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A Strategic Imperative for Sustaining the Talent Pipeline

Executive Summary:

The Facilities Management (FM) industry stands at a critical juncture, facing the challenge of attracting and retaining the next generation of talent. Generation Z, defined as those born between 1996 and 2012, is entering the workforce with a unique set of values and expectations. This white paper explores the importance of apprenticeship schemes, mentoring programs, and innovative engagement strategies to ensure that the FM industry remains vibrant and capable of meeting future demands.

Introduction:

As the FM industry evolves, it is imperative to address the looming and serious talent gap exacerbated by the retirement of Baby Boomers and the shifting priorities of Millennials. Generation Z represents a significant portion of the potential future workforce, and their engagement is crucial for the continuity and growth of the FM sector.

White Paper Overview:

• Executive Summary
• Introduction
• Understanding and engaging with Generation Z
• Apprenticeship Schemes
• Mentoring & Development
• Engagement Strategies
• As a Gen Z writer, my take on it is as follows
• Conclusion
• Recommendations

Engaging Generation Z in Facilities Management

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Those passing our Binfield head office may be surprised to find our garden looking wilder than usual.

As part of our commitment to support and safeguard the environment, we are participating in ‘No Mow May’ for the third consecutive year, leaving our lawn to grow naturally.

‘No Mow May’ is a movement that encourages individuals and organisations to let their gardens grow freely throughout May and reduce mowing throughout the summer months.

Choosing not to mow part or all of your garden allows flowers and grasses to grow, providing an essential food source for bees, butterflies and other pollinators, during Spring.

This simple change supports bio-diversity and local ecosystems, creating a network of wildlife-friendly green spaces.

Reasons to take part in ‘No Mow May’:

Biodiversity boost: Allowing grass and plants to grow freely encourages a diverse range of flora and fauna to thrive. This means more wildflowers, insects, and birds making our outdoor spaces their home. By nurturing biodiversity, we contribute to a healthier ecosystem.

Pollinator paradise: Bees, butterflies, and other pollinators are crucial for food production and ecosystem health. By providing them with a natural habitat filled with nectar-rich flowers, we support their populations and help ensure the pollination of crops and wild plants alike.

Carbon footprint reduction: Lawn mowing may seem like a mundane chore, but it has environmental consequences. Gas-powered lawnmowers emit greenhouse gases and contribute to air pollution. By reducing our mowing frequency, we’re cutting down on carbon emissions and doing our part to combat climate change.

Cost and time savings: Letting the grass grow during May means less time and resources spent on lawn maintenance. For companies that require grounds maintenance services, this translates to cost savings, allowing them to allocate resources to other impactful sustainability initiatives.

Employee Engagement: Participating in ‘No Mow May’ isn’t just about environmental stewardship; it’s also an opportunity to engage employees in meaningful activities outside the office.

Getting involved in tending to green spaces fosters teamwork, well-being, and a sense of pride in our collective efforts to make a difference.

‘No Mow May’ forms a small part of our sustainability initiatives, as we transition towards environmentally friendly practices.

Through our sustainable landscaping and grounds maintenance services, we can support clients with the restoration of green spaces, the introduction of living walls and plants into their built environments and the inclusion of urban farms in their office spaces.

How MAR FM safeguards colleague wellbeing

At MAR FM, we are passionate about creating a culture of support, where our colleagues feel comfortable discussing their concerns and resources are in place to help mitigate stress triggers, from both the workplace and their personal lives.

As an employer, it’s our responsibility to provide a supportive and nurturing environment, free from discrimination, that encourages growth and safeguards wellbeing. We actively encourage our team members to have open, honest, and transparent conversations about their needs and to always reach out for support when it’s required, never suffering in silence.

We support the wellbeing of our colleagues in a number of ways:

Reward and Recognition

Our I.C.O.N.I.C values guide the way we operate and the expectations we have of our staff. Centred around these values, our rewards and recognition programme helps to guide us in creating a team-oriented workplace culture where each employee is supported and encouraged to drive the business forward, with a primary incentive of ensuring our colleagues feel valued and recognised.​

Colleague Benefits

We strive to provide our team members with meaningful benefits that offer the best possible experience of working life and encourage long-term careers. Benefits such as; hybrid working, life insurance, private health care or coupons for meals and experiences. By ensuring that our colleagues feel valued and supported, MAR can retain talent, in turn allowing us to offer the best possible service to our clients.

Through our online benefits platform, we provide our colleagues with a variety of resources, perks and discounts to support them with everything from doctor’s appointments and prescriptions to money off their weekly shopping.

