FM World April 2017 taster edition

I N F O R M I N G FA C I L I T I E S M A N A G E M E N T P R O F E S S I O N A L S

fm-world.co.uk / April 2017

TA ST E R E D I T I O N

What the focus on both mental and physical health means for FM teams and end-users alike

WELL-BEING

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62% HYDRATION HY

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69% ACTIVE

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F M WO R LD APRIL 2017

CONTENTS COM M UNI TY

24 PE R SPE C T IV E S The four most interesting and insightful opinions on FM this month 27 A BIT A BOU T YOU Adam Perkins tells tales away from the riverbank

KNOW LE DGE

37 LIGHT OF DAY How we react to changing light intensities and colour temperatures

28 T HINK TA NK Are you providing a destination, not just an office??

ANA LYS I S

9 TAI LO RI NG YOUR WORK PL ACE Is easing the toll of musculoskeletal disorders just a matter of adjustment?

38 A BIT OF RNR What FM can learn from probation’s approach to people behaving badly

3 0 A PR IL @ BIF M The people and projects currently informing BIFM activity

10 TH E FO RG OTTE N IS S UE The Institute of Directors is raising awareness of mental health at work

3 4 C A LL S TO AC T ION The events, surveys and discussions that deserve your attention

41 A BR IGHTE R WAY The influence of efficient lighting on employee well-being

12 ADVANCE OF THE ROBOTS A study reveals that 84 per cent of firms are using artificial intelligence

42 TIM E TO SWITC H Illuminating the advantages of the ‘as a service’ lighting model

1 4 M ANAGI NG IN THE MOME N T Listen in to FM World’s recent webinar about the future of data management

44 R E M E D IA L AC T IO N What FMs should know about the risks posed by land contamination

15 NEWS MAK E RS The stories proving most popular with FM World’s online visitors this month

6 6 OSTRICHES VS FMS A tale of African wildlife in an incongruous setting

FM World’s in-depth analysis section 48 UNDER PRESSURE The toll that stress in the workplace can wreak on workers’ mental health has long been a taboo subject – but no more. And for facilities managers, the problem is one facing end-user occupiers and facilities team personnel alike.

50 DESIGN FOR LIVING Workers spend a third of the day or more in the workplace, so it makes sense that wellness programmes begin there. Promoting employee health is proving beneficial for organisations, and FM is on the front line.

54 WHAT’S NEXT? Well-being’s rise up the corporate agenda has been compelling.

But what can facilities managers really do to affect an end-user’s level of happiness?

What will fast-evolving well-being best practice mean for FM?

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60 WELL = TO-DO? Two new building standards focused on the well-being of occupants have been A P R I L’ S TO P I C brought from the US WELL-BEING IN to the UK in recent THE WORKPLACE months, their value increasingly felt by investors,Wdevelopers W W. B I F M .O RG .U K / F M WJ O I N and occupiers alike.

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F RO NT D E S K A N A LY S I S

policies in their organisations.

It also suggests that larger businesses should ensure that mental health awareness and training is more integrated into the organisation.

The scale of such problems in the UK is rarely put in context.

One in six adults in the UK has experienced episodes related to a common mental disorder in the past week – that’s 10 times the number of people who attend a professional football match every weekend.

Last month, the Office of National Statistics also revealed that men in the lowest-skilled occupations have a 44 per cent higher risk of suicide than the male national average. The risk among men in skilled trades was rated 35 per cent higher.

The risk of suicide among low-skilled male labourers, particularly those working in construction, was three times higher than the national average for men. The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has also urged bosses to acknowledge the growing risk of suicide in construction-related professions, citing a recent report

“ONE IN SIX ADULTS IN THE UK HAS EXPERIENCED EPISODES RELATED TO A COMMON MENTAL DISORDER IN THE PAST WEEK”

R E S E A RCH

Stress at work: the UK picture More than half of directors – 54 per cent – have been spoken to about mental health concerns by their staff, including feelings of burnout or stress.

54%

from the mental health charity Samaritans (see feature, p.49).

The crisis is not going away any time soon.

