FM CAREERS - TRAINING
ADAPT AND LEARN FMs experiencing career upheaval due to the COVID crisis, need to hone their skills and knowledge to ensure
they’re ready for the next challenge, says Beth Goodyear of FMHS Consulting
SEPTEMBER 2020 53
The workplace
is changing,
and we need
to change with
it. For some
of our FM
colleagues, the
changes brought by COVID-19 mean
redundancy or lack of job security in
a challenging job market saturated
with talent. Even for those lucky
to have retained their roles, it is
still a very challenging time with
an uncertain future. It is therefore
essential that we all recognise that
standing still when everything around
us is changing comes with risks and
we need to consider how we can
improve our knowledge and skills to
make sure we don’t get le behind.
The problem is finding the time.
So many FMs are already working
flat-out and finding time for personal
development might not feel like a
priority. Another challenge is cost. We
know that in times of financial crisis,
learning and development take a backseat
to just about everything else. So,
what can we do to keep our knowledge
and skills future-proofed and make sure
we don’t get le behind?
Firstly, we need to acknowledge that
learning and development is important
and that not moving forwards is akin to
going backwards. Secondly, we need
to stop ‘reinventing the wheel’ and use
the huge amount of free learning and
development resources available on the
internet. Thirdly, we need to schedule
time for training into our diaries
otherwise it won’t happen.
As an FM Trainer and Consultant, I
regularly get asked, ‘What should I know
to progress in my FM career? What’s
the best course to go on?’ My answer is
usually ‘it depends!’ There are so many
required skills to learn, it really does
depend on what you know already, the
role you are currently in and where you
want to go, but in general, these are
some of the key tips I share.
TRAINING TIPS
Tip 1. Complete a skills gap analysis
to help identify what you need to
know. The best way to do this is by
using the free tool developed by IWFM
called the ‘Professional Standards.’
Their free to download handbook
‘define the competences necessary to
be an accomplished workplace and/
or facilities management practitioner
at every career stage.’ They cover
everything from finance and technology
to business continuity and compliance
and are a very useful resource.
Tip 2. If you need a formal qualification
in FM or H&S for example, now is a great
time to consider it, because virtual or
online training is being o ered at a
fraction of the usual face-to-face training
cost. Also, and I may regret suggesting
this, be cheeky and ask the training
companies for discounts, particularly if
you have been made redundant. I have
given away free places on all the public
training courses I’ve run since March and
I’m sure others have done the same.
Tip 3. Learn for free in less than 30
minutes. YouTube is a brilliant starting
point. Whether you are looking for a
specific topic, e.g. ‘how to flush little
used outlet’ as part of your legionella
programme or want to learn more about
an important subject like mental health
there will be a range of useful videos. I
recently launched the ‘FMHS Consulting’
YouTube channel which features two
useful playlists for learning, the popular
‘FM Expert’ series with over 50 interviews
with FM industry leaders sharing their
top tips and the ‘FM Recommended
Watchlist’ which features videos I
recommend on my training courses.
Tip 4. Free e-learning courses. There
are literally thousands of free e-learning
courses on such a wide range of
subjects useful to FMs including
project management, accounting,
IT, business and management skills
and mental health. To save hours of
searching for relevant websites go to the
myworldofwork.co.uk website, click on
the ‘learn and train’ tab and ‘free online
courses’ where on one page they have
links to all the main websites o ering
free courses.
Tip 5. You might need to relearn what
you think you already know… Do you
really understand the financial model
or budget you are working to in detail?
Have you read your supplier contracts
and property leases enough to be
confident you really know the content?
Are your service specifications being
adhered to fully or are you paying for
services that aren’t being delivered?
It takes dedicated time but check
the details and look up anything you
don’t understand. Without exception,
everyone I know who has done this
has discovered new information and
improved their management of the
service area or function.
Tip 6. Rethink how you communicate.
In an increasingly automated
workplace, it is recognised that
interpersonal skills are what make us
stand out. In a PwC publication titled
‘Workplace of the Future’, 52 per cent
of CEOs said finding the skills they
need; problem-solving, adaptability,
collaboration, leadership, creativity
and innovation, has become the
biggest threat to their business. With
so much more of our communication
now happening via video calls and
telephone, we need to recognise that
our communication skills may need to
adjust to suit these changes.
Finally, for those FM colleagues
who through no fault of their own
find themselves looking for new
opportunities, remember, employers
don’t expect you to know everything,
but being able to demonstrate that
you’ve been proactive in learning new
things will make you stand out for all
the right reasons.