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2007 | September 2006
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2006 | October 2005 | July
2005 | June 2005 | March
2005 |
January 2005 | 2004
Case
Study Article - OFAS Newsletter July 2007
Knowledge-Counsel 2007 Changing Workplace Seminar
 Another
full house for Jack Pringle's return visit to
Shoreditch. One hundred delegates from the facilities
and design sectors gathered in the impressive
showrooms of Task Systems for the Knowledge-Counsel
2007 Changing Workplace Seminar on 26 April.
Early in 1999 another full house of delegates
had assembled in the same venue. They were there
to hear the views of some carefully selected experts
discussing the impact that emerging technologies
were having on the workplace. Jack had recently
completed his ground-breaking 20/20 Vision research,
which predicted the huge impact that flat screen
technology would have on the workplace. His predictions
looked at the effect of smaller scale technology
at desk level in reducing workstation footprint,
and also on how the building infrastructure could
then be compromised by the resultant increased
occupancy.
Jack's experience as a founder-partner in Pringle
Brandon, Architects enhanced by his current role
as President of Royal Institute of British Architects
(RIBA), makes him a leading authority on workplace
change. He was joined on this occasion by Knowledge-Counsel
consultant member, David Firth, a change management
consultant and well-known conference speaker and
author. David is a trainer and motivator specialising
in the psychology of human change, communication
and corporate cultures. The third speaker was
Dr Adrian Furnham, Professor of Psychology at
University College, London, another consultant
member of Knowledge-Counsel, who has a particular
interest in the psychology of work in the business
world. Adrian lectures around the world and is
a prolific author with more than 60 books and
200 scientific papers to his name.
Margaret
Haynes of Knowledge-Counsel, the Chairman
for the day, enticed delegates from the delicious
buffet lunch in order that the seminar could begin.
First up was Jack Pringle, whose keynote address
was titled 'They Want It All'. His reading of
current and future trends is that technology may
have effectively (temporarily?) plateaued, bar
video conferencing and increasing band widths,
but companies now want its benefits put to full
use. They want full-on, well-designed, better,
faster, flexible, more efficient workplaces that
have multiple work settings, social spaces and
staff amenities. They want top quality, high performance
client spaces. They want workplaces that broadcast
their brand messages to staff and clients alike.
And they want it all in less space and at a lower
cost. They want it all. And Jack concluded that
it is the job of workplace creators to deliver
it.
Next
to talk was David Firth, whose ongoing mission
is to co-create with his clients the next generation
of healthy companies, and the next generation
of healthy and compelling places to work. His
speciality lies in seeking profound new practices
to bring about the engagement, enrolment and participation
of the workforce in the change management process.
He listed the five attributes of a healthy organisation
as:
 |
gives
compelling answers to the questions 'who are
we?' and 'how do we connect with the world? |
|
is
populated by living human beings |
|
faces
everything and avoids nothing |
|
learns,
so that change is growth and not pain |
|
sees
relationship as sacred |
David
delivered his message with enormous energy and a
good helping of audience participation, which was
greatly appreciated by the delegates.
Adrian's talk was entitled 'Sex at Work'. Adrian
always amuses and entertains - and this was no exception
- as he set off in his inimitable and slightly risqu?
style, completely engaging the audience before embarking
on the more serious message. He shared his vast
research into his observations of the differences
between male and female, offering countless examples
from a wide range of proven sources.
The far-reaching conclusions were:
|
There
are definite male/female skill differences |
|
There
are definite male/female preference differences
at work |
|
Gender
difference influences corporate culture, which
influences productivity |
In
summary he asserts that no amount of legislation
to advance the careers of women can counteract the
choices that men and women themselves make, and
what they feel most comfortable doing.
Delegates
were then given the opportunity to question the
presenters during a Forum, when the main speakers
were joined by Levent Caglar, senior ergonomist
at the Furniture Industry Research Association (FIRA).
The audience addressed many questions to the panel
on matters discussed during the day and other related
subjects, until Margaret Haynes drew the event to
a close.
Margaret
acknowledged the enormous part played in the success
of the day by Task Systems, in their generous sponsorship
and for providing the outstanding venue. Thanks
were also extended to the first-class presenters,
to those working behind the scenes and to the attentive
and participative audience.
Feedback
from the delegates was extremely positive with remarks
such as: 'This was one of the best seminars that
I have been to in ages' - 'It was immensely enjoyable
and captivating - thank you' - 'Please ensure my
name is on your mailing list for future events'.
Visit
www.knowledge-counsel.com for information about
future events.
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Case
Study Article - OFAS Newsletter January 2007
Roger Goodwin - on
assignment to the IPCC
Knowledge-Counsel
consultant member Roger Goodwin, an accomplished
facilities management practitioner, has recently
completed an assignment for the Independent Police
Complaints Commission (IPCC) which encompassed two
strategic projects:
|
the
creation of the new North East Regional Office
in Wakefield |
|
the
internal reorganisation of the London-based
Headquarters Office |
 For
20 years Roger played a major part in the facilities
team at The London Stock Exchange - starting
out as a space planner and progressing to taking
on the challenging task of relocating the entire
business to its new building in Paternoster Square.
The success of the operation, with 100% staff support,
inspired him to become an independent consultant,
offering contract-based services.
The
IPCC projects called for all of the competencies
one would associate with high-level facilities management
within the public domain. Not least it was required
to uphold IPCC's core values - which include the
fostering of continuous improvement, embracing diversity
and fulfilling its visions relating to ethical practice,
human rights and openness and accountability.