1 in 10

Data gathered by mental health charity Mind, to give an insight into the mental health of 15,000 employees participating in its first Workplace Wellbeing Index, indicated that 53 per cent of staff who had disclosed poor mental health at work said they felt supported, with 72 per cent saying that they had been made aware of support tools such as Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs), counselling, staff support network or informal buddying systems.

adults has severe mental disorder symptoms

28%

of women aged 16-24 report a common mental disorder

1 in 5

adults has had suicidal thoughts at some point in their lives, and one in 20 in the past year

More than 6% of adults have self-harmed

1 in 20

HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IN THE WORKPLACE?

If you have specific grounds for concern, such as impaired performance, it is important to talk about these at an early stage. Ask questions in an open, exploratory and non-judgmental way.

How important do you believe a workforce with good mental health is to performance of a business organisation?

When talking to an employee, the three points to remember are: don’t assume stress affects everyone equally. Make adjustments if a person is stressed, and ‘chats’ should be positive and supportive – exploring the issues and how you can help.” fm-world.co.uk

Neither important nor unimportnant

81.06

%

%

Not at all important

TO ACCESS THE FULL VERSION OF FM 0.25 0.00 2.09 16.48% MAGAZINE, %WORLD JOIN BIFM Not very important

You might find it helpful to use open questions that allow the

About one in 20 adults is currently suffering from acute PTSD

Quite important

The Department of Health recommends “regular work planning sessions, appraisals or informal chats about progress are all ordinary management processes which provide neutral and non-stigmatising opportunities to find out about any problems an employee may be having.

employee maximum opportunity to express concerns in his or her own way.

Very important

PHOTOGRAPHY: SHUTTERSTOCK

Department of Health guidelines suggest that once you have recognised a colleague has a problem, there are a number of techniques that can be used to successfully manage the situation.

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DATA M ANAG E M E NT

DATA: MANAGING IN THE MOMENT WORDS: MARTIN RE AD

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M’s ability to demonstrate the best possible performance from each member of facilities service personnel is paramount, and a datadriven approach to planning, monitoring, measuring and maximising the engagement and performance of the FM workforce can be transformational. Our recent webinar addressed this topic in depth – you can access the full hour event, or individual audio snippets, by visiting tinyurl.com/FMW0417Webinar. Meanwhile, here are some highlight quotes from the day.

PHOTOGRAPHY: SHUTTERSTOCK

GAVIN ENGLAND Industry insights manager, Kronos

“Putting a system in place to show the exact hours worked, holidays, absence, what activities have been performed when, and by who, is a good idea, but combining this with pay and overtime rates allows you a precise picture of what’s going on. Improved payroll accuracy is an obvious benefit, as is less time on administration. But skills, certification and shift preferences can all be brought in to the mix.

The real value is in analysis of the data and the greater visibility it gives you of your operation; that can be a real gold mine.”

“Millennials want the flexibility to go in to a workforce management solution and change shifts, manage their holidays – they want that sense of empowerment.”

“IT tools are getting so much easier to use. You no longer have to be a data scientist to use them.”

3% 50x 12 % Overall payroll savings

Speed of payroll processing

SARAH HODGE Strategic workplace and FM expert at FMP360 specialising in cultural and behavioural transformation / strategic relationship management

“There is a vast amount of data out there, but if we in FM don’t have the skills to work out what amongst that data will have the biggest impact on our clients, it’s useless. We need to focus on our clients’ organisational drivers, to understand what we’re measuring and how, and then to translate that into something which demonstrates its impact on their bottom line.”

“The huge challenge within FM is to access and accumulate key performance data because it’s often

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Contract margin, up from 9% Source: Kronos – an undisclosed client using its workforce management technology

April 2017

stored all over place – in estates departments, in HR and elsewhere.”

“There’s a new skill set required for understanding data flow, and I’m not sure we in FM have the skills to interpret that data, translate it and generate value out of it.”

“What are the critical success factors? People on the front line in FM teams have a huge amount of knowledge and opinions on how long a job takes, or doing it better…

We’ve got to listen to them.”

ANDREW HULBERT Managing director Pareto Facilities Management

“For me, it’s about trying to have some of your work requirements built around the needs of staff.That breeds engagement, and therefore higher efficiency and greater value from staff. Essentially the question is, how does our work fit their life?”

