggled to fully demonstrate their true value to company leadership; outsourced services were procured on tight budgets with even tighter margins, and colleagues, friends and even family still didn’t quite understand what FM was all about. Might including ‘workplace’ in the institute’s title better help others understand its aims?

BIFM’s leadership thought so. The time had come to change direction. Members voted for the name change to the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management mid-2018, with the change taking effect towards the end of that year. The newly named body had a year to get up to speed before everything, for everybody, changed.

The new IWFM brand had barely settled in before an entirely unwelcome ‘opportunity’ arose to see the sector’s global profile raised.

A shift of pandemic proportions

When Covid-19 spread around the world, governments suddenly demanded social distancing, isolations, quarantines and lockdowns. Many frontline workers classified under the FM umbrella – hospital porters, cleaners, mechanical and electrical service technicians, waste management professionals – quickly revealed how impactful their presence was, to employers and the UK as a whole. They kept society functioning, serviced existing facilities to treat the sick, mobilised new facilities to help even more ill people – all at significant risk to their own health. It wasn’t just healthcare facilities that had to remain operational; so too did schools, universities, care homes, businesses, government departments. The positive side of FM, so often hidden, suddenly became very visible.

Documents: As we entered 2019 and BIFM became IWFM, this title changed to become ‘Facilitate’. The government’s own facilties management strategy covering 2022-2030 was a major moment, while we first started discussing the impact of artificial intelligence in 2021.

2019: Boris Johnson took the reins in Downing Street, for a time at least 2020: The Covid-19 pandemic put a spotlight on the sector’s suddenly critical importance 2022: The Ukraine war has as yet uncertain energy consequences

BACKSTORIES THOUGHTS ON THE PRACTICE OF FM AT THE TIME

“In September 2021 the Mayor of London committed to achieving net carbon zero emissions for London by 2030. This has affected every element of my work at the London Fire Brigade. The key impacts on facility management are the need to reduce energy consumption, improve waste management and work with new technology across the estate.”

Laura Birnbaum

“It feels like the old days of just going into an office, sitting at a desk and gett ing on with your work, five times a week, is long behind us and the incentive is to attract people back into the office itself. Seeing this change, it has enabled me to adapt a much more customer-focused approach to managing a workplace.”

Robbie Holness

“FM is often seen as the invisible service as a lot of the work goes on behind the scenes to deliver the right workspace for colleagues and customers.”

Jack Sherwood

“We’d gone from full-time in the office, fixed-desking environment to activity-based working and a more flexible working model of home and office.”

Katie Norris

Today’s post-pandemic landscape presents fresh challenges, not least surrounding the very concept of what constitutes the workplace, and thus the support it requires. In 2033, when IWFM turns 40, we may be able then to reflect that this was workplace and facilities management’s defining moment: catering to the needs of a complicated mix of on-site and remote workers, providing a reimagined workplace that entices people from the comforts of their homes, playing a key role in the mental wellbeing and

cultural cohesion of a disparate workforce, driving net zero ambitions – and a whole lot more besides.

As if the rapid transformation of how workplace and facilities services had to be delivered, what end user wellbeing now meant and, fundamentally, what the very purpose of a workplace was or should be were not enough, the profession is also responding to the monumental change that hybrid working has introduced.

Then there is the undeniable fact that the services this sector provides, and the people it employs, affect the lives of so many in ways that pu it in a prime position to lead in the provision of greater equality

of opportunity within society. Work on equity, diversity and inclusivity (EDI) is a key concern of today’s IWFM.

Throughout its 30 years to date, a key component of the profession’s progress has been a continuously evolving IWFM, driving a purposeful and pragmatic policy agenda. Today, it’s a membership body fixed on the professional development of its members and an institute that, with the support of its volunteers and members, is rewriting the narrative about the workplace of tomorrow. There is the sense that this remains a young profession, with much for its membership organisation to tackle in the years ahead.

TAKING STOCK, LOOKING FORWARD

The fourth decade of IWFM begins with a series of events and publications looking at the individuals who helped establish FM in the UK as well as the mega-trends sure to define the sector in the years ahead. Here are the

IWFM’s Future Megatrends Report

As well as its own celebratory events for members, IWFM will mark its thirtieth anniversary with a report considering the past and looking to the future. Set for publication in Q4 2023, it will mark the anniversary milestone with a detailed look at how the workplace has changed over the last 30 years and the pivotal role that workplace and facilities managers have played.

Specialist contributors Sunil Shah,

Nigel Oseland and Gordon Mitchell will consider the environmental, spatial and technological megatrends ahead.

The report will also highlight the role of the institute in supporting the professionalisation of workplace and facilities management, from establishing a global competence model for FM in the Professional Standards Framework, to landmark initiatives like the Stoddart Review and more recently the Return on Workplace Investment programme. In addition to looking backwards, it will identify what IWFM thinks will be the key megatrends that will impact workplaces in the years to come. Drawing on interviews with experts, it will explore each megatrend and recommend what

the IWFM and its members can do to lead change and campaign for ourselves and our profession.

The report will be a reminder of the sheer scale of the change we’ve seen over the last three decades and the extraordinary accomplishments of workplace and facilities management professionals in proactively and reactively managing it, as well as inspiring members to think about what they need to do to be the best agents for change.

details

The History of FM series

Ten years ago, a series of one-to-one video interviews were conducted with key figures from the formative days of UK facilities management. This ‘History of FM’ series has been re-posted to the Facilitate web site, with extended versions of the existing twelve print interviews that allow existing and recently established FM professionals to find out about how the structure of today’s sector was first established. Among other things, these interviews show just how much the FM practitioners of the 1980s didn’t just develop their own job descriptions, they helped develop the sector itself.

Thirty Years, Thirty Stories

Who best to tell the story of the sector’s expansion over the thirty years of IWFM than the people who were there? For each year

of the IWFM’s life, we’ve spoken to one person who started out in FM at that time, asking what motivated them, what it was like when they started, and what’s changed. Marilyn Standley, the BIFM’s first chair, kicks off proceedings with her view of things were in 1993. It’s a picture of a rapidly evolving profession told by the people who were – and in many cases still are - there. Go to the year in which you started, or read them all from 1993 to 2023. Either way, you’ll get a sense of the changing practice and priorities of the profession.

AFM + IFM = BIFM

Facilities management may well have gained a single national institute in 1993, but that date did not mark the beginning of the sector. The thirty years since the BIFM, now IWFM came onto the scene have seen the sector altered significantly by no end of political, cultural and technological upheaval. But what of the decade of upheaval that led to the BIFM in the first place? Our

online feature adds more detail of the sector as it came to be in the eighties, with a particular focus on the documents and events that catalysed the growth of facilities management and the two organisations that came together in 1986, the Association of Facilities Managers and Institute of Facilities Management.

The rise of workplace and facilities management in quotes

“There was concern that the word ‘facilities’ was American, and that no one would understand what it meant. My view was the opposite - that facilities was actually the only word that really described what it was and the fact it was already used by our American colleagues was a very good reason for using it.”

The lead-up to the launch of the BIFM was a time in which big questions about the sector’s very identity were under discussion both here and in the USA. This page details the thoughts of the sector’s leading practitioners as the practice of FM matured in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

IWFM’s major milestones

We haven’t had the space to detail all of the IWFM’s activities since 1993 in these pages. On our site you’ll find the IWFM’s own series of major event, publication, partnership and training milestones, as well as details of other 30th anniversary activities.

RESOURCES

Scan the QR code to visit a page from which you can access each of the resources mentioned.

Helen Kenyon’s FM career has taken her from Staffordshire to Cumbria via Norfolk and now Bristol. The National Composites Centre’s head of estates explains to Martin Read how she herself is a fusion of these different FM experiences

COMPOSITE CHARACTER

PHOTOGRAPHY: RICHARD LEA-HAIR

Helen Kenyon has never allowed distance to prevent the furthering of her FM career. “My dad was in the military,” she explains. “We didn’t stay anywhere more than three or four years. As well as Germany, I’ve since lived in the Midlands, the East, North West and now South West. Originally, I was from Staffordshire – I’ve almost done a full loop.”

Now, following a decade with the US Air Force in Suffolk and a spell with Center Parcs in Cumbria, Kenyon is head of estates for the National Composites Centre (NCC), the composite materials development facility in which, says the NCC, “the best minds”

work with a “disruptive technology” on complex engineering challenges. NCC leases its space for the UK’s highest-tech businesses to experiment, adapt and refine products built using highly sophisticated composite materials – its own workforce of material specialists working with those of its clients.

The NCC’s mission is part of the government’s industrial strategy. Set up as a subsidiary of the University of Bristol in 2010, it has gone from 10 personnel to the 400-plus who work there today. We meet at the Bristol & Bath Science Park, but there’s also a smaller facility a couple of miles west in Filton and plans for a third facility to cope with growing demand.

Clients range from the well-known (Airbus) to fasttracked start-ups with ideas to test – placing complex demands on Kenyon and her team.

“Some projects will last a couple of months, others a full five years depending on what they’re working on,” Kenyon says. “Sometimes they make multiple prototypes before they get it right, so our problem is when we have something else scheduled to start.”

NCC personnel may be asked to help come up with an initial design prototype and get it to commercial production readiness. At other times the work might just be a question of fixing a nagging issue. Then there’s work on early stage concept designs that may, should they gain further funding, develop into larger-scale projects.

The vast majority of hard FM is outsourced, and necessarily so given the wide variety and often extreme specialism of the machinery maintained. “One piece may have 20 different contractors that need to own different parts,” Kenyon says. Cleaning and security is also contracted out, the same suppliers typically providing for both sites.

Scheduling of works is the most significant issue, being the often unavoidable consequence of the pioneering concept development that takes place here.

“We’ve got bespoke equipment doing things that in a lot of instances have never been done before, so we don’t know how it’s going to turn out. When the machine changes, the set-up of the room often has to change too.”

Right now, one of the biggest challenges here is juggling space. “We’re reaching capacity right now; we’re considering renting or building a third facility.”

Since joining in April 2022, Kenyon’s team has taken on QSHE responsibilities with both a health and safety manager and health and safety adviser introduced.

“I’ve a team of 13 at the moment,” she explains, “and it’s only going to grow. Partly because we’re likely to be soon running a third site, but also because the responsibility mix may change further. Some of the large specialist machinery requires specialist contractors to take responsibility for reactive maintenance, and I’m currently working with the head of engineering on transitioning more of that to sit within the estates team.

