FMJ.CO.UK WELLBEING FOCUS
MENTAL WELLBEING
WHO’S ROLE IS IT ANYWAY? SARWAT TASNEEM, WHO COMBINES AN ARCHITECTURAL BACKGROUND WITH EXPERTISE IN BEHAVIOURAL
CHANGE, EXPLORES THE GROWING ROLE FMS MUST PLAY IN SAFEGUARDING EMPLOYEE WELLBEING
By mid-October 2020, I had
facilitated my 8th mental
wellbeing coaching session online
with a new client in just six weeks.
Understandably the pandemic had
seen a rise in professionals seeking
mental health support, however, the unique factor
for me of this call was that six out of the eight had
been facilities managers. What was clear is that the
steady stream of uncertainty during the pandemic
has led to high levels of pressure on FMs to monitor
not only the mental wellbeing of employees
returning to the o ice but of those working from
home.
When you consider that one in four people in the
United Kingdom will experience a mental health
problem, this is no mean feat.
FMS AND MENTAL HEALTH
We know the FM plays a critical part in the physical
wellbeing and productivity of employees. From a
mental health perspective, when this is executed in
a measured manner, presenteeism and absenteeism
drops.
Traditionally the responsibility of an FM is the
management of buildings, for example in optimising
the energy performance and e‹ iciency of components
and services. The additional knowledge and practice
of Health & Safety, where the physical health risks that
can a‹ ect the wellbeing of employees lie in factors
such as fire precautions, air quality, lighting, cooling
systems, li£ s, electrical, and dedicated physical
wellbeing spaces to name a few. Where it has become
conflated is the extension of responsibilities amongst
FMs in safeguarding employee’ mental wellbeing and
their psychological needs.
It is not only the o‹ ice that is in a state of
transformation. The terminology and newly appointed
titles for the individual leading good mental health
practice is also in a state of flux
from “Mindfulness
Custodian” to “People Pioneer”. Our experience proves
the success of good wellbeing in an organisation is not
the responsibility of one manager.
Some would argue mental wellbeing resides in the
role of HR as it is a people centric initiative but this is
no longer the case. We are seeing more companies
holistically addressing the dual need of employee’s
physical and mental wellbeing. Stakeholders are
growing in understanding that musculoskeletal safety
and ergonomics as well as mental wellbeing are all best
practice initiatives that make business sense.
CULTURE ROLE
Employee wellbeing is a model that should be led
by management across a business. FMs are experts
in project management, procurement and delivery,
the question is how much of their budget is put aside
for mental wellbeing measures and e‹ iciency? In my
experience budgets for a mental wellbeing strategy are
seldom distributed, and too o£ en the provision of a
twoday
mental health training course is not enough.
Outsourcing your mental health support and
resources may come at a cost and can result in a
missed opportunity in developing an organisation’s
people and culture. Controversial as it may sound, it
takes a commitment in time, skill and perception to
be able to engage with employees to have productive
conversations that help guide them to the right source
of help and professional support.
Not being conscious of the level of accountability
by employers is another factor. According to the HSE,
workrelated
stress and mental health problems o£ en
go together, as workrelated
stress can aggravate
an existing mental health problem, making it more
di‹ icult to control. Once workrelated
stress reaches a
point where it has triggered an existing mental health
problem, it becomes hard to separate one from the
other.
Forming an integrated, measured approach with
vested managers from HR and FM functions is one
solution
putting people, performance and e‹ iciency
at the essence of this partnership.
It’s no secret that the pandemic has raised the profile
of the role of FM as a result of changing work patterns
in the commercial real estate sector. Through the
limitation of the commute into cities, employees are
experiencing the benefits of working from home and
the flexibility it allows. Factor the rumours of plans for
further downsizing o‹ ices and the growth of localised
o‹ ices , and the challenge of providing and monitoring
the wellbeing of employees at work has a whole new
meaning for FMs.
With such huge changes in the physical and
geographical workplace, comes the psychological
challenges. The potential of the hub and spoke model
will introduce new wellbeing systems that FMs will
have to factor in. The hybrid of AI and collaborative
working styles may change the way in which wellbeing
at work is managed as we adapt to increased levels of
autonomy within the remote o‹ ice model. This means
a balance of inperson
and digital communications will
be a fine one, but we must continue to prioritise human
needs.
The impact of COVID has highlighted the pressing
need to monitor workers’ mental health. Those within
the workplace who are tasked with delivering these
initiatives need to do this alongside the support
of leadership and the wider organisation. Mental
wellbeing support for the facility manager who is in
turn monitoring the wellbeing of sta‹ and helping
them to prepare for this adaption to their role will be a
key requisite within the sector going forward. To meet
these new challenges, due diligence, systems and
transparency will be imperative.
FEBRUARY 2021 35
PRIORITISING SURFACE WIPING OF
FREQUENTLY TOUCHED SURFACES
While washroom hygiene remains a
top priority, hotspots now also need to
be considered. The guidance from the
World Health Organisation is to use a
2step
Clean and Disinfect process. The
recommendations are to routinely clean
and disinfect all frequently touch surfaces
in the workplace such as workstations,
handrails, doorknobs and shared
equipment. Science indicates why these
surfaces need daily hygiene protocols in
addition to good hand hygiene standards
in facilities .
The survey showed varying levels of
concern around germ hotspots. When away
from home, 70 per cent were worried about
touching the railings on public transport,
while 67 per cent were concerned about
opening doors or touching li£ buttons.
Unsurprisingly, as there has been a
significant shi£ towards contactless
payments, 65 per cent were worried about
using cash machines and 64 per cent in
handling money.
360˚ HYGIENE & PROTECTION
PROGRAMME
To help businesses get back on their feet
and restore confidence, KimberlyClark
Professional has introduced the 360°
Hygiene & Protection programme.
The 360° programme o‹ ers specific
premises support through considering
need areas, and tools to assess their
premises and identify germ hotspots. The
next step is implementing cleaning and
disinfecting protocols and introducing
the correct hand hygiene and surface
wiping solutions. Finally, KimberlyClark
Professional promotes hygienic workplace
practices by providing communication
tools to help create awareness, which is a
vital and important part of making people
feel safe. An indepth
workplace guide
is available for each sector advising the
most appropriate products and solutions.
https://home.kcprofessional.com/uk/
hygieneresources
A free, no obligation virtual hygiene
walk – bookable through the microsite
https://home.kcprofessional.com/
UK_PR_TTNS_0920 – reviews a facility and
provides expert guidance on cleaning and
hygiene protocols, recommending the right
product solutions to tackle key hygiene
hotspots.
“Reassuring customers and employees
with visible hygiene actions has never been
more important for a business’ survival,”
says Neznal. “The results of our survey
provide insights into priorities and areas
for improvement to make the premises and
washrooms of the future, safer.”
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