VIEW POINT / A BIT ABOUT YOU
What do you do? Senior workplace manager at DeepMind, focusing on soft services. What attracted you to FM, and how did you get into the industry? Like many, I fell into the FM industry, but I’m so glad I did. I started as a receptionist but my curiosity and need to be busy led me to organising the day- to-day office maintenance and when I was considering what was next, my manager at the time suggested I become their FM. 20 years later and I am so grateful to her for the opportunity she provided.
How long have you been in your current role? Only five months. Do you see yourself predominantly as a task or a people manager? It depends on the day. A well-supported and well-led team makes a big impact and is integral in providing a great service, but there will always be lots to do outside that part of the role. It’s incredibly satisfying to see people grow.
been involved in a fit-out there before so it was hard work but seeing how happy my colleagues were when they saw the new space was incredibly rewarding.
If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be? The way it is seen by those who don’t understand the value it brings.
Any interesting tales to tell? I’ll never forget the day I learned that 3-phase power existed. We had a partial power cut and everyone was looking for me to deal with it, but I was stuck in the lift! Thankfully, I had chocolate and a mobile phone signal so ended up coordinating from there – but it’s a memory that always makes me smile.
If I wasn’t in facilities management, I’d probably be… Organising something, somewhere! Preferably in the sunshine with great people. To be honest, I can’t imagine doing anything else.
Would you describe your role as predominantly operational or strategic? It’s
Which “FM/Workplace myth” would you most like to put an end to? That what we do is easy. Some individual tasks may be simple, but the bigger picture of what happens to run a great workplace is complex. We need to understand the needs of the business and work to enable our colleagues to be able to be at their best. That’s not a simple thing to do.
What advice would you give to a young facilities/workplace manager starting out? Take any opportunity to learn something new and always be open to other people’s ideas and experience. Ask questions and keep going until it makes sense. I have learned so much over the years from contractors and have been lucky to work with great colleagues who have taught me a lot. There will always be a new way of doing something, a change in technology or legislation, so to be your best you need to keep embracing change and learning.
What was the weirdest day you’ve had in the office? Some of the strangest days have been whenever an office has been closing. The things people leave behind!
Early bird or night owl? Depends on what is going on that day; if it’s an early start I do need my coffee.
shifting to be more strategic, but to do that well it’s important to understand the details of the day-to-day operations and how/why things are how they are.
What FM job in the world would you love more than anything? I’m enjoying
How many people are there in your workplace team? Internally, it’s a small
the one I have right now, but I have always thought it would be great to run one of the iconic buildings across the globe. Maybe one day; we shall see how it goes.
team, but with our vendor partners, there is a large group working hard to provide the best environment possible.
And where would FM be an absolute nightmare? Anywhere with a high
My top perk at work is… We work in an
number of spiders or pests, so nowhere in a jungle!
amazing environment with lots of amenities but the people make each day a good one.
What has been your biggest career challenge to date? Managing workplaces during the Covid pandemic was challenging for everyone. One of the most satisfying moments was delivering a fit-out in Madrid. We had a tight timetable, I didn’t speak the language and hadn’t
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Your life outside FM mostly involves… BEH I N D T H E JOB
Louise Griffiths
Spending time with friends and family. I have two years left of my part-time degree, so I’m looking forward to finishing it and starting my next challenge.
LOUISE GRIFFITHS is senior workplace manager at DeepMind in London
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