“There’s a uniqueness in this role in that a lot of what’s being worked on hasn’t been done before, and the equipment might be the only one of its size or type in the country or world. And it’s high-risk stuff. We’ve got a gas autoclave that could have a significant impact on the local area if anything went wrong. There’s volatile compounds, there’s radiation – so it’s a case of understanding what the rules and regulations are around all of that.”

Team dynamics

Kenyon’s role was newly designed, estates being given a more prominent role. “The business recognised it was now working at a pace where it needed someone with experience to help establish processes. I’ve been lucky they’ve been so supportive, as have been the engineering team with whom I obviously work very closely.”

Her first act was to restructure the team, the various departments within the team having previously been segregated. Following this, improving communications was key. “Too much money was being spent on lighting replacement or air conditioning without a capital plan or building condition survey in place.” Today, all facility modifications are run through Kenyon’s estates team.

She has been keen to promote from within, speaking of a young security guard whose attitude marked him for progression. “Sometimes it’s the attitude rather than the work history that’s important. You can learn a process but you can’t teach someone that willingness to help and be approachable. He’s now our estate’s operations coordinator.”

A varied CV

Kenyon started as a housing officer with the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Next was the US Air Force (USAF), where she embarked on a 10-year rise to senior FM level, along the way helping introduce a new standard form of maintenance contract between USAF, MoD and maintenance contractor for all US bases in the

UK. She gives thanks for her colleagues on the RAF Lakenheath base. “Their having faith in me, allowing me to develop the role, made a huge difference.”

When she left USAF for holiday village operator Center Parcs, “it was a role with its own challenges,” Kenyon recalls. “On a changeover day you’d have maybe 9,000 people coming out of accommodation and coming into it. While in the meantime you’re trying to find a way to replace a boiler, keep a swimming pool going, etc.”

Going from a military installation to a holiday village meant having to consider conservation work (“you couldn’t build a car park because of a wildlife habitat issue”) and distance (“I’d be literally walking through the forest to an accommodation block for an inspection”).

Here again, team dynamics were key. “We had separate accommodation maintenance and central buildings maintenance teams. The accommodation team always stayed late, the central buildings team finished early; there was a ‘them and us’ kind of thing.” Kenyon’s solution was to ensure that every member of both teams could cover all areas.

Her personal challenge came when she was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and hypermobility disorder in 2017. “My dad brought me up to go in and get the job done. I was always that way, first in the door and last out.”

The Crohn’s diagnosis changed all that. “You have to rebalance your life and change your attitude to work. I can’t sprint down this building 15 times, can’t

AIMING FOR NET ZERO – WITH A COMPOSITE COMPONENT

“I’d like to have our net zero plan together within the next 12 months,” says Kenyon. “We’re currently putting in more metering and we’ve put in an IT platform that’s going to pull that information out so we can understand where our consumption hotspots are. What are we currently using? What does that autoclave use when it’s fired up? What about the

robot arms? What’s the condition of our building?

“On the procurement side, we’re working with the university’s legal team to decide what those factors should be because these are very specialist contractors.

In the meantime we’ll continue to make smaller improvements to the building and our model of

work, and what we offer to our people such as EV car charging. We now have a cycle-to-work scheme, we’ve recently swapped to all LED lighting and added another 376 solar panels, and now we’re looking at sustainable procurement, asking suppliers to meet certain criteria. We’re lucky that the sustainability team

working with our customers is very advanced and knowledgeable, so for me now it’s about getting the operational side caught up.”

The NCC is also part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult Network, a group of research, development and innovation centres established by the government in 2011. Kenyon speaks to counterparts in other Catapult organisations in pursuit of best practice, while the NCC’s

“As an FM, sometimes you have to be able to stand your ground. You need to say when something isn’t safe, or stand firm when saying ‘no’ to someone”

do 14-hour days. It means being able to push back and say, ‘No, this can’t be done right now.’ I’m very open about it. I didn’t realise it at the time, it started with general tendonitis, upset stomach, tiredness, and over time, it’s got worse. The attitude of your employer and your team is really important and I’m lucky mine has been very supportive. So what could be a really uncomfortable situation is actually made a lot better. I’ve had that flexibility.”

Kenyon’s Crohn’s disease disability is one reason why she also serves as a director and NCC representative with North Bristol SusCom, a group of local businesses working on active travel options in the region.

“For most people, sustainable transport is about bikes and buses. But for someone with Crohn’s, the chances of being able to bike or get on a bus for 30 minutes are slim. I can offer a unique perspective.”

As well as sharing knowledge – e-scooter policies, EV charging, etc. – the group consults on broader transport infrastructure needs.

A quiet place

COMPOSITE NUMBERS

NCC STATISTICS

£300M

Amount invested in the NCC since 2011

450

Number of composites experts employed by the NCC (an additional 200 work at the University of Bristol)

$170 BN

Expected global value for the composites market by 2028

500%

Expected increase in demand for carbon-fibre between 2025 and 2030

A relatively recent convert to IWFM networking, Kenyon worked with fellow South West-based FM Beth Goodyear as an IWFM Impact Awards judge this year. She also attended the Women of FM conference in Birmingham in 2022 – her first such event.

Kenyon is a strong communicator but an introvert at heart. “People won’t believe that, as I’m very outgoing. But since I’ve had to interact with customers I’ve had to put on the persona; the alter ego. When I go home, the introvert who needs her peace and quiet comes back.

innovation in composite materials offers opportunity for innovative energy management too. Proximity to their customers’ work allows Kenyon and her team to consider potential applications across the estate. How, for instance, might the hot water from large equipment be reused within the plant in the building? “We’re having a look at ways we can take the heating water from the unit it’s in and feed it back into our boiler system.”

Then there are those autoclaves. “We’ve already got gas churning through them generating a lot of heat, so our digital engineering team is doing work on sustainability around metering and sensors so that we can understand how we might use the data generated by our own processes to identify both operational sustainability improvements but also process efficiencies in the manufacturing environment for our customers.”

“As an FM, sometimes you have to be able to stand your ground. You need to say when something isn’t safe, or stand firm when saying ‘no’ to someone. You need that confidence, and for some introverts it’s difficult to speak up. With age and experience I’m getting to the point where the faith others have put in me over the years means I now have more faith in myself. I have changed. I’m more outspoken.”

And outside of hours is when Kenyon says her introverted side comes out. “I go away, I’ll read a book. I moved my mum in with me a short time ago and quite often we’ll go somewhere. I like going to historic places like National Trust properties, although I can often walk through and go ‘that’s a bit dodgy wiring there’. You see, I’m never fully off duty…”

THE BUILDINGS YOU SEE…

…AND THE SPECIALIST SERVICES YOU DON’T

Some of the UK’s buildings need no introduction – they are instantly recognisable.

Our Building Access Specialists worked behind the scenes at the British Steel headquarters in Scunthorpe, where they performed a series of structural repairs to five chimneys.

Our work keeps buildings safe, compliant, clean and efficient for 20,000 customers each year. Let’s talk about how we can help you.

VIEW POINT

Where are we now?

As staff filter in, the negative consequences of an absent acoustic strategy in your refurbishment become evident. A recent survey I conducted revealed numerous yet not uncommon complaints relating to inadequate acoustic planning.

Poorly insulated meeting rooms allows users of the space to unintentionally overhear conversations in the adjacent space as well as their own.

Reverberant (echoey) meeting rooms affect our ability to communicate with people inside the room. Remote participants can expect poor-quality audio as the microphone picks up the direct and reflected speech –leading to shorter attention spans, lower engagement, and auditory fatigue.

An admittedly well-lit, cavernous open-plan space, silent for the lack of chit-chat, stifles collaboration instead of encouraging it. The lack of ambient noise means everyone can hear your conversation.

An atrium entrance hall presents a cacophony of noise and can be overwhelming for some.

Designated ‘quiet areas’ are so silent you can hear a pin drop. It’s a misconception that silence is best. It’s very good at exposing our vulnerability to noise and distraction. Constant noise disruptions lead to stress and sometimes staff wearing headphones to ‘block out’ irrelevant conversation. One of

Sounds good

Fostering an inclusive and welcoming working environment requires us to address the human impact of noise, says Hanieh Motamedian

the most disturbing noises in the office is speech, something our brains are hardwired to listen for.

Where do we need to go next?

Evidence that workplace noise inhibits cognitive

performance for both introverts and extroverts means correct space and noise planning necessarily recognises different work styles, allowing you to provide a conducive environment.

Reducing persistent noise in a meeting room will improve

the experience of the space –not least for the roughly 18% of the UK population living with a hearing impairment who rely on good speech intelligibility for communicating.

Technology can go a long way to correcting ‘bad acoustics’ but strategically placed diffusion and absorption panels in a meeting room will create a more natural sounding space.

Because of our inherent bias, a tinny-sounding loudspeaker system, a bad-tasting glass of wine or an echoey meeting room might stick with us longer than a good experience. Whether it’s a wellbalanced sound system, a delicious wine, or the comfort of a thoughtfully designed space, being more aware enables us to prioritise and cultivate environments that promote contentment.

HANIEH MOTAMEDIAN is a workspace solutions specialist

How do we get there?

Mitigating the impact of noise is essential. Proper implementation of an acoustic strategy contributes to achieving higher staff engagement and increased wellbeing. Conduct an acoustic assessment of your space, consult with staff, identify noise concerns, prioritise improvements, and engage a professional to guide you.

As work becomes more human-centric, managing noise effectively is no longer just a ‘nice to have’.

NOW > NEXT > HOW

THE BEST OF THE SECTOR’S DISCUSSION AND DEBATE

BLACK

VIBRANT CAMPUSES FOR EVERYONE

Some of the biggest challenges for university FM teams right now include achieving net zero, managing tight budgets, improving staff recruitment and retention, maintaining ongoing compliance, and supporting hybrid working for students and staff. But with challenges come opportunities.

We have an opportunity to deliver workplaces that optimise occupancy, responding to people’s wish for hybrid working and the need to create vibrant campuses where staff and students are physically present.

Smaller but more effective spaces, well designed with suitable technology could enable us to shrink our premises. Reducing floor space helps to:

● Lower carbon emissions and costs;

● Have fewer staff to support smaller areas –which will help with cost and, in some cases, require fewer skilled professionals.

