Only half of human resources and business leaders believe their company is committed to helping people thrive, leaving many with workforces that lack energy, confidence and inspiration.
HR consulting firm Mercer’s report, Thriving in an Age of Disruption, found many businesses are failing to create a working environment that sustains success. The main contributing factors include uninformed decision-making processes, failure to adapt to external changes and a culture that does not stimulate growth or innovation.
“Thriving organisations do not happen by chance – they are deliberately designed and intentionally built,” the report says. “In the same way that leading organisations obsess about their customers, thriving organisations obsess about their people – finding ways to help them have transformational experiences at work.”
Energised and Healthy
Mercer proposes various ways to assess whether employees are engaged and contributing, including how challenging they find their work and whether they feel energised and healthy.
Facility management can play a vital role in helping people thrive, not least because mental health, physical wellbeing and productivity are directly affected by the workplace environment. In the UK, 21 million days are lost to a lack of productivity every month, so what can you do to create the conditions you need to succeed?
Alongside creating an agile and inclusive culture, regular HVAC maintenance can help you sustain the right conditions for innovation and success. A reliable servicing partner is essential, but there are also steps you can take to help your people excel.
Keep it Cool
Overheating kills productivity. According to a Fellowes report, 37% of office workers say being too hot is a major cause of distraction. Building regulations don’t cover high temperatures, but you can’t afford to ignore them.
Book Inspections
Depending on your HVAC system, regular inspections may be required to satisfy regulations, or just to keep your warranty valid. TM44 inspections of air con equipment, for example, must happen every five years. If your system uses certain gases, it may have to be inspected and signed off twice a year.
For gas heating systems, regular servicing is essential to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Don’t take any chances – watch out for warning signs like dizziness and nausea, and only use qualified engineers.
Listen to Your People
If you want your people to excel, you need to know what they need to stay happy, comfortable and productive. A well designed and serviced HVAC system with good controls can be adapted to suit the needs of its occupants, so try to understand exactly what those needs are and then speak to the experts about how to meet them.
