HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELLBEING HAPPY BALANCE Striking the right work-life balance can be a challenge. From working long hours to feeling


undervalued and low paid, there are many occupational-related factors that can impact on a colleague’s wellbeing. Jan-Hein Hemke, MD of Facilicom UK, explains why investing in your team’s happiness is the key to boosting productivity and morale.


When it comes to the FM sector, people are our most valuable asset. After all, without them our operations would grind to a halt. We count on them to deliver the best possible job to keep our customers satisfied. We equip them with the skills they need to carry out their role and we provide training to ensure they are safe within the workplace. But just how much importance do we place on our colleagues’ wellbeing?


The FM industry is often viewed as short-termist and low paid, so it is incredibly important that we look out for our colleagues’ mental health. At Facilicom, our company ethos is ‘happy people make happy people’. Put simply, we believe that by investing in everyone’s wellbeing, we achieve a positive workforce and our clients receive a much better service.


There are a number of ways we look out for our colleagues’ wellbeing, through fair pay, mental health support and a flexible approach to work-life balance.


Commitment to providing the Living Wage


We believe that those who are willing to work hard for their wages should be rewarded sufficiently to be able to live and enjoy life. We highly value our people and the services they provide, and we are passionate about ensuring they receive a fair pay that reflects the real cost of living.


We have been supporters of the Living Wage movement for many years. In fact, we were one of the first national contract cleaning providers to sign up to the Living Wage Service Provider Recognition Scheme. Today, we are part of the Living Wage Service Providers Leadership Group and are committed to paying a fair wage to all employees and safeguarding their wellbeing – a promise that recently saw us win the ‘Beyond the Living Wage Champion Award’.


Flexibility


We also believe in taking a break. According to the Trades Union Congress (TUC), one in 12 workers do not take the time off work that they should. People who do not take their holidays put themselves at risk of burn-out, whilst those that do, tend to be more productive.


We proactively encourage our colleagues to use their holiday allowance and this year we’ve gone one step further. We are currently trialling unlimited holidays with a third of the business, in depatments where this flexibility is possible. We still expect people to deliver the outputs required, but we also trust them to manage their own time. People are taking leave when it works for them, but they are making sure that the job is done, or handed over effectively, before they go. This has increased productivity


30 | TOMORROW’S FM


and commitment, and individuals are taking more ownership and responsibility for their delivery.


Access to support and advice around the clock


Professional and personal pressures can be challenging, and can often lead to stress, anxiety and mental health issues. Ensuring that we have support available at any given time is our responsibility. This is why we have invested in an Employee Assistance Programme, which provides each of our team members with a trusted, compassionate health and wellbeing network. This offers them 24/7 quick access to counselling, where they can discuss any physical, mental, social, legal or financial issues that might adversely affect their work performance, health or wellbeing.


We firmly believe that if we take care of our people, they will take care of our business. Invest in your team’s wellbeing and mental health, and they will repay you with dedication, motivation and most importantly, happiness.


www.facilicom.co.uk twitter.com/TomorrowsFM


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58