EMBRACING WORKPLACE TO MOVE FM FORWARD - In partnership with March 2018 - BIFM
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EMBRACING
WORKPLACE TO
MOVE FM FORWARD
In partnership with
March 2018
EMBRACING WORKPLACE TO MOVE FM FORWARD
FOREWORD
The past ten years have seen some of the This knowledge report comprehensively
greatest socioeconomic shifts in modern explores the relationship between FM and
memory. With a global recession, the rise workplace. We hope you find it of value, and
of digital technologies, disruptive business we openly encourage your response. We
models and political uncertainty, it is fair to say would very much like to hear your thoughts –
that the only constant is change. get in touch at research@bifm.org.uk
As a profession, facilities management is no
different and this year marks BIFM’s 25th
anniversary. Over the years we have seen our
profession grow and blossom, but it has not
been without its challenges. As an industry
that grew from the outsourcing of non-core
business functions FMs today comprise a key
profession with the combined capacity to
deliver major productive benefit; but too often
the function is regarded as being of more
operational than strategic importance.
BIFM wants that to change. We see workplace
as a clear opportunity for the industry to raise
both its voice and its game; but this does
not mean turning away from FM, or its value
as a profession. It does mean recognising
and exploring the potential combined value
of workplace and FM, particularly in the
knowledge economy. We are foregrounding
workplace because we can achieve an overall
uplift to our profession if we can help FMs
develop the necessary interconnector skills
of a workplace professional and educate the
corporate world to demand them.
Stephen Roots
Chairman
BIFM
© 2018 BIFM | PAGE 2
EMBRACING WORKPLACE TO MOVE FM FORWARD
CONTENTS
ABOUT THIS REPORT������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 4
SUMMARY����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 5
INTRODUCTION�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������10
OVERVIEW OF THE RESEARCH�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������11
WHAT IS WORKPLACE����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������12
THE WORKPLACE EQUALISER��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������17
PLACEMAKING: THE POWER OF PLACE������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������18
WHY IS WORKPLACE IMPORTANT?���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������19
CONVEYING THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKPLACE��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 22
WORKPLACE HAS ‘CORE’ VALUE �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 24
WHAT DOES WORKPLACE MEAN FOR FM?��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 26
BACK TO THE FUTURE – A BRIEF HISTORY OF FM AND WORKPLACE���������������������������������������������������������� 30
ENDNOTES���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������31
© 2018 BIFM | PAGE 3
EMBRACING WORKPLACE TO MOVE FM FORWARD
ABOUT THIS REPORT
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
This knowledge report was written by Dr James For more information about 3edges and
Pinder and Ian Ellison, Directors of 3edges Workplace Matters, visit www.3edges.co.uk
Workplace Ltd. 3edges helps organisations
of all shapes and sizes unlock workplace
advantage through action-led consultancy,
research and a broad range of education,
learning and developmental approaches.
James is an applied researcher with a
longstanding interest in the workplace.
Following a degree in building surveying, his
doctorate explored the relationship between
workplace design, perceptions and cost. JAMES PINDER IAN ELLISON
BSC(HONS) PHD BSC(HONS) MBA CBIFM FHEA
He is an experienced evaluator, adept at
providing organisations with new insights and
communicating those insights in engaging
and understandable ways.
Ian joined Sheffield Hallam University as a
senior lecturer following ten years in both
in-house and service provider facilities
management roles. Since then his engaging,
provocative and personable approach has
led to a wide range of workplace, leadership ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
and change related commissions, always with We would like to express our gratitude to the
education and advocacy at their core. His 600 plus people who participated in either
ongoing research explores what matters to the interviews or online survey – our research
people about workplace. and this knowledge report would not have
been possible without their time, thoughts
Reflecting our commitment to learning, and ideas. We would also like to acknowledge
3edges hosts the regular Workplace Matters the valuable contribution that Jill Fortune and
podcast, and co-created the Workplace Pete Andrews made to this research and the
Leadership Manifesto with workplace author valuable feedback from our peer-reviewers.
and strategist Neil Usher. Finally, thanks to Neil Usher for contributing his
‘6Es’ model to this report.
© 2018 BIFM | PAGE 4
EMBRACING WORKPLACE TO MOVE FM FORWARD
SUMMARY
Recent years have seen a growing interest The overall aim of this report is to raise awareness
in workplace, as some of the world’s most and understanding of workplace amongst FM
influential and successful companies have used practitioners, and to encourage them to think
workplace as a tool for competitive advantage. about what workplace means for them.
The term ‘workplace’ has always been part of
the facilities management (FM) vocabulary, This report builds upon research carried out
however, like FM itself, the term means different on behalf of the British Institute of Facilities
things to different people. Management (BIFM) in 2017, which included
interviews with FM and workplace practitioners,
This report therefore explores what ‘workplace’ and an online survey of BIFM members.
is, why it’s important, and what opportunities
and challenges workplace presents for the
FM profession.
This report explores
what ‘workplace’ is,
why it’s important, and
what opportunities and
challenges workplace
presents for the FM
profession
© 2018 BIFM | PAGE 5
EMBRACING WORKPLACE TO MOVE FM FORWARD
WHAT IS WORKPLACE?
For some people workplace brings to mind Any workplace can therefore be seen
a physical setting (usually a building) where to comprise these three overlapping
people carry out their work; for others, components. It’s the overlapping nature
workplace is more about culture. These of these components that’s really critical
different perspectives of workplace are – because one component will inevitably
wrapped up in our notions of ‘work’ as either impact on the others.
