Workplace management: Trend setters
What type of working environments will the future workforce demand? More importantly, how will FMs manage them? Andrew Mawson reveals the structural framework needed for a successful transition.
by Andrew Mawson
It’s been an ugly time for managers of UK businesses. Survival through driving out of cost has been the order of the day. But as panic gives way to rational action now is the time to look ahead at the capabilities needed to manage the workplace of the future.
The trends
We can’t predict the future, but some trends are not likely to go away. In fact, they could well guide our future thinking. Here are eight of them:
1. Pricing
In most sectors, pricing of products and services will be under even more pressure than before. Even in areas such as oil, where prices may rise because of shortages, profit margins will be under pressure. Organisations will be looking to drive out waste and use their assets (human and fixed) more effectively.
In the future the working population will be more diverse, with Generation Y working alongside the ‘Greys’
2. Location
Language/skills permitting, organisations will be seeking the cheapest locations around the world (in terms of space and salaries). The exceptions are where the physical movement of goods is involved. Here, organisations will return to transport costs and the sustainability agenda.
3. Globalisation
More ‘mixed culture’ work communities will exist as people from different parts of the world work together more — both physically and virtually — to achieve corporate objectives.
4. Sustainability
Governments and consumers are more likely to be driving changes in the way we live and work to reduce CO2 emissions and improve sustainability.
5. Work patterns
Business life is likely to be more (not less) uncertain, making planning even harder.
6. Recruitment
Employers will still aim to recruit the best brains and motivate them to achieve top performance.
7. IT
Technology will continue its downward cost path, making use of cheaper and ever more mobile technology to connect people across the world.
8. Demographics
The working population will be more diverse, with Generation ‘Y’ working alongside the ‘Greys’ in their 60s and 70s.
What does it all mean?
- It means travelling only when necessary. But with the advent of great quality, cheap and intuitive video-conferencing equipment people won’t want to travel anyway. And that means increasing numbers will work from home — at least for some of the time.
- It means that offices will become ‘hubs’ for some and ‘homes’ for others, their main purpose being the development of relationships and sharing of knowledge.
- It means workplaces will need to be more attractive and innovatively designed. But they’ll need to evolve too, and that means re-using existing furniture and augmenting it with new practices, technologies and components.
- It means floorspace will need to be designed to suit the range of tasks that future workers must perform, with ‘tuned’ to the tasks undertaken by ‘guests’ in the building.
- It means managers must learn new sensitivities and skills in order to manage people from different cultures, who are often working at a distance from each other.
- It means FMs will need to evolve to treat staff as guests, managing and monitoring the quality of their experiences minute-by-minute. In turn, guests will be encouraged and motivated to use workplace resources as they need them — and then release them for others to use when they are not.
- It means someone is going to have to take responsibility for monitoring and managing the ebb and flow of occupancy, making sure office space is optimally balanced so that areas are never over- or under-occupied.
10 ways to workplace management
To achieve the above you will need certain management capabilities. But does that involve facilities management or workplace management? Whereas FM is focused on the delivery of technical services, workplace management is focused on the balancing of supply and demand and the sustainable delivery of workplace experiences, embracing all services, technologies and facilities that contribute to it.
The following 10 structural competencies provide a good way of visualising the entirety of management practice and identifying where change is needed. The framework covers both the need for maintaining operational excellence and the areas that address the needs of a changing business — and the working world in general.
FMs will need to treat staff as guests, micro-managing and monitoring their experiences
1. Strategy
Particularly important for the corporate real estate (CRE)/FM strategy and management function is the building of a close strategic relationship with the business executive. The aim is to align its services with the support of corporate performance.
2. Clients
Client relationship management aims to build a close, trusted, collaborative, consultancy style of working with business units and to encourage the take-up of innovative developments. This may involve wholesale behavioural change in working practices. CRE/FM management will need to grow these consultancy skills or acquire them. Processes must be in place so that changes can be implemented through training and engagement.
3. Performance
Performance management is fundamental to evidence-based achievement of service delivery and in underpinning the trust between clients, suppliers and users of services. The skills required should include knowledge of corporate performance measures, CRE/FM processes, data sources and information systems. Meaningful benchmarking and quality improvement plans depend on this.
4. Capacity
Knowledge of the current and potential capabilities of a portfolio of buildings and services determine how a workplace strategy should be developed. Capacity management processes are essential here. The effect on capacity of changes in configuration, refurbishments, new projects and new styles of working need to be followed and processes made available to ensure it happens.
5. Resources
All major shifts in our economy make way for innovation. Resource management is particularly attractive —allowing better use of building assets and enabling new technologies.
6. Supply chain
Innovation through the supply chain and responsiveness to change are required in the way contracts are set and managed. The contribution of third parties to the flexibility needed to deal with an uncertain future must be embodied in a strategic plan for the supply chain that takes full account of the risks.
7. Problems
The need for efficient and effective delivery of services remains constant. The resolution of problems and the elimination of their causes must continue through strong problem management processes.
8. Risk
Change always brings risk so existing risk management processes must be sharpened. The forces of the marketplace and changes in workplace legislation means attention to business continuity plans, security and Health & Safety and environmental issues.
9. Change
The response of business to the rapidly changing commercial world will continue to result in organisational change. Effective change management processes will need to integrate well with IT, the business and the supply chain.
10. Projects
Project management requires understanding of the bigger picture of change and have experience in dealing with behavioural transitional change as well as traditional physical implementations.
The challenges that face CRE/FM management are daunting. For some there must be a shift in their influence at work; for others, there will need to be more robust processes in place and changes in the mix of skills they need. It’s time to take stock of your CRE/FM and its readiness for the future.
About the author
Andrew Mawson is managing director of the consultancy Advanced Workplace Associates