Real Living Wage

MAR FM has been a recognised real Living Wage service provider for more than 8 years. This means that in addition to paying our direct employees an increased wage, we discuss the benefits of the programme with both our existing and potential new clients. Should they choose to adopt the real Living Wage, we work in close consultation with them, holding transparent annual reviews, encouraging open dialogue and allowing for a flexible and straightforward adjustment process.

Training and Development

MAR believe that continuous development and dynamic leadership are fundamental to achieving an environment in which colleagues can thrive and enjoy a rewarding career.

Our comprehensive induction and ongoing training programmes ensure everyone can perform confidently and safely in their role and create a strong baseline of colleague satisfaction. An enhanced upskilling scheme enables our managers and supervisors to lead with purpose, creating a fair and supportive environment and, ensuring progression is attainable to all, biannual performance reviews provide meaningful and measurable occupational stepping stones to allow our people to realise their potential.

In addition, MAR offers access to further education, advanced training and certificates and recently launched an apprenticeship programme, bringing fresh talent into the industry and nurturing those looking to grow in a new and promising occupation.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

We understand that education and experience are an important part of achieving equality and promoting progressive mindsets in the workplace.

MAR include both education, through a variety of EDI courses, and experience via our EDI event calendar to all our colleagues, increasing knowledge and providing perspective.

Talkback Surveys

MAR’s culture is built on trust, respect, integrity and equality, a set of values and principles that run deep through the DNA of the company. Key to this is a progressive and open-minded outlook that remains objective and flexible, encourages collaboration and rejects discrimination.

The success of our approach is measured by listening to our colleagues. Our ‘Talkback’ surveys provide detailed feedback and opportunities to improve, empowering our employees to influence policy and allowing MAR to deliver a continuously improving environment.

Mental Health First Aiders

We aim to create an environment where employees feel safe discussing their mental health concerns. Our ‘Mental Health First Aider’ programme has been recently introduced to encourage conversations about mental health, break down stigmas, and create a healthier, more supportive environment for everyone. These specialised first aiders provide a judgement-free ear and the knowledge and tools to support any of their peers who may be struggling with mental health concerns.

More information about MAR’s social initiatives and commitments can be found in our ESG Report:

Insights by MAR Facilities Management

In the current landscape influenced by a cost-of-living crisis, prolonged industrial action, energy supply challenges in the UK, and global political uncertainties, the facilities management industry stands at a critical juncture.

The ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have not gone away completely further accentuated the importance of efficient facility and building services, which constitute a significant portion of operational costs for numerous organisations.

Industry Growth & Challenges
Notably, while growth appears promising, cost pressures driven by inflation and factors driven by global uncertainties are still a growing concern for clients and providers alike.

Emerging Trends in 2024
Drawing insights from industry experts, several key trends are expected to shape the facilities management landscape in the UK for the remainder of 2024 and beyond.

White Paper Overview:

Emerging Trends in 2024

• Economic Downturn Influences Decision Making
• Focus on Operational Efficiency
• Sustainability at the Forefront
• Data-Driven Decision Making
• Balancing Priorities

Optimising Workplace Strategies

• Physical Workplace Trends
• Human Trends
• Digital Trends

The Future of Facilities Management

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Redefining MAR Facilities Management’s Approach to Cleaning Chemicals by offering choice.

In response to the pressing need for environmental sustainability and our own green agenda, MAR Facilities Management is committed to reducing our reliance on single-use plastics and promoting eco-friendly alternatives in our operations.

This white paper outlines three sustainable options that our organisation is increasingly implementing as part of our ongoing efforts to our clients: Super concentrated labelled paper pouches, Bio hygiene enzyme plant-based chemicals, and water-based cleaning solutions such as Clean Zero from 2San.

By adopting these alternatives, we aim to minimise carbon footprint, enhance storage efficiency, and promote cleaner and healthier environments for our clients.

White Paper Overview:

01. Introduction

02. Super Concentrated chemical in Labelled Paper Pouches

03. Bio Hygiene -Enzyme Plant-Based Chemicals

04. Water-Based Cleaning Solutions: Clean Zero from 2San

05. Conclusion

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Enhancing Workplace Engagement, Collaboration, and Mental Health through Green Spaces

This white paper explores the potential benefits of implementing urban farms, specifically the Square Mile Farming model, within the MAR facilities management offering.

The focus is on how these urban farms can provide green edible food for employees, foster an inviting co-working workspace for engagement and colleague collaboration, embrace green living walls in office spaces, and create a green workplace environment that supports the mental health of employees and visitors to the building.

To illustrate the viability of this approach, specific examples from the UK and London office environments will be discussed, highlighting how growing plants at work can benefit us all.