Facilitate April 2019

April A Ap Apri Apr pril 2 20 2019 19 9 / Fac Facilit FacilitateMagazine.com ilit lit ita ateM teM agaz agazine. gazine. ne e com om

Taster edition

SOCIAL SOURCING Government puts social value at the heart of procurement A HIGHER CALLING Why the university estate of 2050 might be more luxurious SMALL CHANGE Is the outsourced service sector becoming more suitable for SME players?

UNIVERSITIES CHALLENGED

Funding, falling student numbers, technology – the factors affecting managers of higher education estates

FAC I LITATE APRIL 2019

CONTENTS ANA LYS I S

6 U NKIN D CUTS Most councils will raise council tax and charges to make up for government cuts 8 SO CI AL IMPAC T G AIN S The government aims to boost social value in public procurement contracts 10 LEARN IN G CURVE S The chancellor has outlined measures to help businesses with apprenticeships

COM M UNI TY

KNOW LE DGE

3 4 PE R SPE C T IV E S The four most interesting and insightful opinions on FM this month

43 EASY DESCENT Evac+Chair offers users with mobility issues a swift emergency exit

3 7 A BIT A BOU T YOU Brendon St. Catherine, facilities manager at Gaucho Restaurants

44 A NEW TWIST Upfront planning helps FMs to justify their case to finance and leadership

3 8 THINK TA NK Our takeaways on topics and trends that could affect your business decisions

45 YE S VS NO How FMs can keep clients happy without driving themselves mad

40 A PR IL @ IWF M The people and projects currently informing IWFM activity

46 LE V E L PE GGING Your guide to creating a nonhierarchical workplace culture

41 C A LL S TO AC T ION The events, surveys and discussions that deserve your attention

53 COM M A ND A ND PROT E C T The Good Work Plan aims to guarantee workers’ protections

LONG FORM

11 NO IS E S OFF Noisy workplaces are having a negative impact on workers’ overall well-being 15 WO RK-B AS E D ROUTE MAPS The IWFM emphasises the benefits of a flexible apprenticeship system

WHAT WE DO

Facilitate is the magazine of the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM).

For fourteen years we were known as FM World, changing our name in this January to reflect the British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) relaunching as the IWFM in November of 2018.

16

LESSONS IN RELEVANCE Universities need to do more to attract students amid falling numbers and uncertain funding.

How should estates teams respond to the challenge?

22

HIGHER CALLING How demographic and technological changes are set to affect the way higher education estates are managed and developed.

– your magazine

Facilitate keeps IWFM members and others up-to-date on all workplace and facilities management issues, ensuring you are informed of the very latest developments and thinking.

Within the magazine, as well as online, we also provide readers with a forum for topical debate.

Our monthly print edition, as well as the daily newsletters we

publish on every work day, make Facilitate your first port of call for the latest in workplace and facilities management. You’ll find analysis of research and legislation, insight from critical opinion-formers, service sector business news, case studies, best practice. event reports and much more.

Got a story for us? Get in touch via editorial@facilitatemagazine.com

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INSIDE 08 10 11 13 15

Government to shake up public procurement contracts Chancellor focuses on SME apprenticeships Noise at work is impairing health and productivity, survey reveals Newsmakers: The top stories from Facilitate online last month IWFM Policy: Apprenticeships: The work-based route into our profession

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY

N

early all councils plan to raise council tax this year and increase charges to make up for cuts in central government funding, according to a survey by a local government think tank.

The 2019 State of Local Government Finance Survey has found that more than half (53 per cent) of councils are eating into their reserves to stay afloat, says the Local Government Information Unit.

The research underlines concerns over recent years of how cuts to local government have affected services including facilities management. Councils have been looking at different models to deliver services, including joint venture models.

The LGIU’s research shows that four out of five local authorities (81 per cent) are investing in commercial developments while nearly half plan cuts to services.

Eight in 10 senior council decisionmakers believe the current system for council funding is unsustainable.

A quarter of councils say the public would notice planned cuts to services in the coming year.

