The knowledge economy

MEETING THE SHORTFALL?
While some sections of the FM community have argued that a ban on recruiting low-paid EU workers following Brexit is the impetus the sector needs to upskill the incumbent workforce, realistically is the FM industry prepared for the shortfall? Says Sharp: “I don’t think [the FM sector] is ready at all. No one is. It’s a huge challenge as well as a huge opportunity. It’s like the whole of Brexit encapsulated into one market. It’s a massive risk that the majority of people decided to pursue, so now we just have to do it.

“The government’s new points-based system means that anyone with high-end qualifications such as engineering or analytics can come in and FM will potentially benefit from a wider international talent pool. But the government’s own data suggests that 70 per cent of the migrants entering the UK from the EU in the early 2000s would not have met the test for the new points-based criteria. So there are settled EU migrants – as well as UK nationals – who will need to fill those jobs, and whose development in our experience has largely been held back through underinvestment. They need to be trained to a consistently high standard and – because budgets are tight – at a low cost.

“This is why upskilling for the 98 per cent is going to be key, and for us and for UK plc, the big opportunity is in targeting that neglected tier of workers.” For employers, it’s also a vital way for them to be able to demonstrate compliance with law and good practice.

The other ongoing debate within the sector has been on whether FMs need to be accredited or whether it’s just a matter of improving skills and knowledge.

Comments Sharp: “I think formal qualifications are still very valid and I wouldn’t want to get into a bun fight between qualifications and skills as they’re both very important. But I do think that gaining a professional qualification can often be overemphasised in comparison to ensuring that everyone has the requisite skills. We as a sector need to bring the skills of lower-paid workers up because that’s where it is really needed.”

The system has only been live a few weeks, but given the skills shortage in the sector it’s already created a lot of interest. Sharp has also been surprised at how open people are to using the technology. There is sometimes an expectation that some frontline workers, such as cleaners, might be put off by digital learning, but he has talked to retail customers who’ve already got iPads strapped to cleaning trolleys to help their staff keep tabs on the need to replenish supplies or monitor busy areas.

As for the argument that only the millennials will get it, he says: “Some people have ideas about technology and don’t trust it. But we’ve demonstrated Workplace DNA to some self-confessed luddites who really liked the competitive elements and the leaderboard, and if you can persuade them you can persuade anyone. It’s utter rubbish that it is only millennials who adopt tech; older people are quite comfortable using iPads and mobile phones, you just have to make the content interesting and engaging.”

With over 25 years’ experience of training and development behind him, Sharp also believes that the use of apps and social media has a bigger part than ever to play in keeping workers at the front line feeling connected to their employers.

“People want to be part of something bigger – they want to feel included and part of the whole organisation. For their part, employers have got to be aligned with the needs of their employees, especially in developing the right skills and the confidence to do a good job. The new metrics for learning and development are engagement – not just once or twice a year, but continuously – and the impact that engagement has on performance. That is what Workplace DNA is all about.”

DNA BASICS
There are over 400 five-minute microlearning resources in the DNA library. Every DNA learning resource includes a list of the credentials upon which it is based, as well as sources of further information for learners. Content in the DNA resource library is reviewed regularly. The five types of credentialed sources are:

1. International bodies (such as the International Labour Organization)

2. International standards (such as ISOs)

3. Professional bodies (such as RICS)

4. Legal or regulatory requirements (such as UK and EU law)

5. Industry guidance (for example, codes
of practice)

The library is split into five different resource types that each share a consistent design and treat a subject from a different perspective:

• Defining
• Need to know
• Managing
• Case stories
• Compliance

Every resource ends with a standardised five-question DNA test, taken from a bank of 10 questions. Workplace DNA is built on the premise that most people are already fairly familiar with most subjects; it is not a teaching resource, but instead aims to refresh existing knowledge and challenge normalised behaviours. There is no pass mark for the quiz and no requirement for the learner to re-access the resource to improve a low score.

Key to the ecosystem is the learner’s DNA score. This increases as they engage with news and content, but will degrade over time if the learner’s engagement level drops. A learner can view their own performance and that of their team members on a leaderboard, while managers can view the performance of their teams or benchmark the DNA score of their organisation against others in their sector.