FOCUS INTERVIEW
FM, is increasing. This data is used to inform
decision-making and take a more proactive
approach to facilities management service
delivery, from tracking reactive maintenance
trends to helping to streamline processes and
services to improve performance.
Becky Kendall, Project and Programme
Manager, has an IT background but is not an
advocate of new technology for its own sake.
She argues that with any digital project, it’s
important to resist the temptation to leap
straight towards a solution without paying
enough attention to the problem. “We’ve seen
a desire to use technology rather than people
because it’s cheaper and quicker and more
accurate – but it’s important not to ignore the
change impact. How are you going to train sta
up? How will managers deal with a change to
their roles, and how will these changes cascade
down the line?”
She continues: “Whatever the technology
might be, whether it’s introducing a new
CAFM, an upgraded back-o ice system or
moving to a new agile solution, you have to do
it in a well-thought-out way that is carefully
managed. This is where HR expertise comes in,
to determine if people’s roles have changed,
how they can be upskilled and whether they
might struggle with the new processes.”
Another consideration is how FMs can
utilise all this new data and how it can be
applied to garner further insights and help
deliver continuous improvement. Says
Kachela: “We’ve seen organisations that have
redesigned their workspace using digital
tech so they can make it more agile and
collaborative – but from day one everyone has
gone back to using the space in the same way
they used it before.
“We’re increasingly being asked by FM
organisations to provide change expertise to
projects, so that right from the outset there is
an understanding of a shared vision, not just
that of senior executives but of all the sta – so
when people move into a new workspace, they
understand the intentions of how the space is
meant to be used.”
THE GENDER CHALLENGE
Working within such a male-dominated sector
has had its challenges for the mainly female
team. Kachela explains: “For me as a young
Asian-British female, there are o en elements
of preconceptions and unconscious bias, and
this does mean I have to work extra hard to
be recognised for the work I do, and what I’ve
achieved. The key for us is to deliver what we
say we will, do it e ectively and demonstrate
our value. We’re seeing more and more repeat
business and referrals. This for us is the key
way to overcome those barriers and earn
respect.”
Business Unit Director Tess Pendle has
found during her experiences of overseeing
major projects that being a female consultant
44 FEBRUARY 2020
We’ve seen organisations that have redesigned
their workspace using digital tech so they can
make it more agile and collaborative – but from day one
everyone has gone back to using the space in the same
way they used it before.”
has led to some people being “pleasantly
surprised”. She adds: “I bring in a di erent
perspective, especially with my change
management background, so I think people
do find it refreshing when we go in.”
The other major challenge for the
consultancy was in January 2018 when
it fell victim to the collapse of Carillion,
whose infamous poor payment terms led
CIP to the brink of insolvency. According to
Kachela it took a lot of courage and hard
work to turn things around, and as a result,
like many in the FM sector she is much more
risk aware. “I would say FM organisations
think di erently since Carillion – they’re
not just coming in with the lowest price
when vying for contracts. The collapse
sent shockwaves through the sector and
imparted many lessons. For myself, I have
learnt to manage risks better and to venture
more boldly into new sectors.”
She predicts that FM is moving into a new
age of integrated property and facilities
management. This means integrating the
advisory side along with a transactional
service, and a workplace management
agenda being pushed by the IWFM will help
influence how organisations are run.
But she adds a word of warning. “There
is still some way to go to get everybody in
FM aligned with that vision. While I think
there will be the increased personalisation
of services with the use of smart tech, AI
and apps, this will all need to be o ered in
tandem with robust processes. While it’s
great that we’re embracing new innovation,
we can’t forget those aspects as they are the
foundation for it to work.”
Her more immediate plans for the future
of CIP is to “continue enjoying the work we
do and make a positive impact wherever we
go. Over the past few years, the company
has expanded to meet the growing demand
from new and existing clients – a demand
that has been generated by word of mouth,
demonstrating the positive reputation that
our team has built, and it’s something we
aim to maintain.”