FACILITIES MANAGEMENT JOURNAL JOBS
FM CAREERS - RECRUITMENT
ACROSS THE DIVIDE Ross McCaw, Founder and CEO of OurPeople, shares his best communications practices to keep work
processes moving at a time of disconnect and unpredictability
The success of
the UK vaccine
programme
means that workers
are expected to return
to o ices faster than
originally thought, and
the numbers of those
expected to be making
the transition back to
traditional working environments is much higher
than originally anticipated - jumping from 60 per
cent to 80 per cent of workers.
With the public being encouraged and feeling
confident enough to return to these shared spaces,
facilities teams, already laden with additional
Coronavirus related duties, will face the challenge
of ensuring they remain connected in unpredictable
circumstances, while also focusing on the safety and
cleanliness of o ice buildings.
At this time, it’s crucial all sta have the correct
and relevant information they need to help mitigate
unnecessary risk. As shared spaces fluctuate in levels
of busyness, team members will need to know in
real time, which tasks need doing, which have been
done and what might need doing again the following
day (and which do not). Added pressure will also
come from a workforce that consists of a variation
of deskless and remote employees, along with
contractors.
The new o ice landscape will remain unpredictable
and seemingly disjointed for some time, with
di erent sta working di erent hours in alternative
ways. But the integration of both communication
systems, and regular in-person meetings and catchups
can be a vital way to ensure that key information,
updates and documents are transferred to the right
people.
E ective communication with, and within, facilities
management teams is a complicated thing to
achieve and o en falls to managers, whether they’re
deskless or remote. However, now more than ever,
implementing e ective communications measures
will ensure teams can manage workflows more
e ectively and resolve issues quickly and e iciently.
HYBRID MODELS OF WORKING ARE
BECOMING THE NEW NORMAL
Another reason communications systems matter
more now than ever before in the UK is the trend
we’ve seen at OurPeople in the shi towards hybrid
models of working - a blend of both in person and
digital working, with di erent days or environments
allocated to di erent tasks.
This blended work model includes a mix of
employees in o ice, at home and deskless working,
and is being widely adopted across many industries.
However, within facilities management, this model
will only work for some employees as others will be
needed on the ground. As a result, this model carries
the risk of alienating workers from line managers and
colleagues, due to a lack of in-person connection.
Regular meetings (with all the applicable
precautions in place like masks and social distancing)
are crucial to keep teams updated with correct
and up-to-date information about what protocols
have been put in place, and how the business
and buildings are running to protect sta . Most
importantly perhaps, regular in-person meetings
keep workers motivated. Teams are made up of
more than just the tasks they perform and human
connection is vital if you want to keep your team
working at their best.
THE PERSONAL TOUCH
Sometimes, one-to-one feedback sessions can be
just as valuable, or even more valuable than regular
meetings. In these circumstances, people may feel
more comfortable discussing more personal views
or concerns, o en getting right to the heart of the
matter.
These kinds of meetings ensure workers are happy,
engaged and comfortable with key information
being pushed out. This time also enables facilities
managers to check up on how sta are doing and
feeling about their return to work, and whether any
additional measures need to be put in place, listening
to both their team member’s feedback and the
constantly updated government advice.
At a time when safety and health is at the top of our
minds, taking time to ensure protocols work for every
member of the team is a valuable investment, and
pays o in the long run by revealing key learnings,
which might not have happened if time wasn’t taken
to hear every voice on the team.
The ease for managers to act on relevant
suggestions or concerns can, in turn, have a great
e ect on sta , not only ensuring they feel safe and
protected from the virus, but also that they have
a sense of belonging and worth in the workplace.
Ensuring employees are happy and engaged can
really make a di erence to their performance.
Alongside this, increased positive engagement with
sta will also allow them to feel more protected, and
less anxious, about returning to work, encouraging
more back into the o ice.
Facilities managers should keep consistent, instant
and transparent connections with all employees
regarding their response to the pandemic and how
they are working against the ongoing threat.
THE RIGHT TOOLS TO PROTECT YOUR TEAM
Communication platforms should also be
implemented to assist in the safe return to work,
ensuring sta have access to the right information for
them, when and where they might need it. This can
be a great way for FMs to ensure they are constantly
informing sta , outside of regularly scheduled
meetings, on the safety measures they have put
in place and any changes required by updated
government guidance.
Because of the nature of the FM sector, with such
a variety of o ice based and front-line workers, FMs
must take extra steps to actively engage sta . In this
way they can ensure there is transparency in the
way the business is run, and that sta are aware of
the measures put in place to protect them, so they
can act upon important information to create a safer
environment for all involved.
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