2015-fmw-careers-guide

2015GUIDETOCAREERSIN
FACILITIESMANAGEMENT
Sponsored by
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www.interserve.com
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GUIDE TO CAREERS IN FM 2015 3
CONTENTS
Redactive Publishing Ltd
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EDITORIAL
Tel: 020 7880 6229
email: editorial@fm-world.co.uk
editor: Martin Read ⁄ news editor: Herpreet
Kaur Grewal ⁄ sub editor: Deborah
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director: Mark Parry ⁄ art editor: Daniel
Swainsbury ⁄ picture editor: Claire
Echavarry
ADVERTISING AND MARKETING
email: sales@fm-world.co.uk
senior display sales executive: Norbert
Camenzuli
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PRODUCTION
production manager: Jane Easterman
senior production executive: Aysha Miah
PUBLISHING
publishing director: Joanna Marsh
For exclusive online
content including blogs,
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updates, visit
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FM NAVIGATING THIS GUIDE
SECTION1:
CHOOSING
ACAREERIN
FACILITIES
MANAGEMENT
WHAT IS FACILITIES MANAGEMENT?
P6-7 FM explained
P8 FM’s wider role
P9 FM and Plotr
P10-13 What good FM looks like
P16 A day in FM
CASE STUDIES
P18 FM skill set
P19-22 FM case studies
BENEFITS OF
BIFM
P24-27 Benefits of
membership with the
British Institute of
Facilities Management
SECTION2:
DEVELOPING
ACAREERIN
FACILITIES
MANAGEMENT
DEVELOPING WITH BIFM
P26-27 Networking in the FM
sector
P32-34 The British Institute of Facilities
Management professional standards
P32-34 BIFM qualifications
PLANNING FOR PROMOTION
P46-47 Reaching the top – FMs of the Year
P48 My big break – getting to the top
PROMOTION THROUGH TRAINING
P50-52 Promotion through training
REFERENCE
P54 FM service providers
P59 Training providers
P63 Recruitment consultancies
P65-67 Links to further reading and information
18
26
46
9
6-7
50
COVER ILLUSTRATION: BEN THE ILLUSTRATOR
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WHAT IS FM INTRODUCTION
4 | GUIDE TO CAREERS IN FM 2015
CONSIDERINGFACILITIESMANAGEMENTASA
CAREER?YOUWON’TREGRETIT
ANINDUSTRYFULLOFDRIVENANDINNOVATIVE
INDIVIDUALS–ANEXTRAORDINARYPROFESSION
acilities management (FM) is one of the
most rewarding career choices you can
make, and this, the fifth annual guide to
careers in the sector, will explain why. By reading
on you’ll get to understand what FM is and whether
it’s right for you.
My regular role is to provide the facilities
services for Channel 4. It’s a tremendously exciting
job that changes on a daily basis, but it has one
primary objective at its core – to provide a great
workplace that allows my colleagues to produce
great work. The sense of satisfaction that FMs can
get from providing safe, sustainable and inspiring
workplaces is second to none. If you enjoy building
relationships and dealing with people, there are few
better sectors in which to work.
Of course, there are plenty of different
types of workplace, from corporate offices to
factories, schools, hospitals and more. Facilities
managers work with colleagues in all areas of
their organisations, typically responsible for
providing catering, cleaning, building maintenance,
environmental services, security and reception.
Beyond the day-to-day, you could be involved in
huge projects to move people into new buildings or
restructure your organisation’s workplace when it
expands or merges. You’ll be involved in everything
from health and safety, risk management, business
continuity, procurement, sustainability, space
planning, energy, property and asset management.
And it’s rewarding personally, too. Elsewhere in
this guide you’ll read the stories of people who have
become essential to their organisations through the
facilities services they provide, but who have also
made their mark in providing more environmentally
friendly workplaces – sustainability and energy
management are key issues, as is the wellbeing of
workers. Few other careers allow anything like this
potential to positively influence others.
Facilities management is a relatively young
profession and you could play a part in helping to
develop it further. So I hope after reading this guide
you become inspired to consider a career in facilities
management. And if you do, I look forward to
meeting you at one of the British Institute of
Facilities Management’s networking events.
he outsourcing sector has grown
significantly over the past few decades
as businesses look to focus on their core
business and outsource their non-core services. The
National Audit Office reported in September 2014
that the UK outsourcing industry employs more
than 3.1 million people – 10 per cent of the UK’s
working population.
As this industry continues to go from strength to
strength, so too do the skills and expertise required
to deliver these services; and it’s reassuring to be
part of an industry that is working to offer more
skills and more opportunities from early careers to
senior management.
For instance, at Interserve, we’ve committed
to doubling our number of apprenticeships,
traineeships and graduate training opportunities by
2020. This is more than just doing the right thing;
we want to do this because we know how exciting
and rewarding it is to work in our industry – as this
guide highlights.
Our industry offers you the opportunity to do
more than just a job, but to build a career. What’s
more, many of our roles offer transferability of
working between different businesses across
different sectors, and in different countries. I see
this every day in our people and with the clients
and teams we work with.
It is the people that make facilities management
the industry it is, and it is their innovation, drive
and commitment that shape what we all do. They
are constantly using their skills and abilities to
overcome a myriad of challenges – some ordinary,
some out of the ordinary.
There are so many challenges and opportunities,
whatever industry, service or role you’re interested
in, but I think FM really has it all.
So with this in mind, I encourage everyone, from
school-leavers to graduates to those seeking a
career change to seriously investigate the facilities
management industry – you just don’t know where
it can take you.
F
T
BRUCEMELIZAN
EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR,INTERSERVE
JULIEKORTENS
CHAIRMAN,BRITISHINSTITUTEOF
FACILITIESMANAGEMENT
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WHATISFACILITIES
MANAGEMENT?
Never heard of FM? Let us
explain. Find out what’s meant
by the term, what the best
FMs do for a living – and
whether a career in FM could
be right for you
06
What is facilities
management?
08
Where FM fits within
organisations and society
10
Examples of good FM
14
A mind map of FM
16
A day in the life of an FM
GUIDE TO CAREERS IN FM 2015 | 5
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WHAT IS FM ??????
WHAT IS FM FM EXPLAINED
SHUTTERSTOCK
WHATISFACILITIES
MANAGEMENT?Does being tied to a desk all day sound like the worst thing in the
world? Then facilities management just might be the career for you
Why FM?
The key factor of FM is variety.
In fact, the scope of FM has
grown enormously over the
past 10 years, driven by
influences such as the shape of
the economy, environmental
legislation and sustainability.
These days, facilities managers
interact with people at all levels
of their organisation and can be
responsible for huge budgets.
What’s more, because FM in
the UK is more advanced than
many other countries, there
are good opportunities to work
abroad.
It is also worth noting that
workers supported by FMs aren’t
just found in buildings – they’re
often working at home, on the
move or at any point between.
The decisions FMs take daily can
have an enormous impact on the
lives of the entire workforce.
So what makes a
good FM?
You’ll need to be a keen
and energetic learner. Good
procurement and negotiation skills
are essential, as you’ll find yourself
purchasing everything from plants,
furniture, cleaning products and
stationery through to negotiating
and implementing million-pound
contracts for security, maintenance
or consultancy.
You’ll be a multi-tasker, moving
swiftly between planning next
year’s budget, rehearsing a crisis
management plan, climbing
around the roof inspecting the
air-conditioning system or, quite
literally, fighting fires. Time
management and a cool, calm head
are essentials.
If ever there was a time to
make a mark in a profession,
now is that time in FM. There’s
a skills shortage in the sector for
outstanding FMs who can come up
with good ideas as companies look
for innovative ways to reduce costs
and keep staff motivated in tough
times.
Despite the recession and the
focus on cost-cutting, sustainability
is rising in importance in many
organisations. FMs are increasingly
recognised as the guardian of an
organisation’s environmental and
ethical policies.
The true scope of FM
After its staff, facilities
management and property
represent the biggest expenditure
for most businesses. It is at the
very heart of an organisation,
and is increasingly recognised as
such. Yes, you may have to spend
a fair amount of time planning to
avoid crises and keeping facilities
running – but you’ll also be
leading projects that can have
a huge impact on people, the
workplace and the environment.
What other career offers you that
kind of diversity or that kind of
responsibility?
By choosing to pursue FM as
a career, you’ll be choosing one
of the fastest-changing, most
challenging and rewarding careers
available today.
W
e at FM World have
lost count of the
number of times we’ve
had to explain that
when it comes to FM,
“no two days are the same”.
Schools, offices, hospitals,
libraries, stadiums, factories,
museums, prisons, scientific
laboratories, shops, business
parks – if you can think of a
facility, we can point to an FM
team working behind the scenes
to ensure that everything runs
like clockwork.
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Whatyou’llbedoing
● Co-ordinating catering, cleaning and
maintenance work
● Keeping the heating running and the lights
on
● Making sure that facilities comply with
legislation
● Refurbishing and adapting facilities as the
organisation’s business model changes
● Keeping workers safe and secure
● Planning how the space that workers use is
organised
● Dealing with the aftermath of major
incidents such as fires and accidents
● Working with a team of architects and
engineers to design new headquarters
● Integrating a new portfolio of buildings and
people after a major acquisition
● Moving several hundreds (or thousands)
of people to new premises over a single
weekend
● Writing a security strategy to help avoid, or
react to, a terrorist attack on your building
● Working with a sub-contractor to create a
green roof
● Introducing a cycle-to-work scheme for
employees
● Ensuring that your catering team reduces
the distance that food travels from “farm to
fork”
● Cutting the amount of energy and water a
building uses
● Reducing the amount of CO2 a property
produces
● Creating new offices for your organisation
in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the US
● … and that’s just a snapshot of the many
tasks you’ll be involved in
TYPICAL FM TASKS
HARD AND SOFT
FMJARGON:
UNDERSTANDING
THETERMINOLOGY
FMs can be split into two basic
types: client-side (in-house) or
supply-side (outsourced).
Client-side FMs:
These are people employed
directly by organisations to be
responsible for all aspects of the
workplace, whether on one site
or across many.
Some client-side FMs
provide all of the services
themselves; others also manage
the relationship between the
client-side organisation and
any outsourced third-party FM
service providers brought in
under contract (for example, a
cleaning or catering contractor).
Almost two-thirds of FMs work
client-side.
Supply-side FMs:
Many organisations prefer to use
a specialist FM provider to look
after their facilities (this is known
as ‘outsourcing’ the FM service).
Supply-side FMs are the people
employed by these specialist
providers. Many work for firms
offering every aspect of FM
service (“total FM”), while others
work for providers of individual
services, such as security,
cleaning or catering.
When organisations outsource
FM, they can choose to do so in a
variety of ways. They can buy in
single services through specialist
Organisations can buy in soft or hard services,
and employ a facilities manager directly or
through a contractor. Confused? Read on
contractors. Alternatively, they
can buy FM in a “bundle”, giving
a multi-service contractor the
responsibility for supplying
all or most of the FM services
the organisation needs. Some
of these FM providers do so
via “self-delivery” – directly
employing all of the staff
required across all of the FM
services offered to the client –
or they sub-contract to smaller
niche organisations, managing
that relationship so that the
client only deals with a single
contracting organisation.
However you cut it, FM
involves the management and
delivery of a huge number of
services. Fortunately, these can
be broadly split into two groups:
hard FM and soft FM.
As one FM explains it: “If you
turned a building upside down,
what falls out is soft FM and
what stays in place is hard FM.”
Hard FM: services to do
with the physical fabric of
a facility: windows, doors,
boilers, anything that is
mechanical and electrical.
Soft FM: typically services
provided by people: security,
catering, cleaning and so on.
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WHAT IS FM WIDER ROLE
FMANDTHEWORKPLACE
SHUTTERSTOCK
No organisation can function without someone fulfilling the facilities management
function – it’s a unique role that affects all aspects of business performance
FM & office design
The FM acts as a facilitator of
change, making sure that while
projects are being undertaken,
the daily activities required to
keep an organisation functioning
continue unaffected. Workplace
design includes major ‘fit-out’
projects in which, for example,
cellular offices are discarded in
favour of less hierarchical open-
plan layouts. Here, the FM’s
role can range from consultant,
carrying out surveys with
workers, through to engaging
with the design company
appointed to carry out the work.
Depending on the organisation,
the FM will play a strategic role,
controlling workplace change and
working with other departments
such as HR and real estate to see
the project through.
It’s not all about physical
facilities – what about so-called
‘third spaces’ – serviced offices
or even coffee shops? How about
working from home? What
impact could that have on both
productivity and property costs?
The FM takes on the challenges
at a practical level, considering
issues such as acoustics and the
need for people to concentrate
versus the need for collaboration.
Flexibility and collaboration
are key elements in most
design projects. FMs liaise
with colleagues in IT to get the
right equipment to desks, the
procurement department to get
the right price for the project,
and HR to deal with the issues
involved with changing the
workplace for your people.
FM and real estate
FMs are expected to have a hand
in all aspects of an organisation’s
involvement with its building,
from liaising with surveyors
(when looking for new premises),
architects (when planning new
facilities), construction managers
(when those facilities are being
built) and project managers
(from construction through to
workplace planning). The person
who remains in place when all
the others have moved on to
other projects is the FM.
In the public sector the
government’s move to force
any construction project in the
government’s own property
portfolio to be built using building
information modelling (BIM –
essentially, using data on the
performance characteristics of
a building’s components when
specifying the components in a
new build) makes management of
operational data all the more vital.
Because FMs are involved in all
aspects of managing a building,
their appreciation of operational
performance across all aspects
of the building is an essential
element that must be factored
into the design decisions an
architect needs to consider when
looking at the proposed building.
There’s growing recognition that
FM is a key part of the team, but
there is still a fight for FM to be
recognised at the start of a project
rather than being brought in
halfway through.
FM and design
FM was a critical component in
the delivery of the London 2012
Olympic and Paralympic Games,
helping to ensure their smooth
running – and feeding in at the
design stage of some of the
games’ most iconic buildings. The
FM teams in some organisations
are now so integrated into
organisational strategy that they
can influence both the shape of
a building as well as the overall
reason for its construction.
FM and sustainability
Issues of sustainability in
business are big news, so if
you want to have a measurable
effect through your work on
the overall carbon footprint
of the UK economy, FM is the
career for you. Everything
from government incentives
to introduce energy-efficient
infrastructure projects through
to corporate social responsibility
(CSR) reporting has an FM angle.
Government objectives for the
reduction in carbon use by the
year 2050 are extraordinary, and
made all the more so when you
consider the fact that 80 per cent
of the buildings now in operation
will still be in use then.
To prove your company’s
environmental credentials, you’ll
need to source from organisations
with efficient systems. FMs can
also be involved in measuring
the ‘embedded carbon’ in their
buildings (the amount of energy
used in the construction of the
components used in the building).
FM and wellbeing
FM also relates to many issues
of worker performance and is
increasingly involved in the
workers’ health – from ensuring
that staff eat healthily through
the supply of organic food or
the appointment of specialist
catering contractors to deciding
on what cycling facilities to make
available to workers.
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ENTERTHEFMWORLD
ONPLOTRTOFINDOUT
WHATFMINVOLVES
WHAT IS FM FM ON PLOTR
Still unsure if FM’s for you? The newly
launched FM ‘world’ on careers site Plotr is
well worth paying a visit
armed forces and the charity sector.
The site also provides advice for
employers, schools and parents.
What you’ll find
Go to the FM world on Plotr and
you’ll be able to do the following:
• Click on different job roles
within FM to see video interviews
with young people about their work.
• Explanations of what’s involved
for each job role.
• Related articles including
interviews with people in similar
job roles, and lists of what people
learnt from work placements with
FM service companies.
• A link to The Game, the playing
of which will help you focus
on whether you have the right
personality and drive to become a
facilities manager.
• Links to careers comparable to
facilities management, to allow you
to establish whether FM is a logical
leap from other job roles you may
be considering.
Comms failure
So what is the thinking behind
Plotr? Jim Carrick-Birtwell is the
organisation’s chief executive. He
believes that the communications
and links between school careers
advice and the working world are
still disjointed. Plotr is an interactive
solution that allows those at school
to hear what people close to their
own age group think about their
chosen profession.
“Schools have been passed an
incredibly difficult task. They’ve
been given a complex, constantly
shifting field to engage and help
their students navigate in.”
“We want to solve the problem
of the gap between education and
employment. There are employers
out there with roles that they can’t
fill – they can’t find candidates with
the right skills. There are young
people desperate to work who
haven’t been told what employers
actually want, and which skills and
qualifications they need for careers
that are out there.
A world of worlds
The ‘facilities management
world’ joins existing career pages
and outlines what these roles
entail, the type of personality and
skills best suited to them, and the
qualifications required.
Linda Hausmanis, BIFM’s head
of professional standards and
education, says that showcasing
opportunities in FM through career
paths and qualifications will aid
decision making.
“We’re looking to provide a flash
of inspiration to young people,
whether they’re currently studying
at school, college or university or
looking to take that all-important
first step into employment.
“We want to show young people
how they can grow a rewarding
career within the industry. That’s
absolutely vital if the UK is going
to remain at the forefront of service
innovation and delivery.”
All in the game
Plotr aims to attract the next
generation of FMs through, ‘The
Game’. This, says Plotr’s Carrick-
Birtwell, is a character test,
mapping individuals’ personality
to determine their suitability to a
particular role.
“One of the key issues young
people face when considering career
options – and even not so young
people – is that it is overwhelming,”
he said.
“The sheer amount of career
possibilities and volume of career-
related information can leave many
feeling as if they are just bobbing
about rudderless and might be
missing options that could be great
for them. The careers are surfaced
[through ‘The Game’], relating
to your personality, skills and
interests.”
Bridging the gap
Carrick-Birtwell hopes that Plotr will
address the visibility issue of certain
professions, as well as acting as a
platform for employers to clarify
exactly what jobs entail, and what
they require.
“There’s a real problem with
communication and connection.
We want Plotr to become a national
utility that brings efficiency in
communication, connection, insight
and inspiration for young people
and careers,” he said.
“Our aim is to bridge the gap
between the world of education
and the world of work.”
So – please do give it a go. The
site only launched this year, and
is likely to develop further in the
months ahead. It is, however, a
fantastic way to get to grips with
the sector.
I
nforming school leavers about
the career opportunities in
facilities management is a
continuing challenge for
the profession. As a school
leaver or someone considering
transferring across from another
trade, you’re unlikely to be well-
versed in the intricacies of FM,
nor indeed are you likely to have
heard of it before.
Fortunately, things are
changing for the better. This year,
the BIFM announced that it had
been working with careers advisory
website Plotr to develop a careers
guidance ‘world’.
(Visit www.tinyurl.com/plotrFM.)
The site is designed specifically
for young people to help them
discover new career paths and
opportunities to enter those
careers. Other ‘worlds’ on the site
include sports, marketing, the
09_FM on Plotr.indd 909_FM on Plotr.indd 9 29/10/2014 17:3729/10/2014 17:37

