FOCUS INTERVIEWS
pre-packed food; extended service times; reduced
seating; and extensive signage regarding access
to and use of catering areas, distance at counters;
and a move to cashless. But he says that on-site
restaurants provide a far more “controlled and
therefore safer” environment than the random
nature of the high street making it a good way for
organisations to support employees as they come
back to work.
While many maintenance contractors will have
used the vacant period to carry out any essential
works, and get up to date with PPMs, there will
be a number of areas where maintenance teams
can help to prepare a building for post-COVID
occupation. This includes bringing forward any
maintenance due to take place in the next quarter
– to make sure the building is operating well and to
reduce the need for engineers to visit an occupied
workplace; changing air filters and increasing the
frequency at which the air is changed.
Remote monitoring systems, which had been
growing in popularity prior to the crisis, will
have an even more important role in the new
normal, adds Toby Hunt, Key Account Director at
Guardian Water Treatment. “Remote monitoring
prevents unnecessary site visits and can lead
to reduced maintenance regimes overall.
Where site visits are unavoidable, by knowing
38 JUNE 2020
exactly what needs to be looked at, time spent
can be minimised.” And it can mean real-time
results can be analysed immediately and reacted
to quickly.
Many of these changes will serve a dual purpose:
to keep people safe by reducing the chance of the
virus spreading but also to reassure people that
the organisation is doing everything it can to keep
them safe.
Engagement should be a fundamental part
of any workplace strategy, including two-way
communication and transparency about practical
measures such as cleaning and distancing regimes,
adds the IWFM’s Chris Moriarty. IWFM research
has found that maintaining social distancing
and hygiene and cleaning standards are the top
concerns people have about returning to the o ice
a er the lockdown.
Jo Sutherland, Managing Director of workplace
communications consultancy Magenta Associates
agrees. “Addressing people’s concerns and
communicating the new normal in a clear and
transparent way is important. Businesses should
communicate the new workplace etiquette in
advance of the return to the workplace and then
display the information prominently around
the building to make sure that people are
constantly reminded of the new way of working.”
Using a variety of tools and channels to keep
the communication fresh and engaging is also
important.
It’s clear that once FMs have set up the new
processes and procedures and trained their teams
to deliver the new workplace etiquette, much of
the focus will be on the occupants themselves to
follow the guidelines and adapt to the changes.
That will see the FM role switch again – to become
even more people focused than in the past. Which
will be one positive outcome of the crisis.
IWFM research has
found that maintaining social
distancing and hygiene and
cleaning standards are the top
concerns people have about
returning to the offi ce after
the lockdown.”