For many years, facilities management professionals have tried to engage colleagues with ideas about different workplace design, and that work is what you do, not where you do it. It has often felt like an uphill struggle.

The past three years have shifted our colleagues’ perspectives, with technology developing rapidly to enable people to work from a variety of locations more easily. The workplace landscape is fluid at the moment, with the pendulum still swinging on where people work, how often they attend a workplace, why they attend a workplace and what is going to draw them to come in.

Only part of this is about the buildings and layouts, but while the debate continues, there’s an opportunity for us in FM to enable radical changes, ensuring that our sites remain relevant and provide places that encourage engagement and support people to do their best work.

Doing so can make the best use of our assets, and our modern workplaces may even help to recruit and retain the specialist staff we are all struggling to find and hold onto.

LIZ KENTISH

THE POWER OF CONNECTIONS

Tools to improve wellbeing and workplace productivity continue to expand – in part because of new technologies. However, one of the secrets to improving in these areas lies not in some utopian future, but in our past.

Our brains evolved many millennia ago to give us fascinating and unique skills, such as thinking socially, which helps us to survive, adapt and thrive. Yes, we need shelter and food, but we also need to feel a sense of belonging to groups, to connect, to give and take. This subconsciously drives many of our behaviours.

These skills are more important than ever. For example, with our social brains we can understand others’ thoughts, feelings and motivations –especially about the actions they take – and respond accordingly. Which is amazing because we can’t even see a thought or a feeling!

This unique social awareness helps us to coordinate and support each other in shared endeavours. It helps us to get the best from the different skills in a team, such as analytical and creative thinking, to achieve exceptional results. Thinking

socially strengthens our proverbial tribe(s).

But as technology permeates our lives, helping us to collaborate, and remote working continues, we risk weakening and reducing our social connections, negatively affecting wellbeing and productivity.

The real value in our lives lies within our relationships. Reflect on how you can make positive changes to yours, and your social brain will thank you. And it’s free to do!

Are there, for example, ways to create deeper social connections with your colleagues? Why not reconnect with former colleagues and associates and see where the conversations flow?

I’m sure they will be stimulating and possibly rewarding on several levels.

These are just a few ideas from the excellent book Social by neuroscientist Matthew Lieberman. It’s well worth a read.

LUCY BLACK is head of facilities and student accommodation at the University of Plymouth, chair of AUDE’s Strategic FM Group

LIZ KENTISH is managing director of Kentish and Co

The real value in our lives lies within our relationships

There’s an opportunity for us in FM to enable radical changes

LUCY

FOR THE PATIENTS

WENDY BENNETT is operations director at DMA Group

Your contract will only work if it’s based on transparency and open communication – and this is especially true in the healthcare sector.

I hear you saying, ‘Wendy, wait, this is true of all facilities services contracts.’ I agree, but it’s the severity of any consequences of inefficient or sub-optimal service delivery in the healthcare sector that should cause us to be alert.

After all, the end users – the patients – have a lot at stake if things go wrong.

That’s why prioritising open dialogue on deadlines, budgets, expectations and newly uncovered obstacles is essential for the entire project team to thrive. So too is being transparent –and this needs to come from the service provider and client – about expectations, demands and practicalities.

We’ve been working with Rye, Winchelsea & District Memorial Hospital to deliver its decarbonisation journey.

To provide perspective, by the end of 2024, overall energy consumption at the

AN EXPERIENTIAL ECONOMY

hospital will have reduced by approximately 240,000 kilowatt hours – a drop of 40% from 2020 figures. The outcome is a total reduction of approximately 260 tonnes of carbon per annum – the equivalent of planting approximately 4,300 trees.

I mention this project because the contract has been a shining example of what happens when communication and transparency are priorities. The implementation of energy-efficiency measures was necessary but simply could not disrupt services to patients. So everyone involved needed to keep their focus on these two fundamental drivers.

Operating in the healthcare sector is not without challenges. It often involves time-sensitive projects with many moving parts. But for all its challenges and intricacies, healthcare FM is hugely rewarding. It’s an evolving relationship between many parties working in motion to ensure that patients receive the care they need in a safe, comfortable and functional environment.

The business world is evolving, driven by advancements in technology and changing consumer preferences. Our industry, traditionally focused on operations and maintenance, has a unique opportunity to tap into the power of experiential business. By creating immersive and memorable experiences in the spaces we manage, we can elevate the tenant and customer experience, opening up new avenues for growth and differentiation.

The FM team has risen from the hidden basement support desk to the concierge, floorwalker and chief happiness officer on the highest floors of any building. But to embrace experiential business, we need a new mindset that focuses on:

● Personalisation –by using data on occupants’ behaviours and preferences;

● Multi-sensory immersions – interactive displays, ambient scents and background music to enhance the atmosphere and leave an impression;

● Community building – events, workshops, and social gatherings to foster a sense of belonging and vibrant community culture;

● Art and design –collaborations with artists

and designers to infuse creativity and aesthetics into spaces; and

● Technology: –embracing smart technologies such as augmented reality and virtual reality for interactive experiences. We have been presented with the exciting opportunity to evolve from a purely operational role to an experiential enabler.

By harnessing technology, design, and creativity, we create immersive, personalised and memorable experiences that captivate tenants, customers and visitors.

As the demand for experiences continues to rise, we have the chance to transform mundane spaces into vibrant, engaging, and thriving environments and communities. What a time to be a workplace and facilities manager!

MAUD SANTAMARIA is workspace director, GWI and deputy chair, IWFM Customer Experience SIG

The FM team has risen from the hidden basement to the highest floors of any building

For all its challenges and intricacies, healthcare FM is hugely rewarding

WENDY BENNETT

MAUD SANTAMARIA

Beth Goodyear on judging the IWFM Impact Awards 2022

was as an IWFM Regional Committee member for the South West Region in 2006, where I later became the committee chair.

VETERANS SUPPORTING VETERANS

● Category judged in 2022: Workplace and Facilities Manager of the year.

● What is driving best practice in this category?

We are lucky to work in an industry full of exceptional individuals who go above and beyond to make a difference. Unlike some of the other categories that can be tangibly measured, the individual categories are a little more subjec tive. But those who stand out tend to be extremely self-motivated and passionate with a drive for continuous improvement.

● How and why did you become an awards judge? I’ve been an active volunteer within our profession for more than 17 years. My first volunteer role

I started judging the IWFM Awards in 2013, as I wanted to support the profession in its mission to recognise excellence. I was asked to be a lead judge in 2021 and, for the last three years, I’ve had the privilege of being lead judge on some of the ‘people’ categories that recognise outstanding individual entrants.

● What has been the value to you professionally of being a judge? My initial motivation to join the judging team was to support our profession and to give back, however, I’ve gained much more than I’ve given! I meet incredible entrants and hear their inspiring stories, which is motivating and uplifting. The other benefit is I get to collaborate with a team of exceptional judges who are leaders in their field and great to spend time with – it’s a win-win!

Transitioning from military service to civilian life can be both exciting and challenging. So the IWFM has established a dedicated professional network that supports military personnel moving into facilities management while fostering a sense of camaraderie.

FM is an ideal career choice for ex-military individuals due to the natural alignment of skills; leadership, adaptability, problem-solving, and strategic thinking are integral to military service and FM roles.

The structured approach of military professionals complements the multifaceted responsibilities of FM.

The IWFM Veterans in FM network gives service leavers access to tailored resources, industry insights and a supportive community. Sharing experiences, challenges, and success stories, members understand the unique journey from the military to FM.

Our mission is to empower military personnel, ensuring a smooth transition by providing guidance and shared wisdom to make FM a career of choice.

Veterans in FM’s primary objective is to showcase

opportunities – from contract management to sustainability initiatives – through workshops, mentorship programmes and connections, revealing how these roles benefit from the diverse skills of military personnel. What sets this network apart is the camaraderie amongst military peers. The strong bond formed during service is mirrored in the FM network, fostering a sense of belonging, understanding, and shared purpose. It provides a safety net for those navigating unfamiliar civilian terrain.

For service leavers, veterans, and reservists, the new IWFM network supports their transition into FM. Alignment of skills and dedicated network members provide a supportive environment in which to grow, explore and integrate into civilian work life.

Committed to fostering a seamless journey, the Veterans in FM network embodies the spirit of unity and collaboration that defines both military service and facilities management.

We’re veterans supporting veterans.

The article was co-authored by Alistair Scott, deputy chair of IWFM Veterans in FM

LOUISA CLARKE, chair of IWFM Veterans in FM

BETH GOODYEAR is the owner of FMHS Consulting

Those who stand out tend to be extremely self-motivated and passionate with a drive for continuous improvement

DIARY

Events, activities and publications for your attention

response to the climate crisis. tinyurl.com/Fac23401

KEY EVENT

16 OCTOBER

IWFM Impact Awards 2023

More than a ‘ceremony’ – awardwinners and finalists inspire the profession and the industries it services. Past winners showcase the profession's impressive legacy and are proof of its evolution. tinyurl.com/Fac23321

INDUSTRY-WIDE

27-28 SEPTEMBER – BIRMINGHAM

Landscape: The Industry Trade Show

Discover trending products, new services, key skills and innovations. tinyurl.com/Fac23306

IWFM EVENTS

13 SEPTEMBER – HYBRID EVENT IN LONDON AND ONLINE

IWFM Technology SIG

Roadshow series: FM Digital Standards – the latest updates

A monthly programme focusing on technology and digitalisation. tinyurl.com/Fac23404

20 SEPTEMBER – DUBAI

Community management and FM synergies with IWFM UAE Region

Learn about synergies between community management and FM, followed by networking. tinyurl.com/Fac23304

28 SEPTEMBER – WREXHAM

Delivering Customer Experience with IWFM Customer Experience SIG

Share best practice in customer experience at the networking event hosted by Moneypenny. tinyurl.com/Fac23305

28 SEPTEMBER – PLYMOUTH

Building Safety Act update: Skillshare event with IWFM South West Region

Overview of how the act, followed by lunch and networking. Proceeds go to charities. tinyurl.com/Fac23405

IWFM WEBINAR SERIES

Covers a variety of topics with expert guests. Visit tinyurl.com/ IWFM-webinars to find out more.

