< Previous30 Business Link www.blmforum.net FACILITIES MANAGEMENT management Proper 30-33.qxp_Layout 1 03/10/2022 13:46 Page 1www.blmforum.net Business Link 31 FACILITIES MANAGEMENT Facilities management is no longer a matter of meeting minimum requirements – it is now about exceeding them. F acilities management can be most effectively described as “ensuring the facility operates” but that term misses out on some of the key nuances of proper management. While it’s important that any facility – be it an office, distribution centre or factory – runs to its minimum requirements, facilities management is more than just making sure the doors open and the equipment works. It is ensuring that the space and the facilities available work to the highest standards available, reducing the stress and distractions that those who work there need to deal with, and thus in the long-term making a business more streamlined and more efficient. At its simplest this can involve cleaning and hygiene – an ever- increasing concern given both the 32 Á © stock.adobe.com/Andrey Popov 30-33.qxp_Layout 1 03/10/2022 13:46 Page 232 Business Link www.blmforum.net FACILITIES MANAGEMENT pandemic and, in more recent times, the skills shortages and difficulties in recruiting. In the face of the Great Resignation, as it has been called, businesses cannot afford to appear slovenly or unclean, lest they lower the confidence of valuable staff and leave them searching for work elsewhere. Good, top-to-bottom cleaning helps not only to limit mess and clutter, but also to make employees feel better about their time spent at any given facility, reducing reasons for stress or disappointment. The same goes for equipment testing, including PAT Testing and regular maintenance checks. Aside from the downtime caused by a crucial piece of equipment going offline at an inopportune time, the very real risk of injury or temporary closure of a facility is a huge threat. There is a tendency among many to set these issues aside; to look into proper appliance testing “only when we have to” or “when someone demands it.” This short- sighted approach may well work for many, a crisis being, in a sense, luck of the draw, but it only takes one failure and one moment of inattention to cripple a business. A lot of this is preventing things from going wrong however, and the definition of facilities management has expanded beyond that over the years. Now, at a time with ever increasing competition, both globally and locally, facilities management has become as much about squeezing every last drop of efficiency out of a facility, as it has about maintaining one. It is not uncommon now for IT and online systems to play as much a part, monitoring and analysing data revolving around how a facility is used, from what hours, to where the most mistakes or problems occur all the way to employee screen time or productivity ratings. This is less “big brother” spying on employees as it is an effort to understand what is and isn’t working for any given business, with goals to © stock.adobe.com/auremar 30-33.qxp_Layout 1 03/10/2022 13:46 Page 3www.blmforum.net Business Link 33 FACILITIES MANAGEMENT improve upon it. The philosophy here is that faults in productivity may not be the fault of employees alone, but that their ability to complete their work can run in parallel to how well the facility they work in enables them. There are a lot of studies and research that has been put into this, which has produced a wealth of information. For instance, people have been found to be more studious and better able to concentrate when working under cold (or cool) light. This is the stark kind of white light, as opposed to “warm light” which is the more common yellow seen around homes. Warm light has been found to have a detrimental effect on studiousness and attention, but a promising effect on relaxation – making it perfect for usage in the home, but self-defeating in business environments. This is just one example of a simple change in bulb colour that has been scientifically proven to influence staff. These studies have even been used in other countries in other methods such as in train stations in Europe, where blue light was shown to reduce suicides (by jumping onto train tacks) by a substantial amount. In distribution centres and factories where productivity can be more easily quantified, facilities management may also make use of the Internet of Things and Industry 4.0 to streamline, monitor and allow for direct involvement of management in every aspect of work. Here, systems can be more robust and more thorough, as the work is more easily quantified and graded as opposed to in an accountant’s office or a commercial estate agent’s workplace. Still, as more and more companies look to make the most of what they have, facilities management will play an increasing role in the workplace. Its definition may change even more over the coming years, and may one day even become a required or expected managerial position within any company. © stock.adobe.com/Syda Productions 30-33.qxp_Layout 1 03/10/2022 13:46 Page 434 Business Link www.blmforum.net CORPORATE HOSPITALITY Eco events With demands for businesses to become greener, so must their corporate events. 