WHAT IS FM EXAMPLES OF FM
WHATGOODFM
LOOKSLIKEAcross the country, in all manner of organisations, facilities managers
are making sure what needs to happen, happens. Here’s a cross-
section of FMs and an idea of the work they’re involved in
SACREDTASK
WHO DOES THE JOB:
TOM BILLINGTON,
FACILITIES MANAGER,
DURHAM CATHEDRAL
Tom Billington has an almighty
job on his hands. As facilities
manager of a site built in the
11th century, he needs to mix
conservation and restoration
works with projects to bring
the FM operation into the new
millennium. He has previously
worked on the Olympic Park
site in London for a contractor,
providing FM and access
management, as well as a number
of fit-out projects, including the
London Metropolitan University
Central House.
What the job entails:
Billington manages a team
comprising, among others, six
stonemasons, two joiners and a
cathedral architect and surveyor.
Together, they maintain the
buildings and surrounding area,
as well as catering for church-
goers and other visitors on site.
The array of visitors to the
UNESCO World Heritage site
in recent years has included
the crew of the Harry Potter
film franchise and production
teams from the BBC’s Antiques
Roadshow programme.
Billington’s job is to cater for the
productions, while keeping the
disruptions to the cathedral’s
primary function – a place of
worship – to a minimum.
Particularly unusual in
Billington’s FM operation
is a carefully constructed
conservation programme,
planned 25 years ahead.
“On top of keeping the
building clean, we must replace
some of the facades because the
structural integrity is dropping,”
says Billington. Stonework is
replaced or restored by the
team of stonemasons, whose
knowledge of the building goes
almost down to each single stone.
The cathedral’s energy
management is another area
that needs careful observation.
Underground heating, electricity
and maintenance costs could total
as much as £60,000 a week.
Billington is looking at
ways to reduce this cost by
installing modern lighting
and heating systems, as well
as a CCTV network system to
improve security in a site that is
essentially open to the public.
Wi-Fi has also been installed
across the building, increasing
the ability to install a wireless
alarm system with sensors, as
well as adding access points for
the education department to give
tours with tablet devices.
The cathedral’s collections
of artefacts, including a copy
of the Magna Carta and relics
dating to the 6th century, are
extraordinary. The FM team is
working on a project to make
these open to the public. The
challenge is keeping such delicate
materials in optimum condition.
“In a new building it is easy
to control the atmosphere.
But maintaining a constant
temperature in the cathedral
is difficult. We cannot just
heat it – if the humidity rises,
the stonework will start to
deteriorate, costing millions in
restoration work,” says Billington.
JOHNMILLARD/UNP
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TAKINGTHESTAGE
WHO DOES THE JOB:
KEITH BROOME,
OPERATIONS MANAGER,
3 MILLS STUDIOS
3 Mills Studios, situated on an
island site in east London, is
used for film, TV, music video
and advertisement production.
The studios house 11 different
stages, screening, production
and rehearsal rooms and a
prison exterior and cell set,
across eight hectares. The
studios were also home to the
Olympic organising committee
for 18 months as preparations
and rehearsals for the opening
and closing ceremonies took
shape.
Round-the-clock filming
and production work means
that the FM function, led by
Keith Broome, is particularly
demanding, and subject to an
ever-changing schedule.
Broome and his team are
responsible for all aspects of
facilities management, from
cleaning, security and venue
management to electrical,
mechanical and reactive
maintenance works on site.
“It’s unlike FM in commercial
or industry,” says Broome,
“where you tend not to be
so customer-facing. In those
environments there’s a lot of
time where you can organise
maintenance out of hours, so
essentially your tenants don’t
get to see you.
“Here, it’s totally different. My
team have to work in front of
the production’s own personnel,
as well as the stars of the
shows themselves, to get things
done.”
The team must constantly
be on top of their customer
service game, adapting to new
circumstances and people.
Take the time the team’s
pre-Christmas drinks reception
was interrupted by a call from
Lady Gaga’s management to
book a studio for the next day,
or an early morning in which
Kevin Bacon led a conga line
of people for a mobile phone
company advertisement.
The FM function serves as a
match winner for the studios
when it comes to winning
new clients. In a competitive
industry, great customer service
can make the all the difference
to 3 Mills securing bookings.
For Broome, ensuring that ad
hoc enquiries and requests are
met, no matter how small or
bizarre, is just part of another
day at the office.
THEEVENT
HORIZON
WHO DOES THE JOB:
BRIAN COLE,
OPERATIONS DIRECTOR,
EXCEL LONDON
ExCeL London is host to a vast
array of events and conferences
throughout the year. The 100,000
square metre space is a colossal
area to manage, with thousands
of visitors on site.
ExCeL London’s operations
director, Brian Cole, has been
with the organisation since 1999,
just before its opening, after 17
years with Olympia. Over the
years he’s been promoted through
the ranks, having joined initially
to cover a health and safety brief.
For event venues, visitors range
from the organisers (who rent
out the space), the exhibitors
(who pay the organisers for
space), and the event’s visitors.
Fitting in the provision of
cleaning, catering, security,
car park management and
engineering maintenance
around these various groups
can be a challenge. Preventative
maintenance is planned around
the events schedule. After each
show, any minor issues are dealt
with before the next organiser
arrives.
“You never get to the point
where you think everything’s just
ticking over nicely,” says Cole,
“there’s always a new challenge.”
Traffic management is an
understandably significant
part of the operation. “We
have systems where we can get
delivery vehicles in and out as
quickly as possible,” says Cole.
“We plan every event with
the organisers to make sure of
a smooth traffic flow. If they
don’t want to open the doors
until 8am because of the cost of
security, we’ll work with them
to manage the contractors who
arrive early to avoid traffic. We’ll
do everything we can to keep the
event on schedule.”
ExCeL’s location on London’s
Royal Dock has helped it win
events such as Oceanology
International and the Boat Show,
where vessels are docked so that
people can get on them as part of
the show experience.
All aspects of the FM
operation, except catering
services in the conference areas
and exhibition halls, are run by
the in-house team.
Adapting arenas and
auditorium spaces for differing
client needs is part of this fast-
paced job. Moveable walls in the
conference space and retractable
seating must be prepared in time
for each event.
“We’ve certainly got a one-
team mentality and we work
closely together on a daily basis,”
says Cole. “We all know that
co-ordination is the key. For
example, if the riggers need to
get in to a hall, then the cleaning
manager will know that the area
needs to be cleared quickly. This
ethos extends to how we work
with our clients. Our goal is to
make every event a success; we
take every event to heart.”

