FM World 04 December 2017

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

MEET GENERATION How offices are being designed to foster collaborative cultures POSTURE POSITIONS Agile working – the learning curve in ergonomics ADVENTURES IN SPACE How two firms’ office fit-outs have helped them raise their games

HOW OFFICE CHANGE PROJECTS ARE INCREASINGLY FORMULATED FOR A FLEXIBLE FUTURE

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TA ST E R E D I T I O N

F M WO R LD

DECEMBER 2017

CONTENTS COM M UNI TY

26 PE R SPE C TIV E S The four most interesting and insightful opinions on FM this month 29 A BIT A BOU T YOU Endemol Shine’s head of facilities Paula Dixon puts us in the picture 3 0 THINK TA NK FM and HR aspire to a similar goal in the workplace; which should govern?

AN A LYS IS

7 A TESTIN G TIME Outsourced workers are filing a landmark case for collective bargaining 8 GRE E N PAIR Two science-based building rating systems are to come together

3 2 D E C E M BE R @ BIF M The people and projects currently informing BIFM activity 3 6 C A LL S TO AC T ION The events, surveys and discussions that deserve your attention

KNOW LE DGE

39 SNUG AS A BUG Self-contained workbooth furniture - cellular working within open plan?

40 MANAGING THE BOSS Managers aren’t always right – so what’s the best way to handle them?

42 PLA NT ING ID E A S The trend towards more inspiring workplaces to motivate workers

10 B U D GE T HOPE S BIFM has given a guarded welcome to the Autumn Budget

44 LE T U S SPR AY Aerosols products require proper care in use as well as disposal

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

46 F IR ST- PE R SON B I M BIM gets a boost with innovative virtual reality technology

16 ENTERP RIS IN G MOVE CEO Chris Kenneally talks about Cordant Group’s new direction

47 LOC KE D IN The importance of key holding and security response efficiency

FM World’s in-depth analysis section 52 SPACE TO WORKPLACE Good productivity emerges from good collaborative relationships, so the working environment must be conducive to this. Facilities managers above all are well equipped to create the right ambience for encouraging greater employee interaction in the office.

56 THE ERGONOMIC DIMENSION Are you sitting comfortably?

Then we’ll begin considering how FM can adopt the science of ergonomics to spread the flexible and activity-based working culture – and find out how the technology has transformed since the display screen equipment regulations.

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60 DESIGN FOR LIVING Productivity arises out of getting the best out of your employees and that can only really happen if they get the DE CE M B E R ’ S TO P I C most out of their workplace.

FM & TRENDS We examine how PPL and IN OFFICE FIT-OUTS Bennett Hay, BIFM Awards finalists this year, are raising engagement through W Wtheir W. B I F M .O RG .U K / F M WJ O I N collaboration-first fit-outs.

December 2017

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

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY

T

wo science-based building rating systems are to come together so users can apply for dual certifications.

The Center for Active Design (CfAD) and BRE America announced the collaboration between the Fitwel Certification System and the BREEAM USA/UK In-Use standard.

BREEAM, the world’s most widely used green building certification and Fitwel, the global health certification aimed to impact the environment, health, and people.

Both systems are evidencebased and certification for both is achieved through the submission of project documentation with post-occupancy performance verification for Fitwel and on-site assessments by BREEAM USA. This will also include a European collaboration, confirmed the CfAD. Barry Giles, CEO of BREEAM USA, told FM World: “Since BREEAM has been around since 1990 as the world’s first green building rating system developed

by BRE in the UK, it has now reached over 80 per cent market share in Europe. As Fitwel moves into the European space, the two standards provide data sets that are complementary to one another.

“In the UK and Europe, cap and trade has become an established policy reflecting a bigger emphasis on lowering carbon emissions.

Now with health and well-being becoming a bigger part of that picture – you can’t separate the two. How can you just focus on the health and well-being of people if you ignore climate change? For example, if we can’t prevent the extremes of temperatures, we won’t be able to affect the health of humans – no matter how hard we try to improve things.”

The Fitwel system was created over a five-year period as a joint initiative led by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the General Services Administration, with its ongoing

The two organisations will now recognise each other’s system standards

operations and development led by the CfAD. After launching to the private sector in March, Fitwel has a global imprint, affecting 250,000 building occupants with more than 380 registered and certified projects.

Joanna Frank, CfAD’s president & CEO, said: “CfAD’s partnership with BREEAM signals to the industry that based on science, buildings can be optimised to promote both health and environmental sustainability outcomes in an efficient yet effective manner.”