IWFM FACE-TO-FACE TRAINING

19-20 SEPTEMBER – LONDON

Operational space planning - 2 days

Design your space to improve the customer experience. tinyurl.com/Fac22018

16-17 OCTOBER – LONDON

Effective facilities management professional - 2 days

Find out how to create and sustain effective operations. tinyurl.com/Fac0506-effectiveFM

16-18 OCTOBER – LONDON

Introduction to FM - 3 days

Everything you need to know to start your new career. tinyurl.com/Fac22028

8-9 NOVEMBER – LONDON

FM strategic sourcing: ISO 41012 - 2 days

Use strategic sourcing to reduce costs and improve outcomes. tinyurl.com/Fac22025

IWFM LIVE VIRTUAL TRAINING

NEW 18-19 SEPTEMBER

Pathways to Net Zero for facilities managers – 2 days

Best practice guidance on

NEW 21-22 SEPTEMBER

Environmental sustainability skills for facilities workers - 2 days

Discover a practical introduction to environmental sustainability. tinyurl.com/Fac23402

25-27 SEPTEMBER

Introduction to FM - 3 days

Everything you need to know to start your new career. tinyurl.com/Fac22028

NEW 26-27 SEPTEMBER

Environmental sustainability skills for facilities managers - 2 days

Improve your environmental sustainability skills. tinyurl.com/Fac23403

27-29 SEPTEMBER

IOSH managing safely- 3 days

Work safely by following our practical step-by-step guidance. tinyurl.com/Fac23309

NEW 9-10 OCTOBER

Environmental sustainability skills for facilities workers - 2 days

Discover a practical introduction to environmental sustainability. tinyurl.com/Fac23402

10 OCTOBER

Building Safety Act: what FMs need to know and do – 1 day Crucial information FMs need to remain compliant. tinyurl.com/Fac23014

NEW 12-13 OCTOBER

Environmental sustainability skills for facilities managers - 2 days

Improve your environmental sustainability skills. tinyurl.com/Fac23403

NEW 16-17 OCTOBER

Pathways to Net Zero for facilities managers – 2 days

Best practice guidance on response to the climate crisis. tinyurl.com/Fac23401

18-19 OCTOBER

Contract management:

commercial models - 2 days

Got a failing contract? Learn how to put it back on track. tinyurl.com/Fac22020

25-26 OCTOBER

FM strategy - 2 days

Evaluate and improve your business strategy's impact on facilities services. tinyurl.com/Fac23407

NEW 8-9 NOVEMBER

Environmental sustainability skills for facilities managers - 2 days Improve your environmental sustainability skills. tinyurl.com/Fac23403

NEW 13-14 NOVEMBER

Pathways to Net Zero for facilities managers – 2 days Best practice guidance on response to the climate crisis. tinyurl.com/Fac23401

NEW 17-18 NOVEMBER

Environmental sustainability skills for facilities workers  - 2 days

Discover a practical introduction to environmental sustainability. tinyurl.com/Fac23402

11-13 DECEMBER

Introduction to FM - 3 days

Everything you need to know to start your new career. tinyurl.com/Fac22028

IWFM IN-HOUSE TRAINING

IN-HOUSE

Innovation in FM - 1 day

Boost performance with innovative thinking and strategic planning. tinyurl.com/Fac23015

IN-HOUSE

Mental health first aid - 2 days

Identify and support someone with a mental health issue. tinyurl.com/Fac23016

IN-HOUSE

Creating better workspaces - 1 day Explore workspace's role and develop knowledge about workspace design. tinyurl.com/Fac23312

What do you do?

I’m workplace manager for our London office, occasionally assisting our international offices in Singapore, Vienna, and Bremen.

What attracted you to FM, and how did you get into the industry?

My career began five years ago as an office support administrator, then an opportunity arose to move into workplace management at my company. I’m someone who has an interest in health and safety, and keen on fixing things, so this line of work really appealed to me.

How long have you been in your current role? Two years – but at the same company for five.

Do you see yourself predominantly as a task or a people manager?

Mostly task-based to keep the office running. However, there is a people element to the role too, as I manage our office support administrator and work with various teams on a daily basis.

Would you describe your role as predominantly operational or strategic? A bit of both, but more operational.

How many people are there in your FM team, and to whom does the FM team ultimately report? There’s two of us in the UK, and another colleague in Vienna. We sit within the People Team.

My top perk at work is… It’s hard to choose! It’s a tie between our free monthly massages and Bring Your Dog to Work Day. We have some super-cute dogs (including my own).

What has been your biggest career challenge to date? My first-ever experience of an office move in Vienna. We had quite a tight turnaround time to transition into our new space, however, it was really rewarding to see everyone’s reactions when they saw it for the first time.

If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be? I think we are moving in the right direction, but making sustainability more accessible.

Any interesting tales to tell?

I once won an air fryer at our company bingo social. It was the

top prize and now I couldn’t imagine cooking without it.

If I wasn’t in facilities management, I’d probably be… A TV or radio presenter. Growing up, I actually wanted to be a weather forecaster.

Which “FM/Workplace myth” would you most like to put an end to? That there is a perfect office temperature. If there is, I have yet to find it!

What single piece of advice would you give to a young facilities/ workplace manager starting out?

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. I’ve learnt so much by asking for more details and being curious to learn more, especially from our suppliers and contractors. Also, if possible, get involved in some training. I find it can help figure out what you enjoy or don’t enjoy for your career options, and grow your skill set.

What was the weirdest day you’ve had in the office? Walking into the office after it had been completely gutted ahead of our refurb. It was strange to see it bare with nothing but the windows, ceiling and floor!

Early bird or night owl? Night owl. Even though I wake up at 6.15am for work.

What FM job in the world would you love more than anything? I’m loving my current job so it’s hard to say, but perhaps facilitating a TV studio, as it would be cool to see the sets.

And where would FM be an absolute nightmare? Somewhere at sea. I wouldn’t be a fan of rough water!

Your life outside FM mostly involves… Horse riding, mostly. I’ve been doing that for 15 years and compete at a low level for fun. I also have a dog called Dusky, who I like to go on walks with through the countryside.

KATIE NORRIS is workplace manager at Trayport

What do you do?

I am the senior real estate & workplace manager, International, for Databricks.

What attracted you to FM, and how did you get into the industry? I started as an EA working for a CEO of a major hosting company and before I knew it I was managing six UK offices and data centres. From there I grew into EMEA and now I have APAC.

How long have you been in your current role? Just over two years.

Do you see yourself predominantly as a task or a people manager? I’m a people manager first; the work is the work. We work in an agile environment and relationships matter, the work will never stop, so focusing on people first ensures the team stays engaged and committed to delivering every time.

Would you describe your role as predominantly operational or strategic? We don’t have the luxury to be either operational or strategic; it’s a fine balance for us.

How many people are there in your FM team, and to whom does the FM team ultimately report? We have six people in the EMEA and APAC teams, who report to me and I report to the director of real estate and workplace.

My top perk at work is…

The opportunity to travel and interact with different people and cultures in a social and work capacity.

What has been your biggest career challenge to date? I joined Databricks during the pandemic, so that was big, but post-pandemic has been just as difficult for us in terms of adapting to new ways of working and building destinations and

Hayley Samuels

experiences at every encounter in the workplace.

If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be? How people view what we do. There are many things we do that people are unaware of, and workplace plays a crucial role in management and efficiency

Any interesting tales to tell? I once booked micro pigs in our London office for a wellbeing event; in my head my vision was mini cupcake piggies making everyone smile. Let’s just say they were not micro and it took us a few days and many diffusers to get the smell out of the office.

If I wasn’t in facilities management, I’d probably be… I love the design

part of my job so I would have to say an interior designer.

Which “FM/Workplace myth” would you most like to put an end to? That the workplace isn’t just our responsibility – everyone plays a part in making their workplace a success.

What single piece of advice would you give to a young facilities/ workplace manager starting out? Understand your stakeholders and how people use your workplace. Working in a service-driven environment you need to be able to work with a large number of stakeholders who all have suggestions, demands and advice. At times it can be unclear what is important from the noise.

What was the weirdest day you’ve had in the office? Packing up people’s belongings during Covid to make space for social distancing. We found many weird and wonderful things, including 20 pairs of shoes on one desk. From that moment I stopped including pedestals in office designs.

Early bird or night owl? Early bird, but because I operate across multiple time zones, I vary between the two depending on which country I am working with that day.

What FM job in the world would you love more than anything? I’d love to have the opportunity to manage an iconic listed building. The challenges and creativity you’d need to draw on to create something magnificent would be amazing.

And where would FM be an absolute nightmare? I have a massive bird phobia so any buildings with bird issues is a no from me.

Your life outside FM mostly involves… Being with my children but also carving out time for me! Selfcare Saturday, when I take time out from everyone to do something for ME!

BEHIND THE JOB

HAYLEY SAMUELS is the senior real estate & workplace manager, International at soft ware company Databricks

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IOSH Managing Safely (R)

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KNOW HOW

How creating employee personas help to optimise workplace services

The mechanical and electrical (M&E) engineering and servicing market has grown by almost 25% over the past decade, contributing to increased competition in the tender process and stricter evaluation criteria for the quality element of a bid.

Here’s a guide for producing a bespoke, high-quality bid to boost your chance of success.

1 Scrutinise all of the tender documentation

● The full scope of contractual works, maintenance schedules, mandatory progress reports and reactive elements in the contract;

● Benchmarked KPIs including customer satisfaction ratings and timescales for different projects;

● Required appendices –mobilisation plans, CVs of key individuals, and required certification, including NICEIC and Gas Safe; and

● Additional information critical to the contract, including whether TUPE is applicable or if on-site operatives must be DBS-checked.

Produce an answer plan in accordance with the contract specification and a project-specific checklist of all documents and appendices required for a compliant submission.

2 Tailor quality responses

Common tender quality topics in M&E include quality management, health and

safety, customer service and social value. But a ‘copy and paste’ approach won’t receive high marks from evaluators as buyer priorities and question wording for each tender vary significantly.

High-quality responses align closely to the scope of works, asset list and geographic area, drawing on

BID WRITING

Init to win it

Bidding on any FM contract is competitive, so get it right, says Christian Rowe

specific examples to create a compelling, persuasive response. For example, rather than simply stating: ‘We are confident in our ability to fulfil the required KPI for reactive callouts,’ a stronger response might say: ‘Based on our previous experience providing reactive repairs for the council with a 98.5% success rate, we are confident in our ability to exceed the minimum response time of four hours for an emergency callout.’