“Frontline staff often don’t realise that all this data exists. When you show them, they’re surprised – and can often suggest new ways of doing things as a result.”

“FM has suffered a lack of quality managers… that’s something we’ve said for the past 20 years. But millennials have grown up with iPads, so they’re tech-ready.”

“It’s also about ensuring your business is agile. All clients are different and the technology you deploy has to adapt to fit.”

“As time goes on, the attraction of managing a low-level cleaning team on minimum wage is getting further away from what young people want to manage. That’s where FM suffers.

The sector needs to show to young talent the opportunities available inWFM, and W W. B I Fthat’s M .O where RG .U Ktheir / F M WJ O I N responding to data comes in.”

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V I E W P O I NT PERSPECTIVES

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We can learn from pub design

Sunrise, sunset – the rhythm of life

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HELEN LOOMES is business development director at Trilux Lighting

volution has accustomed us to sunlight and the natural day / night rhythm.

Natural daylight changes in intensity, colour temperature and direction all according to the season and time of day.

Our biological circadian rhythm responds to this cycle. The secretion of our hormones, which determines whether we feel alert or sleepy or able to concentrate, and even our body temperature is directly influenced by certain wavelengths of light entering through our visual system.

But these stimuli avoid the optic nerve and have a direct pathway to the pineal gland, keeping our internal time clock in tune with the natural passage of time.

With the advent of artificial lighting we have changed the conditions that our bodies rely upon to have a normal sleep/wake cycle.

Many studies are showing us that we can improve concentration and the ability to learn by incorporating the correct lighting. Ideally, we would like a low intensity of light with a warm colour temperature to start the day, then increase the intensity and change to a cooler colour

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partitioning the space.

The Danish term hygge is gaining traction in workplace design. It refers to comfort and a warm fuzzy feeling.

Hygge design can promote well-being, help to re-energise workers and foster social interaction. Pubs offer this and as well as a range of drinks and food, which along with open fireplaces supports our inclination to share.

I’ve had some of my most creative ideas down the pub.

A relaxing eclectic social setting promotes behaviour quite different from that in the sterile corporate world. I know of a few organisations that offer a beer to their staff on a Friday afternoon. It’s usually a mix of education and socialising – and both knowledge sharing and social interaction help build trust – a prerequisite to collaboration.

So it’s not surprising that co-working spaces like WeWork offer free beer to members. Co-working spaces are on the increase, but pubs have always provided such space. And co-working in or around a large ‘kitchen pubs is more appropriate now table’, or secluded nooks that just drinking coffee in with semi-privacy created by them is acceptable – and most screens. The lighting is also offer free Wi-Fi. Just choose selected to enhance each type a nook or snug if you want to of space. Raised floor levels, solo or/ work inOthe mezzanines and balustrades W W W. B I F Mwork .O RG .U K F M WJ I N more open areas to network. create zones without ’m training to be a beer sommelier and also partown Haresfoot Brewery, so I receive regular updates on the industry’s activities from the Morning Advertiser – the pub trade newspaper.

I was interested in a recent article, ‘Top pub interior design trends for 2017’. I have always thought that the pub offers so much more that can influence office design.

Traditionally, pubs had several rooms – a public bar, lounge, family room, or snug. Each was differently arranged and furnished for different purposes. Pubs now tend to be open-plan yet they still offer a range of distinct spaces – stools at the bar

temperature, where the blue wavelength is especially important, to energise us.

Then reverse the process in the evening to have a truly dark sleeping environment.

“NATURAL DAYLIGHT CHANGES IN INTENSITY, COLOUR TEMPERATURE AND DIRECTION” Many bodies are investing in this type of research.

We can have a powerful emotional response to our environment and must not forget other aspects of lighting design when we look at this biological requirement.

Is what makes us think that something is beautiful biologically programmed into us? Maybe we react to a sunset because there is something within that sunset that we now know that we need to function better?