WHAT IS FM EXAMPLES OF FM
WORKING
CHEMISTRY
WHO DOES THE JOB:
KATY BLUNDELL, UK
FACILITIES MANAGER,
ASTELLAS PHARMA
Having lain empty for five
years, 2000 Hillswood Drive
in Chertsey was taken over
by fast-growing international
pharmaceutical business Astellas
in 2012, where its radical fit-
out has received wide-ranging
acclaim.
Katy Blundell has been with
Astellas for 15 years, starting
out as office manager with
Yamanouchi, one of the partner
organisations in a big 2005
merger that saw two smaller
pharmaceutical businesses,
Yamanouchi and Fujisawa, join
up to form Astellas.
Post-merger, the enlarged
Astellas business relocated
to Lovett House in Staines,
Surrey, then also into several
other buildings nearby, before
realising that its rate of growth
necessitated the need for
another, larger building in which
everybody could be under the
same roof to collaborate more
effectively. That’s when the
facilities department came into
its own.
“In our previous building there
was an element of ‘Oh, facilities
– you’re the people who top up
the photocopier,” says Blundell,
“but the move project definitely
increased the profile of FM.
Some thought that FM is
seen as being there to clean up
and make sure things work,”
says Blundell, “but I think the
relocation to the new building –
and the work the FM team put
into the move, design, relocation
and implementation – has
encouraged the staff to view
it in an improved light. I get a
lot more respect now because
everyone knew I was involved in
choosing this building.”
The size of the estate grew, but
the size of the in-house FM team
stayed the same.
As Hillswood is some way from
other local amenities, the internal
catering facility is vital, as are the
co-located sports amenities and
facilities (such as showers) that
support them. The site has 24/7
guarding, with other FM services
delivered between 7am to 6pm.
Blundell’s career has included
a “bit of everything”, organising
(among other things) the payroll,
pensions, life assurance and golf
society events.
“Facilities for me was such a
wide-ranging topic, and I’m a
people person, so it appealed,”
says Blundell.
The fit-out project was
designed to encourage employees
to interact with colleagues,
offering a mix of open-plan,
overflow workspace areas, as well
as a ‘street’ area on the ground
floor, comprising café, restaurant,
and both open and closed spaces
for meetings.
Blundell had to adapt during
the move. The ability to think
and adapt on the go is an
important skill for an FM to
acquire.
The fit-out budget had to
absorb the cost of fixing a
leaking roof and façade.
Problems with the roof meant
that the fit-out project needed
careful financial management.
“As a result, not all of the
mechanical and electrical
equipment was replaced brand
new, but we still had to do some
significant mechanical work.
“In 15 years my job has
never stood still,” said Blundell.
“There’ll always be another
project on the horizon.”
WWW.DAVIDCHURCHILL.CO.UK

ALAMY
ONTHEEDGE
WHO DOES THE JOB:
RICHARD PETRIE, AREA
FACILITIES MANAGER,
BT FACILITIES SERVICES
After taking to Richard Petrie
about his job, you might
mistake him for an explorer,
photographer or wildlife
documentary maker. Although
these aren’t prerequisites for
the role, he puts all of that
knowledge to good use as
a facilities manager in rural
Scotland.
BT’s in-house facilities
management team, BT Facilities
Service (BTFS), looks after all
of its 7,000 sites across the
UK. This includes London’s BT
Tower and BT Sport studios,
but also some facilities located
in less built-up areas.
Petrie’s job takes him to the
extremities of the British Isles.
He is responsible for 262 sites
across northern and western
Scotland, maintaining BT radio
stations and small telephone
and broadband connection
exchanges across 15,000 square
miles.
He and his team of six – all
dotted across the Highlands –
carry out planned and reactive
maintenance at these sites.
Some are particularly tricky to
access. For the inner Hebrides,
Petrie takes a rigid inflatable
boat (RIB) out to islands, and
often bounds across fields of
cows or sheep.
He will check on the security
and safety of the structure of
the building, complete planned
technical maintenance and
equipment testing and cleaning
the interior of each site.
Petrie will also keep in regular
contact with his team, who are
all out at various rural sites, to
ensure their safety and resolve
any problems.
Scheduling visits to sites –
some of which are unmanned
– can largely depend on the
weather. Snow and rain can
make some roads, many
of which are single track,
inaccessible.
It’s not just weather that can
cause delays, and it is often an
extra job for Petrie to rearrange
his schedule. “It once took me
an extra 90 minutes to reach a
site, as the road was blocked by
Highland cows,” says Petrie.
For Petrie, a day at work can
be exhausting. Endless travel,
unexpected complications and
gruelling weather can make for
a taxing week. But he thrives
on the unique challenges. The
stunning landscape in the
Scottish Highlands somewhat
lightens a burdensome
commute.
CENTREOF
ATTENTION
WHO DOES THE JOB:
CHRIS BLISS, ESTATE
DIRECTOR, LIVERPOOL
ONE PROPERTY
MANAGEMENT COMPANY
The Liverpool ONE retail and
leisure complex spans 42 acres
and includes retail stores, bars,
restaurants, a 14-screen cinema,
36-hole indoor golf course and –
on the rooftop – a five-acre park.
It attracts more than 20 million
visitors a year and is managed 24
hours a day, seven days a week
by an estates team managing
a multi-million pound service
charge budget.
The estate is owned by
Grosvenor Estates, and managed
by its subsidiary company,
Liverpool ONE Property
Management Company, led by
Chris Bliss.
Bliss and his team operate
every aspect of the estate, from
security, cleaning, customer
services to consumer-facing
operations and commercialisation
management on site.
Bliss has a 160-strong facilities
staff to call upon.
“We’ve got wonderful
architecture; we know we’ve got
excellent retailing and the asset
management team work really
hard on that,” says Bliss.
“But what’s the bit where we
can really make a difference?
It’s in how we engage with
that customer. How can we
enliven their day, how can we
make Liverpool ONE feel really
magnetic? That’s what the
driving factor was for us.”
Maintenance is the exception
to the in-house rule. “Where
there’s high-risk activity, we use
subcontracted specialists,” says
Bliss. “Honeywell does all of our
M&E and electronics, and they
have a permanent team that’s
based here. We also use Otis for
lifts and escalators and Mitie
for high-level glass cleaning and
specialist cleaning [for example,
the cinema screens] as well as
grounds maintenance in the park.”
Bliss must also oversee waste
management – the volume of
which can spiral out of control
in a busy retail environment if it
isn’t supervised carefully.
Between 500-600 tonnes of
cardboard a year is recycled,
while glass recycling was
introduced two years ago.
Another aspect of the
FM operation is business
performance, which is headed up
by Ian Finlayson, who provides
analysis of footfall and sales. He
talks to store managers about
their individual performance and
their performance against similar
retailers, data which is then fed
into the asset management team
so that they can understand how
those tenants are performing;
solutions to under-performing
tenants can then be discussed,
such as locating them elsewhere
on the estate.
The team faces a balancing act
of keeping a variety of facilities
operational – some 24 hours a
day – while providing extra value
for its retailers on site.

