WORKFORCE
A people-centric vision Richard Sykes, SVP and president of ABM UK and Ireland, tells us how the facilities services business has become a truly people-centric business. Any growth plans must embrace this position, continuing to cultivate a workplace that strives to support and nurture team members, both professionally and personally.
AT ABM OUR PURPOSE is clear – to create places that are a pleasure to occupy, making a difference to those who use those spaces each day. With around 100,000 employees and over 350 offices in the UK, Ireland and the US we are a big business, with over $7 billion in revenue. Founded in 1909, the ABM brand is well known and well understood in the US but not so much in the UK and the rest of Europe, which is why we need to move the brand along. Having joined ABM to lead and grow the UK and Ireland business earlier this year, it was clear from my first meeting with the US team that this is a people-centric business. Any growth plans must embrace
28 | November 2023 | ECJ
this position, continuing to cultivate a workplace which relentlessly strives to support and nurture team members, both professionally and personally. Not only is this good business; but it is the right thing to do. ABM has demonstrated this focus in a number of ways; always recognising this is a journey – something that needs continual focus and improvement.
Mental health first aiders: a shoulder to lean on In the fast-paced, high-pressure world of facility solutions, the mental wellbeing of our team members and those we come into contact with daily is paramount. As such, one of our significant initiatives is our Mental Health First Aider programme. We have trained over 100 Mental Health First Aiders throughout the UK so far with ambitions for many more. These are dedicated individuals, who are trained not only to lend a sympathetic ear to their colleagues but also to identify when someone may need support but is hesitant to ask for it.
Talent development: changing perceptions The facilities management industry has an image problem. Technical careers are sometimes perceived to be about ‘oily
rags and no prospects’ while apprenticeships are often seen as a last resort by young people and their parents. Likewise, the words ‘career’ and ‘cleaning’ are rarely used together, with cleaning jobs often seen as an employment stop gap. We have begun to address this in a number of ways. Upskilling is a priority and we actively encourage our people to use our ABM University as a way to develop their career within the business and in the sector as a whole from every level. There should be no limits to this progression. We are also actively working to change perceptions outside of the sector through our Junior Engineering Engagement Programme (J.E.E.P.). This grass roots initiative is conducted in schools to showcase the opportunities available through apprenticeships and in the FM industry. ABM team members from apprentices to directors volunteer to mentor young people. While the focus has been on technical skills, we are now introducing more around the other areas of our business; purposely promoting opportunities for progression both within service verticals as well as what movement across different areas of FM looks like. It’s our responsibility to raise the profile of the facilities management industry among