CHRISTIAN ROWE is managing director at bid and tender writing consultancy Executive Compass

4Schedule a final portal check and begin contract preparations

Now you’re ready to begin finalising the submission.

Responses that specifically evidence your capacity and capability are more likely to receive high marks from evaluators than boilerplate, standardised content.

3

Establish robust quality assurance processes

A line-by-line review from a competent individual; for example, a contract manager, will aid in ensuring a compliant bid. The review should also be used to make targeted amendments and improvements, thereby enhancing the overall quality of the tender.

After the final draft, undertake one last proofreading check of all quality responses, rectifying spelling/grammatical errors and ensuring that all content flows smoothly to produce a clean, professional tender document.

Procurement e-portals can be difficult to navigate, so avoid unnecessary stress or a noncompliant bid due to IT failure by having your tender ready to submit 24 hours in advance of the submission deadline. Using the project-specific checklist created at the beginning of the tender, portal checks should include as a minimum:

● Verifying the SQ or PQQ has been accurately completed;

● Responses adhere to word counts and are correctly presented – some textbox-based portals will automatically erase any formatting;

● Pricing schedules are accurate with considerations made for the size and scope of the contract; and

● Appendices and attachments are uploaded in the correct location, or in the ‘additional information’ section if not otherwise stipulated. Following submission, avoid complacency. Approach suppliers to agree to new SLAs, produce risk assessments and complete provisional resource allocation for the contract. This will ensure that you hit the ground running once you have received notification of success and the mobilisation period commences.

It’s easy to find ourselves caught up in a tangle of deadlines, responsibilities, and ambitions. External pressures and highperformance expectations can lead to stress and overwhelm, and reduce our productivity and wellbeing.

Writing is a potent tool to stop the negative inner monologue as it helps us to reflect on daily events, putting them into perspective and allowing us to focus on the good things.

Putting thoughts on paper allows our mind to let go of them rather than mulling them over endlessly, which is why journaling has become so popular – especially gratitude journals have shown to improve life satisfaction, regardless of personality type. Several studies show that practising gratitude can reduce stress, improve sleep and relationships with people, and offer perceived wellbeing. Keeping a gratitude journal combines the positive effect of journaling and practising thankfulness.

In a professional setting, gratitude journaling can serve as a valuable tool for navigating the challenges and demands of the day. By focusing on the positive aspects of our job, colleagues, and accomplishments, we can foster a more positive mindset and increase our overall job satisfaction.

Journaling best practice

1Consistency is key.

It helps to cultivate a new habit. So, set aside dedicated times each day or week to journal gratitude. It could be as short as five minutes at the beginning or end of the workday, ideally both. Writing at the beginning of the day helps us to start with a positive

mindset, which will reflect on others and allow for more positive things to happen. Reflecting at the end of the workday offers closure and positively reframing things that happened.

2 Be specific

Instead of jotting down vague statements, mention concrete situations you’re grateful for in your professional life. Did a colleague’s support help

you overcome a challenge? Are you thankful for a recent achievement or opportunity? Specify the details to enhance the impact of your practice.

3 Don’t overthink it

Some people get discouraged from keeping a gratitude journal because they feel their entries are too mundane. However, there’s

WELLBEING Give thanks

nothing too boring or unimportant to document. After all, nobody has to read them afterwards, not even you. The action of thinking and writing down things we’re grateful for is what is essential, not the recapitulation.

4 Don’t give up easily. When building a new habit, consistency is vital, as mentioned before. But sometimes the day is too hectic, or the journaling gets forgotten. Much better than giving up is carrying on, accepting that there’s no need to be perfect and being good is good enough.

To share, or not to share

One question often arises about whether to keep gratitude journals private or share them with the team. Both approaches have merits. Keeping a journal confidential allows for a personal experience without fear of judgement, which is a clear plus. On the other hand, sharing gratitude journals with the team can foster a culture of appreciation and positivity, which could happen in regular gratitude-sharing sessions where each team member expresses appreciation for the contributions of another team member or co-workers. Doing so can enhance morale, increase camaraderie, and create an environment where everyone feels valued.

Science, shows that gratitude exercises work better when the participants are self-motivated rather than externally motivated or forced to do it. Thus, a team exercise should be put forward carefully and seek the buy-in from all team members to reap the benefits.

MONA HOLT is an organisational psychologist

The shape of contractual relationships in PFI are changing as many contracts enter the advised seven-year handback window, with new teams coming in to manage the handback and personnel being reassigned to meet demand.

Communicate and collaborate

As handbacks should take around a decade to complete, and are part of longer-term contracts anyway, all relevant parties need to agree early on to clearly defined objectives and a strategic vision of future service delivery that satisfies contractual conditions. This will require hard decisions and negotiation. But given the lack of specificity in the handback criteria, it’s a necessary step to help mitigate dispute during implementation.

As so many people are involved in each project, collaboration ensures all parties are aligned with the needs of the handback process, alongside the business-as-usual requirements of the estate. This requires:

● Quickly building rapport with other teams;

● Open, transparent, and honest conversations about the condition of the assets; and

● Taking advice from the existing service provider or local authority who are already in possession of state-of-the-asset reports.

Leadership and management

It’s vital that managers coming to handback projects from SPVs, consultancies or other service providers engage with the other teams. To give a specific example where considered management is needed to provide clarity, handback professionals report cases where several unique conditions surveys are completed for one asset by different stakeholders, as trust has not been built between the parties. This can lead to added costs, disputes and conflicting data being introduced to an already complicated and ambiguous process.

Best practice for handbacks

As the industry completes more PFI handbacks, a central space for data sharing will provide solutions, best practice models and recommendations for contract completion, says Emma Thornton

Before surveys are done, teams must agree to the terms of the contract and push for one survey.

To overcome the difficulty of managing these contracts, collaborative leadership, quick decision-making and clarity on expected outcomes are crucial to reducing waste in the project.

Strong consideration of managerial soft-skills for peoplemanagement and trust building, such as communication, emotional intelligence and conflict resolution are essential to a successful PFI handback.

Changing environment

It is also crucial to have leaders on handback teams who are adaptable and resilient, who will be able to deal with unforeseen circumstances and abrupt changes.

Most PFI contracts cover highly dynamic, high-use public buildings with substantial maintenance requirements, heavy footfall, and critical provision. Careful consideration needs to be taken on every contract to understand whether the seven-year advisory

period will be long enough for that unique contract.

Stakeholders will also need to account for asset maintenance to meet the conditions stipulated in contract for expiry, alongside what needs to be done to update the building. Updates could include those to:

● Meet various sustainability obligations and targets intended to deliver on decarbonisation initiatives; and

● Shape future service delivery and meet new safety requirements put in place and updated over the next decade to cause minimal disruption to the users and business-as-usual functioning of the buildings.

Successful handbacks will be people-oriented, requiring close collaboration between all parties and flexibility to meet the changing nature of the assets, and bring that in line with the contract requirements.

Part of this will come from learning from others, and sharing case studies from a centralised space within the industry on successful handbacks and best practice, which will benefit the whole industry going forward.

To ensure buildings are heated and cooled in an energy-efficient manner, it is crucial that temperature control equipment is working at its optimum.

Known as seasonal commissioning, FMs observe and test essential building services when run at peak demand – cooling equipment during the summer, heating in winter – to optimise occupant comfort levels.

Seasonal commissioning should happen at three, six, nine and 12-month intervals (summer, winter, autumn and spring), with FMs and/ or external consultants reviewing thermal comfort, ventilation and lighting –either by measurement or occupant feedback.

What to monitor

The following should be checked against the scheme’s design values, with problems subsequently rectified:

● Critical areas and business optimum space temperatures;

● Heating and cooling plant flow and return;

● BMS trends;

● AHU; and

● Energy consumption.

Any interim maintenance call-outs or equipment failures must be logged by the FM team with records available for inspection to assess the operational impact alongside the original design intent.

Soft landing issues

Despite the best intentions, soft landings can be hard to achieve and, although written into contracts, they are difficult to quantify.

Mechanically, there are many issues, particularly in closed-

Seasonally soft landings

Facilities managers need to support buildings to work as designed by ensuring seasonal commissioning – a crucial activity post practical completion – has been carried out correctly, says Stewart McGillivray

circuit HVAC systems, that go unseen until there’s a problem. Corrosion, for example, can lurk within pipework for some time before a leak is detected, by which point major expensive repairs will be required.

In the height of summer or depths of winter, faulty temperature control could lead to building downtime, which has huge knock-on effects and can result in FM liability.

Training staff who keep buildings running is normally inadequate and too brief during handover. Problems can arise where training has fallen short or when staff change – that’s why I always recommend filming any training.

A loss of building knowledge is the most common source of breakdown in the soft landing’s process.

Monitoring will improve outcomes

What’s clear is that monitoring and/or recording all processes

– mechanical and human –will improve outcomes.

Real-time monitoring of parameters that can be indicative of problems likely to affect HVAC operations will:

● Reduce the need for adjustments and/or repairs during seasonal commissioning;

● Measure the effectiveness of  works; and

● Back up supporting recommendations.

BSRIA BG74/2019 details key areas where soft landings should be measured against:

● Energy consumption;

● Economic or financial need;

● Social and wellbeing need;

● Sustainability and environmental aspect; and

● Functionality.

Monitoring the performance of hydraulic closed systems provides benefits for all

five of the above criteria, leading to confidence in the operational performance and consequent occupant comfort. Operational performance is also a measure of the capital plant efficiency, be it cooling or heating.

This approach can reduce intervention, time and cost. In some instances perceived problems are proved to be local operational issues and not system-wide integrity failures, preventing expensive kneejerk reactions.

The reduction in sampling costs and the early indication of potential water quality deterioration prevents the need for drain downs and expensive flushing/cleaning operations if the water quality can be restored.

An investment in monitoring will prevent disruptions, and save money and reputations more than covering initial outlay. Being in the dark when it comes to the machinery responsible for occupant comfort could have disastrous consequences and is not necessary. The ambitions of soft landings can be far easier to achieve.