Under the agreement, the organisations have mutually identified specific documented credits that will be recognised by both, saving project teams the time and costs of developing certification documentation twice. A briefing

ENVIRONMENT

Giles says there are 5.6 million commercial buildings in the US and “most of them have done little to reduce carbon footprint, reduce energy, improve indoor air quality or other operating efficiencies”.

He says: “No one programme can do everything, but with smart collaboration we can collectively help far more buildings by making it quicker, easier and fiscally sound for the commercial real estate industry to do something.

“Both the BREEAM and Fitwel standards have a low cost of entry and no prerequisites, making it appropriate to use with any existing commercial building no matter the size, age or condition. Fitwel has just entered the marketplace and predominantly deals with the people in the buildings complementing BREEAM In-Use, which predominantly deals with the buildings themselves.”

Where does this fit in with other building certifications like the WELL Building Standard?

A spokeswoman for the International Well Building Institute told FM World: “We welcome opportunities to Wpursue W W. B Ihigh-calibre F M .O RG .Upartnerships, K / F M WJ O I N where possible, to advance our mission.”

GREEN RATING SYSTEMS JOIN FORCES W O R D S : H ER P R EE T K AU R G R E WA L

paper showing the alignment between BREEAM USA and Fitwel shows there is an overlap when it comes to certain health and well-being points; BREEAM has stipulations for drinking water provision and indoor and/or outdoor space, which fits with Fitwel’s criteria.

Both also consider pollution from printers as one possible source of air pollution [see box].

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December 2017

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

The chancellor’s increase to the National Living Wage by 4.4 per cent from £7.50 an hour to £7.83 takes effect in April

AU TU M N B UDG E T

BIFM GIVES A GUARDED WELCOME TO BUDGET the National Minimum Wage from April 2018, she said: “It is only right that people are paid a fair wage for a day’s work and as an institute we’re promoting this by being an accredited Living Wage employer.”

But she added that it must be acknowledged that “pay increases are a challenge for some of our members who are already having to deal with many other economic and administrative challenges.

BIFM will support our members with guidance to enable them to adjust to the new rates where needed and and companies the tools we will provide further support and skills needed to adapt to for those who want to go changing workplace – which beyond statutory pay”. means bringing forward She added: “We need to investment in life-long continue to make the case learning and upskilling in a for fair wages, and help FM meaningful way”. suppliers better demonstrate Hausmanis added: “It’s to their clients the crucial link important the fourth industrial between higher rates of pay revolution doesn’t leave anyone and improved service delivery behind, so we want to see and performance. Clients all investment in skills and training over the country, both private that ensure the benefits of and public, also have to play new technology are felt across their part by ensuring that society and don’t contribute to social value is put firmly at the driving up unemployment and heart of procurement, rather creating division.” reductions Welcoming the increases to W Wthan W. B Icost F M .O RG .U K /being F M WJthe OIN only driver.” the National Living Wage and

“THE LEVY IS FAILING TO DELIVER FM APPRENTICESHIPS DUE TO COMPLEX, DECISION-MAKING AND A FOCUS ON PROCESS, NOT OUTCOMES”

W O R D S : H ER P R EE T K AU R G R E WA L

PHOTOGRAPHY: PA

T

he BIFM gave a favourable reception to chancellor Philip Hammond’s announcement to increase the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage from April 2018 in his Autumn Budget, but called for more progress on the Apprenticeship Levy.

Among Phillip Hammond’s proposals related to the facilities management sector were increases to the National Living Wage by 4.4 per cent from £7.50 an hour to £7.83 from April 2018 and an investment of £500 million in a range of initiatives from Artificial Intelligence, to 5G and full-fibre broadband.

He also said: “We’re delivering three million apprenticeship starts by 2020 thanks to our Apprenticeship Levy. And I’ll keep under review the flexibility that levy payers have to spend this money.”

Linda Hausmanis, BIFM’s chief executive, said: “The chancellor has rightly emphasised the importance of skills and training to

improve productivity in the UK. However, Westminster needs to recognise failings within the existing system in order to increase standards, especially in relation to the Apprenticeship Levy and a lack of concrete proposals for life-long learning.

“In its current form, the levy is failing to deliver FM apprenticeships due to complex, lengthy decisionmaking and a focus on process, not outcomes. Unrealistic funding band decisions are preventing FM apprenticeships from being approved, delaying organisations from drawing down investment for such apprenticeships, frustrating efforts to provide essential training and, in turn, further exacerbating skills gaps.”