Worryingly, the financial situation is so bad for one in 20 councils (22 councils in England) that they are concerned that they will not be able to deliver the legal minimum service to residents.

Environment and waste was named second in the list of top long-term concerns (17 per cent of councils place it top). Almost a quarter of councils (22 per cent) claim they are planning reductions in service levels within waste collection owing to budget constraints, and one in 10 plans to reduce recycling (11 per cent).

Local authorities have seen their central funding reduced by 40 per cent on average, states the report.

Respondents to the survey admit that they would be further reducing

LOCA L GOVERNM E N T

NEW FINANCIAL YEAR: TAX HIKES AND SPENDING CUTS WORDS: HERPREET K AUR G R E WA L

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LO N G FO R M

ED U C AT I O N E S TAT E S

LESSONS IN RELEVANCE Universities need to do more to attract students amid dwindling numbers, uncertain future funding and a shift towards online learning – with estates teams involved in dealing with the consequences. Nick Martindale speaks to facilities and estates professionals about adapting to deliver on these demands I L LU S T R AT I O N : S A M FA LC O N E R

O

n the face of it, the UK’s university sector is in fairly robust health. It spends around £3 billion a year in capital expenditure and income in the 2016-17 academic year exceeded £33.4 billion, according to the latest Higher Education Estates Management Report for 2018, produced by the Association of University Directors of Estates (AUDE). (See figures, p.25.)

However, the sector faces a number of challenges, each with implications for estates. Overall student numbers are falling – and are likely to continue to do so for more years yet – while the number of people living at home and travelling into university is increasing.

Potential future changes to tuition fees or the use of virtual technology only serve to add to the uncertainty faced by directors of estates and their teams.

Universities need to compete to attract students, and the campus or facilities play a vital role in enabling them to do that. According to Sodexo’s 2017 global University Lifestyle Survey, having an attractive campus is seen as the most important ‘environmental’ factor when choosing a university, chosen by 37 per cent of students.

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LO N G FO R M

ED U C AT I O N E S TAT E S

*

AUDE AUDIT

*The Association of University Directors of Estates gathers data from its 160 members in the UK FINANCE

POTENTIAL

BREXIT COSTS

The higher education sector grew by

T O TA L

P RO P E RT Y C O S T S

35%

£2bn in one year

EU research funding generates more than

Repairs and maintenance

20%

5.6% 19,000 13% 14% 10% £33.4bn Capex grew by

Energy

UK jobs and £1.86 billion for the UK economy

across the UK

This equates to

University income across the UK grew by 3 per cent to

of all UK income from research grants

Cleaning

Security

S I Z E O F E S TAT E S

1.7m students

Estates have grown to more than

1.2m

home undergraduate students

22m 400,000 2

which equates to 52 Shards

staff

25

Student numbers at research institutions have climbed by 4 per cent and by 2 per cent at teaching institutions

FacilitateMagazine.com / April 2019

E N V I RO N M E N TA L Carbon emissions are falling – now between

55 and 95

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kgCO2e/m2

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INSIDE 34 36 37 38 41

Perspectives – four original opinion pieces FM @ Large – seen and heard this month Behind the Job – Brendon St. Catherine Think Tank – Is outsourcing set to suit more SMEs? Calls to action – events worthy of your attention

T

he International Data Corporation (IDC) says the amount of data could grow from 33 Zettabytes (ZB) in 2018 to 175 ZB by 2025. For your information: a Zettabyte is equal to 1,021 bytes.

A Zettabyte sounds like a term worth discussing, but our focus here is on the more familiar-sounding 5G, the type of tech upgrade necessary to cope with these huge amounts of data.

PHOTOGRAPHY: SHUTTERSTOCK

It’s very fast

5G is a significant upgrade from 4G, with its speed expected to surpass 1Gb/s (1000Mbit/s) during the early roll-out phase. That speed could climb to 10Gb/s (10000Mbit/s) – 100 times faster than standard 4G. This speed is necessary to deal with the 200 billion IoT-connected devices estimated to be in operation by 2020 (equating to 26 smart devices per person).