STEWART MCGILLIVRAY is a building services consultant at Guardian Water Treatment

Let’s start with a clarification of terms: what are commonly known as tanks are, in fact, cisterns. But let’s keep to standard vernacular for now.

Storage tanks come in many sizes and are used in numerous applications within a facility, acting as header tanks for hot and cold water systems or storing drinking water for the whole building.

Tanks, despite improved design and installation, will always be at risk of contamination by harmful bacteria, including legionella. You need to keep your tanks clean so bacteria do not flourish, and guarantee sufficient water turnover to avoid stagnation.

Maintaining cold water storage tanks

PAUL WARREN is regional manager at IWS Water Hygiene

Here is our guidance to determine the most appropriate regime for your facility:

1 Inspect each tank annually

Annual inspections and remedial work are required by HSE’s Technical Guidance HSG274 Part 2. Typically, this is outsourced to a specialist who will report their findings to bring everything up to standard, including cleaning if required. This will keep you compliant, but necessitates that you monitor performance and validate their recommendations.

2

Many water hygiene maintenance regimes are generic with a one-size-fits-all approach, which means the regime chosen for your facility may not be the most cost-effective and could be lacking sufficient information to decide when your tank should be cleaned.

Time for a clean

be inspected regularly to guarantee cleanliness and reduce bacterial growth.

The L8 Approved Code of Practice requires that anyone working on tanks should be trained, experienced and physically capable of completing the tasks safely.

Top

maintenance tips

Regular inspections should look at the tank’s condition and water quality. FMs should ensure that the following aspects are being checked:

Clean and disinfect all tanks

In line with BS 8558:2015 and published document PD 855468:2015, irrespective of the condition, each tank will be mechanically cleaned, residue removed, flushed and disinfected every 12 months by a specialist company. However, the cost and disruption caused may not always be necessary as you may be cleaning tanks that are already in a satisfactory condition.

3 Ensure your property and assets are risk assessed

The risk assessment will be completed by a qualified technician, sometimes independent of the water hygiene monitoring service provider. The frequency of assessments will be dictated by the risk posed by the property itself, but when completed will give you an independent and verifiable opinion on the condition of your tanks and what is required to meet standards. Tanks should

● Sediment levels – build-up of sediment provides an ideal environment for bacterial growth. The tank needs to be cleaned and disinfected in line with PD 855468:2015.

● Biofilm levels – biofilms act as a protective hide-out or shelter for harmful bacteria, including legionella. So clean and disinfect.

● Debris or foreign objects – these contaminate its contents. So, again, be sure to clean and disinfect.

● Mould on tank walls – the tank should be cleaned and ventilation to the room improved. If mould spores are under the tank lining, the tank should be relined.

● Appraise temperature monitoring data – along with laboratory analyses, data gives an early indication that the stored water quality is deteriorating. Make sure inspections are carried out at the correct frequency and the service records are legible and comprehensive. Ask those who are completing the inspections to explain what they found and what their recommendations are. This will guarantee compliant and safe systems.

Make sure your cold water storage tank cleaners are working according to best practice, says Paul Warren

Recent research shows that only two in five employees believe that their organisations are meeting their needs. So when it comes to workplace projects, it’s important to adopt a peoplecentric approach.

But when you have several hundreds or thousands of employees to consider, how do you get it right?

A valuable method is developing employee personas to provide a universal language that can be easily applied across projects.

Personas explained

An employee persona is essentially a profile of a specific employee group that summarises a person’s characteristics, attitudes, wants and needs when it comes to the workplace.

It takes investigative work to establish your personas, and every organisation will be unique. So before you begin, ask yourself:

● Who in the organisation could be included in the team developing the personas? Who is best to deliver on the skills and data you need?

● Will other teams or departments benefit from employee personas?

● What will a final persona look like; for example, summary deck, infographics, a digital book?

● How might personas be used to inform future workplace projects?

Consider the criteria you’ll use to segment your personas. Once clear on the project team, the purpose of the personas and how they’ll be used in your workplace projects, follow a framework to develop your personas.

Five-factored persona development

1Analyse existing data – dig into people’s motivations, pain points and preferences by analysing data you already have through employee voice groups, employee engagement surveys, exit interview feedback and personality profiling tools.

Persona project

Creating employee personas leads to workplace projects that put people at their centre, argues Ryan Trowbridge

2 Identify initial groups –cluster different preferences and motivations together to build an initial foundation of different employee groups.

3 Apply demographics – once you have initial groups identified based on motivations, preferences and pain points, you can start to understand the demographics within each group.

4 Validate, test and refine personas – with a handful of people across each group, interview them to explore deeper and validate your findings, but also to look at

opportunities to uncover richer insight about a group. Test out your personas on a smaller project, and see how easy it is to apply.

RYAN TROWBRIDGE is head of strategy and change at The Workspace Consultants

5

Share personas – publish your personas in a creative way that captures people’s imagination (infographics, designed persona digital books). Share them with different stakeholders and provide guidance on how they can be used in future projects.

Practically applied personas

When it comes to using personas and putting the employee at the heart of your workplace projects, consider how you could use them in your next workplace project. Ideas include:

● Workspace design and layout

– personas representing different roles, work preferences, and needs (introverts, extroverts, remote workers) helps the project team create spaces that cater to specific user requirements.

For example Cisco created five personas (highly mobile, campus mobile, remote/distance collaborator, neighbourhood collaborator and workstation anchored) to create spaces that reflected different employee needs.

● Technology integration and tools - consider digital literacy, communication preferences, and technological requirements to tailor the implementation of new tools. For instance, Deutsche Telekom created personas to inform the design of IT products and services and define requirements for future modern working spaces.

● Change management and communication – different change readiness levels, communication preferences and concerns allow the project team to create targeted change and communication strategies. Starbucks used personas to tailor announcements about workplace changes based on how partners preferred to receive big news (via email, managers and leaders, or the internal collaboration platform).

Gain a competitive career advantage

By completing one of our internationally recognised, regulated qualifications in workplace and facilities management, you can progress on our professional development pathway and build the career you want.

Delivery method

Recognised Centres Levels 2-7 or online through IWFM Direct Levels 2,3 and 4

Speak to us today about how to choose the qualification level and size that suits you.

Contact us today

E qualifications@iwfm.org.uk

T +44(0)1279 712 651 iwfm.org.uk/professional -development

Professionalising the workforce

Our common framework for workplace and facilities professional development can help your business ATTRACT, DEVELOP, and MAINTAIN your employees.

Our products and services are underpinned by the IWFM Professional Standards, developed with industry experts and bespoke to workplace and facilities management. The Standards provide a global competence model for the profession.

If you’re an employer looking to develop your teams, please getin touch.

Contact us today

E @iwfm.org.uk

T +44(0)1279 712 650 iwfm.org.uk

ISS elevates outlook for 2023 growth

by Facilitate team

In a half-year trading update covering up to 30 June, ISS upgraded its organic growth outlook and spoke of recording ‘vigorous progress’ with its OneISS strategy.

Organic growth stood at 10.4% in Q2 2023 (Q1 2023: 11.3%) and 10.9% in H1 2023 (H1 2022: 6.7%) dictated mainly by price rises across the group and underlying volume growth.

As a result of expected higher customer activity and so higher underlying volume growth, the outlook for organic growth was upgraded to 7-9%, which compares to 6-8% for the same period last year. The operating margin before other items was 3.3%; it was 2.9% for the samer period in 2022.

The group also reported that rigorous execution of the OneISS strategy continued and commercial momentum improved, underlined by the gain of a new IFS deal with Defra in the UK. The strengthened commercial and operating models showed visible results, added ISS, with

MOMENTUM GROUP ADDS NEW FM DIRECTOR

Liverpool-based property firm The Momentum Group has appointed Matthew Pilling as director of its facilities management division.

Pilling will develop Momentum Maintain’s operations in pursuit of the group’s five-year growth plan. This includes implementing sustainable FM practices and establishing efficiency by implementing sector-leading innovation.

better client engagement with contract retentions rising to 95% in Q2 2023.

In Spain, ISS has agreed to acquire cleaning firm Grupo Fissa, which it believes offers a strong strategic fit with its OneISS strategy, and adds about 1% to group revenue. But the group revealed its intention to divest itself of its French business, except for global key account clients, as development in France has not generated the expected financial improvements owing to tough market conditions.

‘Visible results’

As reported in late June, the appointment of Kasper

Fangel as group CEO on 1 September will see the group keep a focus on growth and execution of the OneISS strategy. ISS states it is on track to reach its operating margin target of above 5% in 2024.

Outgoing CEO Jacob Aarup-Andersen said: “The strong execution of the OneISS strategy continued in H1 2023, and the investments we have made are showing visible results. We have won new key account contracts within our prioritised segments, customer engagement is improving, and retention is the highest in the company’s more than 120year history.

He joins the group from GeoBear Global, where he was managing director for Residential. He has worked at BNP Paribas, Incentive FM, Cloudfm, and at Engie, where he led the US Air Force FM contract for its nine UK bases, and at Capita, where he managed its portfolio of more than 250 London properties.

Momentum’s FM portfolio includes Runcorn Shopping City, the town’s main retail centre, and several of Liverpool’s landmark buildings, including The Keel, The Princes Building, and Glenbrook’s One Temple Square, and for Yakel Property Investment, the grade I listed Oriel Chambers, the grade A office building Aviation House – near John Lennon Airport, and Bramley House in Guildford, Surrey.

Momentum has doubled the size of both its team and office space pn the past year.

Operating four commercial businesses, Advise, Build, Manage, and Maintain, the group recently launched its fifth division, Contribute. Its clients include Grosvenor at Liverpool ONE, Queensbury at Metquarter, Redevco, Schroders, and Appreciate Group. Contribute will be run by the former head of FM, associate director, Karl Clawley.

60

ABM’s new president Richard Sykes details his company’s offer to the FM market

61 Johnson Controls report growth in Q3 update and an 8% year-on-year growth

62 Churchill Group announces conversion to employee ownership model Find out more Visit facilitatemagazine.com for daily outsourcing news

Richard Sykes

ABM believes its environmental responsibility pledge will position the group as a significant player in a fast-growing market. Richard Sykes, newly appointed as ABM UK and Ireland president, explains all to Herpreet Kaur Grewal

How do you intend to build on ABM’s capabilities? What new services do you expect to be delivering to clients?