Hausmanis also lauded the £500 million investment in high-tech initiatives, which she said could “contribute to closing the skills gap and position the UK as a global leader in the field”.

But she said it was “critical the government gives people

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December 2017

S U P P LY S I D E

BUSINESS NEWS

AT A G L A N C E

What’s changing CCS is introducing a simplified tender process for all firms seeking to bid for government FM contracts.

FM FRA MEWOR K

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY

B

THE NEW CCS FRAMEWORK: A BIG OPPORTUNITY FOR SMALLER SUPPLIERS

ack in 2013, Lord Young of Graffham – advisor on enterprise and small business to the then prime minister David Cameron – published a report seeking to improve access to government contract work by small and medium-sized contractors (those with fewer than 250 employees). Since then, across all government Next year will see the introduction of departments, the focus for a revised Crown Commercial Service service frameworks has been on (CCS) facilities management framework. simplifying access for smaller Simplicity of structure and a focus on providers as well as creating commonly accepted terms and involving more SMEs as service providers conditions wherever possible. characterise the new approach No more has this been the case than with FM services, and with than for every occasion on the current CCS framework for facilities management which it sought to bid for work). set to expire in July 2019, its replacement - to be put in It also became a requirement place during 2018 - has the issues of simplicity, ease of for government departments use and ease of access to markets firmly in its sights. to publish all of their contract For some time now the Government, through CCS, opportunities in the one place, has been keen to emphasise to SME contractors that allowing registered SMEs to it is significantly simplifying the process of tendering see all possible work relevant for public sector FM business. In 2015 it launched an to them. The 2018 online portal online Contracts Finder service, allowing prospective is set to take things further. service providers to register just the once (rather

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December 2017

All documentation, including terms and conditions, is being written in plain English.

CCS has produced a simplified bid pack for suppliers. Tender documents are shorter, and there are fewer of them. Terms and conditions have also been reduced.

The FM Marketplace portal is being been designed to enable clients from NHS trusts, schools, universities, local authorities and charities to procure FM services from a wider range of SME (small and medium) and large suppliers The new FM arrangement will be the first category within CCS to use both the new simplified tender pack alongside simplified (plain English) terms and conditions, written specifically for the new FM contracts.

Consultation has included a number of supplier engagement sessions. Earlier this year, CCS released a prior information notice (PIN) informing the market of its intention to consult on the forthcoming new framework, following which there have been a number of supplier engagement events, with some live-streamed to enable as many timepoor suppliers W W W. B I F M .O RG .Upotential K / F M WJ OIN to participate as possible.

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V I E W P O I NT PERSPECTIVES

Have your say

Visit fm-world.co.uk for longer versions of these comment columns Get in touch by email – editorial@fm-world.co.uk Topical, inspirational, angry or amusing – we consider all relevant comment

PERSPECTIVES 1

2

TOM CUDMORE is a senior consultant at LCMB Building Performance

ANTONIA SWINSON is CEO of the Ethical Property Foundation

A building performance plan

I

was recently invited to speak at the Association of University Engineers conference on how to improve the performance of buildings. In a previous career, I worked with athletes as an exercise physiologist to get the best out of people.

I asked myself, are there lessons we can take from the world of elite sport and apply to improve our buildings?

There are parallels. For an athlete to perform at their best we have to focus on the individual and understand their strengths and weaknesses and continually review performance and work on improvements. And yet there are many examples of sports people focusing far too much on equipment at the expense of their own fitness.

My observation over three years working with LCMB is that many buildings are only looked at when equipment breaks or users complain.

Buildings change. Staff move around, occupant densities change, as do the tasks being performed. Plant performance deteriorates, maintenance and upgrades affect operational performance. New-builds undergo a commissioning process and post-occupancy evaluation, but often little is

The only way is ethics – continued

I

reputations are Fabergé eggthin and today need practical alignment of words to actions.

My organisation, the Ethical Property Foundation, set up the Fairplace Award in partnership with the industry to champion ethical workplace management. It is a three-year accreditation, evidencing commitment to people in the workplace, the community outside the door as well as the environment in a single measure of excellence.

Good management needs collaborative leadership, so how great it is to see so many FMs rising to the challenge and working across departments – finance, HR, procurement – as well as estates, to gather the evidence. FM consultants are also offering added value to clients across all sectors, to help them achieve the award.