I think this will become the biggest lighting debate over the next five years. As the population grows and living spaces become smaller, the quality of those spaces will become far more important.

fm-world.co.uk

NIGEL OSELAND is is founder of the Workplace Change Organisation and Workplace Unlimited

“CO-WORKING SPACES LIKE WEWORK OFFER FREE BEER TO MEMBERS”

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V I E W P O I NT

A B IT AB O UT YOU

RACHEL CROW is facilities manager at BLM Law LLP

What do you do? I provide

building management services to the Manchester office. We have three sites with over 650 employees. I look after support departments including post room, reception, records management, reprographics & FM team, and outsourced services such as M&E, security and housekeeping.

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

FM by chance after working in office management for several years. I was introduced to BIFM by a former line manage.

BEHIND THE JOB

RACHEL CROW My top perk at work is…

Being in Manchester city centre.

What has been your biggest career challenge to date? I inherited a team of

12 months as FM, having been with BLM for almost 10 years.

over 20 people when I took on the role and with limited line management exposure previously, the thought at first was terrifying. I was learning the role of FM, managing a site with several hundred people and completing a BIFM qualification. It was quite a year!

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

If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be? People

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

certainly more of a task manager, having been in technical roles for most of my career, however, since taking on a large team I have found the people management side really enjoyable and it’s essential to be able to balance both elements in a leadership role.

Would you describe your role as predominantly operational or strategic?

seem to think we are either cleaners or handymen. FM is a diverse industry with a wide variety of services on offer to suit many organisations with supporting their core business.

Any interesting tales to tell?

A favourite of mine is the time we had a cleaner enter a partner’s office with the vacuum cleaner attachment

PHOTOGRAPHY: SHUTTERSTOCK

The majority of my role is operational, but this varies depending on the requirements of the core business and any projects I am responsible for.

“THERE IS DEFINITELY A SHIFT IN THE BALANCE OF MALE/FEMALE LEADERS WITHIN FM AT ALL LEVELS” – not attached to the vacuum – proceeding to clean with the attachment around the floor and just making the noise – [that] always puts a smile on my face.

If I wasn’t in facilities management, I’d probably be… A physiotherapist.

Which FM myth would you most like to put an end to?

That FM is a male-dominated role. The industry is constantly evolving and there is definitely a shift in the balance of male/ female leaders within FM at all levels. I’ve worked in organisations where there is a strong female presence across different disciplines.

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

How many people are there in your FM team, and who does the FM team ultimately report to? I have 20

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

Whether it’s locating the source of a rogue onion that seemed to fall from the sky almost crash-landing on someone, or watching a cleaner empty out all the hole punches to vacuum up the bits is all in a day’s work.

Early bird or night owl?

Usually an early bird, but not so much in the winter.

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

Managing the Las Vegas CityCenter development – it’s one of the world’s largest sustainable developments, covering 67 acres.

And where would FM be an absolute nightmare?

Anywhere remote where a resource can be hard to obtain.

To whom would you most like to say thank you, and why? My fabulous team.

good mentor. Having someone there who has already Your life outside FM overcome the mostly involves? challenges FMs Any spare days are spent with often face will be my husband, often out on able to give a different walks W W W. Bcountry I F M .O RG .U Kwith / F Mour WJ two OIN spin on the challenge at hand.

American Akitas.

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members in my team.

We report to the head of FM, Christine Cheetham.

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K N OW H OW

C AREER DE VELOPMENT

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acilities managers are equipped to identify and remedy a building that is malfunctioning, but they do not have as much training or experience when dealing with the people problems that arise within their teams.

In the world of criminal justice, a discipline that deals with systems as well as people, probation is a commonly used sanction for both offenders in jail as well as those in prison.

It is a means by which an offender can remain under supervision by the criminal justice system without being imprisoned.

Probation practices are relevant to business practices because recidivism affects both.

Principles of effective intervention have long been the pursuit of probation to address both cognitive and behavioural issues, assisting people to make positive changes in their lives. This is not unlike a business scenario where something has gone awry, the issue has been addressed, consequences laid out and the time come to re-establish a team member into the team affected by their negative actions.

Probation in a facilities management context

As facilities managers, says Jon Isaacson, we are used to responding to buildings behaving badly – but may not have in place a framework for managing badly behaving people. A criminal justice system approach based on risk, needs and responsivity (RNR) may allow us fresh insight to better understand and reduce such recurring negative behaviours

If offenders on probation are individuals deemed fit to reintegrate into society but who still require supervision as well as resources to fully transform into productive contributors to their community, then there are many potential correlations to an organisational framework in the business world.