34-37.qxp_Layout 1 03/10/2022 13:48 Page 1www.blmforum.net Business Link 35 CORPORATE HOSPITALITY © stock.adobe.com/kasto While businesses are assessing their operations in order to uncover how they can improve their sustainability on the UK’s road to Net Zero - helping save the planet, reduce costs, and attract more customers - there is a place for their corporate hospitality to be greener too. Likely to become an expectation moving forwards as the world becomes increasingly eco- conscious, environmentally friendly initiatives can be added to event checklists, and with some careful consideration as an occasion is planned, your team outing, product launch, conference, seminar, or other event can offer a sustainable experience. By making the right choices, one is able to decrease the environmental impact of your event, no matter how big or small. A simple start might see one book a sustainable venue. When researching locations enquire about their environmental credentials, whether they source green energy and use energy-efficient equipment and lighting, ask how they handle waste, whether they have a recycling programme, what sustainable materials they utilise, and whether the venue is 36 Á 34-37.qxp_Layout 1 03/10/2022 13:48 Page 236 Business Link www.blmforum.net CORPORATE HOSPITALITY close to public transport for diminishing CO2 emissions from guests, and if it has or is near electric vehicle charging points. Some venues for instance take part in food redistribution schemes which see unused food donated and repurposed and have their own close focus on sustainability across water and power, offsetting your carbon emissions. When organising an event firms can also collaborate with sustainable vendors, asking prospective suppliers similar questions to venues. Ask what environmentally friendly options they offer, if items such as decor are reusable, where they source food from. Considering the last of these, local food sourcing is often promoted at events today, illustrating a commitment to the local area, reducing food’s travel and subsequent carbon footprint, while going organic presents a chance to cut down the association of your event with damaging toxic chemicals. Menus could be enhanced with responsibly reared and caught meat and fish, or avoiding meals that use ingredients like beef, which are associated with a more negative climate impact. Moreover, the type of meal selected may make an event more sustainable, with sit down meals generally creating less waste than buffets. Returning to decor, renting or seeking out upcycled items is a green choice, again preventing waste, while the technology you hire can also be chosen based on its sustainability, such as employing low energy LED walls over projection, which consume around half the power of projection. Going paper-free is additionally sensible. Look to use digital invitations and e-tickets to shrink waste, which can also make access to events more streamlined, reduce costs with no postage and printing required, and enable a larger audience to be reached, 34-37.qxp_Layout 1 03/10/2022 13:48 Page 3www.blmforum.net Business Link 37 CORPORATE HOSPITALITY quicker. Paper waste could be further cut by making all event agendas, maps and signage digital (which also allows for more dynamic and engaging presentation), and not using paper plates, cups, or paper napkins. Forbidding single use plastics from your event is wise too, and providing waste and recycling bins throughout an event, and marking them clearly, is good practice to ensure your event is not making a major contribution to landfill. Meanwhile choosing a virtual event where appropriate means a minimised carbon footprint. Considering transportation, accommodation energy, food production, and venue energy, running an event virtually significantly reduces carbon emissions from a plethora of sources. Finally, for gifts and goodie bags for attendees to take away, a key marketing tool, avoid plastic in packaging and the items themselves, and/or opt for things made of recycled materials. This can apply to classic notebooks, clothes, reusable bottles, and other merch. Furthermore, avoid using any gift that is likely to be used only once or thrown away. Alternatively offering a virtual swag bag is becoming popular, presenting discount codes and freebies. As businesses and the public become more eco-conscious, the desire for sustainable events is growing. There are a number of benefits to holding green events, from lowering your environmental impact and living up to company commitments, to meeting stakeholder/customer expectations and values, improving brand image, and gaining an edge on competitors. With a few tweaks, greener corporate hospitality can be easily achieved, and with all your efforts, don’t be shy in letting attendees know about your actions in pre-event communications and share this with a wider audience online. 34-37.qxp_Layout 1 03/10/2022 13:48 Page 438 Business Link www.blmforum.net AUTOLINK R ecent advances in battery technology, too, have caused the classic argument against an electric car – ‘it doesn’t go far enough without plugging it in’ – to fall by the wayside. Indeed, just about every manufacturer is now getting in on the act. So while there is still very much a case for buying a petrol, diesel or hybrid, the case for the electric vehicle is gaining traction all the time. So, here’s a list of our top electric cars to look out for. There are no Teslas here, by the way. Why? Well, as suggestions go, we decided to look at less obvious options. BMW i4 Electric BMW’s i4 Electric is the battery- powered version of the standard 4-Series Gran Coupe. It has its own personality and design, although none of BMW’s top- notch engineering has been sacrificed in its production. An 83.9kWh battery means you’ll get up to a 365-mile range, with a 10-80% charge taking around half an hour. It’s swift and has a refined ride. But there’s also a quicker ‘i4 M50’ version producing 544PS which has been dubbed an ‘electric BMW M4’. There’s little reason to doubt that claim. Audi Q4 e-Tron Practicality and economy are personified in this crossover SUV. The vehicle is packed with the latest technology, including Audi’s excellent interior design and impressive infotainment system. It’s now available with a range of 314 miles thanks to its 82kWh battery, which can be charged Top Electric Cars As the popularity of electric cars surges, more and more of them are arriving in UK showrooms. 40 Á 38-41.qxp_Layout 1 03/10/2022 13:56 Page 1www.blmforum.net Business Link 39 AUTOLINK BMW i4 Electric 38-41.qxp_Layout 1 03/10/2022 13:56 Page 2Next >