REGULAR 10 QUESTIONS WITH..
In each issue we ask an FM professional the Tomorrow’s FM 10 Questions. This month we spoke to Karen St James Boyde, Membership Specialist at BICSc.
Q1 Q2
Q3 Q4
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?
As a Nursery Nurse working at the Bethlem Royal Psychiatric Hospital.
HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE FACILITIES
MANAGEMENT INDUSTRY?
My career has always been connected to an involvement with people, through the hospital and then the travel industry and in the later years in reception and customer service roles. I joined BICSc in 2017 and was intrigued by the science and methodology of cleaning tasks, and the welcome and friendliness of the small team clinched the deal.
HOW DO YOU CHALLENGE THE
STATUS QUO?
If something doesn’t feel right or could be improved, I’ll speak up, but I’m not one for change just for the sake of it. I think it’s worth looking at new ways of doing things, especially if it helps people or makes the job easier.
SINCE YOU STARTED IN FM WHAT HAS
BEEN THE BIGGEST CHANGE THE INDUSTRY HAS SEEN/ YOU HAVE OBSERVED?
Everything’s gone a lot more digital now with apps and online systems. Also, there’s a lot more focus on things like mental health and making workplaces nicer to be in. I think after COVID, people started to understand how important cleaning is to health and safety. It’s definitely not fully there, but I believe it has improved. Certainly, here at BICSc our online training has really taken off and our presence at so many different events has multiplied, with people becoming more understanding of how cleaning interacts with all industries.
46 | TOMORROW’S FM Q5
WHO, IN ANY OTHER INDUSTRY,
DO YOU MOST ADMIRE?
David Attenborough. He has spent his life teaching people about the planet, and he’s still going strong in his 90s. I admire his calm approach and the way he gets people to care about what matters.
Q6 Q7
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE FILM??
I love films and any genre except horror, so this was hard to choose; therefore, with the scientific approach akin to spin the bottle, I have gone for Forrest Gump. It’s touching, funny, and just a great story about life and how unexpected it can be.
IF YOU COULD HOST A DINNER PARTY
WITH THREE GUESTS, DEAD OR ALIVE, WHO WOULD
THEY BE AND WHY? Obviously, David Attenborough and then Barack Obama, I think he would be fascinating to talk to. Finally, Dame Judi Dench who has seen life and has a very dry sense of humour.
Q8 Q9
ANY ADVICE TO SOMEONE
JUST STARTING OUT IN
THE INDUSTRY? Listen to people and ask questions. Treat everyone with respect and take pride in your work. FM is such a broad field, so don’t be afraid to start at the bottom and work your way up; a lot of well-known people have done just that.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE FUTURE
OF THE FM INDUSTRY?
I think it’ll keep getting more high- tech, but at the end of the day, it’s still a people business. We will have
twitter.com/TomorrowsFM
to embrace sustainability more for our planet and ensure training and recognition go to those behind-the- scenes workers.
10WHICH AREA OF FM
BE BEST TRANSFORMED THROUGH TECHNOLOGY?
DO YOU THINK COULD
There are many systems out there to help not only understand how people use areas and when, but also to create a better work/life balance. It’s about working smarter rather than harder. I think it’s very important that the message is that we are using technology to aid rather than take jobs away.
www.bics.org.uk
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