5G’s appeal is the latency (delay) rate of 9 to 12 milliseconds, which, as Robert Boyanovsky, vicepresident of enterprise mobility at AT&T Business, is reported as saying, is faster than a human eye processes images (13 milliseconds, according to MIT research).

A report from O2 last year, predicts that 5G will: Deliver £6 billion a year in productivity savings; Save homeowners £450 a year through smart fridges, smart grids and EVs, which would lower food, council and fuel bills; Earn councils £2.8 billion a year in savings through

VIEW POINT

smart bins and intelligent lighting; and Free up 1.1 million GP hours a year through improved remote health services on the NHS. The government is pushing for 5G roll-out by connecting 15 million premises to full fibre broadband by 2025 and

THE B E ST O F THE S E C TO R’ S DI S C U S S I O N A N D DE BATE coverage across the country by 2033 – a necessary requirement for 5G coverage.

How it works

5G differs from previous generations as it is best thought of a network of different technologies.

It uses higher airwaves but shorter wavelengths than 4G or 3G, so it’s more easily blocked by physical

BUZZWORDS

5G

Each month we explain the background to phrases you may be hearing, or the key issues currently making waves

objects and cannot travel such long distances. This requires multiple input and multiple output (MIMO) antennae as well as smaller transmitters on buildings and in public spaces.

The upshot is that 5G will support about 1,000 more devices per metre than 4G, according to 5g.co.uk. Note that 5G also dramatically boosts upload as well as download speeds – important for linking up all those low-power IoT sensors. 5G is also likely to change how telecoms are specified in buildings, with options for less cabling and more adaptable fit-outs – and for some organisations, an entirely 5G-enabled mobile network.

Goodbye wi-fi?

When is it coming?

This summer, the mobile network EE is launching a 5G network in London, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Belfast, Birmingham and Manchester with 10 more cities scheduled to have it by the end of the year.

Three, Vodafone and O2 have also confirmed their plans to do similar y the end of 2019.

By the way, you’re going to need a new mobile.

That pitiful 4G device you think is cutting edge is about to become as useful WasWaW. I W F M .O RG .U K paperweight.

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V I E W P O I NT

SEEN AND HEARD

“I SHARE YOUR VIEW THAT MENOPAUSE CAUSES MORE OLES WOMEN TO LEAVE SENIOR ROLES THAN IS ACKNOWLEDGED. I WOULD ALSO THROW INTO THE MIX CARING FOR AGEING PARENTS, WHICH IS OFTEN A FEMALE ROLE. WE ALL HAVE A LOT TO LEARN BUT IMPROVING THESE ISSUES COULD HAVE A REALLY POSITIVE IMPACT ON PRODUCTIVITY FOR UK PLC.” JANE WYNNE, DIRECTOR OR QUADRIX REAL ESTATE LTD, RESPONDS TO N LINKEDIN ARTICLE WRITTEN BY MJ MAPP’S POLLY PLUNKETCHECKEMIAN ABOUT THE PLIGHT OF MENOPAUSAL WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE

“Studies show remote workers can be happier and more productive. Yet many managers think “people will screw around if we aren’t there to watch them.”

ANDREW STENHOUSE, A PROFESSOR OF ORGANISATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY AT VANGUARD UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, POINTS OUT THE DISCREPANCY BETWEEN REALITY AND EXPECTATION

“Oscar-winner Olivia Colman used to be a cleaner, she told the world during her acceptance speech. I know cleaners, I work with lots of cleaners. I know what they do and how hard they have to work without much praise or glory. To my mind all cleaners should get an Oscar for the dedication and hard work they display every day.”

DAVID WHEELER, LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONAL, FACILITATOR AND ILM LEVEL 7 COACH, RECOGNISES THE HARD WORK PERFORMED IN THE SECTOR

Ideas and comments made made around tthe sector this month

FM@LARGE “Yes, but let’s be honest, clearly the business case argument isn’t stacking up.

The #GenderPayGap (generally) shows the inequity between men and women at a senior level. The business case is sound but it’s clearly not enough ... therefore other drivers are at work!”