Fairplace Award-holders include RICS, property firm Shaftesbury plc, Emcor UK, Sodexo, and RBS for its reputational, environmental customer services centre and governance risks. Costs in Southend. The Fairplace rise – at the simplest level USP is that every penny of just think of benefits of staff licence income supports our retention. At worst, think the charitable mission: supplying Grenfell Tower. property education and It is ironic that though we advice to voluntary groups, live in an ever more secular for which we have been sole society, we are up to our partner necks in the social mediaW W W. B Ireferral F M .O RG .U K / Fto Mthe WJCharity OIN Commission since 2015. age. Business brands and n last month’s Think Tank Bartlett Mitchell CEO Ian Thomas wrote that ethical behaviour isn’t a question of ’marketingfriendly messages but “aids the bottom line”.

The challenge is proving your company’s ethics to investors, staff and clients.

As an ex-business journalist, I have long thought it is FMs who have the breadth of expertise to turn ethics into reality, and play a far more central role than they usually do, in business development and communication.

Ethical values seen in action build trust, that most vital, invisible currency. Without trust, businesses run far higher

invested once the building has been in operation for two or three years.

Technology makes it easier and cheaper than ever to collect good-quality data to monitor performance and prioritise efforts on

“TECHNOLOGY HAS MADE IT EASIER AND CHEAPER THAN EVER TO COLLECT GOODQUALITY DATA” buildings where there is the biggest potential for cost savings, energy reduction or improved productivity through better indoor environmental quality.

Even in new-builds, Innovate UK’s Building Performance Evaluation research shows a significant performance gap from design specification to operating conditions so it’s unsurprising that existing buildings that receive little or no continuous performance reviews suffer. It might not be possible to turn donkeys into racehorses, but most buildings have potential for performance improvement.

Let’s go for gold!

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“ETHICAL VALUES SEEN IN ACTION BUILD TRUST”

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December 2017

V I E W P O I NT

A B IT AB O UT YO U

PAULA DIXON is head of facilities at independent TV producer Endemol Shine

What do you do? I oversee the FM delivery with a particular focus on providing operational/strategic support to core departments and production labels.

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

organic journey. After three years working as an office manager in the City of London, I had the urge to work in the media and was lucky enough to secure a role at a leading advertising agency as an FM. From there my career path was set in a very creative, fastpaced environment which I continually aspire too!

How long have you been in your current role? Five years.

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

manager; I believe better, more effective efforts come from people who feel that they’re a part of a company’s success.

Would you describe your role as predominantly operational or strategic?

PHOTOGRAPHY: SHUTTERSTOCK

A balance of both.

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

responsible for one FM, one facilities assistant, one

BEHIND THE JOB

PAULA DIXON If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be? Not

“NETWORKING IS ESSENTIAL TO RAISING YOUR PROFILE”

particularly change, but improve equality and diversity in the industry.

facilities coordinator/PA and two runners. I report to the HR and operations director.

If I wasn’t in facilities management, I’d probably be… Working hard to become a

fashion, travel and beauty and everything-in-between sponsored blogger/influencer; that would be ‘living the dream’.

My top perk at work is…

Well, aside from working with some incredibly talented people, for me, it is having autonomy. It is incredibly satisfying to know that people trust and value your input and support.

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

People opening windows while air conditioning is on, assuming that it will cool the space down.

What has been your biggest career challenge to date? I’ve worked on

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

various rewarding office refits during my working career, Karmarama [advertising agency] being one. Most recently and definitely my biggest challenge to date has been working in partnership with a design-and-build company, Amber, and project consultant Treehouse on an 18-month office refurbishment.

There are many challenges an office refit of this size can throw at you – meeting programming and financial forecasting, not forgetting mobilisation, which is not easy when most of the office space is occupied. I worked with an amazing team, both internal and external.

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important to academically educate yourself in the field you aspire to work in, it is equally important to try to gain a runner or sponsorship role – networking is essential to raising your profile.

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

The one that has continually baffled me is finding that someone had removed all of the door push plates to the WCs throughout one of the buildings I facilitated. I never established who [it was] or why this happened; very odd behaviour!

annoyance of my neighbours when I am blow-drying my hair at 6am.

What FM job in the world would you love more than anything? Any music, arts

venue in Victoria, Australia, e.g. Melbourne Arts Centre – such an iconic building. It also has the advantages of working and living in Australia, which I had the pleasure of doing in my early 20s.

And where would FM be an absolute nightmare?

I’ll take a punt at Heathrow Airport; the operational and strategic challenges must be phenomenal.

