We live in a time of remarkable change – as new technologies, new commercial realities, new social and economic conditions all combine to shift our views of work: what it is, how it is done, where and when.
An important part of this is a new focus on responsible business, sustainability for our communities, buildings that work, and health & wellbeing for individuals: all factors in the concept of wellness. In both public and private sector organisations, facilities management is the common thread underpinning this critical idea.
FM has the opportunity and the obligation to play a full role in many of these important areas and to take a positive lead in some. FM can be the discipline known for its reliable support for these new realities, pioneering in areas such as service quality, wellbeing and sustainability, to meet needs and raise the standard of response even further.
People, organisations and buildings all need to work towards the same aim, an aim expressed in the idea of wellness and the benefits this brings to both people and the organisations they work for. FM needs to move quickly to a more holistic offer that spans the crucial interactions between people and their buildings to ensure optimal efficiency, effectiveness, comfort, productivity, safety and health.
