Workplaces Are Evolving and Facilities Maintenance is a Tool For Change
The last two years have made an indelible mark on the workplace as we know it. The Government Property Agency has published its predictions for the workplace, stating that ‘2022 will be a pivotal year for the workplace’. As the workplace is evolving, so facilities maintenance services have taken on renewed importance. How is the workplace set to change and why – and how – does FM work towards a smooth transition?
Where We Work
One of the strongest characteristics of the new normal following lockdown has been remote and hybrid working. Published statistics state that 28% of Brits would like to work from home permanently, 44% would like to adopt a hybrid system, and 87% of businesses have adopted a hybrid model.
Vacant offices and workspaces require adjusted thinking around facilities maintenance. Disrupted maintenance schedules have potentially dire effects on equipment and hybrid and remote working systems require an adjusted FM plan that caters for workplace safety, comfort, and wellbeing. Additionally, the hybrid and remote model requires good IT infrastructure and innovative technologies to be truly effective – an ongoing service that can be provided by facilities maintenance specialists like Voltix Services.
A Focus On The Workplace Experience
The workplace is a more volatile place than ever, with battles for talent and competitiveness for desirable roles increasingly prevalent in a COVID world. This makes providing an optimal workplace experience a top priority for business owners.
Fundamental to the workplace experience is providing staff with the best tools possible. Keeping machinery working well and minimising operational downtime is one way business owners can take control. Working with FM experts also means business owners are working to the highest safety and compliance standards for their staff – with many services contributing to comfort and wellness in the workplace. Workplace design could also take into account high sitting rates and the need for collaboration zones for individual and team performance.
Going Green at Work
The move towards greener workplace practices is nothing new. However, as the race to net zero continues, so the adoption of sustainable processes continues to gain momentum. The Government Property Agency predicts that 2022 will see heritage building benefiting from the sustainability improvements of retrofitting. They have also mentioned a move towards renewable energy sources.
Working with an FM company like Voltix Services opens doors to tailored energy management strategies, including integrated energy solutions, metering, and smart technologies for green workplace advancements.
Health and Wellness at Work
Workplace wellness is a key factor in 2022 and beyond. According to the Harvard Business Review, wellness is a connecting factor between companies and employees in an age of remote ad hybrid work. As touched on above, working with a facilities maintenance company to achieve high-level safety and compliance standards exhibits commitment to employee wellness. Other methods include workplace structure around prolonged sitting, collaborative and independent work, as well as keeping machinery in good repair and monitoring workplace conditions such as air quality with wellness in mind.
Facilities Maintenance Services Are Key To The Workplaces of the Future. Contact Voltix Services today.