11.05.2022

The future of people in the workplace

By Mauro Ortelli, Managing Director, 14forty

FM is helping to drive change and shape the workplace. The pandemic has generated some of the trends leading to this evolution, but most were already there in the background and have been accelerated over events of the last two years. For instance…

People power

Many office workers have been working at home, sometimes in isolation, throughout most of the pandemic, so do not underestimate people power.

Arriving at the office knowing a meeting room is booked and a healthy lunch is on order can improve your work experience. But simply having a friendly, welcoming and familiar face at reception greeting you each day is equally powerful.

Multi-skilled outsourced FM professionals, deployed where they are needed and perceived as being part of their client’s company, can build rapport with employees over the long term, reassure and reduce anxiety.

However, not all changes are related to the pandemic, some are driven by political and sociobiological factors.

Personalisation

Recognising people as individuals, understanding their needs and delivering them with a human touch is perhaps the biggest future trend.

A ‘one size fits all’ approach in no longer sufficient, be it ways of working, working hours, meals or even desk types. Companies now need to understand the varying needs of individuals, appreciate the different roles they perform and the myriad of influences that shape their lives.

Increasingly, FM clients want solutions that are tailored perfectly to them. The services provided will need to be specific to those who pay for them because different industries and businesses have different needs.

In fact, it’s better to say that people have individual requirements. With catering services, those who work sitting in an office environment are going to have nutritional needs that differ from someone who works all day on their feet in a warehouse. The move is towards personalisation, and that includes what people eat and drink as well as how a space is designed.

Net Zero

With the government increasingly focussed on Net Zero, climate change should already be a board level issue at most companies.

These targets are also important to the public and to employees, making Net Zero critical in terms of recruitment, retention and corporate reputation. Part of FM’s evolving role is to help businesses achieve this.

For instance, technological advances will soon make it possible to check CO2 levels on individual floors and monitor the flow of fresh air throughout a building, helping to reduce carbon emissions as well as Covid-19 transmission rates.

We can also support clients in cutting down on waste such as food and consumables, as well as remove chemicals from the workplace through water-based, environmentally friendly, ionised cleaning products.

Whilst it is not always possible to remove waste it is important to consider a circular economy. At 14forty our staff wear uniforms (so they are easily identifiable), and we are looking into the possibility of using livery made of reconstituted plastic to support this.

Finally, we are looking at our supply chain to establish the efficient utilisation of electric vehicles based on how far they drive and how much plastic they use. By working with contractors, we can ensure that waste is not going to landfill and drive greener choices.

All of these innovations play a part in helping businesses reach its Net Zero targets, lowering its carbon footprint and increasing its social value calculations.

Technology

FM is good at using new technology to better manage services and measure success. Next it needs to embrace customer-facing technologies to ease and support the customer journey.

That might mean being able to do more things at the push of a button, whether that is pre-ordering coffee before you get out of the car, making sure you have a workstation and a parking space, or booking a meeting.

In conclusion

Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that people are unique, with different needs depending on their job roles, their psychological make up and their inner drivers.

So, to build an environment in which employees thrive and feel comfortable, appreciated and inspired, the first step is to put people first.

This is what FM is all about in the modern world and it’s been a fast-moving trend, accelerated by the pandemic. These are complex times but, by working together at a strategic level with employers, there is also an opportunity achieve something special.

Together we can create meaningful change which supports a new vision of the workplace of the future.

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