‘somewhere you go’ or ‘something you do’, Although an organisation’s culture,
notions that are shaped by our professional workspace and technology can be (and
background, education and upbringing. often are) changed independently of each
other, they are interlinked, so if a disconnect
Over two-thirds of BIFM members who occurs problems will arise.
responded to our survey indicated that they The value of workplace is in viewing
see workplace as being more about the space, culture and technology together
cultural than the physical environment. – appreciating the impact that one
The research also revealed more nuanced component can have on another, for
perspectives in which workplace is seen as better or worse.
an amalgamation of the physical and the
cultural environments, where there is more This underlines the need to view workplace
of an emphasis on service and experience. more holistically, something that rarely
happens in organisations. The components
The reality is that physical space and culture of workplace – as outlined here – have
are intrinsically linked: a sense of place comes traditionally been considered separately, and
through the meaning people bring to it. Physical often managed in silos. However, the problem
space shapes organisational culture, and with managing the workplace this way is self-
organisational culture shapes space. We also evident: decisions made unilaterally in one
know that technology plays a key role in work – it domain may (and often do) have a negative
always has done. Technology can therefore be impact on another domain.
considered a third component of workplace,
alongside physical space and culture.
The value of workplace is
in viewing space, culture
and technology together
– appreciating the impact
that one component
can have on another, for
better or worse
© 2018 BIFM | PAGE 6
EMBRACING WORKPLACE TO MOVE FM FORWARD
WHY IS WORKPLACE IMPORTANT?
The idea that workplace can be a lever for At an individual level workplace can impact
strategic advantage is by no means new, on people functionally (influencing whether
but it’s one that many senior leadership or not they can work effectively) and
teams still fail to act upon. Workplace very symbolically (affecting how they feel about
often gets taken for granted. Despite the their work and/or organisation).
centrality of workplace to individual and Workplace is important at an organisational
organisational activity, in many organisations level because it can, amongst other things,
the management of workplace continues to be used to project an organisation’s
be seen as ‘non-core’. Non-core activities are purpose and brand, attract and retain
typically perceived to be less valuable than talent, or initiate change.
core activities, which make them a more likely
target for economy-focused challenges and Progressive organisations recognise this
cost-cutting. and invest in their people, technology and
workspace. For these organisations workplace
However, decades of research have shown is core to what they are about.
that that each component of workplace is
important at both an individual (personal/
employee) level and organisational (company/
business) level.
© 2018 BIFM | PAGE 7
EMBRACING WORKPLACE TO MOVE FM FORWARD
WHAT DOES WORKPLACE MEAN FOR FM?
Workplace played a fundamental role in the There is an opportunity to embrace
early development of FM and, despite the workplace as a way to realise a more
relationship weakening in the intervening business-relevant version of FM. For people
years, has the potential to play a critical role in outside of FM, the term ‘workplace’ is more
its future. However, that role is by no means evocative than ‘facilities management’.
inevitable because as well as presenting Whereas FM is often concerned with the
opportunities, workplace also poses a number means (the supply of operational services),
of challenges for the FM profession. workplace implicitly focuses on the ends
(enabling strategic business performance).
Some people see workplace as a vehicle for In the same way that some organisations use
raising the profile of an FM profession that workplace to attract and retain talent, the
has for decades struggled to get ‘a seat at language of workplace might be a useful
the top table’ and has repeatedly been told vehicle for FM to communicate with and
to be ‘more strategic’. This is understandable appeal to a broader and younger audience.
given that many of the FMs who responded However, if some facilities managers still see
to the research felt that their work wasn’t workplace solely in terms of the physical
valued, understood or respected. The environment, there is a risk of FM just paying
research found that FM still has problems lip service to workplace rather than genuinely
with its identity and status. understanding and embracing it.
Workplace played a
fundamental role in
the early development
of FM and, despite the
relationship weakening
in the intervening years,
has the potential to play
a critical role in its future
© 2018 BIFM | PAGE 8EMBRACING WORKPLACE TO MOVE FM FORWARD
There is evidence to suggest that FM is There was a feeling that if FM is to assume a
beginning to recognise a potential workplace workplace leadership role the profession as
related remit beyond its traditional physical a whole will need new skills and be better at
domain – seeing the role of FM as being more speaking the language of business.
about enabling work than managing space. The FM profession has an opportunity
The research highlights an opportunity for FM to be proactive and lead by example by
to assume a unifying or leadership role, bringing demonstrating value through action,
together the different elements of workplace for instance by putting an emphasis on
management that have traditionally operated ‘placemaking’ in organisations and adopting
in silos. the role of ‘enabler’.
A potential risk for the FM profession is that if
There was a strong sentiment that it doesn’t assume the workplace leadership
management of the workplace needs to role someone else will, thereby relegating
be better integrated – particularly in terms FM to the role of building manager, divorced
of the relationships between FM, HR and IT from the core business.
functions.
FM was seen to have the breadth of
knowledge and experience to fulfil a unifying
role in the workplace, however assuming a
leadership role also creates challenges for the
FM profession.
If some facilities
managers still see
workplace solely in
terms of the physical
environment, there is
a risk of FM just paying
lip service to workplace
rather than genuinely
understanding and
embracing it
© 2018 BIFM | PAGE 9EMBRACING WORKPLACE TO MOVE FM FORWARD
INTRODUCTION
Some of the most influential and successful This report builds upon research carried out
companies in the world see workplace as a on behalf of the BIFM in 2017. The research
tool for business advantage. For instance, the sought to explore the current state of the
four largest American technology companies FM profession and the potential challenges
– Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon – all and opportunities facing it in the future. The
invest heavily in their workplaces and regularly relationship between FM and workplace was a
make media headlines with their high-profile key focus of the research because of the central
projects. These and other leading organisations role it had played in The Stoddart Review’s
have acknowledged that workplace is high 2016 report, ‘The Workplace Advantage’, for
on their business agenda and see it as a way which BIFM acted as host organisation2.