KATH FONTANA, MD, GOVERNMENT AND CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AT MITIE, POINTS OUT THE PERVASIVE ISSUE OF GENDER PAY INEQUALITY

“415 global investors managing $32 trillion in assets warn governments that ignoring action against #ClimateBreakdown could cause permanent economic damage up to 4x the size of the 2008 financial crisis” MUNISH DATTA, UKGBC CONSULTANT, LINKS THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CLIMATE WITH THE THREAT OF ECONOMIC DISASTER

NOTED&QUOTED “D YOU KNOW YOU CAN IMPROVE #WELLBEING “DID IN THE #WORKPLACE BY BRINGING THE OOUTDOORS INSIDE? STONES, WATER, SUNLIGHT AAND PLANTS BOOST TEAM MEMBERS’ WELLBEING, WWHICH INCREASES #PRODUCTIVITY AS WELL AS MMAKES YOUR TEAM HAPPIER, HEALTHIER AND FA FACED WITH LESS #STRESS.” EM EMILY PARKS, PRODUCTIVITY CONSULTANT AT O ORGANIZE FOR SUCCESS, OFFERS ADVICE ON IM IMPROVING WELL-BEING IN THE WORKPLACE

“It isn’t always about what trends you’re seeing as a #leader. The best way to know what #trends will TO ACCESS THE impact your #workplace FULL VERSION the most is to reach out to the source – your team.

OF FACILITATE #leadership #futurism”MAGAZINE, JOIN IWFM LINDA SHARKEY, FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE MARSHALL GOLDSMITH GROUP, ARGUES FOR THE IMPORTANCE OF TEAM FEEDBACK

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V I E W P O I NT

A B IT AB O UT YO U

BRENDON ST. CATHERINE is facilities manager at Gaucho Restaurants

portfolio comprises of 16 restaurants located across England and Scotland. I lead on all facilities-related matters.

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

attractive once I was introduced to it and understood that by creating a task on CAFM, I was able to allocate a resource to go and resolve an issue. I encountered FM on a G4S PFI contract. While a part-time administrator, I was mentored

by Alain Ilunga, whereby I supervised a help-desk and my first projects were transforming paper-based audits on to IOS software.

How long have you been in your current role? Two years and three months. This is my first position in the hospitality industry, and it has exposed me to different scenarios relating to compliance, operations and leadership.

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

I’m more task-oriented due to the volume of tasks to be completed. But I favour a people management approach when operating on a day-to-day basis. It is important to be able to flex between both principles.

BEHIND THE JOB

BRENDON ST. CATHERINE Would you describe your role as predominantly operational or strategic?

“LEARNING FROM SOME OF THE GREATEST CHEFS, MIXOLOGISTS AND OPERATORS HAS DEFINITELY HELPED WITH MY CULINARY KNOWLEDGE”

Operation is the core focus now, but I’m keen to take on strategic responsibilities.

How many people are there in your FM team, and who does the FM team ultimately report to?

There’s only two of us in the team as the structure in the group is slightly different from most organisations. I report to the property and estates manager, but as a department we report directly to the CFO.

What has been your biggest career challenge to date? Last year the

business went through an administration process.

Delivering a service during this time was challenging. I felt like every skill I had mastered was redundant. The process resulted in bettering my existing skill set and I’m proud of getting through this and confidently moving forward following acquisition.

My top perk at work is… I’d

definitely say free steaks, but I wouldn’t limit it to that. We have fantastic people within the business and learning from some of the greatest chefs, mixologists and operators has definitely helped with my culinary knowledge and skills.

Any interesting tales to tell? When I was in primary

school I relocated to Antigua & Barbuda before returning to the UK.

What single piece of advice would you give to a young facilities manager starting out? Don’t be scared to be

different, and approach things in your own way. Remember that FM is a science, so some of it can be taught. However, charisma, empathy and emotional intelligence can’t be mastered by everyone.

What was the weirdest day you’ve had in the office?

The strangest thing reported was a guest walking into a WC with a stepladder and removing a surface-mounted speaker from the ceiling and commenting on whether the other guest should wash their hands or not – very bizarre.

