want to improve the general public’s trust in outsourcing and the
industry’s capacity to operate ethically a er the Carillion episode. The
professional statement will go a long way towards achieving this.
FM’s 2018 also brought greater awareness for our oceans and
shorelines. Thanks in part to the BBC’s Blue Planet, the nation is now
taking a closer look at the scale of its plastic consumption and the
impact which this is having on the environment. It’s encouraging to
see the passionate debate around this issue within the FM community,
as I firmly believe it’s best placed to lead other sectors by example.
While our industry does use a large amount of plastic day-to-day, it’s
also o en quick to rally round, think big and put measures in place to
remedy the problems it encounters. This is where I feel FM has a real
advantage over other sectors. Looking ahead to 2019, then, getting
organisations to set business goals and make pledges for genuine
change will be another big challenge, particularly if the industry is
serious about addressing the relationship it has with plastic and the
wider environment. 2019 will determine how successful e orts have
been and what we can improve to help eliminate unnecessary waste.
FM’s ‘green’ advantage extends beyond plastic, though. I believe we
are now understanding the true impact that poor air quality is having
on the population, particularly for schools that are found close to busy
roads. Although lowering air pollution is a problem that first requires
legislation, the FM industry, as a guardian of the built environment,
clearly has a key role to play in improving people’s access to clean air.
FM cannot control tra ic congestion, but it can help to turn the tide
by using low emission vehicles and, most importantly, help to create
safer indoor environments for those that are situated close to heavily
polluted areas. We must ask ourselves why we enforce food standards
for our children in schools yet have far less understanding about the
kind of air they are breathing in. This is unacceptable and must change.
With reports now showing a growing problem with airborne micro
plastics and confirmed deaths relating to spikes in air pollution, the
time to act is now. If we do not, we shall find ourselves sleepwalking
into an air quality epidemic, where potentially many more fatalities
may occur. Air quality must be at the forefront of our minds. For FM, air
pollution may be to 2019 what plastic was to 2018.
THE FM CONSULTANT’S VIEW
TRINA MARSHALL,
PRINCIPAL, REGIONAL HEAD OF CONSULTING, HOK
As we head toward 2019 it is not yet clear whether the FM and
Construction sectors can escape further collapses or consolidations.
A paradigm shi in mind-set is required in order to distance it from its
many inherent threats.
22 DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019
Organisations will need
to address the required
transitions in culture,
employee behaviour,
organisational structure and
operations to have a better
chance of unlocking an
increased willingness from
the market to further invest
or to expose new capital
reserves and operating
e iciencies from within.
However, there are no
guarantees, as pressures
exist from beyond the realm
of the sector’s sole control—including client procurement processes
and budgets, approaches to commercial modelling, availability of
talent and property portfolio constraints to name but a few.
Creative and brave thinking will be critical to increase survival rates
and those who invest and engage in constructive Scenario Planning
exercises will be able to get closer to planning strategically and
tactically for the “known unknowns” such as availability of labour and
unpredictable consumable price hikes however this will need deep
expertise and a special focus.
The sector will also need to consider adopting alternative more
collaborative methods to traditional procurement which deliver more
balanced economics for all parties particularly in the most mature and
economically unstable markets.
From a consumer and end user perspective the most creative and
brave solutions within FM will take the form of value-driven services
with the design of experiences at the heart of the desired end state and
having been developed upon the insights of a rich blend of qualitative
and quantitative data. These should also be sustainable and agile
enough to respond to rising costs, political uncertainties and legislative
changes.
In addition, FM and workplace professionals will need to be attuned
and prepared to respond thoughtfully to the pace of momentum
that key socially conscious movements gain, such as the recent push
to remove single-use plastic and calls to remove the stigma from
addressing mental health and neuro-diversity issues in the workplace.
Those responsible for designing the workplace experience are
expected to stay ahead of these emerging trends and to know how to
incorporate them into facility and workplace strategies. Those who
don’t pay attention to them could hinder their organisations’ business
strategies and even cause unintentional reputational damage.
As a final thought the industry has been musing about how to bridge
the chasm between physical and digital spaces while exploring the
potential threats and benefits of AI in the workplace. Underneath this,
however, is a rising swell of discord relating to the physiological and
psychological connections to technology within the built environment.
This disharmony will undoubtedly continue to play out in 2019 as
users of places and spaces become more conscious of the potential
positive and negative impacts of monitoring sensors, lighting,
acoustics, air quality and temperature on their wellbeing and
productivity. The industry is in an advantaged position to calibrate all
these elements to design and create environments that will enable
people to thrive.
Do you have a question that you’d like
answered by the FMJ Clinic?
Email: sara.bean@kpmmedia.co.uk
FM CLINIC
Trina Marshall
ADVICE & OPINION
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