of improving their business performance,
employee experience and brand value. As well as the 2017 research this report will
draw upon other sources of information and
While the scale and nature of the investment the informed opinion of the authors. The
by the big technology companies may seem overall aim of this report is to raise awareness
far removed from the day-to-day reality of most and understanding of workplace amongst FM
other organisations, it’s difficult to refute that practitioners, and to encourage readers to think
they have raised the profile of workplace and about what workplace means for them. Each
legitimised interest in it. As The Economist noted section therefore contains ‘thinking tools’ for
last year: “Other industries would be wise to take readers to use and a summary of key messages.
time to watch how tech firms are structuring
their work environments.”1 It’s also clear that
the growing interest in workplace presents
opportunities and challenges for a facilities
Some of the most
management (FM) profession that has struggled influential and successful
to gain recognition outside of the FM industry.
companies in the world
The purpose of this report is to highlight the see workplace as tool for
opportunities and challenges that workplace
presents for FM by exploring the relationship business advantage
between FM and workplace – and considering
how this relationship could change in the
future. The term ‘workplace’ has always been
part of the FM vocabulary, however like FM
itself the term means different things to
different people, which can be confusing. This
report will look to articulate what ‘workplace’
is, why it’s important, and what a better
understanding of workplace means for FM and
its practitioners.
© 2018 BIFM | PAGE 10EMBRACING WORKPLACE TO MOVE FM FORWARD
OVERVIEW OF THE RESEARCH
The research canvassed the opinions of BIFM Reviewing previous research and
members, views of FMs who aren’t BIFM publications about the FM profession and
members and people from other disciplines the FM industry, in order to help inform
who work in and around the FM industry the design of the data collection and
– for instance, workplace consultants, provide context to the findings.
architects and real estate professionals3. Telephone interviews with 78 people,
The research was conducted between April including 28 BIFM members and 50
and July 2017 and involved: industry professionals working in and
Analysing anonymised BIFM membership around the FM and workplace industries.
data, in order to create a demographic An online survey of BIFM members, which
profile of BIFM membership and a yielded 550 responses. The profile of
baseline against which to compare the respondents was broadly similar to BIFM’s
survey data. membership as whole.
The purpose of this report is to
highlight the opportunities and
challenges that workplace presents
for FM by exploring the relationship
between FM and workplace – and
considering how this relationship
could change in the future
© 2018 BIFM | PAGE 11EMBRACING WORKPLACE TO MOVE FM FORWARD
WHAT IS WORKPLACE?
The word ‘workplace’ is used frequently in “a place or premises in which industrial or
everyday conversations and in the news and manufacturing processes are carried out” 4. So,
media. However, if you were to ask people as with workplace, there are multiple notions of
– your friends, family or colleagues – what work: it’s about activity (and therefore culture)
workplace means to them, it’s likely that you’d but it’s also about location (in a physical space).
receive a range of different responses. For some
people workplace brings to mind the physical We can see these different perspectives
setting (usually a building or workspace) in two well-known workplace assessment
where people carry out their work; for others, tools. For example, Leesman5, the workplace
workplace has more cultural relevance – it’s the benchmarking firm, frame workplace as the
social setting or community of people doing physical work environment, seeking to measure
the work. its impact on organisational experience. Their
survey questions (and resulting data) are all
These different perspectives are wrapped up in about the physical aspects of workplace and
our notions of ‘work’ itself. Work as ‘something its impact on employees’ ability to carry out
you do, not somewhere you go’ has become their work. In contrast, Great Place to Work6 see
a popular phrase, but we still say things like workplace in terms of the cultural phenomena
‘I’m going to work’ - because many of us still of trust between colleagues and employee
regularly do just that. The enduring notion engagement. Their survey questions explore
of ‘work’ as a fixed location appears to have the non-physical aspects of workplace. Neither
roots in our industrial past, with ‘works’ being approach is wrong, but they are two different
ways of seeing and assessing workplace.
RESPONDENTS’ VIEWS ON WORKPLACE
© 2018 BIFM | PAGE 12EMBRACING WORKPLACE TO MOVE FM FORWARD
These contrasting perspectives of workplace “The place that people do their best work”
were also reflected in the responses of BIFM
members. When survey respondents were “Somewhere you do something that you
asked to indicate their position on workplace, get paid for”
there was a broad spectrum of responses
“The physical environment that employees
between the two extremes. The fact that
are located in and their workstation”
over two-thirds of respondents positioned
themselves towards workplace being about These definitions are interesting because
‘how people work’ suggests that, for many of they also highlight how some people define
them, workplace is becoming more about the workplace more narrowly in terms of office
cultural than the physical environment. environments, whereas others see workplace
more broadly to include a wider variety of
However, it’s clear that some people still
physical settings, corporate or otherwise.
see workplace primarily in terms of physical
settings, a fact echoed in the comments made The research also revealed more nuanced
during the interview research. For instance, perspectives in which workplace is seen as
workplace was defined as: an amalgamation of the physical and the
cultural environments. For instance, some
“A physical environment where you go
people defined workplace as a service,
to connect to others. Not necessarily
with an emphasis on meeting the needs
employer space”
of ‘customers’ rather than simply providing
“Anywhere you work – not a desk” workspace for ‘users’. Serviced office space
epitomised this perspective of workplace.
Other interviewees saw workplace more as
a curated experience, citing hotels and co-
working spaces as examples7.
