World FM day – Why FM is great!

World FM day was on Wednesday 17^th May. The BIFM, along with other FM associations around the world, use today to highlight the increasing importance of facilities management as a profession.

The stated goal for World FM day is to promote the ideals of facilities management to the profession itself, industry as a whole, the business community and to government. The theme this year is “Enabling Positive Experiences” – how FM is pivotal in positive customer, client, and employee experience outcomes in every sector, whether residential, sport, healthcare or workplace.

I set up Maxwell Stephens in 2006 as one of Britain’s handful of dedicated facilities management recruitment companies. 11 years later and following countless placements of brilliant staff with first-class companies, it got me thinking about the world of FM as a whole, why I love it, and why so many people commit to a lifetime’s profession in what is, I’m sure we’d all admit, not the easiest role in the world!

First of all, it must be the variety of locations where FM is essential.

In the last 6 months, I have matched candidate with client for these amazingly varied environments

• an up-and-coming Football League club where the person I placed welcomes 27,000 spectators per match(!),
• a variety of the Salvation Army’s properties across Leeds,
• the distribution centre of one of the world’s leading entertainment and electronic companies,
• “Money for nothing…I want my, I want my….”,
• a theme park with nearly 100 years’ history behind it,
• London’s “hippest postcode”,
• the European headquarters for the world’s most innovative tech firm, and
• the world’s leading creative festival and awards ceremony organiser.

The variety of employers and amazing locations FMs work at has moved on a lot from 11 years ago. For today’s FM, imagination really is the limit to where you’ll find rewarding, enjoyable work.

Second, the people.

Candidate and client alike, I come to work every day and deal with some of Britain’s most switched-on, funny people.

On the candidate side, everyone knows that FM is not a 9-5 job. Your building and your team become another family to deal with, on top of the family you already have at home. Sometimes, it’s tough to tell which one demands the most time and energy from you!

Every candidate can keep their head while all about them are losing theirs. And they can command small multiple armies of internal and external contractors, working to tight time and fiscal deadlines, without breaking a sweat (much)!

You are multi-disciplinarians with skillsets covering financial budgeting, project management, team training, team building, dispute liaison, and you turn disgruntled tenants into happy tenants.

Client side, you’ve got a lot on your plate. You’re working within established, solid businesses with a mindset of pushing the business forward. Hundreds of things will fly onto your desk on a monthly basis but you’ve still got the find that perfect FM for the job.

Of course, this is what we at Maxwell Stephens are good at as your partners!

Third, the tech.

FM changes all the time as do the tools we use to do it. Earlier this year, we published an article on indoor drones with special cameras that detect building stresses in hard-to-reach places. That prompted a big reaction from readers.

FM is becoming more and more involved in building projects right from the start so software is being constantly developed to make communication between future building users and the people who are putting the building up much easier.

Helpdesk technology is coming on leaps and bounds too. The ability for FMs and service users to get access to information has never been more advanced than it is now, and with what’s coming down the line in the next 5 years, it seems like we’re just at the start of it.

So, Happy World FM day everyone from the team here at Maxwell Stephens.

If you’d like to tell us what you love about FM and share your experiences, we’d love to hear from you. Our number is 0207 118 48 48 or please email us at info@maxwellstephens.com.