WHAT IS FM MIND MAP
This mindmap encapsulates the ever
expanding role of the facilities manager.
Produced by FM consultant Martin Pickard,
the map evolves each year.
14-15_FM map.indd Sec1:1414-15_FM map.indd Sec1:14 29/10/2014 17:1029/10/2014 17:10

14-15_FM map.indd Sec1:1514-15_FM map.indd Sec1:15 29/10/2014 17:1029/10/2014 17:10

Arrive early to
check your emails
and check the
industry’s voices
on social media.
It’s always worth
checking in with the
reception helpdesk.
Here’s where you
can find out what
kind of problems
your building users
are reporting.
ONEDAYINFM…Here’s an idea of how 12 hours in FM might unfold
The organisation is looking
to expand, so you’re on a
site visit to evaluate suitable
premises in the local area.
Today, you’re talking with
a local estate agent about
a property just half a mile
from your existing site.
It looks OK and there’s
enough space for your
organisation’s plans, but
you have reservations – is
the telecoms infrastructure
good enough?
A delegation from one of your
organisation’s major clients
will arrive next week for a key
presentation. It’s your job to make
sure that you’ve sufficient space
to accommodate the visitors,
that passes are prepared and that
the presentation equipment is
ready. You’re working with the
marketing and communications
team to come up with a plan of
action for the day.
You’ve been charged
with the responsibility
of boosting employee
engagement – part
of your masterplan
involves getting green-
fingered with a potted
herb garden on the
roof terrace.
The day’s over for most
of the building’s users, but
you’re conducting a special
project to cut the building’s
carbon emissions by 20 per
cent. Now’s the perfect time
to prepare for your meeting
with the specialist consultant.
Time for a meeting with
your finance director
to review and discuss
preparing documents to
put out to tender for new
FM service suppliers. You’re
re-evaluating the cleaning
service and need to ensure
the brief meets your
organisation’s needs.
You’re on the floor of your open-plan
office space, planning how you’ll deal with
an influx of new workers resulting from a
recent acquisition. It’s a question of setting
up phone lines, desks and air conditioning.
You’re thinking of using new LEDs in order
to provide sufficient light, but can the space
accommodate everyone comfortably? You’ve
asked some suppliers to come in and explain
the options to you.
Another day done, but tonight
you’re out networking with
fellow FMs. You’re heading out
to an event where fellow FMs
will discuss their concerns.
Good for picking up tips.
And tomorrow? Tomorrow will
be an entirely different day.
FM TYPICAL FM ACTIVITY
Your maintenance
contractor is on its way
to deal with a broken air
conditioning unit, but just
in case you’re planning
where to temporarily
relocate people if the
problem can’t be fixed.
You’ve arranged
to meet with a
representative of
your contract caterer.
You need to talk to
them about the ways
in which they source
the food your facility’s
users consume.
08:00 09:00 10:30
16:10 17:30 19:30
11:15
12:0013:2014:4515:00
16_DayAsAnFM.indd 1616_DayAsAnFM.indd 16 29/10/2014 17:3229/10/2014 17:32

SKILLSNEEDEDTO
SUCCEEDINFM
Read about what skills are
required to excel in the FM
profession, and read about the
different paths that can lead
towards facilities management
18
What type of person is likely
to make a good facilities
manager?
19
Coming into FM from the
hospitality sector
20
Coming into FM from the
military
22
Other routes into FM