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON WORKPLACE
© 2018 BIFM | PAGE 13EMBRACING WORKPLACE TO MOVE FM FORWARD
Ultimately, the way that we view workplace developments in technology have served to
is shaped by our professional background, shape our built environment and our culture,
education and even upbringing. These in turn and vice versa. Just think about the impact
influence what we consider to be significant that the smartphone has had on the way we
in the world around us. For instance, if you are live and work. Technology can therefore be
from a built environment profession, your view considered the third component of workplace,
of workplace is more likely to include some sort alongside physical space and culture. Any
of physical element. But if your background workplace – whether it be an office, shop,
is more people/employee focused, you may factory, school or hospital – will comprise these
be more predisposed to see the workplace in three overlapping components.
terms of organisational climate or culture.
THE THREE OVERLAPPING COMPONENTS
However, whether your view of workplace
OF WORKPLACE
is orientated towards the physical or the
cultural, the reality is that physical space and
culture are intrinsically linked: a sense of place
comes through the meaning we bring to
it. Winston Churchill, the then British Prime
Minister, seemed to be implicitly aware of
this when he declared that “we shape our
buildings, and afterwards our buildings shape
us”, during a discussion of how to rebuild the
House of Commons following its bombing in
the blitz8. So, even if our professional biases
tell us otherwise, we should be thinking of
workplaces as an amalgamation of physical
space and culture.
Whilst physical space and culture are
important, we mustn’t neglect the key
role that technology plays in work – and
always has done. Throughout human history
Whilst physical space and
culture are important, we
mustn’t neglect the key role
that technology plays in work
– and always has done
© 2018 BIFM | PAGE 14EMBRACING WORKPLACE TO MOVE FM FORWARD
It’s the overlapping nature of these These examples are useful because they
components that’s really critical – because underline the need to view workplace
one component of workplace will inevitably holistically, something that rarely happens
impact on the others. For instance, a physical in organisations. Physical space has
workspace that is designed to be flexible, with traditionally been the domain of estates
a range of different work settings, will not be and FM departments; culture has been
utilised to its full potential if an organisation’s the preoccupation of leadership teams
culture constrains choice and autonomy, and more recently some HR functions; and
and/or its information technology doesn’t depending on context technology has been
enable people to work wherever, whenever the responsibility of operations and/or IT
and however they need to. Equally, having departments. However, the problem with
the technological capability to work in a managing the workplace in this way is self-
distributed, flexible way is largely pointless evident: decisions made unilaterally in one
without the cultural elements in place to allow domain may (and often do) have a negative
people to take advantage of it. impact on another domain. This is an issue
that we return to later, when we consider
what workplace means for FM.
Whether your view of
workplace is orientated
towards the physical or the
social, the reality is that
physical space and culture are
intrinsically linked: a sense
of place comes through the
meaning we bring to it
© 2018 BIFM | PAGE 15EMBRACING WORKPLACE TO MOVE FM FORWARD
KEY MESSAGES
Workspace does not equal workplace. Workplaces need to be viewed
Workplaces also comprise cultural and holistically to ensure that their
technological components as well as spatial, cultural and technological
physical space components are aligned
Workplaces are more than just about
offices – they include a diverse range
of work settings. All work happens
somewhere.
© 2018 BIFM | PAGE 16EMBRACING WORKPLACE TO MOVE FM FORWARD
THE WORKPLACE EQUALISER
We use a series of ‘thinking tools’ to help structure conversations about workplace. One such tool is the
‘workplace equaliser’, illustrated below. The equaliser suggests that the three components of workplace
exist on continua, which can be used to understand the relative positions of each component of an
organisation’s workplace and determine how well they are aligned with each other.
Thinking about workplace in this way is Workspace exists on a continuum
useful because it underlines the need to between fixed (very limited choice of work
view the three components of workplace settings and limited sharing) and flexible (a
together. Although an organisation’s wider choice of work settings and a greater
culture, workspace (physical space), degree of sharing and/or mobility)
and technology can be (and often are) Technology exists on a continuum
changed independently of each other, between constraining (poor functionality
they are interlinked, so if a disconnect and often limited choice) and enabling
occurs problems will arise. This thinking (technology that reflects and supports
tool is therefore a great way of framing different user needs)
discussions about the need for change in
the workplace. Try using this tool to appraise you
own workplace, by asking yourself the
The labels on the continuum may vary following questions:
depending on context and the type of
work being carried out. For example, the Where would you position your
workplace equaliser above was developed workplace on each part of the
for office workplaces and suggests that: equaliser?
Are the labels appropriate and, if not,
Culture exists on a continuum what should they be?
between traditional (embodying How well aligned are the different
principles such as presenteeism, aspects of the workplace?
hierarchy and status) and progressive How might your workplace need to
(embodying principles such as trust, change, and who are the key people
choice, flexibility and empowerment) you need to talk to about this?
© 2018 BIFM | PAGE 17EMBRACING WORKPLACE TO MOVE FM FORWARD
PLACEMAKING: THE POWER OF PLACE
“First life, then spaces, then buildings. A broader notion of place identity
The other way around never works” shines through in an approach called
Jan Gehl, Life Between Buildings ‘placemaking’. Place in built environment
terms has its roots in urban planning and
The relationship between people, space design. During the 1960s and particularly
and place has for centuries been a in the USA, top down and rigid planning
preoccupation of philosophers, sociologists, solutions favoured for example transport
historians, geographers and many other routes, automobiles and shopping centres
academic disciplines. We tend to forget over people. In essence, design decisions
this when we focus on the traditional remit began eroding human scale communities.
of FM, however stepping beyond our usual
sources of knowledge can often help us In reaction to this, urban activists such as Jane
see things differently. Jacobs and behaviourists such as William H
Whyte began challenging these then growing
For instance, one short sentence from conventional wisdoms. They foregrounded
eminent human geographer Yi-Fu Tuan an approach called ‘placemaking’, both as a
shows just how intertwined space and place process and a philosophy, to collaboratively
are through our cultural interpretations. Tuan reimagine public spaces as the heart of
explains, “What begins as undifferentiated communities. For our FM and workplace
space becomes place as we get to know discussion, it is placemaking that “creates the
it better and endow it with value”23. For cornerstones of mental association and gives
Tuan, space is freedom, openness and even such places the patina of affection” 25 through
sometimes threat, whereas place is stability the lived experiences of everyone inhabiting
and security. It’s interesting to reflect on this and using their workplace.
