Technology for
a smarter world
T: +44 (0)1708 251900
E: info@fsifm.com
www.fsifm.com
Celebrating
NOVEMBER 2020 21
FMJ.CO.UK
wasn’t convinced
that it was actually
a viable initiative,
regardless of
projected costs or
timescale - nothing
was forthcoming.
There’s been no
communication
since, and I doubt
the Institute now
has the resources,
let alone the
appetite these days.
Nor indeed does it
seem likely to qualify for and be awarded the status - its
financial history for one is enough to make it ineligible
and the Privy Council would almost certainly reject its
application.
I’m confident that the FM sector will exceed previous
market analysts’ expectations and it will continue to
expand and grow financially and enhance its reputation.
Unfortunately, that probably won’t be true of the
Institute. It was already becoming less of a members’
Institute and more a training provider.
The pandemic has a ected many of its revenue streams,
postponing events and its ability to deliver services,
although its financial stability has been in question
for some time. It has been loss-making in its last two
published accounts - 2018 and 2019 - but not in the same
way as in 2015 when it incurred losses of £724,000. But
will its net reserves of £205,000 be able to support it
through 2020?
Training, networking events, the awards dinner, the
conference have all been adversely a ected this year, so
revenues will be drastically a ected, and membership is
also in decline. Membership numbers were once proudly
published on the website; and the use of ‘Britain’s fastest
growing Institute’ and the strapline ‘Advancing our
Profession’ are long gone.
What we can identify is that ABC, which audits magazine
circulation, shows this has fallen 20 per cent year-on-year
to July down to just 10,500 copies (99.7 per cent of copies
are for members) – so gone are the aspirational days of
membership levels of 25,000-plus which was the target
set for the previous CEO.
Professional membership bodies have to provide value
to all their members both to individuals and also to their
corporates. It’s hard to identify the ROI provided when
the Institute does not represent those corporates: it is not
a trade association and not their voice or representative
body. Individuals undergoing professional qualifications
still have a choice of which training provider to use and
there are many good ones up and down the country.
So whilst IWFM outsources the provision of their
membership magazine, there are of course other
publications available, which will provide the same
informative read. IWFM has put on some good webinars,
but that really doesn’t bridge the gap le from all the
other services not being provided; and all those regional
events organised by the volunteers were always the real
attraction for most. It’s unlikely any will be back anytime
soon.
Cost is what you pay, value is what you receive. It will
ultimately be for others to decide if the cost of belonging
gives them back the necessary value in return. I’m no
longer a member of the IWFM. There are of course other
FM bodies out there including IFMA & RICS, and I’m
involved with both.
THE IWFM VOLUNTEER’S VIEW
CATHY HAYWARD , CHAIRMAN OF MAGENTA
ASSOCIATES & CHAIR OF THE IWFM’S LONDON
REGION
Like many of us,
the pandemic
caught the
IWFM unawares.
Despite that,
within a few
weeks the
institute had set
up its Turbulent
Times webinar
series which
has proved
enormously
popular. The
one I facilitated in May on the return to work had more
than 600 attendees. Running since April, it has provided a
much-needed source of independent advice for facilities
professionals. The IWFM website is also packed full of
information to support FMs.
Yes, the institute could have acted quicker in some
areas. I was initially critical of the lack of pandemicrelated
advice on the website, for example. But in March
and April we were all navigating unchartered waters.
Few outside the scientific world could have predicted
the impact of the pandemic then. The IWFM wisely
took the decision to avail itself of Government support
programmes, including the furlough scheme, which
meant that it was operating with fewer people while at
the same time adapting to home working. The webinar
series was up and running remarkably quickly while
other areas took longer.
At this year’s AGM, there was some challenging
questions from members about the institute’s finances
and its plans for chartered status. It’s a matter of public
record that the IWFM was loss-making in 2018 and 2019
and its reserves are falling. With the conference and
awards – significant revenue-generators – forced to
be virtual this year, it’s likely to be loss making in 2020
as well. Membership of professional bodies has fallen
in many areas as organisations cut spend and people
a ected by furlough or redundancy stop paying for their
membership. Although the figures aren’t available, it’s
likely that the IWFM is also a ected by a fall in members.
FM CLINIC
Connecting
people,
property and
data for peak
performance
Concept Evolution
CAFM / IWMS
FSI GO
Mobile Workforce apps
Concept Advantage
Workplace apps
30YEARS
in 2020
Cathy Hay ward
David Emanuel
ADVICE & OPINION
link
/www.fsifm.com