SKILLS WHAT MAKES A GOOD FM
A great FM can organise
a refurb, charm
suppliers into giving
them a better deal and
make valuable friends
at a networking soirée,
all within a matter of
hours. Tough? You bet
An FM’s role is to maintain
the working environment for
employees. FMs run sites as
diverse as offices, hospitals,
depots and barracks. It can be
a challenging job, with every
position unique to the workplace
it serves. Here’s a guide to the
skills that will help you excel.
INTERPERSONAL
SKILLS
● FM is service-based; any
person using the facilities
your organisation provides is
a customer. Depending on the
job, that can include the public,
office workers, production line
workers … the list goes on.
● An FM is one of the most
well-known faces in an
organisation. You’re a ‘people
person’, comfortable talking to
all employees, from receptionist
right through to chief executive.
● Face-to-face conversations
make up a large part of an
FM’s routine. Give people the
attention they expect: always
listen and be polite.
● The customer is an individual
with specific needs. Put
yourself in the shoes of the
other person and you will
better understand how a certain
problem might be affecting
them. You will find a more
effective solution if you are able
to appreciate its impact on the
working life of the individual in
question.
FACILITIESMANAGEMENT–SKILLSREQUIREMENT
PROJECT
MANAGEMENT
● Project management offers
variety as well as good pay and
excellent prospects. But it is
demanding and requires
a wide range of skills. You need
to be able to learn quickly to
address a number of areas.
● You need to understand
financial accounts as you’ll
be responsible for controlling
budgets. If a project includes
building works or machinery,
you’ll need to know enough
about the subject to manage a
multi-disciplinary team.
● You may also need to
understand enough basic law
to draft contracts and advise
your organisation on potential
litigation – but a lawyer will
always be involved when push
comes to shove.
NETWORKING
● FM is a young industry, so FMs
are more likely to seek the advice
of peers than those in other
professions, where long-standing
career development pathways
change slowly.
● Networking is part of an
essential skill set and needs to
be developed like any other.
Improving your networking
technique gives you a valuable
tool that’s transferable to any role.
● Often, industry bodies or
conferences build in networking
time between sessions. The
British Institute of Facilities
Management’s regional and
special interest groups offer an
excellent opportunity to connect
with your peers at a local level.
● Most of us feel intimidated on
entering a room full of people
we don’t know. Remember that
everyone else probably feels
the same. After you’ve been to
a few events and taken some
business cards, you’ll start to
see the same faces and gravitate
to them. This is how personal
networks are built.
TIME
MANAGEMENT
● This means doing work
now to save time later, to
meet deadlines and respond
to unexpected events while
regular tasks are completed to
schedule. It also means we will
be able to increase the quality
of the work we do as we’ll have
more time to spend on the tasks
that require more effort.
● FMs have a wide remit over
many services, from catering,
maintenance, washrooms to
couriers. Each area has its own
deadlines. Certain maintenance
can only be conducted after
working hours, while couriers
need to be dispatched before
the end of the working day to
meet a day delivery.
● Negotiating prices with
suppliers or budgets for the
coming year might take an hour
with a spreadsheet, while a
routine boiler inspection may
demand your presence in a
specific part of the building for
an hour or so.
● Capable of multi-tasking
● Good people skills
● Patience
● Flexibility
● Ability to hit deadlines
● Problem-solving skills
● Boundless enthusiasm
KEY SKILLS
IKON
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When Martin Nowak came to the UK from Poland he only
intended to stay a year. Today, a decade later, he’s Interserve’s
training and development manager. Here’s how that happened
M
artin Nowak is a superb
example of rapid career
progression in facilities
management. After six
years in the hotel
industry he joined FM service
provider Interserve and is now
responsible for the day-to-day
running of a portfolio valued at
more than £1 million.
“After six years in the hotel
industry, I decided I needed
a change. I wanted to reclaim
some of my weekends back and
the natural choice of further
career path was corporate
reception, where I could apply my
organisational, administrative and
customer service skills effectively.
“A receptionist role is all about
customer service management so,
in fact, when I transferred across
it was very similar to what I was
used to. The skill set is much the
same.”
Nowak’s former hotel role
was like many in the sector
where, whether someone works
for reception, room service or
in another department for that
hotel, they’re directly employed
by that hotel. Whereas Interserve,
as a third party, provides
the same kind of services to
organisations.
“That was confusing at first,
but it soon made sense once I
understood the procurement
process,” he says.
And today, having spent
his time in a receptionist and
reception manager role, Nowak
is responsible for delivering
the training for his Interserve
colleagues across a variety of
service contracts. He’s been in his
role since September 2013.
“I’m now involved in pretty
much every service line,” says
Nowak. “So that’s cleaning,
front-of-house, maintenance and
engineering.
“I’d wanted to get involved
in training for quite a while,
and thought that my previous
experience as a teacher – in
addition to my background in the
industry – would make me an
asset to the training team.
“I get enormous satisfaction
from helping and watching
people grow. My role has also a
creative aspect to it and I do a
considerable amount of project
work designing new training
programmes. All this means that I
love Mondays!
“It’s been better than I
expected. In this job I get
involved with quite a few
internal programmes and meet
a lot of people from different
service lines. So I also get to train
security officers, for example,
and not only our front-of-house
personnel. I also get to design
training programmes, and in
fact, part of my job description
is to attend tender presentations
(when Interserve is bidding to
supply FM services to other
organisations) and present on the
COMINGINTOFMFROM
CUSTOMER
SERVICE
training programme the client will
get. It means I have to be quite
flexible – but that’s fine.
“You’ll certainly need an
outgoing personality. The job is
all about communications – being
proactive in providing the service.
But if you’re someone who’s
considering a move across from a
position in a hotel, that’s probably
something you’ve already got.
“Within Interserve there’s
plenty of opportunity for
progression between service
lines, moving to recruitment from
reception, from security into
front-of-house, joining HR, so
plenty of opportunities within the
company. Plus, obviously we also
support our colleagues through
qualifications. Quite a few of our
front-of-house colleagues get to
support our building managers.”
And for the future?
“We have so many projects going
on at the training academy that
I don’t think I’ll get bored. We’re
in a very good position now as
we’re given free rein on projects
we want to develop. We’re quite a
big company so there’s a massive
requirement for training so we’re
trying to come up with new plans
and new ideas all of the time;
we’re constantly evaluating the
training we offer.”
WHAT IS FM FM SKILL SETS
TRAINING AND
DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
INTERSERVE SEPTEMBER 2013
– PRESENT
ACCOUNT SUPPORT
MANAGER
INTERSERVE NOVEMBER 2012
– SEPTEMBER 2013
CORPORATE RECEPTIONIST
INTERSERVE DECEMBER 2010
– NOVEMBER 2012
DESK CONCIERGE
CUMBERLAND HOTEL JULY
2005 – DECEMBER 2010
LUGGAGE PORTER
CUMBERLAND HOTEL AUGUST
2004 – JULY 2005
CAREER HISTORY
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MOD
Upon retirement from the military many personnel
who have performed FM roles (although often
without a fancy job title) move into civilian FM
roles that match their project management and
strong organisational skills. Kevin Stanley explains
M
ilitary personnel tend to
retire at quite a young
age, generally around
45, so they have a lot of
working life left.
They’ve developed a bank of
experience performing FM type
support roles within the military,
so moving into civilian FM roles
can often be an attractive
proposition. And they can be
very attractive to employers, be
they directly as a facilities
manager or doing an FM role as
an employee with an FM service
provider.
“Ex-military personnel
have skills in logistics, people
management and team leading.
Many with engineering
skills move across into hard
services management and the
management of more complex
buildings that have a higher
standard of technology, as they
understand new technology
very well and are able to use this
knowledge to good effect,” says
Anne Lennox-Martin, managing
director at FMP360.
Ex-military personnel have
an excellent ‘can do, get done’
attitude and strong organisational
and people management skills.
They can envisage how to get
from A to B easily. They have
logistical and co-ordination skills,
they’re comfortable managing
projects or managing buildings
and they’re good at co-ordinating
operations – all of which means
that they fit FM roles.
Angela Unsworth, transition
manager at Carillion Amey, says
ex-military personnel are used to
finding solutions and delivering
results.
“A military career, on the
whole, builds competent,
capable operators. Astute,
pragmatic and quick to cut to
the heart of a problem, their
focus is on the commander’s
intent; understanding his or her
operational output requirement
is key to them delivering ‘service
excellence’ and achieving the
objective. It’s not difficult for
them to change the emphasis of
this to focus on the customer’s
intent and on understanding
the customer’s requirements in
delivering service excellence.”
What ex-military personnel do
find challenging is understanding
that in civilian life they can
delegate tasks upwards. They
have a military command
structure ingrained in their minds.
“They’re used to instructing
others lower down the structure
to complete tasks and in turn
being instructed by their
superiors. It’s challenging for
them to be in a civilian FM role
where they may instruct someone
to do something and they might
not do it,” says Jane Wiggins,
director at FM Tutor & Associates.
“This mindset, however, serves
them very well in public sector
jobs such as in the NHS or in
local authority or education
environments, or organisations
such as financial or construction,
where there is a strict process
that must be adhered to all of the
time, perfectly, to avoid accidents.
They tend to be logical and
methodical and used to working
within a structured environment.”
Training for transfer
Training may be required for
ex-military personnel moving
into civilian FM and even if they
may already be competent from
a qualifications perspective they
may face cultural issues.
“Ex-military personnel are
comfortable with taking orders
and following instructions,
they’re very used to it so there’s
a cultural difference between
military and civilian life,” says
Lennox-Martin. “Ex-military
personnel working in civilian
FM roles do find that working
COMINGINTOFMFROM
THE
MILITARY
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It’s a big adjustment for them
and their families. Fortunately,
there’s a lot of help available.
Commission periods are usually
12 to 20 years, but they can be
up to 30 years. When nearing
the end of their commission,
personnel are given a two-year
transition period. This is an
important time as it will shape
the rest of their working careers
and personal lives. During this
time they may receive training.
It’s good for them to gain a
BIFM qualification to verify
their ‘on the job’ knowledge.
Other skills such as health and
safety and project management
skills are useful. Some will
have technical trade skills from
working as chefs, electricians,
or military police officers. In
order to transition they’re
given an ELCAS grant, which
helps to pay for training and
qualifications. Assistance also
covers housing, job interview
skills and social services.
Orders is orders
There are other practical
differences between military
and civilian FM. The often-
cited concerns within FM
about the lack of board-level
recognition and the role of FM
in organisations is something
ex-military people will also have
to overcome. They could find
organisations that allow free-
thinking difficult to understand.
They expect board members
and managing directors to be
respected without question.
Why don’t people do what
they are told? Why would it
be necessary to consult people
about space management and
change? Why would they
need to persuade someone to
do something? These are all
real questions that ex-military
personnel ask when moving to
civilian FM roles. But they are
usually able to quickly adapt.
“Military people are
extremely flexible and adaptable
as a result of working with very
fluid, dynamic, operational
activity; consequently, we’re very
effective contingency planners.
Our extensive experience in
conflict resolution can be of great
benefit to any organisation. We’re
strong characters with well-
developed leadership and people
skills. We’re able to resolve
disagreement and seamlessly
align people and resources to the
task,” says Unsworth.
“All of the outputs of
contracted services have a
profound and direct impact on
the output of the client. Any lack
of joined-up service delivery
could fundamentally undermine
the CEO’s output. It’s imperative
that the FM has full oversight
of every aspect of the business.
When I was in this role it was
fundamental that I sat on the
board to manage those risks.
I was able to capture fleeting
opportunities that enhanced
our business, opportunities
that I would have no sight of if
I was positioned elsewhere in
the organisation. It’s here that
employers are missing business
opportunities in FM – if you want
to be even more successful, get
your head of FM on the board,”
she adds.
“Military personnel can have a
perceived maverick streak to how
they operate that may alarm the
faint-hearted. But if you interpret
this as having the intellectual
capacity to make rapid and
accurate decisions and the moral
and physical courage
to apply those decisions, then
who wouldn’t want such an
asset on their staff? Look at
it this way, it’s not maverick
behaviour, it’s innovative
behaviour. We’re energetic,
agile, loyal and committed and
we don’t stop until we have a
solution that is sustainable
from all perspectives,” says
Unsworth.
with people who have different
opinions can be challenging at
first. When they have intelligent
and capable people reporting
into them they have to allow
them empowerment and they
can find that really tough. It’s a
psychological difference,” she
adds.
Training may be required to
learn new skills and methods
of communicating. In terms of
commercial skills they’ll also need
to understand how a business
works and to align their service to
what’s needed.
“Moving into civilian FM
they’ll have soft FM skills such
as catering, management and
leadership that they’ve developed
throughout their military career.
They’ll have been educated and
trained, but these skills may not
have been formalised in a badged
qualification such as NEBOSH,
IBOSH, a PRINCE2 or a APM
qualification,” says Wiggins.
Ex-military personnel who
move into civilian FM roles in
the middle of their working lives
can be in a good position to take
advantage of opportunities for
career progression into senior
positions. “Ex-military personnel
can often double, triple or even
quadruple their salary within
three to 10 years of moving
into civilian roles. They’re used
to changing roles and moving
around in terms of geographical
postings,” says Wiggins.
“They’re used to developing
new relationships and new
friends, comfortable with regular
annual performance reviews
and stretching themselves in
the work environment. They’re
adaptable and capable of hitting
the ground running, which makes
them capable of being successful
quickly,” says Wiggins. Upon
leaving the military they have
many challenges to face – finding
a new job, deciding where to live.
20-21FM Skill Sets Military.indd Sec1:2120-21FM Skill Sets Military.indd Sec1:21 29/10/2014 17:0229/10/2014 17:02

