NEWS & ANALYSIS FMJ.CO.UK
ASSOCIATION NEWS
RICS BACKS RECRUITMENT DRIVE FOR
BUILDING SAFETY MANAGER
Paul Bagust - Global Property
Standards Director, RICS
HYBRID WORKING IS THE NEW NORMAL – EMBRACE IT
8 MAY 2021
Since the
Grenfell
Tower fire, RICS
has worked
tirelessly both
within the UK and
internationally,
to improve fire
safety in the public
interest. The
establishment of a
dedicated Fire Safety team, Fire Safety Working
Group, and the formation & development of an
international Coalition of 80+ bodies supported
by the UN (International Fire Safety Standards)
is witness to how RICS has led on the subject of
fire safety post Grenfell.
Last year we welcomed the publication
of the Building Safety Bill, which included
recommendations for a Safety Case of
information as a single repository of information
about a building, and for the three new
‘Gateways’ to ensure that developers proposals
and construction are soon given the extra
detailed scrutiny and sign o„ which has been
o‰ en overlooked in the past. This means that all
those involved in the building will have access to
the building information they need, including the
construction products, which is a necessity.
The report also recommends the appointment
of a new Building Safety Regulator (BSR) within
the HSE (Health & Safety Executive), overseeing
all HRBs (high risk buildings).
The role will include managing the building
in accordance with the safety case report, an
assessment by the ‘accountable person’ (the
social landlord) of the building safety risks and
steps taken to prevent a major incident or reduce
the severity of one. There must be a resident
engagement strategy and the accountable
person must promote “a strong partnership”
between residents and a Building Safety Manager
(BSM), who will ensure compliance with the new
Building Safety Regulator.
This manager must have the “skills, knowledge,
experience and behaviours” to carry out the role,
with further details of the position expected in
secondary legislation. The regulator will have the
power to veto an appointment.
The role of Building Safety Manager will add
to safety and see consistency in standards going
forward. RICS consistently pushed for this in the
work groups that led to the Dame Judith Hackitt’s
final report ‘Building a Safer Future’.
However, training and recruitment need to be
something on the Governments to do list, as at
the current time industry does not have qualified
individuals to fill these roles. A recruitment drive,
which could include appointing experienced
facilities managers could add to the levelling up
agenda.
The tragic consequences of the Grenfell fire will
never be forgotten. RICS is committed to doing all
we can to support moves to make buildings safer
and part of that is ensuring professionals have
access to the appropriate fire safety training.
Facilities management professionals have a
deep knowledge of the need for buildings to be
managed and operated safely and will play a
critical role as we look to the future for building
safety.
This message is important, so I will be direct: if
your organisation returns solely to o ice-based
ways of working post-lockdown, you are at
serious risk of losing and deterring talent. This is not my
opinion but the views of UK o ice workers.
You may have seen our ‘Returning to workplaces’ timeseries
research. Across April and June 2020 and again
in March this year, we surveyed thousands of UK o„ ice
workers working from home because of the pandemic. In essence, we want
to understand their experiences of and attitudes towards working from home
under lockdown conditions and how they have changed over time.
You can view the main findings at iwfm.org.uk under our COVID-19 resources,
but the message was clear: the majority of those who worked in o„ ices prior
to lockdown measures have seen the benefits of home-working and now
want to do it more o‰ en. One or two days working from home seems to be the
sweet spot for many, but there are variations: a small minority want to work
exclusively from the o„ ice; a similar minority want to work from home full time;
and others want to spend most of their time at home.
What employers and our profession should take from this is that flexibility and
consultation with their people is key critical.
There is also some bite to the findings because almost half (47 per cent) of all
age groups stated they would look for a new job if their employer didn’t o„ er
more flexible working options in future. Eighteen to 24-year-olds feel most
strongly about this (66 per cent). This should be concerning to any organisations
not taking this paradigm shi‰ seriously.
Those who suspect that reduced visibility means reduced productivity can
find comfort in our findings. A mere 12 per cent felt that working from home
had a negative impact on their productivity – surely the same minority who
long to return to the o„ ice full time - whilst an average of 49 per cent across all
age groups believe they are more productive. This rises to 57 per cent for 18 to
34-year-olds. There are, of course, legitimate concerns amongst those whose
roles are firmly identified with the buildings they serve. Our Market Outlook
2021 report released last month highlighted that whilst most in our profession
felt optimistic about the next year, some were worried about potentially lower
demand for their services as organisations reduce their occupied spaces.
I understand and sympathise, but I hold the firm belief that the changes we
are seeing represent our profession’s next great chance to shine: seizing the
workplace opportunity and adding value by helping organisations to make and
maintain the shi‰ to hybrid working. You were integral to helping the country
through 2020; now you are equally essential to its future. This is your moment.
Yes, people want to work from home more
o‰ en, but the vast majority also wish to work
in the o„ ice on a regular basis; therefore, the
changing demand for occupied spaces should
not be as detrimental as some fear. Not if
employers are listening to their people.
IWFM CEO, Linda Hausmanis