proposition in relation to the new workspace
solutions we seek to implement, the cultural So, from ideas like these we can begin to
change challenges we consequently face, and appreciate both how interlinked space
the outcomes by which we measure success. and place are, and also the psychological
importance of them, according to how
We can frame how people feel about they are perceived. We are responsible for
workplace and the value it has in terms the workplaces we conceive, as much as
of the psychological concept of place we are individually and collectively affected
identity. This helps us further understand by our working lives within and as we move
the important symbolic role it holds, through them.
beyond the mere functional. Studies24 have
shown that “When place identity is higher, Where is your current focus – do
employees report more engagement in you focus on space as a function
their work, more communication with (to be managed and controlled),
their peers, and a stronger connection or place as an asset (to enable
to the company”. The leadership role in communities of people)?
understanding and helping people realise
place identity cannot be underestimated.
© 2018 BIFM | PAGE 18EMBRACING WORKPLACE TO MOVE FM FORWARD
WHY IS WORKPLACE
IMPORTANT?
For many organisations, workplace is a key part found an association between organisational
of what defines them. Culture – the way people climate and corporate performance, across
do what they do – is intrinsic to organisations a range of sectors9. Physical space has been
because they are, fundamentally, groups found to impact on people both positively and
or communities of people with a purpose. negatively, in a multitude of ways10. The same
Physical workspace is where organisational goes for technology11. However, the value of
activity takes place, both ‘on site’ and off-site, workplace is in viewing these components
because everything happens somewhere. holistically and systemically – appreciating
And technology, in its various guises, enables the impact that one component can have on
organisations to carry out work activities another, for better or worse.
that they would otherwise be unable to do.
However, despite the centrality of workplace The importance of workplace can be
to organisational activity, in many organisations articulated in both individual and organisational
the management of workplace is deemed ‘non- terms. At an individual level workplace can be
core’. As a result, workplace very often gets seen to play two key roles. On the one hand, it
taken for granted. impacts the way people function, influencing
whether or not they can work effectively. On
Over the years much has been written about the other hand, workplace has a less tangible
the importance of the cultural, physical and (but no less important) symbolic impact on
technological components of workplace – people, affecting how they feel about their
although these components have tended to work and/or organisation, including the degree
be considered separately. For instance, whereas to which they feel valued and trusted. This
researchers in the built environment have symbolism is one of the reasons why workplace
tended to focus on the impact that physical is often such an emotive issue.
space has on people and organisations, those
working in business and management fields
have been preoccupied with culture and
organisational climate. Similarly, technology
has its own body of research. It’s rare for these
domains of knowledge to overlap.
The importance
However, what is clear from decades of
research is that each component of workplace of workplace can
is important. Researchers have consistently be articulated in
both individual and
organisational terms
© 2018 BIFM | PAGE 19EMBRACING WORKPLACE TO MOVE FM FORWARD
At an organisational level the idea that them may not be as clear-cut as we might first
workplace can be a lever for strategic assume15. The second reason concerns the
advantage is by no means new, but it’s one that difficulty of objectively measuring productivity,
many senior leadership teams still fail to act particularly in knowledge-based organisations,
upon. A recent report by Leesman, based on and the fact that such measures tend to be
data from over 2,000 workplaces, concluded context specific.
“… that organisations are not getting what
they should from their corporate workplaces.” The difficulty in making a connection between
workplace and productivity could be used
The report pointed to a range of reasons for this as reason for not investing in workplace (i.e.
situation, including poorly informed decisions you can’t manage what you can’t measure).
about the physical, cultural and technological However, the reality is that productivity –
aspects of workplace. For instance, there’s however it might be measured – is only one
often an assumption that new workspaces will of many reasons why workplace is important.
automatically yield performance improvements As the Stoddart Workplace Advantage
irrespective of culture and technology12. report found in 2016: “…all roads lead
back to workplace – whether in projecting
Any discussion of the importance of workplace brand values, reflecting purpose, changing
eventually leads to the issue of productivity. behaviours or underpinning employee
The word ‘productivity’ is now ingrained engagement.”
in the language of business and work13,
although some influential economists have Different authors have encapsulated the
begun questioning the concept14. The notion importance of workplace in different ways. For
of productivity can be problematic for two instance, architectural practice DEGW (1971-
reasons. The first is the need to distinguish 2009) popularised the three ‘E’s of efficiency,
between productivity at an organisational effectiveness and expression, a model that has
(enterprise) level and productivity at an recently been developed further by workplace
individual (employee) level – the link between strategist and author Neil Usher in his recent
book ‘The Elemental Workplace’16. This new
model is included in this report for you to use.
Productivity – however
it might be measured
– is only one of many
reasons why workplace
is important
© 2018 BIFM | PAGE 20EMBRACING WORKPLACE TO MOVE FM FORWARD
KEY MESSAGES
Many organisations fail to recognise ‘Productivity’ is a nebulous and
how important workplace is – they overused concept that requires
take it for granted careful and specific consideration
Workplaces are not neutral – they The importance of workplace can
have a positive or negative impact on be framed in terms of six factors:
people and organisations efficiency, effectiveness, expression,
environment, ether and energy
© 2018 BIFM | PAGE 21EMBRACING WORKPLACE TO MOVE FM FORWARD
CONVEYING THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKPLACE
The six-factor framework below is from Neil commitment and advocacy. Done badly, it can
Usher’s ‘The Elemental Workplace’ and is based push people away. Expression is much deeper
on the three factors of workplace strategy – an idea than simply the flagpoles on the lawn
efficiency, effectiveness and expression – made - it extends to all aspects of the workplace,
famous by architectural practice DEGW. Three including the services provided and the
additional factors have been added to the behaviours of those providing them.
original three: environment, ether and energy.