Primarily, we will continue to grow our technical services offering. Renowned for its leadership in the US market, our technical services division is gaining momentum in the UK and Ireland and offers a fantastic growth opportunity. With industry-leading expertise in engineering, HVAC, electrical infrastructure, and energy, this division is central to many of the emerging and evolving demands facing our clients, such as electrical vehicle charging, power resiliency, indoor air quality, and more. This growth trajectory will be sustained through continuous innovation and investment, ensuring our clients receive cutting-edge solutions tailored to their unique needs.

Moreover, our expansion will be driven by a keen focus on specific industry segments that align with our strengths and expertise. While maintaining our presence across various sectors, we are intensifying our efforts in corporate real estate, aviation, manufacturing and distribution, and the public sector. This strategic direction will enable us to concentrate our resources and deliver specialised solutions that cater to the distinct demands of these sectors.

In anticipation of evolving market

IN BRIEF

14forty takes £20m deal with National Gas 14forty, part of Compass Group UK & Ireland, has secured a £20 million contract to supply

soft and hard services for energy provider National Gas.

The deal, won in a competitive tender process, begins in September and covers the company’s whole estate in Great Britain.

The contract is set to run initially for five years and it

trends and client requirements, we are also placing a strategic emphasis on energy services, particularly electric vehicle (EV) installation. Recognising the growing significance of sustainable energy solutions, we are poised to play a pivotal role in facilitating the adoption of EV technology. This forward-looking approach not only aligns with our commitment to

contains an option to extend for another two years.

National Gas operates the national gas network through nearly 5,000 miles of pipeline, and provides gas metering services to businesses, public services and households.

environmental responsibility but also positions us as a key player in a rapidly expanding market.

What emerging trends do you think will affect ABM’s future provisiojn of service? For instance, meeting green / net zero goals or the needs of workers in a changing workplace environment?

ABM is advancing an ESG vision which embraces our role in taking care of people, spaces and places in ways that are responsible, ethical, environmentally sustainable, respectful, and inclusive.

Foremost among these commitments is our dedication to environmentally sustainable practices. By embracing responsible procurement practices and establishing symbiotic relationships with suppliers championing circular economies, we lay the groundwork for a more sustainable supply chain.

We are also steadfast in upholding our net-zero commitments, which constitute a pledge that resonates with both our company ethos and the global call for climate action. Collaborative Sustainability Action Plans stand as a testament to our commitment to forge eco-conscious partnerships with clients, embarking on a journey to eliminate carbon-intensive practices collaboratively.

Equally critical is our commitment to

Novus wins £1.45m renovations deal with Adra Novus Property Solutions has been awarded a £1.45 million refurbishment contract with Adra, North Wales’s largest social housing provider.

Novus’s team will

carry out kitchen and bathroom refurbishment works, including rewiring, over a period of 13 months at about 135 properties managed by Ardr in and around Gwynedd. The firm has worked on previous schemes with Adra, including a refurbishment

contract on properties in Caernarfon.

Equans secures £72m safety works with NHG Energy and regeneration specialist Equans has been engaged by housing association Notting Hill Genesis

Our net-zero commitments constitute a pledge that resonates with both our company ethos and the global call for climate action

our employees: by imparting green skills we want to nurture a workforce empowered to drive sustainability initiatives. We place a premium on elevating our social value output – an amalgamation of environmental stewardship, employee welfare, and meaningful engagement.

The advent of Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things holds transformative potential for our industry. Harnessing the power of data-driven insights, we propel our operations towards optimal efficiency and enhanced service delivery. Beyond sustainability, we’re developing ABM as awelcoming, diverse and inclusive place to work, where all team members are seen, heard, valued and provided with ample chances to grow, and one that leads with honesty, integrity, and operates ethically.

What other challenges do you foresee for ABM and the wider facilities management market – and how will you overcome them?

Resourcing in the aftermath of Covid-19 and the intricacies of Brexit remain at the forefront. We have been implementing robust systems and streamlined processes. These measures ensure that we stay ahead of the curve in recruitment, allowing us to secure top-tier talent and swiftly adapt to changing workforce dynamics.

Additionally, our commitment to offering market-leading employee terms and conditions sets us apart, enabling us to attract and retain the best professionals in the field. With the technology landscape evolving rapidly we will also need to remain focused on being well-informed on emerging technologies and ensuring our teams are equipped to harness these tools effectively.

(NHG) to carry out a fire safety upgrade and investment programme at the Paragon estate in Brentford.

Residents of the West London estate were evacuated in October 2020 because of structural and safety concerns. Equans says that

it will carry out remedial works across all six blocks of the development, enhancing safety measures by using thicker insulation and a new façade.

Medirest forms catering pact with NHS trust Medirest, Compass

RESULTS

Johnson Controls reports growth in Q3 update

by Facilitate team

Cork-based sustainable buildings specialist Johnson Controls International plc reported sales of $7.1 billion (circa £5,446 billion) during Q3 2023, up by 8% compared with the prior year, with organic growth of 9%.

Net income from ongoing operations was $1.05 billion (c £816,9 million). Adjusted net income from continuing operations of $706 million (c £549.2 million) was up 19% on last year. Earnings before interest and taxes was $873 million (c £679,2 million). The EBIT margin was 12.2%.

Across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) the firm’s building solutions sales in Q3 were $1,045 million (£816 million) against $952 million (£740.6 million) at the same time last year. Sales in the quarter of $1.0 billion grew 10% versus the prior year. Organic sales grew 9% versus the same quarter of 2022, with mid-teens growth in service and high single-digit growth in the company’s HVAC & Controls and Fire & Security sectors. Orders during the period rose by 10% yearon-year.

Group UK & Ireland’s healthcare division, has partnered with South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust to cater to the Springfield Village community in Tooting.

The village is a new mixed-use community of 800 homes, a public square, shops

and a 32-acre public park with Springfield Hospital and its two existing mental health facilities.

Medirest will deliver a catering service using innovative food service technology including its Time2Eat app and in-store ordering kiosks.

The company states: “Our thirdquarter results met the high end of our guidance as we delivered robust margin expansion and strong adjusted earnings-per-share growth. We have made great progress in improving our margins this fiscal year and we believe there remains a runway for further margin expansion in fiscal 2024 and beyond.”

George Oliver, chairman and CEO, said: “Johnson Controls delivered strong Q3 results led by double-digit growth in sales and orders for our service business. We remain confident in our longer cycle building solutions segments supported by our healthy order pipeline and resilient backlog.”

Amey renews £430m MoJ prison FM deal

Amey has extended its contract with the Ministry of Justice to deliver its prison maintenance programme in the North.

Under the new £430 million deal, which runs until

March 2026, Amey will carry on with FM delivery across 61 prisons. The estate includes a varied building portfolio of secure facilities including some historic buildings which form premises for 35,000 inmates including all prison categories.

Churchill Group converts to employeeowned company

by Facilitate team

Churchill Group has announced that it has become an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT).

An EOT is a trust that enables a company to become owned by its employees and can be set up by a company’s existing owners. EOTs do not involve direct share ownership by employees, rather a controlling interest in the company is transferred to an all-employee trust, which is then held for the benefit of employees.

Churchill, composed of specialist businesses in the facilities management sector, says the move will guarantee that it “remains true to its founding entrepreneurial ethos and its core values while continuing to grow and evolve for the “long-term benefit of its employees, clients and communities”.

The group said the decision was made based on the multiple benefits to employees and the opportunity for everyone in the company to benefit from the reward and to put in place responsible succession planning. It will continue to be managed by the existing leadership team, with the founders acting as a guiding hand to support the long-term stability and sustainability of the business.

Churchill’s divisions (Churchill

Eric Wright wins place on NHS SBS framework

Eric Wright Partnerships, part of the Eric Wright Group, has been appointed to the new

COMPASS SETS UP CAREERS HUB FOR DISADVANTAGED JOBSEEKERS

Compass Group UK & Ireland has launched a career hub aimed at people who are struggling to gain employment.

The hub will support job candidates from a range of backgrounds including care leavers, ex-offenders, long-term unemployed, and those with disabilities who face barriers to entry into the job market.

Cleaning, Amulet, Portfolio, On Verve, Chequers, Churchill Environmental, and Radish) have a nationwide client base delivering cleaning, security, front of house, water hygiene, social housing FM and groundworks, and catering services within all major sectors both public and private.

James Bradley, group CEO, said: “Churchill is proud of its difference in the FM market, achieving significant growth over 30 years. The EOT is a natural transition as it continues our unique culture and retains our values of doing right, seeking better and putting people first. Our colleagues are what makes Churchill’s specialist businesses so successful which is why our founders wanted it to be them who should share in the future success.”

NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS) Healthcare Planning, Construction Consultancy and Ancillary Services Framework Agreement.

It will work on Lot 9 Healthcare Planning, helping the NHS to achieve its goals by creating

transformational estates across the North West and Yorkshire regions with a focus on sustainability.

Mace recalled to NHS SBS framework Global consultancyto-construction group Mace has

been retained on the NHS SBS framework agreement after five years of providing advisory services through the scheme. It has places on 10 lots to provide a range of project management, quantity and building surveying, net zero guidance and

The platform is part of Compass’s ‘Mission to a Million’ social mobility drive which seeks to provide support for a million people by 2030 through jobs, training, community engagement and development. The aim is to match candidates with job opportunities and internships within Compass.

The company’s hiring managers will also undertake fresh training in order to better understand some of the challenges faced by different candidates.

The group has approached existing and potential charity partners to discuss the opportunities that will be available. These bodies include the National Autistic Society, Scope, Maximus, The Clink, Clean Sheet, Ingeus Restart Scheme, and Career Transition Pathway.

Amanda Scott, director of Compass Group UK & Ireland’s Talent, Learning and Diversity & Inclusion division, said: “We want to be a force for good and a real driver of social mobility in the UK.”

healthcare planning services.

The framework is the nation’s main supplier of services to the National Health Service, managing more than 40 framework agreements covering a range of clinical and corporate goods and services.

Pagabo names suppliers on £545m M&E works

Public sector procurement group Pagabo has named 47 suppliers that have been appointed so far to its new £545 million Mechanical & Electrical Solutions Framework.

The four-year

Arcus FM acquires Trios Group to boost mobile services

by Facilitate team

Arcus Facilities Management has acquired the Trios Group from its private equity owner Rcapital to bolster its own mobile engineering, technology, and project delivery capabilities in the UK.