To whom would you most like to say thank you, and why? I’ve had several mentors/

peers over the years who have counselled me, and for that I am grateful. I’d also like to thank members of my team, old and new; without their support I would not be able to deliver my input, especially in reference to the latest refit project.

TO ACCESS THE FULL Your life outside FM mostly VERSION OF FM involves… I do have an WORLD MAGAZINE, interest in photographing graffiti. can quite often JOINYouBIFM

me viewing street art in Early bird or night owl?W W W. Bfind I F M .O RG .U K / F M WJ O I N Definitely an early bird, to the

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December 2017

Leake Street, London.

INSIDE

40 42 44 46 47

Career development: Managing your manager Five office design trends for 2018 Best practice goes beyond product selection Future looks bright for BIM Is your building as smart as you think?

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

FURNITURE

PRIVATE DETECTED

T

he Snug range of self-contained workbooth furniture from Komac by Boss Design posits the question: when do all the privacyenhancing bolt-ons to a typical open-plan office mean that it’s reverting to a cellular office - and at what stage of the cycle are you if you deploy such products? Plenty of examples of noise and sight minimising panels are on the market, for example from Boss Design

with its Snug Plus – the same as its original Snug solution, but with the addition of a panel to create superior visual, acoustic, and territorial privacy.

You can achieve the greater “focus, headspace, and enhanced privacy and intimacy that is vital for today’s working environments”. Equally, it is “ideal for learning zones where privacy and solitude are essential for students”.

Clearly the value of such furniture

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December 2017

is that it can be easily redeployed to suit changing needs and layouts, or extended with additional booths to provide a seamless arrangement of individual workspaces. But it’s interesting just how much of a market there is for putting open-plan office workers back in some form of cell.

Boss Design’s Oliver Ronald added: “Snug… encourages more creative and concentrated working and studying, both individually and collaboratively.

It also helps boost productivity and well-being. But when it’s time for headsdown focus, Snug Plus fulfils the need for privacy and peace and quiet, without compromising the relevant tools and technology to perform our tasks.”

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www.bossdesign.com

W W W. B I F M .O RG .U K / F M WJ O I N

K N OW H OW

C AREER DE VELOPMENT C-J GREEN is CEO UK at Servest

S

ometimes bosses behave in a way that is damaging and destructive to the working day, not to mention confidence. So what’s the best approach if you’re tasked with managing your manager?

We need to remember that managers are usually under a lot of pressure. They’re tasked with taking charge of teams, budgets and projects and they’re accountable for spending, the actions of others and the end results. In addition, they have to make business-critical decisions without the luxury of time – and then they have to convince others (and themselves) that those decisions are the right ones.

Business operations aside, managers are responsible for ensuring that their colleagues live a happy and healthy life, at work and at home. The onus is on them to create supportive work environments, and part of that involves hiding any stress they themselves may be experiencing.

Despite the fact that managers need guidance like anyone else, there isn’t always the support network in place – so sometimes that stress can leak out and impact others.

The way people interact with their bosses is crucial when aiming to develop and nurture a positive relationship. It takes a certain approach to learn how to give feedback to those who manage you. It’s often something that is overlooked and ignored, perhaps because of the fear factor attached to such conversations, often deemed as ‘awkward’.

However, such communication is necessary if you’re to work in harmony with your colleagues and wider team, and progress in your career of choice.

Here are some tips for handling those trickier conversations:

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY

1

WOR K R E LATI ON S H I PS

MANAGING YOUR MANAGER

We can often be under the illusion that managers are always right. But, as films such as Horrible Bosses suggest, that isn’t always the case, says C-J Green

Establish trust

Could you be putting your job or your relationship in jeopardy by giving your manager some constructive feedback? Not if it’s done in the right way. Being open and honest with your boss about their weaknesses can be daunting. However, your input can help inspire adjustments in behaviour that may benefit the rest of the work community.

The ability to provide feedback to someone senior to

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December 2017

K N OW H OW

FIVE POINT PLAN

JASON SOWERBY is business development manager for the Key Safe Company

B UILDING SE C U RITY

IS YOUR BUILDING AS SMART AS YOU THINK?

1

FMs are constantly struggling to reduce costs in their buildings. One area that is often overlooked is the cost of key holding and of security response efficiency, says Jason Sowerby

www.keysafe.co.uk

PHOTOGRAPHY: ALAMY

T

he latest buzz surrounding the facilities management industry explores creating smart buildings, which uses the latest in technologies to keep staff and assets secure. However, with the introduction of cloud-based systems and intelligent data protection, it is still surprising to see that physical security methods have seen little evolution.