Environment concerns the impact that
Whilst these six factors are presented as distinct,
workplace has on society and our planet.
in reality they influence each other, both
The impact that a workplace has on the
positively and negatively. environment helps to shape peoples’
perceptions of an organisation and can
Efficiency is about achieving economical
demonstrate and encourage collective
and/or flexible use of space and ensuring
commitment to our planet. Strategies for
everyone takes the cost of space and its
mitigating the environmental impact of
services seriously. It can be measured in terms
workplace include the use of sustainable
of spatial efficiency (the amount of space
construction materials, ethical sourcing policies
occupied, the density to which it is occupied,
and reducing energy performance in-use.
and the degree of utilisation) or cost efficiency
(the aggregated cost per unit of space and Ether is the digital space that organisations
cost per person). Efficiency must be factored exist in. Online – ‘in the ether’ – workplace
into workplace decisions because it impacts on is held accountable for what it does and
an organisation’s bottom line - but efficiency says through the stories that people tell
needs to be balanced with the other factors about it, especially on social media. Peoples’
below. experiences of their workplace are part of the
digital personality and brand of an organisation.
Effectiveness is the degree to which the
Alongside expression and environment,
workplace enables its occupants to perform at
ether is where workplace can make a major
their best. It goes hand in hand with efficiency,
contribution to advocacy and the reputation of
but push efficiency too far and effectiveness
an organisation by showing how it cares for and
will be negatively impacted – and vice versa.
values its people. A great (or terrible) workplace
Effectiveness can be harder to measure in
is rarely a secret.
some contexts; however, this doesn’t mean it
is less important – a trap many organisations Energy is about the power of workplaces
fall into. An effective workplace is simple and to inspire, energise and motivate people.
intuitive to use, allows its occupants to work A great workplace can boost the energy
together or alone, creates the opportunity of an organisation through its functionality,
for connection, inspires and motivates, and amenities, technology and services. It can
enables learning and development. promote behavioural choices that enhance
personal welfare. Equally, a poor workplace
Expression is about the symbolic role of
can consume an organisation, negatively
workplace. Workplaces reflect and represent
impacting on performance and engagement.
their organisations. Done well, a workplace
The idea of energy extends beyond wellbeing
draws people in, reinforces purpose
as it is directly related to the other five factors,
and mission, and creates loyalty, pride,
particularly effectiveness.
© 2018 BIFM | PAGE 22EMBRACING WORKPLACE TO MOVE FM FORWARD
The six factors can be used as a thinking tool to Try using this tool to appraise your own
stimulate discussion and debate about what’s organisation’s approach to workplace.
really important to an organisation, and to Consider the following questions:
highlight gaps in awareness. Most organisations
consider some of the six factors when making How does your workplace measure
decisions about their workplace, but few up to the six factors – what are its
organisations consider them all. How much strengths and weaknesses?
more valuable could our workplaces become if How do you currently measure the
they did? performance and impact of your
workplace? Which of the factors do
you have useful information about?
Which of the factors reflect your
organisation’s priorities? Is this a
sustainable approach?
Overall, is your workplace impacting
your people and your organisation
positively or negatively?
Does workplace appear to be core to
your organisation’s success?
© 2018 BIFM | PAGE 23EMBRACING WORKPLACE TO MOVE FM FORWARD
WORKPLACE HAS ‘CORE’ VALUE
It would be hard to work in FM and be unaware keep FM ‘in its place’ – away from leadership
of the terms ‘core’ and ‘non-core’. They are teams, and with a largely operational remit.
typically used to distinguish between activities We can see the impact of this in the research
that are central to an organisation’s business data, where there was a strong sense that FM
and those that are considered peripheral. needed to up its game and be more strategic.
Non-core has become part of the language
used to describe FM and has therefore become Yet we only need to turn to, as one example,
ingrained in FM’s culture. It is also a key part of a modern hospital and the reality of infection
the mechanism through which the FM industry control, to upend any notion of keeping core
grows through outsourcing. (healthcare) and non-core (for our FM purposes
the healthcare environment) functions distinct.
The argument goes something like this: Managing infection control is so integral to
FM, in its non-core capacity, supports an healthcare, and the challenge so significant and
organisation’s core business functions. But, pervasive, that the boundaries of core and non-
from an FM service provider perspective, core begin to blur. The distinction becomes
a client’s non-core FM is its core business, too black and white. By keeping functions apart
because they specialise in it. So, the business that need to be working together, it can hinder
sense to outsource FM becomes doubly rather than help.
convincing – an organisation can focus on its
business priorities, and FM can be delivered by So where does this core and non-core
the experts. rhetoric come from? And by returning to first
principles, can we reconsider it? In ‘back to
the future’ (below) we explain how the birth
Whilst the ‘non-core’ narrative of FM was underpinned by new strategic
helps the FM industry grow, it also management theory. We can use two such
theories here to explore and reconsider the
serves to keep FM ‘in its place’ – core/non-core relationship.
away from leadership teams The first theory is a famous strategic
management tool from Michael Porter.
However, there is also a less comfortable The ‘value chain’ was designed to consider
counterpoint to this position. Whilst it helps strategic capability. Almost always shown
FM grow, some would say that the core/ diagrammatically it shows two types of
non-core language has inadvertently become organisational activity. Primary activities are
judgmental, even divisive. Non-core is typically directly related to the creation or delivery of
perceived to be less valuable than core, which the product or services. Support activities
makes it a more likely target for economy- enable this to happen. The premise of course
focused challenges and cost-cutting. is that they are all essential to success, but all
require careful consideration of cost and value.
