How will the new Labour Government impact the workplace and wider built environment?

Whether it is in tightening up employment and health and safety legislation, promoting a green energy agenda or addressing sustainability, the new Labour Government is promising change. Leading organisations representing facilities and health and safety professionals discuss how the change of administration may impact the workplace and wider built environment.

CHAIR OF INSTITUTE OF WORKPLACE AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT’S VIEW
MARK WHITTAKER,
GENERAL MANAGER OF THOMSON FM CONSULTANCY

With a new government taking office, there will inevitably be a mixture of optimism by some and perhaps cynicism amongst others, who will perhaps echo the famous quote from Elizabeth May: “It doesn’t matter who you vote for, the Government always gets in.”

In the coming weeks and months, it will be interesting to see how radical and imaginative the future policy focus will be, with the hope that the default position will not be to indulge in a blame game of the “mess” they have inherited, but instead a promised programme for “change”.

Shortly after the election result the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM) published our ‘Priorities for the next Government’ manifesto. This called for action in four key areas; namely skills, sustainability, building safety and the rapidly expanding area of information management, data and technology.

This has been underpinned by IWFM member feedback contained in the recently published ‘IWFM Market Outlook Survey 2024’, where an overwhelming number of IWFM members called for the Government to address the areas of sustained economic growth, developing a coherent plan to achieve net zero, tackle climate change and not to “row back” on their environmental commitments, unlike the previous UK Government and current Scottish Government in recent months. In addition, members called for a reduction on uncertainty around government policy, to provide support to ease the pressure of the cost of living crisis and finally to develop an overarching skills strategy.

All these areas are of course relevant to the wider built environment sector, as well as to workplace and facilities management. For example, soon after the election result the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) called for action in the areas of housing delivery, policy leadership, skills and reforming business rates. The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) reacted in a similar vein, in wanting the new Government to achieve its manifesto pledge to build 1.5 million homes during the next Parliament and to address the “shrinking skills base and ageing construction workforce”.

From a workplace and facilities management perspective, the IWFM Market Outlook Survey and general election manifesto also highlighted areas which we as a profession must be greater agents of change. These include increasing organisational productivity, improving the workplace experience and wellbeing and delivering on net zero commitments, with workplace and facilities managers taking the lead on de-carbonisation plans.

Of particular interest to me is the need for the government to develop a coherent and ambitious skills/labour market strategy that aims to address the current issues that the sector faces. This must include collaboration with professional bodies and employers and ensuring meaningful pathways are presented to young people from an early age. It also must look at how migration can help address areas of acute skills shortages and a more flexible approach adopted towards the Apprenticeship Levy. Digital and AI considerations must also form part of such a skills strategy.

In the last government there were 13 Education Ministers and 16 housing ministers since 2010. Thus, my hope with the new government is that there is stability and coherence and crucially, meaningful and collaborative engagement with the built environment sector to firstly understand and jointly address and resolve the issues we all face. 

INSTITUTION OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH’S VIEW
RUTH WILKINSON,
HEAD OF POLICY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS, IOSH

The UK’s new Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has spoken about the “urgent work” the government must do to drive change across the country. The new government has laid out six “first steps” for change so it’s clear what we can expect in the coming weeks and months.

If they are to deliver in two of these areas in particular – making the economy more stable and cutting waiting times for NHS diagnosis and treatment – having a focus on occupational safety and health (OSH) is a good place to start.

As readers will be all too aware, people across the UK undertake varied jobs which can expose them to many different hazards and risks which can cause harm. Focusing on their health, safety and wellbeing can not only protect them but increase their motivation and performance at work, thereby contributing to the economy and reducing work-related accidents and ill health which also helps support the NHS along the way.

In our own manifesto, published in advance of the General Election, IOSH highlighted how workplace injuries and work-related ill health cost the UK economy an estimated £20.7 billion in 2021-22, demonstrating what the national economic cost is of poor health and safety. Added to this is the human toll. As well as the tragic fatalities, many people’s lives are severely impacted by accidents and injuries at work or ill health and diseases caused by workplace exposures. In addition to the personal worker impacts and the impacts to the employer, it may also mean more people seek diagnosis and treatment through the NHS, further inflating demand. This demonstrates the need to approach occupational hazards and risks with a prevention-first mindset and to support our workers to be safe, healthy and well.

That’s why we say that if the new government is serious about stabilising the economy and supporting the NHS, focusing on OSH potentially provides a quick win. In our manifesto, IOSH made five calls to action around how the Government might go about this.

They were:

• Protecting workers’ rights to safe, healthy and decent work.
• Strengthening and expanding the UK’s world-leading system that prevents harm at work.
• Supporting businesses to tackle new and emerging workplace hazards.
• Promoting a diverse, inclusive, skilled and motivated workforce.
• Building a more robust, sustainable economy.

There are many different ways we feel the government can achieve this in practice, one of which is around legislation. This summer marks the 50th anniversary of the Health and Safety at Work Act. This has had a huge impact on driving down the number of fatalities from workplace accidents, but the world has changed significantly since 1974, including the development of new technologies, climate change and the green transition, all of which pose potential harm to workers.

We’re keen to see the government be proactive on laws, regulation and support for businesses in these and more areas. This also includes adequate resourcing and funding for the UK’s regulator, the Health and Safety Executive.

In fact, we feel that good OSH can unlock the door to many benefits for workers, for businesses and for the UK as a whole.