What FM job in the world would you love more than anything? Global FM for a

major hotel brand – ideally, Riu or Royalton.

And where would FM be an absolute nightmare?

Probably Brighton Pier.

Your life outside FM mostly involves… I’m the personal manager for a singer who is

to make THE waves in the If I wasn’t in facilities TOstarting ACCESS music VERSION industry nationally management, I’d probably FULL and internationally, so most be… A childcare practitioner. OF FACILITATE

of my time outside of work MAGAZINE, JOIN IWFM involves late-night rehearsal

When I left school I wanted to complete an NVQ in childcare and to open my own nursery.

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WW W. I W F M .O RG .U K sessions, radio interviews and/ or concerts.

PHOTOGRAPHY: SHUTTERSTOCK/GETTY/ISTOCK

What do you do? My

INSIDE

44 45 46 50 52

Justine Cooper: Don’t be like Oliver Twist Chandra Hughes: Yes versus no Ceri Henfrey: On our level Mark Taylor: Coming clean on air quality Mike Boxall: Benchmark interest

KNOW HOW THE L ATE ST L E A RN I N G A N D BE ST P RAC TI CE

E VACUATI ON CH A I R

GOING DOWN

W

e’re all familiar with the warning: ‘In case of fire/ emergency, do not use the lifts. Use the stairs.’

And for most in the workplace, it’s just a swift descent down the staircase. The challenge is more acute for colleagues and building users with mobility issues or who are wheelchair-bound or injured.

The makers of Evac+Chair suggest that even those with anxiety could struggle to make it safely down the stairs, as would those with respiratory illnesses.

For these reasons, being able to help transport a less able colleague to safety during an emergency is vital.

Using a lightweight, self-braking chair with friction track technology, a single person can control the descent of the chair occupied by the impaired person, although the manufacturer warns that certain conditions might require two people to support the chair’s descent, such as when there are plastic or synthetic stair edges, heavy passengers or steep-angled stairs.

Also some of the eight different models, such as the IBEX5 Transeat and the 600H evacuation chair, require at least two people to operate it. These models can also ascend and descend a staircase. The former uses traction belts connected to the stair nosing, while the 600H uses two retractable carrying handles to assist the ascent.

Although it is simple to use, Evac+Chair recommends staff training to use the chair effectively. This can be done during a twoand-half-hour course that deals with the chair’s practical applications.

It is also important to note that because these chairs are categorised by the Class 1 Medical Device Directive, licensed by the Medical Health Regulatory Authority (MHRA), they require servicing every months.

W Wsix W. to I W12 FM .O RG .U K

PHOTOGRAPHY: CLIVE BLAIR

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K N OW H OW

PERSONAL SKILLS

JUSTINE COOPER is a committee member on the IWFM Procurement SIG and an experienced procurement, FM and consultancy professional

invest in its locations or will it move elsewhere? Does the business have cash available to spend? Anything you ask for needs to be realistic and aligned to the overall direction of travel. There is no point in a major redecoration project if the company is about to change its corporate livery.

B U D GE T NE G OT IAT IO NS

DON’T BE LIKE OLIVER TWIST

2

What’s in it for me?

tries (and fails) to run away.

When asking for money, don’t be like Oliver Twist.

Remember the maxim: ‘Fail to prepare, prepare to fail’. Invest time in upfront planning so you sound knowledgeable and feel confident. Start at a high level and work down to the detail.

Here are tips to help you own the conversation and ask confidently for what you need:

Can you tell a story that appeals to your leadership?

Know your audience and put yourself in their shoes. Think what they want to achieve and show how you can contribute to this through investment in the buildings. If the buildings host customer visits or events, think of the impact and impression. If the business focus is on saving money, show the ROI for your proposals.

If it’s all about employee experience – demonstrate how your investment benefits employees.

1

3

Have a plan

4

Know your numbers

Negotiating budgets is never easy but there are ways that FMs can strengthen their case for finance and leadership, says Justine Cooper

Seek first to understand

Show the projected plans for the estate for future years as well as the forthcoming year for which you are discussing budgets.

