New research reveals that results from the world’s largest trial of a 4-day week are largely consistent with existing global evidence, further demonstrating the benefits of reduced-hour, output-focused working. The pilot program — conducted in the UK by nonprofit 4 Day Week Global, the UK’s 4 Day Week Campaign and think-tank Autonomy — guided over 60 companies and almost 3,000 workers through a six-month trial of a 4 day week, with no loss of pay for workers. This brings the global campaign’s total number of completed pilot participants to 91 companies and approximately 3,500 employees.
Overall results show that almost every organization will stick to a 4-day week post-trial, with 91% definitely continuing or planning to continue, and a further 4% leaning towards continuing. Only 4% of participants are definitely not continuing. Companies rated their overall experience of the trials an average of 8.5/10, with business productivity and business performance each scoring 7.5/10. Revenue rose by 35% over the trial periods when compared to similar periods from the previous year, and hiring increased while absenteeism decreased.
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Traditionally, Facility Condition Assessments (FCA) of buildings were performed by A/E firms every five to seven years. That’s no longer acceptable. Contemporaneous data on buildings is in demand as property owners want to know how their real estate is performing or serving the needs of the business. New software enables the availability of up-to-the-minute data to be accessible to the facility and building management team and all the technicians who service building equipment. Eileen McMorrow, editor-in-chief, The McMorrow Reports & FMLink, learns how data is obtained and managed continuously in a discussion with Josh Lowe, co-founder and chief solutions officer of AkitaBox.
If speedy delivery of FCA data is the goal, how is fully digitized asset capture and data-driven reporting generated?
Lowe: AkitaBox delivers better reporting for clients and generates more revenue for an FCA consulting firm. We must design the software to be as interactive as users wish it to be. Once it is done, it has to live in the pocket of the person turning the wrench who has to interact with the software as a work tool.
For most clients, capital planning and budgeting are siloed in organizations for years. Good tools did not exist to capture granular data associated with costs. However, maybe an FM spends more for a reason based on a budget of $1 million vs. $900,000. They might spend the maximum of the budget to preserve the same allocation the following year.
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In the workplace, the past 3 years have brought renewed focus to work/life balance, flexible work time and the length of the workweek. Following shortened workweek trials from Iceland to New Zealand, the U.K. has also undertaken a four-day workweek experiment. Across countries and industries, emerging discussions not only consider how many days to require in the office, but also how many workdays to require in the week. Covid not only disrupted the consensus about how and where employees work best and most efficiently, it also caused a shift in employee expectations for the workplace experience.
Employee experience (EX) evolution
Employee experience (EX) is a “company-wide initiative to help employees stay productive, healthy, engaged and on track,” (Bersin, 2021). EX is long lasting, “encapsulating what people encounter and observe over the course of their tenure at an organization,” (Lee, 2022). The employee experience evolution has been categorized into four phases (Bersin, 2021).
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Maintaining a clean indoor environment is vital when you own or manage a commercial facility, such as offices, malls, retail showrooms, schools, hospitals, hotels and restaurants. Having a healthy environment is essential to both customers and staff. Large spaces have unique sets of challenges when it comes to cleaning. This is particularly true for areas that have different types of surfaces and are difficult to disinfect. Regular and comprehensive disinfection using an electrostatic spray can reduce the spread of pathogens and other infections. More office buildings, hospitals, warehouses and factories among others are willing to switch to this revolutionary new technology for cleaning.
How does a professional janitorial cleaning company keep your space germ-free?
According to commercial cleaning and FM services provider Servi-Tek, p rofessional janitorial contractors specialize in removing all types of contaminants and impurities from a workplace. Trained cleaners ensure that there is nothing infectious left behind once they are done removing dust, dirt, and daily clutter. High-performance cleaning substances used by commercial cleaners create an antiseptic environment. Harmful pathogens are unable to thrive or survive in this environment.
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Like all facilities professionals, you are very busy at your workplace and can’t imagine getting away for two to three days to attend a conference, but if you consider NFMT in Baltimore, this is what you may experience:
- Valuable education at the conference sessions;
- Direct access to industry experts;
- Solutions companies to visit in the exhibit hall and product zone sessions;
- Connections with peers who share the same goals; and
- Learning that results in Continuing Education Units.
The McMorrow Reports & FMLink have been attending the National Facility Management and Technology Conference & Expo for at least 20 years, and we know our readers should, too. It will be worth the time invested when facilities managers, executives, engineers and allied professionals gather March 21-23 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Maryland. Both the educational conference sessions, starting on Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. and ending on Thursday at 4:45 p.m., and the expo floor are bountiful with resources and exhibitors for all FM segments.
Sessions of note for corporate office and commercial FMs include: Three-Pronged Approach to Manage the Building Envelope of Your Facilities with Sergio E. Pagés, Client Relations Manager, StructureTec; The Value of BIM across all Building Operations Stakeholders with Jacob D’Albora, FMP, Director of Digital Building Operations, VIATechnik; and Leveraging an Owner’s Project Requirements Document to Support Facility Managers with Rodney Ashmore, CxA, NICET, Sr. Commissioning Project Manager, WSP and Michael Scott, PE, CxA, Associate – Commissioning, WSP.
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Bobrick Washroom Equipment recently redesigned its Automatic Universal Roll Towel Dispenser with a streamlined appearance and improved operation. The North Hollywood, CA-based company says the sleek design makes for an attractive profile, and the new and intuitive, patron-friendly LED light clearly directs users to the towel activation zone, eliminating hand-waving frustration.
The Automatic Universal Roll Towel Dispenser accommodates universal roll towels, which cost less, reduce waste and require less maintenance for reduced total cost of ownership, especially in high-traffic facilities, adds Bobrick. Converting from folded towels to roll towels saves 30% in ongoing costs, while open-market universal purchasing provides freedom from locked-in contract prices and removes the risk of an empty dispenser. The Automatic Universal Roll Towel Dispenser is a key element of a well-designed, high-functioning, hygienic restroom that will stand the test of time.
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The Book of the Week from FMLink's new Books section hails from the Management Leadership category. This collection of peer-reviewed books has been curated by the editorial team at FMLink to provide facilities, engineering and A&D professionals with access to publications relating to the Management Leadership topic.
Juran’s Quality Handbook has been the leader and “body of knowledge” for the science of performance management and achievements for more than 50 years. They have everything you need to achieve your goals and bring your company to those desired results. The brand new seventh edition has been updated with information based on the newest industry standards and practices. This essential guide will give you the A to Z’s of everything you need to increase performance and results for your company.
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Airius, a Colorado-based technology company focused on air movement and indoor air quality, announced the release of its new line of DeltaT fan controllers during the 2023 AHR Expo. The destratification fan controllers continuously and gently mix the air to balance temperature levels and increase occupant comfort. Utilizing an autotransformer to eliminate the hum often associated with TRIAC-type controls, the DeltaT line allows for six modes of quiet speed control. The new controllers are easy to configure and install, with no software needed, enabling building owners and facility managers to monitor their Airius fan system, reduce their energy consumption, and improve the comfort of their buildings. The auto control allows users to "set it and forget it," maximizing heat energy savings up to 30% or more.
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