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Facilitate Magazine August 2020

facilitate august.jpg
Issue date: July 2020

We must listen

When I think of the term ‘soft skills’ it feels like a misnomer and yet also appropriate. I say a misnomer because ‘soft’ as opposed to ‘hard’ makes powerful human qualities like empathy seem less important than more practical skills – a manifestly false proposition.

But ‘soft’ also evokes comfort and flexibility, and it’s so important that we, as leaders of teams, do our best to ensure both are fostered and maintained. Our people need to be emotionally and physically comfortable to do their best work; equally, we must be flexible and accommodating to individual circumstances and personalities.

Our YouGov-powered research into workers’ experiences of remote working during lockdown was very illuminating in many ways, but something that jumped out at me is who is looking forward to returning to the corporate workplace and who isn’t.

Compared with other age groups, 18 to 24-year-olds have fared less well in working remotely: they’re less likely to have a suitable home office, and more likely to feel isolated and distracted. It’s no wonder they’re also more likely to want to return.

At the same time, we also found that most workers overall want to work remotely more often in future. There is no one solution that fits all. We must listen, with compassion, to our employees’ needs and be willing to be flexible to support them as best we can. Organisations must have seen the need to recalibrate their modus operandi, not just during Covid-19, but also for the foreseeable future. Employee wellbeing is the key to organisational performance and that requires the right workplace, wherever that might be.

Linda Hausmanis is CEO of the IWFM

Articles in this issue

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Partners in adversity look to the future

Monday 3rd August 2020
Times of crisis are also times of opportunity for those who can see beyond the short term and spot longer-term opportunities, says Graeme Davies
Open-access content
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Secret green source

Monday 3rd August 2020
Anaerobic digestion is the secret green energy source that could be powering your business, says Valpy Fitzgerald
Open-access content
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Biometric myths

Monday 3rd August 2020
It’s time to dispel the myths and misconceptions surrounding biometrics, says Lina Andolf-Orup
Open-access content
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Benchmark, confer, measure and monitor

Monday 3rd August 2020
Every facilities manager using outsourced suppliers should want to know whether they are getting the best possible service and value, says John Brownless
Open-access content
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University challenge

Monday 3rd August 2020
How do facilities and estates managers prepare to reopen a complex site, with multiple activities and guidelines that frequently change? Lucy Black explains
Open-access content
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Huddle time

Monday 3rd August 2020
Huddle rooms provide the ultimate collaboration space, says Natalie Barnet
Open-access content
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Waste hierarchy

Monday 3rd August 2020
Solving the food waste problem requires efforts equal to reducing climate change and plastic waste, says Martin Rohleder
Open-access content
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Plugged into compliance

Monday 3rd August 2020
Quality trumps cost when it comes to electrical compliance, says Ian Carnall
Open-access content
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Sustainable supply

Monday 3rd August 2020
We're seeing huge pressure being placed on suppliers to reduce their carbon footprints, says Katie Burrows
Open-access content
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Listen up!

Monday 3rd August 2020
At its core, FM is about people and communication, says Beth Goodyear
Open-access content

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