The overall outcome of both of these
elements is that whilst the ‘non-core’ narrative
helps the FM industry grow, it also serves to
© 2018 BIFM | PAGE 24EMBRACING WORKPLACE TO MOVE FM FORWARD
MICHAEL PORTER’S VALUE CHAIN (1985)
This is where the second theory comes challenging economic times. Colleagues
into play. In 1990, Prahalad and Hamel became customers as service providers
wrote an influential article about ‘core emerged with new capabilities that allowed
competencies’: the collective things that them to package-up and deliver into
distinguish an organisation in a marketplace. organisations functions that had previously
All organisations have different attributes, in been delivered in-house – FM included.
the form of knowledge, skills and techniques,
but competencies that provide significant So, if FM is cast as non-core, what about
business advantage and are hard to imitate workplace? An organisation cannot exist
add the most strategic value. Such core independently of its culture, because
competencies are to be nurtured and an organisation is – put simply – people
protected. According to this theory, other with purpose. Furthermore, people in an
competencies are deemed non-core and organisation are always working with something
can legitimately be considered for alternative (technology), somewhere (in physical space).
delivery methods, such as outsourcing. From this perspective, we can consider
workplace as core - integral to all activities, both
In hindsight, when you look at these theories primary and support. Progressive organisations
together, it is easy to see how support recognise this and invest in their people,
functions, including FM, became conflated technology and workspace.
with non-core, for better and for worse.
By the early 1990s the notion of ‘core
competencies’ drove businesses to divest
themselves of non-core activities during
© 2018 BIFM | PAGE 25EMBRACING WORKPLACE TO MOVE FM FORWARD
WHAT DOES WORKPLACE
MEAN FOR FM?
One of the key objectives of the research was However, it’s also understandable given that
to explore the relationship between FM and many of the FMs who responded to our survey
workplace. It’s often forgotten or ignored felt that their work wasn’t valued, understood
that workplace played a fundamental role or respected.
in the early development of FM and, despite
the relationship weakening in the intervening The research found that FM continues to have
years, workplace has the potential to play a problems with its identity and status. People
critical role in its future. However, that role is from outside of the profession (and many
by no means inevitable. As well as presenting of those within it) saw FM as being primarily
opportunities, workplace also poses a number operational, associating it with ‘low value’ work,
of challenges for FM. irrespective of how necessary such work might
be for the health, compliance and functionality
It’s clear that some people see workplace of the organisation. Describing the FM
as a vehicle for raising the profile of an FM profession as ‘operational’ is not to diminish the
profession that has for decades struggled to value of (and need for) the work being carried
get ‘a seat at the top table’ and has repeatedly out. Indeed, many FM practitioners old and
been told that its route to the boardroom will new are tremendously proud of what they do,
come from being ‘more strategic’. This line and the role they play in organisations17. But, if
of thinking is pervasive in the profession, with the research findings are in any way reflective of
seventy-nine percent of survey respondents the views of the broader FM profession, there is
agreeing that “FM needs to be more strategic”. a clear desire for FM to raise its profile.
OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES THAT WORKPLACE PRESENTS FOR FM
Opportunities Challenges
FM will need to collaborate more FM will need to collaborate more
with other workplace functions with other workplace functions
The potential for FM to be a unifying FMs will require new skills and
function for workplace provision competencies
Workplace is a vehicle for raising The risk of FM being side-lined in a
FM’s profile (status) workplace ‘turf war’
Workplace can provide FM with FM will need to be better at
clarity of purpose (identity) speaking the language of business
Workplace is a way of FM attracting Accepting that workplace does not
and retaining talent equal workspace (and buildings)
© 2018 BIFM | PAGE 26EMBRACING WORKPLACE TO MOVE FM FORWARD
It would be hard to disagree that, for people Putting more of an emphasis on workplace may
outside of FM, the term ‘workplace’ is more also better reflect the work of the many BIFM
evocative than ‘facilities management’. Anyone members who work ‘client side’ and are ultimately
in FM who has ever tried to explain what they engaged in managing at least the physical
do knows this. Again, this isn’t to belittle or component of workplace. In the words of one FM,
devalue FM but there is an opportunity to
embrace workplace as a way to realise a more “Workplace is FM’s way of helping the business
business-relevant version of FM. Whereas FM is to understand the value of its services.”
often concerned with the means (the supply
However, as we have explained above, because
of operational services), workplace implicitly
some facilities managers still see workplace solely
focuses on the ends (enabling strategic business
in terms of the physical environment, there is a risk
performance). The archetypal view of FM could
of FM just paying lip service to workplace rather
be summed up, as one participant explained, as
than genuinely understanding and embracing it.
“… all the essential stuff that is really The challenge here is that reimagining FM’s remit
important that no-one else wants to do. will require a substantial shift in mindset for some
Not desperately sexy.”18 facilities managers. It will also require them to
collaborate more with their counterparts in other
In contrast, articles about workplace appear organisational functions19, and more broadly within
frequently in the mainstream media and the workplace supply chain.
prominent business publications such as the
Harvard Business Review. There is evidence to suggest that FM is beginning
to recognise a potential workplace-related remit
The current profile of FM also directly impacts beyond its traditional physical domain. The majority
the recruitment and retention of talent into of BIFM members in the research saw the role
the profession. It’s telling (but not surprising) of FM as being more about enabling work than
that only six percent of survey respondents said managing space. This points to an opportunity
that they had always planned to work in FM. for FM to assume a unifying or leadership role,
Despite a range of positive initiatives, FM has bringing together the different elements of
yet to become a career of choice for school workplace management that have traditionally
leavers or graduates, which means that there is operated in silos. That’s not to suggest that FM
a lack of younger, educated people entering an should become directly responsible for the cultural
ageing profession. In the same way that some and technological components of workplace,
organisations use workplace to attract and retain but the research showed a strong sentiment
talent, the language of workplace might be a that management of the workplace needs to be
useful vehicle for FM to communicate with and better integrated – particularly in terms of the
appeal to a broader and younger audience. relationships between FM, HR and IT functions20.