Arcus said the acquisition brings it a step closer to achieving its ambition to be the largest national provider of mobile facilities management services in the UK.

The company said that Birminghambased Trios, which employs more than

framework, split into 12 UK regions, will be open for all types of public sector bodies to procure through, including local authorities, blue-light services, and housing associations.

Thermatic buys

PDS Drainage Solutions

WESTGROVE GROUP RESHAPES BOARD TO PURSUE GROWTH

200 people, has a “strong alignment with Arcus FM’s ‘technology-led, people-driven’ approach”. It has a dedicated Projects team, dedicated mobile engineering services, an in-house technology platform, and a managed services function to support clients of all sizes to manage their estate.

Trios serves a strong portfolio of clients, including Ladbrokes, Royal Mail, Vue Cinema, Harrods, Linnaeus Vets, Rowlands Pharmacy, West Midlands Police, and the Police and Crime Commissioner for West Midlands), which will enhance Arcus’s foothold in the retail and hospitality spheres, and opens up new opportunities in the ‘blue light’ and local government sectors.

Theresa Bell, chief commercial officer at Arcus FM, will assume the role of CEO of the Trios business.

Chris Green, Arcus FM’s CEO, said: “Arcus has been on a tremendous growth journey for the past few years – growing with existing customers and adding a stellar crop of new customers in a variety of sectors. The mobile capability of Trios, its use of technology, and the way it serves its customers made it attractive as we look to add scale and bolster our service offering.”

Thermatic Technical FM has acquired PDS Draining Solutions to strengthen its national delivery and in-house range of drainage services.

The Salford-based firm said the move will give it rapid response capabilities in drainage maintenance and

repairs. All PDS staff will transfer to Thermatic’s existing drainage division under TUPE rules, along with PDS’s extensive fleet and equipment.

Mitie scores again with Arsenal FC Mitie has renewed

its security vetting contract for another five years at the Emirates Stadium, home of Arsenal FC.

The new deal will see Mitie carry on providing essential services including background checks, criminal records checks and Disclosure and Barring Service

Facilities management firm The Westgrove Group has appointed Glenn Wilson as its managing director, and group managing director Claire McKinley-Smith moves into a strategic role as CEO. Wilson was previously with Incentive FM, where he was director of retail & distribution, and played a pivotal role in the company’s success in the Midlands and North regions, contributing to its global growth that led to its sale to Atalian Servest (now merged with OCS Group).

McKinley-Smith joined Westgrove in 2011 as operations director, was managing director, and subsequently became group managing director in 2015. The company said she had been instrumental in establishing the firm within the retail centre sector, and launching the brand into complementary sectors during her tenure as MD, and recently “played a pivotal role” with co-founders Simon Whittle and Steve Fives in forming its Technical Services company.

Fives, Westgrove’s chairman and co-founder, said: “Simon, Claire and I feel that we can provide a real niche in the market as there aren’t many businesses of our experience and size now working in this specialised space. Glenn’s appointment, with his undoubted pedigree, was our opportunity to make a statement of intent about our aspirations for the business.”

checks, and its vetting business, Procius, will undertake a suite of services using its vetting technology platform, MyCheck.

DMA secures £2m fire compliance deal at Port of Dover Property services firm DMA Group has been awarded a fire

compliance contract worth over £2 million at the Port of Dover.

DMA will carry out repairs and upgrades as part of the port’s duties to maintain fire precautions within about 65 buildings across the estate, managed and delivered by the resident on-site team.

Serco’s ‘progress’ lifts profit outlook for FY 2023

by Facilitate team

Serco plc, multinational outsourcer to governments for defence, justice and immigration, transport, health, and public services, saw revenue grow by 13 per cent – rising to £2.5 billion – in its half-year results.

Its financial statement for the six months ended 30 June shows the underlying operating profit increased by 14 per cent to £148 million compared with the same time last year.

Underlying operating profit rose by 14%

to £148 million, a margin of 6.0%, with an adjusted net debt lower than in previous guidance at £216 million.

Orders intake added up to £2.1 billion, with an expected new business pipeline of £7.9 billion ahead, plus a strong order book of £14.1 billion.

MECSIA GROUP TAKES OVER ARTIC BUILDING SERVICES

Technical services business Mecsia, with the backing of private equity firm Rockpool Investments LLP, has acquired Artic Building Services.

The Cambridgeshire-based Mecsia provides mechanical and electrical maintenance as well as associated regulatory compliance services to the UK commercial property market.

Veolia gains sustainability deal with MCC Resource management specialist Veolia has secured a wideranging recycling

contract with Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) to reduce carbon emissions from Lord’s Cricket Ground.

The ‘Home of Cricket’, which draws half-a-million visitors each year, is aiming to extend sustainability to meet its environmental

‘Partner of

choice to

governments’ Guidance for the second half of 2023 is now for revenue of at least £4.8 billion, organic sales growth in excess of 4%, and an underlying operating profit of at least £245 million.

The statement adds: “Today we upgrade our guidance for 2023 versus our pre-close trading statement on 29 June, as we now expect a stronger outcome on free cash flow and net debt, as well as a small reduction in the underlying effective tax rate.

Mark Irwin, Serco Group CEO, said: “We are making good progress to deliver profitable growth over the medium term and towards achieving our strategic ambition to be the partner of choice to governments globally. Our results over the last six months are a good measure of that progress with double-digit growth in revenue and profit, backed by excellent cash generation.”

targets in alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goal, by 2030.

Recycle Scotland upcycles uni furniture Recycle Scotland has formed a partnership with the University of Dundee

to re-engineer the institution’s furniture as a sustainable alternative to disposal.

Starting at the university’s Dalhousie Building, Recycle Scotland has repaired lobby seating. This initial project has saved about 600kg of

Artic, which has been based in Dartford, Kent for 24 years, offers core mechanical and electrical maintenance services, mainly in the healthcare, education and commercial property sectors, and has relationships across the National Health Service and several universities.

Mescia said its new alliances will broaden its reach into these sectors. The acquisition was supported by additional equity funding from Rockpool and senior loan funding from Virgin Money. Artic’s management, led by joint managing directors Colin Trowell and Paul Lucas, will continue in their existing roles.

Jon Coiley, Mecsia’s CEO explained that the acquisition of Artic “brings considerable in-house engineering expertise and new customer relationships to Mecsia, further strengthening our credentials in both the healthcare and education sectors. Artic’s customer base will benefit from Mecsia’s national presence and broad portfolio of self-delivered technical services.”

furniture from going to landfill –equivalent to 0.6 metric tonnes of carbon emissions –saving the university about £5,000.

ESS gets on board at Port of Felixstowe  ESS, the Defence, Marine & Aerospace division of Compass

Group UK & Ireland, has won the staff catering and hospitality contract at the Port of Felixstowe in Suffolk.

Under the sixyear deal, it will renovate the dining facilities, deploy new technology, and deliver sustainable working practices.

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EPH FM ERA

RPM LIVING, ARGUES WISELY FOR A LONG-TERM PERSPECTIVE ON TALENT MANAGEMENT

“I have been seeing an uptick in articles about new leases and redesigned offices, which, on the whole, should be a positive sign. But I also can’t help but notice that most of the ‘check out our new office!’ articles are filled with language that is depressingly similar to what I would have seen in 2019 if not much earlier than that.”

PHIL KIRSCHNER, FUTURE OF WORK AND WORKPLACE LEADER AT MCKINSEY, WORRIES ABOUT A LACK OF CHANGE

“Is hybrid work an innovation or a distraction? My take is that it’s a distraction. The companies of the past are focused on hybrid work as a final destination. The companies of the future are focused on improving digital literacy.”

CBRE CANADA’S SVP OF OFFICE LEASING DAVE CAIRNS WARNS NOT TO GET CAUGHT UP IN HYBRID

“I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE HOW THE WORKPLACE AND EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE INDUSTRY GROWS BECAUSE WHEN WE CREATE THE BEST EXPERIENCES FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, WE’RE SHOWING THEM THEY MATTER. AND WHETHER IT’S ONBOARDING OR OFFICE SPACE, EVERY ASPECT BEHIND THE SCENES SHOULD BE ONE THAT SHOWS THEM WE VALUE THEIR UNIQUE TALENTS AND SKILLS.” AVUITY CEO BRAD JOHNSON ON GIVING EMPLOYEES A GREAT WORKPLACE EXPERIENCE

“Toxicity in the workplace develops from a pattern of combined behaviours that are counterproductive. When promoted by toxic leadership, a toxic culture incorporates six specific behaviours: passive hostility, shaming, indifference, team sabotage, negativity and exploitation.

Toxic cultures are known to promote attitudes that adversely impact employees’ psychological wellbeing.”

FM PROCUREMENT SPECIALIST ERNIE MELLING EXPLAINS HOW FESTERING BEHAVIOUR PATTERNS AND ROTTEN LEADERSHIP LEAD TO TOXIC WORKPLACES

“Long-term vacancies are a continuing problem for many companies, including those in FM. This presents a serious challenge for businesses and a headache for

“NOSTALGIA IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED IN OUR RUSH TO GO FUTURISTIC, NOW’S THE TIME TO STEP BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE BYGONE ERA, AND WHAT IT HAS TO OFFER.”

FM CONSULTANT RICHARD HARRIS LOOKS BACKWARD TO FIND A WAY FORWARD

those responsible for delivering contracts.”

MICHELLE CONNOLLY, STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR OF 300 NORTH, SHARES INSIGHT INTO THE FM RECRUITMENT MARKET

“Engaging with employees and using data sets that inform their needs does not show others that you don’t have all the answers, it shows that you’re genuinely interested in creating a highperforming workplace and experience that works for them.”

WORKPLACE SPECIALIST

DAVID GEORGE ON THE POWER OF ENGAGEMENT

“Hiring great talent is not cheap, but the alternative is the source of ongoing pain and higher overall cost.”

ADRIAN C DANILA, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES AT US FIRM

“Never feels that way at the time, but sometimes mistakes can be the best thing your business needs. Some of the best changes/ideas I’ve made have come off the back of responding to some big calamities.”

JAMES HUGHES, FOUNDING DIRECTOR OF FABRIC DESIGN GROUP, REMINDS READERS THAT CHAOS CAN LEAD TO BIG WINS

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