SHUTTERSTOCK
F
acilities management is
changing. When the activity
of running buildings for the
benefit of their users first
came together under the FM
banner in the 1980s, most of its
practitioners were those who ‘fell
in’ to an FM role. Many were
office managers, others building
services engineers. Others still
came into FM with the widest
variety of skills. Few who arrive
in FM ever leave – because levels
of job satisfaction are so high.
Whether it’s your second or
even third choice of career, FM
has plenty to offer, starting with
job security no matter what the
prevailing economic weather.
Organisations will be expanding
their facilities portfolios when
the economy is good, and looking
to get the most out of existing
buildings when times are bad –
either way, this means that good
facilities managers are always in
demand.
From engineering
Building service engineers are
critical to the future of FM, just
as FM is critical to the future
of building service engineers.
Two issues dominate: first,
ensuring that all the mechanical
and electrical components of a
building are working optimally
is of increasing importance
to organisations fixed on
cost control and making the
most of their investment in
equipment such as boilers and air
conditioning.
Secondly, the targets set by
government and organisations to
reduce carbon footprints by 2050
are hugely ambitious and will
demand innovative new ways of
managing and introducing energy
sources. If you want to put your
engineering skills to good use
in the most environmentally
effective way, FM will be a
satisfying career for you. And if
you want to look back on your
career having achieved lasting
reductions in energy usage and
greater levels of sustainability,
facilities management is a natural
choice.
From hospitality
As Martin Nowak explains on
p.19, FM is all about the people –
people in the FM team, people in
other organisational departments
such as accounts, HR and IT – as
well as, crucially, the people who
actually use the facilities. An
ability to get on with people is the
one prerequisite of the successful
facilities manager. And it’s this
that makes prior experience in
the hospitality sector a valuable
commodity. Anyone who has
COMINGINTOFMFROM
OTHERTRADES
ORPROFESSIONS
dealt with the general public
as a receptionist or shop floor
manager will be comfortable with
dealing with people at all levels
and walks of life – perfect for
the type of conversations, both
to senior and junior levels, that
FMs need to undertake. People
from a hospitality background
are in a great position to exploit
their existing people and project
management skills in an FM
environment.
From elsewhere
With a strong qualification
structure now in place, many
young FMs are part of the first
generation to have come into FM
straight from university. These
people are highly competent as
managers and communicators
who can then bring in specialists
for any technical requirement
(for example, legal compliance
consultants and specialist building
service engineers).
As FM continues to evolve,
there’s a need for facilities
managers with a natural ability
for connecting with people at all
levels of an organisation. ‘Social
sustainability’ initiatives will
see FMs involved in the local
communities in which they are
based, taking on apprentices or
working with other local groups.
Indeed, the government has made
social value a key component of
the contracts it places with FM
service providers.
FM covers so many aspects of
an organisation’s performance
that it should not come as any
real surprise to hear that at least
some of the experience you can
bring will be valuable in an FM
role, whether you’ve already
worked in catering, security or
even in an educational role.
Of course, qualifications and
experience are important – but
it’s also a question of whether
you have the natural skill set.
This guide contains all you need
to assess that for yourself.
Whatever kind of skills and experience you’ve developed, they’re bound
to be of value in a facilities management role, as Martin Read reports
22_from other trades.indd Sec1:2222_from other trades.indd Sec1:22 29/10/2014 17:3229/10/2014 17:32

BENEFITSOFBIFM
MEMBERSHIP
Learn about what you can
gain from joining the sector’s
leading professional body and
the many other networking
opportunities available in the
FM sector
24
What are the main reasons for
joining the BIFM?
26
Networking within the BIFM

NETWORKING …WITHIN THE BIFM
So – why join the
BIFM?
Having celebrated its 20th
birthday in 2013, the BIFM
is undoubtedly a young
professional body when
compared with others – and it’s
one that’s growing fast.
Facilities managers are
increasingly recognising the
need for both professional
qualifications and for regular
networking to keep abreast of
the myriad workplace issues for
which they are responsible.
BIFM membership grades take
into account each individual’s
current level of experience
and qualifications, offering a
range of grades to recognise
an individual’s professional
abilities. By achieving the
assessed grades of membership
you signal to your peers as
well as employers (current
and prospective) that you are
committed to your career.
Networking
face-to-face
Networking opportunities in
the FM sector are unrivalled.
Whatever your regional
location or chosen specialism,
there’s an event on nearly
every night of the week
that’s right for you. BIFM
membership means access
to your fellow professionals,
allowing you to share best
practice, gain experience and
build networks. The ultimate
people business, networking
through the BIFM is a great
way of seeking new challenges
or meeting prospective
employers – people who,
thanks to your membership,
can be confident in your
abilities and commitment to the
industry.
Special interest
groups (SIGs)
BIFM membership gets you
access to the institute’s special
interest groups – all focused on
specific FM functions, and all
with events that address the
legislation, products, services
and debates shaping that
particular element of the sector.
SIG events typically take place
on weekday evenings and are
often hosted at exceptional
examples of newly built or
refurbished facilities. Almost
all are free and hundreds are
held across the country each
year. Here are all the different
groups:
The British Institute of Facilities Management is Europe’s largest
professional body for FM, with around 15,000 individual members and
upwards of 565 corporate members. It promotes the interests of the
wider FM community and is dedicated to advancing the profession.
You can benefit from taking part – here’s how
Becoming a member
demonstrates your professional
status and signals to prospective
employers that you have a
commitment to continuing
professional development (CPD).
So – what does
membership get you?
Firstly, it opens up access to a
range of free and discounted
opportunities to help develop
your careers and add to your
skillset and experience. Members
get access to the BIFM’s online
CPD system to record ongoing
learning and can match it against
the FM professional standards,
the new international set of
standards framework launched
by the BIFM this year (see p.35).
The institute also keeps
members abreast of this fast-
changing sector’s developments,
using reports, events, newsletters
and magazines to keep you
updated with all the latest issues
affecting the sector.
And of course, there’s
professional recognition too. The
MAKETHEMOST
OFTHEBIFM
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BIFM GRADE STRUCTURE
Entry-level grade, suitable for those with an interest in, or who are new
to FM.Affiliate
1
Applicable to those with two years’ FM experience, or an FM-related
qualification at Level 2 or above with at least one year’s FM experience.Associate
(ABIFM)
2
Entry is by either a vocational or qualification route. Suitable for those
with an FM-related qualification at Level 4 or 5 with three years’ general
management experience, including at least two years’ FM experience;
or with five years’ FM experience, including three years’ managerial
experience.
Member
(MBIFM)
3
The highest direct entry route to membership, recognising significant
professional experience and qualifications in FM. Those with an
FM-related qualification at Level 6 (degree level) or above and with
three years’ or more management and FM experience may be eligible
for this grade.
Certified
Member
(CBIFM)
4
Whatgradeofmembership?
BIFM offers five grades of membership that symbolise level of experience and
expertise in FM. As members develop professionally, they can upgrade to a higher
grade of membership, demonstrating their worth to their employers and the wider FM
community.
Highest professional grade of membership, recognising a high level of
professional experience and influence in a senior role, together with a
significant contribution to the FM industry.
Fellow
(FBIFM)
5
GetinvolvedinBIFM
For more information about joining and
benefiting from BIFM membership contact
the team on +44 (0)1279 712 650, email
membership@bifm.org.uk or visit
www.bifm.org.uk/joinus.
BIFM:
Afewreasonstojoin
● BIFM offers membership for individuals,
corporates and groups.
● Knowledge resources: Access our series of
Good Practice Guides, which cover a range of
essential FM subjects (such as Space Planning
and Benchmarking), as well as a number of
other knowledge resources.
● Career development: Access careers advice
and a variety of continuing professional
development opportunities.
● Industry news: FM World is our leading
industry magazine, with a range of e-news
bulletins available.
● Professional recognition: Through our
membership grades.
● Our framework of qualifications: From entry
to director level (see page 42).
● Attend networking events: A significant
number are held throughout the year and
across the UK, from Guernsey to Glasgow.
● Take BIFM Training courses at a significantly
reduced cost.
● Catering & Hospitality
● Education
● Fellow
● Health & Safety
● International
● People Management
● Procurement
● Retail
● Rising FMs
● Risk & Business Continuity
Management
● Sustainability
● Women in FM
● Workplace
BIFM Regions
When you join the BIFM
you can select a region close
to your home or work, so
you can benefit from a local
network of like-minded
individuals and local events.
The regional groups are:
● East Region
● Home Counties Region
● Ireland Region
● South Branch
● North Branch
● London Region
● Midlands Region
● North Region
● North-west branch
● North-east branch
● Scotland Region
● South Region
● South-west Region
● Channel Islands Branch
● Wales Region
Conference options
Membership of the institute
also allows you the
opportunity of attending
BIFM conferences. ThinkFM
is the institute’s big annual
event, and the 2015 event
takes place in London on 13
June (see www.thinkfm.com).
The Scottish and Irish regional
groups also run their own
one-day conferences, both
held in the autumn.
Turn the page for more on
networking within the sector
and the BIFM’s SIGs.
24_25_JoinBIFM.indd 2524_25_JoinBIFM.indd 25 29/10/2014 16:0829/10/2014 16:08

NETWORKING …WITHIN THE BIFM
FACE
TO
FACE
WITH
FM
E
very night of every week, a
group of facilities managers
meets up to share the
problems they face. Across
the country, events put on
by a variety of organisations allow
FMs ample opportunity to find
solutions to problems, develop
their understanding of a new piece
of legislation, or simply share in
the development of the FM sector.
Members of the BIFM get to
network in a variety of ways,
through the institute’s annual
conference (‘ThinkFM’) and
groups for both regions and sector
specialisms. And then there’s the
activity put on by volunteers,
much of it under the auspices
Facilities management
is a very social
sector, offering
plenty of networking
opportunities for
those seeking to
develop their skills,
contacts and career
prospects. Here’s just
some of the activity
that you can tap into
of BIFM and its many special
interest groups. There are more
than 20 networking groups, each
staffed by enthusiastic volunteers.
Regional networking groups
and conferences also take place,
often in response to topical issues
of direct importance to FMs.
Sector-specific group meetings
tackle issues of direct relevance to
that specialism, from impending
legislation to new ways of
managing problems. Whatever
the group, any enthusiastic FM
will easily find a group near them
putting useful events.
There’s no typical group
meeting, but you can expect the
format to include a presentation
from a specialist, a panel debate, a
Pecha Kucha conference (a series
of fast-moving presentations from
both sides of an argument) or even
a Question Time panel with debate
from the stage and audience
interaction. The variety of the
formats is wide and the quality
of the contributions consistently
high.
These events also offer
attendees a platform to raise
queries or talk with those who
may be experiencing similar
problems. Some of these groups
are based on the type of facility
being managed, others on the
issues that affect FMs, whatever
the facility they manage. There
26-27_Networking with BIFM.indd Sec1:2626-27_Networking with BIFM.indd Sec1:26 29/10/2014 14:1929/10/2014 14:19

