In Case You Missed It: 4 Key Learnings From EFMC 2017
The EFMC 2017 conference in Madrid highlighted four key learnings for office facility managers, including the importance of district-scale energy management for sustainability, the promotion of women’s roles and confidence in the traditionally male-dominated facility management field, and the development of soft skills essential for successful office operations across diverse sectors.
EFMC, the European Facility Management Conference, was held in Madrid from April 25th to 27th. The theme was “Consolidating the Global Scope of Facility Management,” focusing on improving energy management, supporting women in facility management, and the soft skills needed to run a successful office. The conference covered facility management across various sectors, including offices, residential buildings, and airports. Here are some key discussions and takeaways relevant to office facility managers:
Energy management on a district scale
One issue discussed was energy management and the role of sustainability in facility management. Beyond managing energy at the individual building level, the conference explored managing energy from a district perspective. This approach involves buildings, companies, and residential units in a given area collectively ensuring responsible energy use and minimizing waste. According to EFMC speaker Yehong Li from the Technical University of Madrid, key district stakeholders would track energy-usage data across the district, making larger buildings more accountable to their neighborhoods and inspiring stronger measures to reduce waste.
For facility managers, this could mean collaborating with district stakeholders to align office energy management with broader energy-efficient plans. Facility managers may need to communicate values and goals to employees and implement new standards for resource management. Automation of processes like heating and lighting can also help reduce environmental impact.
Women in facility management
A roundtable at the conference discussed the role of women in facility management, moderated by Renske van der Heide, the new chair for the Practice Network Group and Managing Director at TOPdesk. The discussion highlighted that, although the field is typically male-dominated, there are equal opportunities for women. Confidence in delegating tasks and people-oriented skills were emphasized as important contributions women bring to the workplace.
For facility managers aiming to create a more inclusive workplace, establishing mentorship programs where senior managers support newer employees can be beneficial. Professional development meetings with junior employees and ongoing discussions about advancement opportunities are recommended. Implementing diversity hiring practices to ensure women are considered for FM roles can help build a stronger, more diverse team.
Building blocks of productivity
Tim Oldman, CEO of Leesman, discussed the Leesman Index Survey, a global workplace performance assessment tool. The survey, adopted by leading organizations, measures office effectiveness based on feedback from over 225,000 employees. Offices receive functionality and effectiveness scores, allowing them to benchmark against industry standards.
Facility managers can use staff surveys to assess how their company measures up and to support employees effectively. Surveys can be conducted annually or before and after major office changes to gather data on how decisions impact staff satisfaction and well-being.
Taking “peopleware” into account
Peter Brown, Managing Director at Fischer Brown, delivered a keynote on “The Challenge of Facilities Management in the 2020s—from Hardware to Software to… Peopleware.” He emphasized that facility managers often focus on hardware, software, and security costs, but should also consider the value provided to people. Excellent communication, clear branding, and customer happiness are key to success.
Brown suggested that facility management should take a 360-degree approach to the customer, helping them communicate better with their users or clients. He coined the term “peopleware” for this mentality, which can give facility managers a competitive edge. Investing in people can start with implementing clear internal communications plans to ensure all requests are addressed.
Whether or not you attended EFMC, these topics and takeaways highlight the need for facility managers to adapt to become more sustainable, inclusive, and people-focused. By running offices that reflect core company values, facility managers can create more efficient and communicative workplaces.