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ABM has been awarded Gold Employer Recognition Scheme status as part of the company’s commitment to the Ministry of Defence Armed Forces Covenant in the UK.
As a signatory to the Armed Forces Covenant (AFC), ABM is committed to ensuring both veterans and serving armed forces personnel are encouraged to join the ABM family across all lines of business, and that they are supported in their working life as team members.
ABM works with the AFC and other partners in the scheme to proactively recruit new team members who have served the country and give paid leave to all reservists on the team, allowing them to continue to serve whilst working for ABM in the UK. An internal Armed Forces Working Group ensures that the challenges and opinions of service personnel working at ABM are heard regularly and action is taken to continually provide support.
ABM’s gold status, which recognises employers who have surpassed their covenant pledges, takes immediate effect and will require yearly review and ongoing commitment.
Justine Salmon, Business Support Manager and Co-Chair of ABM’s Armed Forces Working Group said: “Achieving gold certification in recognition of our dedication to the Armed Forces Covenant is a milestone we are incredibly proud of. It reflects our long-term commitment to doing the best we can to recruit, support, and stand by veterans, serving personnel, and their families, ensuring they feel valued and integrated within our company.
“Having achieved the top accolade, the work is not over. We will be continuing to maintain the gold standard and surpass expectations by driving awareness and understanding of the unique challenges faced by service personnel.”
Jason Monaghan, Director of International Business Development at ABM, contributes his Royal Air Force background as part of the company’s Armed Forces Working Group. He said: “For service-leavers, it can be a significant ‘culture shock’ when settling into civilian life. Serving in the Armed Forces is a way of life rather than just a job, therefore it’s important that employers understand and support the transition process.
“As a Royal Air Force veteran myself, it is fantastic to work for a business that invests time and resource into supporting that transition as well as offering members of the reserve and cadet forces the assistance and flexibility needed to balance a civilian career alongside their ongoing commitment to military service.”
Frontline workers form the backbone of facilities management services, serving as the face of the brand and interacting directly with customers. Yet research by both L&G and the Living Wage Foundation reveals the majority feel overlooked and expendable.
Accelerating the problem is a growing technology gap. Despite having 2.7 billion deskless workers worldwide, representing 80 per cent of the global workforce, only one per cent of software and technology investments has been allocated to this segment. This means there is a huge disconnect between frontline workers and their headquarters, leading to lack of sufficient training, communication challenges and low employee retention.
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To register for the webinar taking place on 11 September at 11:00 am click here.