Wise leaders understand that not every employee who fails should be fired, fined or demoted; instead, many require further supervision and training in order to be restored to their prior responsibilities or to reduce the chance of repeating mistakes in the same areas.

In the realm of jurisprudence the term is known as recidivism – the natural habit of criminals cyclically returning to their illegal behaviour.

In business, we too want to prevent recidivism and making the same mistakes in a continuous negative cycle of behaviour that costs time, money, resources or even lives.

Criminal justice would divide an individual’s needs into three components: Risk, Needs and Responsivity (RNR).

Together these elements comprise a model for how to devise the interventions most effective for productive reintegration.

Much like fixing a malfunctioning system within a building, when dealing with people an understanding of the attitudes, behaviours and needs that need targeting to effect change is good business sense for leaders within a business framework dealing

MANAGEMENT PRAC TICE

A BIT OF RNR: WHAT FM CAN LEARN FROM PROBATION fm-world.co.uk

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K N OW H OW

L EG I S L AT I O N E X P L A I N ER

HENRY SIMPSON is commercial director at Adler and Allan

EN VIRO NM E NTAL

CONTAMINATED LAND: WHAT FMS NEED TO KNOW

businesses under Part 1 of the 1990 Act must return their sites to a satisfactory state, with consideration to the land’s original condition, on termination of their activity.

Land remediation expert Henry Simpson looks at the risks posed by land contamination from industrial uses past and present, and outlines the regulations that FMs should consider when dealing with such sites

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ontaminated land is land that because of substances in, on, or under it, presents a high possibility of significant harm to human health or pollution of controlled waters. As well as harm to people, land is legally defined as ‘contaminated land’ where substances are causing, or could cause:

Significant harm to property, protected species, or humans; Significant pollution of lakes, rivers and any other surface waters, or groundwater; or Harm to people as a result of radioactivity.

Contaminants include: Heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium and lead Oils and tars; Chemicals and solvents Gases An estimated 300,000 hectares of land in Great Britain are thought to have been affected to some degree by contamination left by industrial activity.

There are many possible causes, the most likely being leaks

and spillages from pipes or tanks, the disposal of waste materials on the site, or the demolition of buildings containing toxic elements such as asbestos.

Active sites will undergo a land investigation if the core use of the land is changing, or in the event of a sale or acquisition, but FMs may also need to consider exploring a site’s contamination levels to prepare for new buildings or machinery, as land remediation will be a condition of planning consent. An application for an environmental permit would also call for the investigation of active land.

A land investigation is necessary before any activities as often there aren’t easy-to-spot signs – unless the situation is critical – meaning contaminated land is only discovered during an investigation. Some contaminants, such as petrol, if present, may be visible, or

carry a distinct smell, but most are without characteristics.

Another indication that land may be contaminated is in the event of a noticeable increase in substance use that could be attributed to a leak from tanks or pipework.

The legal framework

Great Britain has a thorough legal framework to defend public health from the effects of contaminated land.

According to the government the most important piece of legislation is Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, amended in 2006 to include radioactively contaminated land.

This outlines what is meant by the term ‘contaminated land’ and states rules on the reuse of active sites such as petrol stations, whereby the land must stand unused for two years before any new building goes ahead.

Permits issued to many inherently polluting

AN ESTIMATED 300,000 HECTARES OF LAND IN GREAT BRITAIN ARE THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED TO SOME DEGREE BY CONTAMINATION fm-world.co.uk

Land remediation

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Land can only be considered contaminated where a pollutant linkage – a contaminant source linked to a receptor via a pathway – is present. Land can be remediated by removal of the pollutant source, by containing the source or by breaking the pollutant linkage in some other way. These techniques include: Physical remediation, such as excavation and disposal of contaminated soils in operational environments.

Biological remediation techniques: ex situ soil remediation and in situ groundwater remediation.

Chemical remediation: in situ chemical oxidation for treatment of groundwater and ex-situ chemical oxidation for soil remediation.

The cost of land remediation falls to the original polluter, but where they cannot be traced, by the current owner or the local authority. It will be their responsibility to engage a remediation specialist to determine a risk assessment and a plan of action following a screening and evaluation of groundwater and/or soil remediation options.