There is no doubting that traditional technology has played a role in enhancing onsite security, with CCTV and alarm integration systems. But methods dating back to the 18th century remain the main access route to a building – a simple lock and key.

With the requirement to keep buildings secure, FMs are faced with the constant struggle of reducing costs. One area that is often overlooked is the cost of key holding and of security response efficiency.

Review

We’re often told in the workplace to challenge and not accept the status quo, however, for hundreds of years we’ve always accepted that to gain entry to a building a trusty key is the solution. More recently access has moved to card or fob, but the problem still remains that something has to be issued and controlled. With the advancing evolution of technology in the commercial market there is a real opportunity to explore whether having a key, card or fob is now the best method of keeping a business and staff safe and if it’s actually cost effective. With the changing worldwide landscape and more sophisticated security threats FMs need to explore ways to adapt to make sure that buildings are secure, so that there is

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peace of mind, costs are minimised, and any situation can be dealt with quickly.

2

Audit

Key holding and access may not be something you’ve spent much time considering, or it may be something you’ve thought long and hard about. With new technologies there is now a real opportunity to assess how much time and money granting building access is costing you in and out of working hours.

Response times can be held up when security teams do not have immediate access to a site, especially when key holding is managed remotely.

3

Respond

By eliminating key holding through the use of app-based access and onsite key holding, you cut out a middleman,

December 2017

reducing the environmental and financial impact of secure universal access and cutting labour. App-based technologies also provide cloud-based and auditable records of access – greatly reducing risks and liabilities to your business.

5

Communicate

Although in recent years CCTV has reduced security response, ultimately technologies will never supersede the need for human intervention and bodies on the ground. Access to buildings will increasingly come Implement into focus as the There is often a prime area for fear surrounding development. These change, and developments implementation will only enhance can often be the the ability to hardest element of enact manual overhauling security tasks. Therefore, measures. Plans can communication often be held up by is paramount corporate red tape, to ensure that but preparation is technology and key to ensuring that staff are working new procedures are in harmony. adopted companyCommunication is a wide. Work with two-way street, when suppliers to carry implementing appout risk assessments based technology and measure how there is a golden these changes will opportunity to listen affect your business. to the team on the Change will only ground live, and happen when gain feedback to companies are brave help make certain enough to become of a secure, efficient the early adopters of and effective new W Wtechnology.

W. B I F M .O RG .Uaccess K / F Msolution.

WJ O I N

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FAC I LITATE

OFFICE ERGONOMICS

Awards, with banking firm UBS and pharmaceutical and healthcare products giant Johnson & Johnson each winning awards, owing in large part to their successes in moving to an agile approach to office working. In the case of J&J, staff feedback on their Workplace Experience Strategy showed that 88 per cent believed that the changes had increased their productivity while at work.

With such benefits frequently being reported by those who adopt the approach, the trend will almost certainly to continue to grow, but alongside those benefits will come challenges.

One challenge that will almost certainly fall at the feet of those in FM is how to adapt and implement the DSE regulations and the other ergonomic workplace principles they have inspired to fit the demands and requirements of agile working.

Making legroom and switching places Covering a range of issues from posture of the worker to the temperature of the workplace, ergonomics is the science of ensuring that workers fit within their working environment to ensure against injuries occurring through tasks such as lifting or sitting at a desk for prolonged periods. Most commonly associated with the DSE regulations, which stipulates among other things that “there is space under the desk to move legs� and to

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FAC I LITATE

O F F I C E F I T- O U T S Martin Pickard, lead judge of the BIFM Awards, praised PPL’s “wellexecuted project”

DESIGN FOR LIVING Productivity arises out of getting the best out of your people and that only really happens if they get the best out of their workplace. Kevin Stanley looks at how two BIFM finalists are raising engagement with collaborative fit-outs

T

here are many benefits to a business having the right office space, from improved health and well-being to increased productivity and the ability to attract and retain talented people. These reasons, plus the fact that an office space can also reflect the values and goals of the business, are some of the drivers of office fit-out projects.

In the new Impact on Employee Experience category of the BIFM Awards, PPL and Bennett Hay both undertook challenging workplace change projects. As with all facilities matters, the crucial first step lies in understanding the needs and aspirations of the organisation itself and the stakeholders involved in, or affected by, facilities issues. Fit-out projects must W W W. B I F M .O RG .U K / F M WJ O I N satisfy not only immediate requirements for more or

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December 2017

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