It’s easier for finance and leadership to buy into your plans if they see where they fit into the big picture.

What is the strategy of the business? Does it want to

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY

R

emember the film Oliver!? The small boy approaches the forbidding Mr Bumble, raises his bowl and timidly says: “Please sir, I want some more.” The incredulous Mr Bumble replies “More?” and Oliver

44 4

Prepare these in detail and be ready to substantiate them. Ensure any assumptions are clear and show how you used them in the calculations.

For major investment requests, consider showing different cost options so leadership can choose between ‘gold, silver or bronze’ options. Demonstrate how you will secure the best value. If you have access to a procurement team, get help with this.

FacilitateMagazine.com / April 2019 FacilitateMagazin

5

Prioritise!

6

Manage your audience

Show the criteria you’ve used to come to your recommendations. Safetycritical spend proposals should always be first, along with those where delaying investment risks critical infrastructure damage. Listing priorities makes it easier for finance and leadership to see where the line can be drawn.

Start by seeking out senior leaders informally in advance or, if you can’t access them directly, members of their first line. Run your ideas past them and ask open questions to find out what matters to them.

At your budget request meeting, you can refer to these conversations: “When I was speaking to so-and-so, they highlighted the importance of hosting customer events next year.”

This way you demonstrate you have listened and acted on what you have heard. Also present any feedback from your site occupiers. Good data backs up your proposals. After any meetings, complete your actions or respond quickly to leadership on any questions before someone else gets the budget instead.

Closing thoughts

No one likes having difficult conversations about money, but being well prepared will boost your confidence and reassure the leadership, who will then have faith in the accuracy of your numbers.

Showing how you can contribute to the business through making the right choices on investing in your estate makes you less of an Oliver more of K a W W Twist W. I W and F M .O RG .U trusted adviser.

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+

For more FM business news, analysis and contract wins, sign up for the FM World daily newsletter at www.facilitatemagazine.com/news/e-zine

INDICATORS

DATA

The facts, figures and projections worth being aware of

U S EF U L S TAT I S T I C S

81% 76 Construction industry must reduce plastic use

A survey conducted by Considerate Constructors Scheme found that 81% of respondents felt that the construction industry was not doing enough to reduce its consumption of plastics and packaging.

Economy

TALL BUILDINGS

London’s skyline to boom with tall buildings

Research by New London Architecture has revealed that 76 tall buildings are due to be completed in London by 2019, with a record 541 towers with 20 or more storeys either planned or already under construction.

60%

£11.6bn Commercial disputes cost SMEs £11.6bn a year

70% of 5.7 million small enterprises are facing hefty legal bills because of commercial disputes, states the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

60% of Scots hospitality workers under stress

Long hours, poor work-life balance and a high-pressure working environment were cited as the three biggest causes of work-related stress and mental health problems, a survey commissioned by trade event ScotHot found. tinyurl.com/ FacMag0419-hospitality

AI to affect 130,000 employees’ jobs

Artificial intelligence is likely to affect 130,000 employees’ jobs, according to a report by the Partnership for Public Service with the superb title of More Than Meets AI. tinyurl.com/FacMag0419-AI

E-retailers must reduce packaging waste

VAT rates: Standard rate — 20 per cent Reduced rate — 5 per cent Source: GOV.UK

Bank of England base rate: 0.75 per cent as of 16 November 2018 Source: Bank of England (bankofengland.co.uk)

Consumer Price Index (CPI): The CPI was 1.8% in January, down from 2.0% in December 2018. The largest downward contribution to the change in the 12-month rate came from electricity, gas and other fuels, with prices overall falling between Dec 2018 and Jan 2019 compared with price rises the same time a year ago. These downward effects were partly offset by air fares, with prices falling between Dec 2018 and Jan 2019 by less than a year ago.