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ENABLING PRODUC TIVE ENVIRONMENTS FOR PEOPLE AND BUSINESS

Well, well, well…

Physical, mental and environmental – the three-pronged approach to well-being in 2017

STRESS TEST Dealing with mental health in the workplace

A BUILDING’S BIOLOGY What’s driving the WELL Building juggernaut?

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W W W. B I F M .O RG .U K / F M WJ O I N Why well-being is top of the corporate agenda

FAC I LITATE

M EN TA L H E A LT H

“Many people who work in socalled ‘hard’ technical professions are loath to display apparent weakness by asking for help so the situation continues to fester and deteriorate, with potentially tragic consequences,” explains McLaughlin. “Everyone is busy, so asking them to slow down and listen is asking a lot. Yet, giving someone the gift of allowing them to confide and unload is incredibly precious,” he adds.

“MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES SHOULD NOT BE STIGMATISED AND YOU SHOULDN’T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP”

Outside strains

Another challenge for mental health and the workplace is the response for employees who are caring for people. “Carers are at a higher risk of developing mental health issues and usually don’t see that there is a risk to themselves until they are suffering themselves from lack of sleep or lack of support,” says Nick Brook, head of facilities at Mills & Reeve LLP. These situations are especially challenging because they are one step removed from the workplace but still have a profound impact on it. “Rarely, in my experience, will someone approach a line manager and say they need help.

It’s important for the line manager to be aware of the situation and in many cases broach the topic in a caring way and offer support, be it time off, reduced hours, counselling, or the suggestion to go to the doctor,” says Brook.

There are of course difficulties in handling stress and mental health issues.

“From a company perspective there is always a stigma issue that is attached to mental health and the awareness of mental health,” says Sarah Basford, HSE compliance manager, at Mace Macro.

“Asking people to open up, to discuss their health issues, can often have an opposite effect.

The challenge, for us, is keeping up the awareness and the good work from our partnership with Mind, highlighting issues such

as stress, suicide prevention and alcohol awareness,” says Basford.

“Fortunately, we’re involved with a number of initiatives including Mental Health Awareness week, Mace Health Day, the #HappyMonday social media campaign and Movember’s Move challenge, as well as offering a Mental Health First Aid Course and a free helpline.”

Andrew Mawson, owner of Advanced Workplace Associates (AWA), says: “Sadly, workplace stress and mental health issues are only discussed when it becomes a problem for the business,” says.

“There’s so much required of us, leaders don’t seem to understand it, and they fail to regulate the demands they place on their employees, simply expecting them to cope.”

Research carried out by AWA looked at the factors that affect cognitive performance to enable us to adopt best practices to maintain peak brain condition.

“Sleep, hydration, exercise, nutrition, meditation and removal of distractions are all important factors in improving cognitive performance, which enables people to cope better when faced with stress,” advises Mawson.

Removing the stigma

Delena Naor, senior IMS adviser at Carillion Services, has personal experience of depression and anxiety. Fortunately, she had

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FAC I LITATE

WORKPL ACE WELLNESS

DESIGN

FOR

As workers increasingly spend a third of the day or more in the workplace, it makes sense that wellness programmes should begin there. Promoting employee health is proving beneficial for organisations that are actively embracing it, says Nick Martindale In recent years, a major focus for many organisations has been on employee well-being. There are good reasons for this; not only are employees who feel happy and healthy more likely to work harder and be more productive, they are also more likely to stick around, helping organisations retain key talent.

This trend is particularly prominent among younger generations of workers, says Nicola Gillen, global practice lead for workplace strategy for AECOM. “Well-being has become fashionable due to the continued increase in the pace of work and life

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leading to people feeling increasingly stressed, and a different attitude to work among millennials, who see well-being as more important than previous generations,” she says.

“This is seen most clearly in tech companies, where the leadership is often of a younger generation than most companies.”

The success of such initiatives can be measured in several ways, she adds, including sickness levels, absenteeism, attrition and staff engagement scores.

As most people still spend a significant amount of time in an W W W. B I F M .O RG .U K / F M WJ O I N office environment, the design of

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