SHUTTERSTOCK
are SIGs for FMs working in
the retail sector and education
establishments, and plenty of
others besides. (You’ll find a full
list of the BIFM’ special interest
groups on p.25 – otherwise please
visit www.bifm.org.uk/groups)
Super groups
Networking is obviously important
to young FMs, and the BIFM has
a special interest group dedicated
to those rising at pace within the
profession. The Rising FMs SIG
allows growing FMs to share the
issues they’re facing at events
set up by a dynamic organising
committee. The group also holds
an annual careers’ day targeted at
FMs from different stages of their
careers (the event is also targeted
at people considering FM. It’s open
to school and college-leavers).
Rising FMs welcomes contact
from individuals or organisations
who want to work with the
committee to achieve its aims,
particularly those able to support
the committee as speakers, venue
hosts or corporate sponsors. To
learn more go to www.bifm.org.
uk/risingfms
The links effect
As well as enthusiastic organising
committees, the special interest
groups have links to other
complementary professional
bodies. The health and safety
group works in partnership with
The Health and Safety Executive
(HSE), for example. The committee
of the retail SIG has links with
the British Council of Shopping
Centres and the Shopping Centre
Network, while the education SIG
is connected to the Association of
University Directors of Estates,
the Association of Colleges and
the Independent School Bursars
Association.
The institute’s procurement
SIG provides a forum for
discussion and exchange of views
between buyers, sellers and end
users, while the SIG for people
management offers advice on
people management, best practices
and regulations.
For BIFM members with a
professional interest in workplace
innovation, the workplace SIG
holds networking events in the
form of talks, site visits and social
gatherings, covering issues of
architecture, design, real estate
and technology. There’s a risk and
business continuity management
SIG providing support and advice
on issues of risk, compliance and
business continuity, while the
sustainability SIG is committed to
the Global Alliance for Building
Sustainability, working for
sustainable development.
There’s also a Women in FM
group that puts on events to
encourage development and
networking opportunities.
The Women in FM programme
consists of a series of forums and
social events for fellow FMs, as
well as all-day conferences with
specific themes.
There’s also an international SIG
providing a forum for FMs who
are responsible for, or interested
in international FM practice (with
links that offer the opportunity to
network with more than 18,000
facility professionals throughout
67 countries, as well as those
based locally in the UK).
Building excitement
Plenty of networking events
take place in the extraordinary
workplaces that FMs manage
these days. With flexible working
and a host of energy-efficient
new technologies changing the
form and function of today’s
built environment, the places in
which FM networking events
occur can be as interesting
as the people present. BIFM
groups are routinely putting
on tours of buildings, from
London skyscrapers to Formula
One factories, retail distribution
centres to contemporary office
environments. Indeed, now is a
great time for people new to FM
to get to grips with the relentless
march of new technologies. With
energy prices predicted to at
least double within the decade, a
primary consideration for many
FMs will be reducing or more
efficiently using energy. With that
in mind, touring new and different
facilities allows for a wider
understanding of what’s possible.
Trait expectations
Award-winning facilities managers
at all levels are typically lauded for
the way in which they ensure that
significant change-management
projects bear fruit (perhaps
moving a business from two
buildings into one, or completely
refitting an organisation’s heating
and ventilation systems). They’re
also picked out for the impact they
had on their colleagues through
the redesign or the workplace to
meet their needs.
And volunteering is an
important factor too, with young
FMs particularly keen to give
something back to the profession
by, for example, sitting on the
organising committees of BIFM
groups.
When asked to name the top
traits of a fast-moving facilities
management professional,
readers of FM World (the BIFM
magazine with a print circulation
of nearly 15,000 FMs) cited an
ability to form close working
relationships with others as more
important than nearly any other
attribute. For the sociable and the
inquisitive, networking in the FM
sector is an invaluable route to
career development.
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FMGCareers.2015.028-29.indd 2FMGCareers.2015.028-29.indd 2 27/10/2014 11:4227/10/2014 11:42

FMGCareers.2015.028-29.indd 3FMGCareers.2015.028-29.indd 3 27/10/2014 11:4227/10/2014 11:42

Jobs in Property.com was founded in 2013 to cater speci cally to candidates and employers in the built
environment. Our goal: connecting the most quali ed candidates with the top employers in the industry.
We offer all the essential features you’d expect in a sophisticated job board, including the most up-to-
date job postings, email alerts, saved searches and the largest sector-speci c CV database to put you
in front of the best employers in FM.
We strive to help our members make the connections essential to a successful
career in Facilities Management.
Exposure Where It Counts
We believe in not just being the largest sector job site – we want to be the best. Our roles come from
today’s top employers who are searching for talent like yours. No time gets wasted on irrelevant roles –
we make sure you’re being presented with the most up-to-date roles in our eld.
Our Features
As a member of our site, you can receive jobs by email, apply for vacancies, manage your applications
and store your CV securely online. You can also let employers nd you: make your CV available to be
searched for by direct employers & recruitment agencies.
Discover industry-speci c training & courses designed to further your skills, including distance learning,
online, classroom-based, free & paid courses.
Boost your career potential with sector-speci c careers advice, from how to write your CV to interview
hints & tips.
Creating Partnerships
We believe that a smaller job board is a better job board – it allows us to focus on our industry and bring
the best forward.
Want to register? Visit jobsinproperty.com and create a free account today.
Jobs In
Property
The job board designed with your
Facilities Management career in mind.
JobsInProperty FP.indd 1 24/10/2014 16:51FMGCareers.2015.030.indd 2FMGCareers.2015.030.indd 2 27/10/2014 11:2827/10/2014 11:28

DEVELOPING
WITHTHEBIFM
This section is tailored to
support FMs already in the
industry. Read about career
development pathways with
the BIFM and the newly
introduced FM Professional
Standards
32
BIFM qualifications
35
The FM Professional
Standards framework
42
BIFM qualifications map

QUALIFICATIONS & TRAINING BIFM QUALIFICATIONS
QUALIFIED
RESPONSE
G
etting a qualification is
a great way to develop
your skills, enhance your
knowledge, demonstrate
competence and
advance your career prospects.
In challenging economic
conditions, employers are
looking for staff who can help
them meet business objectives
efficiently, effectively and with
professionalism.
Reasons to take BIFM
qualifications include that
they provide an independent
measure of your expertise, and
that they provide a fast route
to BIFM membership. Firstly,
BIFM qualifications, like any
external qualifications, provide
independent confirmation that
you have mastered the relevant
subject matter regardless of
the educational or training
institution at which you have
studied, or the employer for
whom you work.
Secondly, BIFM qualifications
have the advantage of forming
part of the system managed
by Ofqual, which reports
directly to government. This
recognition confirms the value
of the qualifications as external
measures of your achievement.
But it does more than that.
Ofqual’s system requires that
vocational qualifications
should be defined in ways that
enable them to be compared
to other qualifications, both to
other vocational qualifications
and to school and university
qualifications.
Thirdly, all units which make
up the BIFM qualifications
have been aligned to the
FM Professional Standards.
These have been developed
following in-depth research
and consultation with key
stakeholders across the sector
and they clearly define the
key functions performed by
FMs; the main components of
each functional area; and the
competencies which are required
to be a proficient professional
when carrying out each function.
The competencies are defined
for each level in an FM’s career,
from a support role through to
a strategic role. These standards
are used to benchmark skills and
competence for those working at
all levels in the FM sector.
By studying for a qualification
in facilities management you
will develop expertise, skills and
knowledge and demonstrate
commitment to your career.
Besides having better employment
and career prospects, and greater
financial rewards, qualified staff
also perform better, which boosts
on-the-job confidence and job
satisfaction.
New skills can also be applied
to new roles and challenges,
making them more attractive to
prospective as well as current
employers. In other words,
individuals who take the initiative
to better themselves through
qualifications get ahead.
As FM recruitment agency
Maxwell Stephens says: “In the
current economic cycle with more
jobseekers than ever, being able
to differentiate yourself as an FM
professional has never been more
expedient. With an average of 100
applications per vacancy, your
CV and background must stand
out to ensure you are shortlisted
for interview. Qualifications are
becoming increasingly valuable.
You will only gain the opportunity
to demonstrate your suitability
for the post with all your relevant
experience and achievements if
you get invited for interview in
the first place.’
There are a range of FM
qualifications to allow everyone
from school-leavers to directors to
develop their FM knowledge base.
BIFM qualifications
The BIFM qualifications are
vocationally related to the
facilities management profession
Whatever your current level, facilities managers
have a wealth of qualifications to consider as they
progress. Linda Hausmanis, head of professional
standards and education at the British Institute
of Facilities Management (BIFM), explains
and are both nationally and
internationally recognised.
Developed in consultation
with leading FM employers
and stakeholders, endorsed
by the Sector Skills Agency
and accredited within the
Qualifications and Credit
Framework (QCF), the
qualifications carry substantial
weight, and are used as a
benchmark of excellence in the
industry.
● A level that clearly describes
the level of challenge of the
qualification.
● A designated size: award,
certificate and diploma. Awards
consist of 1 to 12 credits,
certificates 13 to 36 credits, and
diplomas 37 credits and above.
Although the BIFM developed
and awards the qualifications,
the teaching is delivered by
recognised centres accredited
by the BIFM for example:
Universities, FE Colleges,
Private Training Companies and
Employers visit www.bifm.org.uk/
qualifications/recognised centres.
The recognition process ensures
the centre has the necessary
support and systems to provide
learners with a good experience.
Operational/Support
Level
BIFM level 2
stage: new recruits
Aimed at new recruits, these
qualifications will introduce
the learner to core principles of
facilities services.
ANEXAMPLEOFTHELEVELOF
CHALLENGEOFTHEBIFMLEVEL2FM
QUALIFICATIONSISGCSEGRADES
A*-C
BIFM level 3
stage: first line and
supervisory managers
Aimed at staff already working
in cleaning, catering or security,
for example, with fewer than two
years’ experience, who want to
advance up the managerial ladder.
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BIFM Level 7 in FM
CHALLENGE
SIZE
7
QCF Level
Masters degree
Example of Level
6 Bachelors degree
Foundation degree
Certificate of higher education
A-Levels
GCSE (Grades A*-C)
5
4
3
2
BIFM Level 6 in FM
BIFM Level 5 in FM
BIFM Level 4 in FM
BIFM Level 3 in FM
BIFM Level 2 in facilities services
Who is it for? Strategic head of facilitiesWhoisitfor?Strategicheadoffacilities/estates
Whoisitfor?Senior,strategicfacilitiesmanagers
Whoisitfor?Specialistfacilitiesmanagers
Whoisitfor?Operationalfacilitiesmanagers
Whoisitfor?First-lineandsupervisorymanagers
Whoisitfor?Newentrants
N/A
Award
Award
Award
Certificate
Certificate
Certificate
Certificate
Diploma
Diploma
Diploma
Diploma
Award Certificate Diploma
Award Certificate Diploma
BIFM qualifications Qualifications and credit framework
32-34 BIFMQuals.indd Sec1:3932-34 BIFMQuals.indd Sec1:39 29/10/2014 15:5129/10/2014 15:51