For people outside of FM, the term
‘workplace’ is more evocative than ‘facilities
management’. Anyone in FM who has ever
tried to explain what they do knows this
© 2018 BIFM | PAGE 27EMBRACING WORKPLACE TO MOVE FM FORWARD
FM was seen to have the breadth of
knowledge and experience to fulfil a unifying
role in the workplace, however assuming a The majority of BIFM members
leadership role also creates another challenge in the research saw the role of
for the FM profession.
FM as being more about enabling
In the words of one BIFM member
work than managing space
“The challenge is many people in FM
do not talk the language of their own
organisations, nor do they really understand and such training is clearly essential if the people
how FM can support and improve the working in the FM industry are to have the
organisation’s corporate objectives.” necessary skills to do their jobs effectively. But as
the American futurist Daniel Burrus points out,
Hence, a potential risk for the FM profession “You train people for performance. You educate
is that if it doesn’t become better at speaking people for understanding.” Training, he argued,
the language of business, other professions “does not provide the depth needed for creative
will assume the workplace leadership role and problem solving and innovation”. A leadership
relegate FM to the role of building manager. As role in workplace will demand such skills because
one respondent argued: it will involve thinking more holistically about the
different components of workplace and how
“FM must take the lead and join the dots!” they interact.
There was also a feeling that if FM is to assume
a workplace leadership role the profession as
whole will need to be better educated. The
FM industry has traditionally put more of an
emphasis on training rather than education,
HOW RESPONDENTS SEE THE ROLE OF FM
© 2018 BIFM | PAGE 28EMBRACING WORKPLACE TO MOVE FM FORWARD
Assuming a leadership function in workplace FM waits for the world to change around it,
does not mean waiting for organisational resulting in a situation where facilities managers
restructuring or the appointment of a ‘chief become more marginalised, divorced from the
workplace officer’. The FM profession has core business. However, such an outcome is by
an opportunity to be proactive and lead by no means certain: in the words of management
example by demonstrating value through philosopher Charles Handy, “The future is not
action, for instance by putting an emphasis on inevitable. We can influence it, if we know what
placemaking in the workplace and adopting we want it to be.” 21
the role of ‘enabler’. The alternative is that
KEY MESSAGES
Workplace is an opportunity to raise Workplace challenges ‘traditional’
the profile of FM by demonstrating notions of FM as being solely about
business impact buildings and associated services
Workplace is a way of enhancing the Assuming a workplace leadership
FM profession’s identity and status, role will involve proactive action and
and attracting new talent into FM leading by example
© 2018 BIFM | PAGE 29EMBRACING WORKPLACE TO MOVE FM FORWARD
BACK TO THE FUTURE – A BRIEF HISTORY OF FM AND WORKPLACE
Ever wondered why it’s so challenging to get to the back bench in terms of importance.
FM and workspace on to the agenda at board
level? Surely there’s more to it than core and Now, let’s fast forward to the birth of FM.
non-core rhetoric? The problem has its roots Pinning down very early use of the term FM is
in two influential developments in the history tricky, but one line of evidence concludes that
of workplace and FM. it was coined in response to the introduction
of increasingly sophisticated office systems
The first clue to the relative devaluing of furniture and the computer terminal in the
workplace in many organisations stems from 1970s. The 1980s are regarded as the early
the Hawthorne Works experiments that years of ‘facility management’. FM’s growth
took place in the 1920s, almost a century was promoted by newly formed professional
ago. The Western Electric factory complex bodies, driven by turbulent economic
in Illinois played host to many social science conditions and government outsourcing,
experiments, producing huge volumes of underpinned by new strategic management
data. But one particular study that took place theory, and fuelled by client organisations
in the relay test assembly room stands out seeking to restructure to increase their
in terms of its influence. A group of female performance and profitability.
production line workers were being studied by
male researchers, who were initially exploring Initially there were two competing notions
the impact of different workspace conditions, of FM. One use was to describe outsourcing
such as lighting and temperature levels, on (primarily of computing, but also other office
worker productivity. services). The other focused on the workplace,
and offices in particular. So even at this early
We might expect some lighting levels or stage we can see evidence of FM as “expert
temperatures to be more conducive to higher workplace management, with or without
productivity than others. However, somewhat IT” 22 alongside FM as service outsourcing.
counterintuitively, the studies revealed Again, though we can see a fork in the
that whatever the conditions, employee road: as the FM industry has grown through
productivity remained high. The only variable the outsourcing and commoditisation of
that seemed to make a difference was the operational services, the FM profession has
amount of attention the female workers inadvertently drifted away from workplace.
received from the researchers. This led one of
the researchers, Australian psychologist Elton So, armed with the wisdom of hindsight,
Mayo, to conclude that ‘human’ factors were by raising FM’s awareness of our modern
far more important than ‘environmental’ ones. conception of workplace as multifaceted
(and with a remit far wider than that of
For many, this was a seminal step in the birth corporate offices) can we capitalise on the
of the human relations movement. But it can opportunity to revisit FM’s own original
also be seen as a fork in the road: by choosing intent? Is a workplace focus an opportunity
to embrace the value of ‘human’ factors, to acknowledge the value in all forks in the
workspace inadvertently became devalued, historical road, including those less travelled?
subsequently relegated by many organisations
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