Source: www.ons.gov.uk

130,000

75%

Rates

A survey of 1,000 UK respondents by delivery management company Whistl has revealed that 75% of adults in the nation want less packaging used in online shopping. tinyurl.com/FacMag0419-whistl

2030 Offshore wind to yield 33% of UK power by 2030

National Minimum Living Wage Category of Current Hourly worker hourly rate from rate April 2019 25 and over £7.83 21-24

18-20

Under 18

Apprentice

(under 19 or aged 19 or over and in the first year of their apprenticeship

The Energy and clean growth Minister, Claire Perry, has announced that offshore wind energy is set to provide a third of all UK electricity by 2030, generating thousands of jobs. tinyurl.com/ FacMag0419-offshore

NHBC OK’d 50-plus towers with risky cladding

Employment

£7.38

£5.90 £4.20

£3.70

£8.21

£7.70 £6.15

£4.35

£3.90

Real UK Living Wage

TOLocation ACCESS THE of Hourly rate FULL VERSION worker from April 2016 OF FACILITATE UK Living £9.00 Wage MAGAZINE, JOIN IWFM

The National House Building Council signed off on more than 50 towers now known to have dangerous Grenfell-style cladding systems, an Inside Housing magazine investigation reveals.

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Living £10.55 WLondon W W. I W F M .O RG .U K Wage

BAC K PAG E

EPHFMERA

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:

The stories that just don’t fit anywhere else (Email us: editorial@facilitatemagazine.com)

I

WFM’s London conference saw a debate as current as it’s possible to be in 2019 with panellists and audience discussing the potential for facilities services being delivered by organisations whose structure and approach would be similar to Uber, the ubiquitous international taxi firm.

Points in favour: greater granular control of service for individual end-users better served with what they want, when they want it. (Something already happening as firms embrace existing Uber-sttyle services such as Deliveroo.)

Against: perceived downward pressure on wages and ‘Big Digital’ firms taking an unacceptable cut into sub-contractors’ margins. (JustEast’s bite of takeaway firms’ prices was mentioned by way of example.)

The big question, though: what if some or other ‘Big Digital’ behemoth comes in and steals the FM market from those already serving it?

Cue perfectly understandable concerns about whether the individual facilities personnel sourced by such a service to cover a short-term requirement would be sufficiently qualified, and the understandable problem of attempting to enforce such minimum skills levels.

This issue of a potential big new player introducing more volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity – VUCA – into the market for facilities services was addressed

Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management Charringtons House, 1st Floor South, The Causeway, Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire CM23 2ER, UK

Uber über alles?

Panel debate at the IWFM London Region Conference

Tel: +44 (0)1279 712 620 Email: admin@iwfm.org.uk Web: www.iwfm.org.uk

Redactive Publishing Ltd 78 Chamber Street London E1 8BL www.facilitatemagazine.com EDITOR Martin Read 020 7880 7664 martin.read@facilitatemagazine.com

DEPUTY EDITOR Bradford Keen 020 7880 7615 bradford.keen@facilitatemagazine.com NEWS EDITOR Herpreet Grewal 020 7880 8544 newsdesk@facilitatemagazine.com

SUB-EDITOR Deborah Shrewsbury 020 7880 6223 deborah.shrewsbury@redactive.co.uk SENIOR DESIGNER David Twardawa 020 7324 2704 david.twardawa@redactive.co.uk PICTURE EDITOR Claire Echavarry 020 7324 2701 claire.echavarry@redactive.co.uk (l-r) Jason Cousins, Julian Kelly, CJ Green and Chris Moriarty discuss the potential Uberisation of facilities services

memorably at a Workplace Futures conference back in 2017. Professor John Hinks spoke then of the need for this profession to present a new approach to the emerging decentralised and more indivividual-centric workplace.

A data-led, service-led FM model focused around the individual was Hinks’ mantra.

As for the outsourced service sector, here’s a thought: how about all of the UK’s providers pooling together to make their services available through a single Uber-esque portal / app?

Sensible? Not particularly.

Fanciful? Oh, absolutely. But in a world in which everyone keeps telling us to worry about that nameless ‘Big Digital’ giant coming to ‘eat our lunch’, the idea of sealing that lunch up in a Tupperware container and striking back at the empire before it strikes first (?) is at least an interesting one.

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FacilitateMagazine.com / April 2019

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