QUALIFICATIONS & TRAINING BIFM QUALIFICATIONS
BIFMmembership
Successful completion of a
qualification has the added
benefit of enabling the learner
to join the BIFM as a member. If
you have an FM qualification at
Levels 2 or 3, you may be eligible
to join BIFM at associate grade
(ABIFM), dependent on your
experience. With a Level 4 or 5
qualification and a number of
years of management experience
you may be able to join at member
grade (MBIFM). And if you hold a
qualification at Level 6 or above,
and have three years’ or more
management and FM experience,
you may be eligible to join at
certified grade (CBIFM).
Want to know more?
The BIFM is dedicated to helping
the advancement of the FM
profession and would like to
talk to you about how
qualifications can support and
develop your career.
Please contact +44 (0)1279 712
651, email qualifications@bifm.
org.uk, or visit www.bifm.org.uk/
qualifications
BIFMANEXAMPLEOFTHELEVELOF
CHALLENGEOFTHEBIFMLEVEL3
QUALIFICATIONSISA-LEVELS
Management Level
These qualifications are
aimed at operational
managers through to
senior FMs. Depending on
working background, these
qualifications can support
career changers wanting to
transition into FM. For example,
many people leaving the Armed
Services have found they can
make a successful move into
FM after completing a Level 4
FM qualification.
BIFM level 4
stage: operational
managers
Aimed at FM professionals with
two years’ or more experience
of managing, the Level 4
provides a broad understanding
of FM. Equipping learners
with the ability to identify
and address complex and non-
routine problems, they are
ideal for anyone responsible
for managing day-to-day
operations, support services,
contractors and key supplier
relationships, budgets, health
and safety and FM projects.
CHALLENGEOFBIFMLEVEL4
ISACERTIFICATEOFHIGHER
EDUCATION
BIFM level 5
stage: middle or
senior managers
Aimed at FM professionals
working at a middle or senior
management level with several
years’ experience.
Designed to develop the
learner’s ability to identify and
address complex problems,
plan and deliver solutions and
exercise autonomy and judgement
in their area, Level 5 is best suited
to those heading up functions
such as:
● Single or multi-site operations.
● Hard and/or soft services.
● Partner relationships.
● Performance management.
● Major projects with capital
spend.
● Compliance in health and safety.
THELEVELOFCHALLENGEOF
BIFMLEVEL5FMQUALIFICATIONS
ISCOMPARABLETOA
FOUNDATIONDEGREE
Strategic Level
BIFM level 6
stage: senior
managers
Aimed at FM professionals
reporting directly to the senior
management team, who are
responsible for strategic decisions
or are influential in the process.
The qualifications equip
learners with greater ability
to take responsibility for
planning and delivering plans
to underpin substantial change
or development, and to exercise
broad autonomy and
judgement.
They are best suited to those
responsible for:
● Strategic review and
development of service provision.
● Corporate governance and risk.
● Driving innovation and change.
● Financial performance,
corporate responsibility and
sustainability, and property and
procurement strategy.
CHALLENGEOFBIFMLEVEL6
QUALIFICATIONSISABACHELORS
DEGREE
BIFM level 7
stage: senior
managers/heads
of estates
Aimed at FM senior professionals
wishing to develop their practical
and academic understanding. The
BIFM Level 7 qualifications are
standalone qualifications, but also
form an integral part of further
study to achieve:
● Masters in Applied Facilities
Management, a programme which
is delivered and awarded by
Liverpool John Moores University
School of the Built Environment.
● MBA in Facilities Management
delivered and awarded by
Sheffield Hallam University.
Other higher education
institutions providing FM
qualifications such as A BSC
(Hons), Postgraduate Diploma in
FM, an MSc in FM and an MBA in
FM are: Heriot-Watt University;
Leeds Metropolitan University;
University of Central Lancashire
and University College London.
As well as attracting middle to
senior-level managers who are
keen to enhance their career
prospects, these courses may also
appeal to graduates who recognise
FM as a growing profession.
Courses are typically offered on a
modular basis through a blended
approach of taught sessions and/
or distance learning for entrants
holding down a full-time job.
THELEVELOFCHALLENGE
OFBIFMLEVEL7FM
QUALIFICATIONSISCOMPARABLE
TOAMASTERSDEGREE
“65%of
employersuse
qualifications
asakey
selection
criteriawhen
recruitingnew
FMstaff”
32-34 BIFMQuals.indd 3432-34 BIFMQuals.indd 34 29/10/2014 15:5129/10/2014 15:51

A new professional standards framework,
introduced in early 2014 after a long period of
consultation with the industry, represents the
BIFM’s ambitious aim of embedding a set of
performance standards as the norm
for FM professionals and for business
T
he framework identifies 10
‘functional areas’, each
further divided into
‘components’, into which
plain English explanations
of the associated competences
are broken down in terms of their
relevance to individuals by
seniority (from support and
supervisory through to manager,
senior and strategic). Each
standard details the existing
BIFM qualification units
(elements of training) that relate
to it.
The FM Professional Standards
assist all FM practitioners and
BIFM members at all grades
with their CPD by identifying
current level of skill. The 10
principal groupings are as
follows: The role of Facilities
Management; Strategy and
Policy Development; Leadership
and Management; Business
continuity and compliance;
Business support services
management; Property
portfolio management; Quality
management and customer
service; Finance and IT;
Procurement and contract
management; and finally,
Sustainability. Under each
of these principal standards
headings are a further 24
elements – see the next two
pages.
Linda Hausmanis, the
institute’s head of professional
standards and education, believes
that the impact of the new
standards will be profound.
“The FM Professional
Standards are clearly defined
across a range of functional areas
in which facilities managers
are involved and they are also
THEBIFM’SFM
PROFESSIONAL
STANDARDS
PROFESSIONAL
STANDARDS
Developing your career in
facilities management
Helping you to perform to the best of your ability
CAREER DEVELOPMENT FM PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
35-36 Pro standards intro.indd Sec1:3535-36 Pro standards intro.indd Sec1:35 29/10/2014 15:5229/10/2014 15:52

expressed at the various stages of
an individual’s career,” she says.
“By referring to the standards
when conducting a skills gaps
analysis, an employer can
effectively procure training for
staff.
“The professional standards
will enable employers to focus
their training provision in a
more targeted and purposeful
way to meet the needs of an
organisation and its workforce.
This should maximise the
business value from a training
intervention,” she adds.
“As well as using BIFM events
to demonstrate the purpose and
use of the standards, they will
also become a common reference
point throughout all BIFM
products and services as they
gradually become the core of the
institute’s value proposition to
the industry.”
Major employers, including the
government, are already using
the framework. Jo Mercer, head
of learning and development for
FM service provider Vinci, said
that her company expects to
change its training structures to
accommodate the professional
standards framework.
“Over the past few years we
have been working with BIFM
to help develop its professional
standards and we have now
embedded the BIFM professional
standards into Vinci’s behavioural
culture and are using them
to benchmark professional
expectations. The next challenge
for us is to continue to establish
strong links through to the
development and training of our
people so we can maximise their
potential.
“It is important that we do this
because we have a duty of care
to the people we employ, but also
because the competitive nature
of what we do leads to the need
to differentiate our services. The
best way to do this is by helping
our employees be the best they
can – in short, maximising their
potential.
“To help achieve that goal we
aim to create a dynamic culture
and environment where there
are no right or wrong answers
– just different points of view.
However, it is equally important
that we gauge and measure what
it is we are trying to achieve.
The BIFM Professional Standards
provides the best way to manage
performance both formally and
informally throughout the year;
it is in fact the backbone to
our framework of professional
governance and development
programmes.
“An outcome from our
behavioural leadership
programme ‘Empower’ was the
implementation of ‘Developing
your Career at Vinci’, a way of
supporting our people, which
uses the BIFM professional
standards as a model for
success. Regular catch-ups or
‘one-to-ones’ are held every
six weeks, with these formally
undertaken every six months.
These use the key aspects of
the professional standards
– behavioural expectations,
technical competencies – to
set targets and objectives for
development. It all helps us to
enhance performance through
a continued focus on shared
goals.”
Supporting tools
At launch, the BIFM alluded
to new ‘tools’ to support the
framework. “Development
has already begun on a
self-assessment tool,” says
Hausmanis. “This will be
for use by an individual or
by his or her line manager to
gather feedback and support
the creation of a professional
development plan.”
Also in development is a
training and development
needs analysis tool aimed at
individuals or an organisation’s
learning and development
management personnel. And
beyond that, the BIFM is also
exploring the creation of a
recruitment tool for use by
organisations and recruitment
consultants in assessing
the professional level of an
applicant. Hausmanis says:
“All of these will be developed
alongside employers and key
stakeholders to ensure their
effectiveness and delivery of
value to organisations.”
The standards have been
created with FM industry
stakeholders, experts and
professional standards writer
and forms a global competence
model for the profession.
The aim is for the standards
to define the competences
necessary to be a competent
facilities management
practitioner at all career levels,
from a support role through to
a strategic role. The framework
provides a succinct view of
the defined functional areas
across the career levels and
contains high-level statements
of competence required of
an individual. A handbook,
available to BIFM members
(download from www.bifm.
org.uk/fmstandards) expands
upon the high level competence
statements contained within the
framework, setting out the uses
and purposes of the standards.
The BIFM’s current CPD
system is aligned to the
competences set by the BIFM in
2009. These will continue to be
used until the launch of the new
BIFM website and CRM system,
after which new tools and
resources will be made available.
PROFESSIONAL
STANDARDS
THE BIFM PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
PROVIDES THE BEST WAY TO MANAGE
PERFORMANCE BOTH FORMALLY AND
INFORMALLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
CAREER DEVELOPMENT FM PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
35-36 Pro standards intro.indd Sec1:3635-36 Pro standards intro.indd Sec1:36 29/10/2014 15:5229/10/2014 15:52

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