The IPCC commenced its operations on 1 April 2004
with a wide range of new, stronger powers to radically
change the way complaints against the police are
handled in England and Wales. The IPCC can choose
to manage or supervise the police investigation
into a case and can independently investigate the
most serious cases. The need for a national expansion
programme so soon is testimony to the success of
the Commission.
The new regional
office in Wakefield is one project in this expansion
programme that Roger implemented. A stop-gap solution
provided a temporary facility which, inevitably,
did not meet the IPCC's business requirements -
and in the meantime a feasibility study commenced
to create the brief for the new facility. Under
review were six potential properties that
answered the brief to provide accommodation for
35 full-time staff, with sufficient parking facilities,
in the Leeds/Wakefield area. At this point Turner
and Townsend, the Home Office Building and Estate
Management Unit's (BEMU) preferred project management
consultants were appointed, and Grimleys were nominated
as building surveyors. The remit of the BEMU is
to ensure that stringent Government guidelines are
adhered to at all times.
At
the same time the internal reorganisation of the
London-based Headquarters Office began. The objective
was largely a cost-saving exercise. Skilful space
planning enabled a restack of the facilities occupied
by the 220 IPCC staff, which freed-up office
space for 80 people to be sub-let. The share
of facilities costs borne by IPCC was therefore
reduced and the objective was fulfilled.
Risk
management played a significant part in each project
and the Project Board, made up of senior IPCC staff,
was set up to manage the identified risks. Its strategy
was based on Prince 2, the leading method for providing
the framework for project management. It was Roger's
remit to alert the Board of potential problems so
that the right decision could be made - no mean
feat when he also had to co-ordinate project managers,
building surveyors, quantity
surveyors, architects, furniture
suppliers, space planning and move management consultants,
lawyers and the BEMU.
Whilst
the projects were evolving, a formal communications
plan was also in progress to ensure everybody was
kept up to date. Regular meetings with Staff Council
and Union representatives, updating on progress,
together with a focus group comprising representatives
from each department, chaired by Roger, addressed
concerns and issues as they arose. The outcome
was communicated via an intranet that was accessible
by all.
In January 2007 the objectives of both management
and staff are to be reviewed and combined with the
reports of the Project Board to establish the definitive
success rate of the projects. In the interim, occupancy
at Wakefield occurred on 1 October and in London
on 9 December, although some dramatic technology
glitches led to some interim measures being implemented.
In both cases the programmes and budgets were
met, feedback has been positive and the quality
of fit-out and installation deemed very good.
Knowledge-Counsel is the compelling source
of independent specialists for FMs and the office
furniture industry addressing areas such as:
For
further information:
Tel: 01344 779 438 or visit www.knowledge-counsel.com
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Case
Study Article - FM World September 2006
Excelling at Document Management
 In
the pre-computer era thirty years ago a well-organised
office would have looked very different from its
counterpart today. Differences that immediately
spring to mind are - a very pronounced hierarchy
- private office dimensions and furnishings largely
driven by status - the typing pool - the switchboard
and its telephonists - shorthand typing secretaries,
the telex machine, adding machines, typewriters,
and so on. Workers were given very specific functions
to perform and developed very specific skills. The
office landscape typically had rows of desks and
chairs, with banks of filing creating divisions
between departments. The lowliest administrative
job was that of filing clerk - someone who spent
their days stowing into the appropriate folder in
filing drawers. Unsurprisingly, paperwork was frequently
misfiled and mislaid, making retrieval problematic.
The
advent of the computer rendered most of those printed
documents unnecessary - theoretically that is. But
a quick glance around most organisations will show
that little has changed. The mindset that requires
hands-on access remains - possibly the result of
bad experiences related to computer failure with
inadequate back-up. The result can be an unnecessarily
cluttered office, inefficient document retrieval
and poor use of expensive real estate.
The
answer is professional document management - a very
powerful tool for today's facilities manager. There
are some significant benefits: space reduction leads
to real estate savings; a systematic approach leads
to reduced duplication; information is more readily
shared and the organisation becomes all the morepowerful;
a faster and more efficient retrieval of information
makes for a smarter business.
When
Edexcel decided to relocate from its old Russell
Square offices to new London headquarters in High
Holborn it didn't miss the opportunity to rigorously
examine its existing filing systems - or in some
cases the lack of them!
Edexcel
is a part of Pearson plc, the world's largest education
services company. It offers an impressive range
of services which
include curriculum / qualification development,
training / support for teachers and examiners, exam
setting, testing, marking and assessment, and certification.
In the UK alone, Edexcel works with more than 5,000
secondary schools, 450 further education colleges,
70 higher education institutions and more than 700
employers and training providers. Internationally
Edexcel operates in 112 countries and every year
more than four million people trust their respected
learning programmes and qualifications.
The
London relocation affected 615 members of staff
who had collectively amassed 4,300 linear metres
of paper matter. 31% of that material, i.e. 1,350
linear metres, was kept on, under and around desks,
on top of cabinets and in corridors - a Health and
Safety nightmare. Clearly this needed addressing
and a Knowledge-Counsel consultant member, Peter
McDermott, was called in to advise on the best way
forward. McDermott is well qualified to advise on
such matters - not so long ago he helped HSBC during
the relocation of 8,000 staff from 20 buildings
to their new tower in Canary Wharf.
For Edexcel McDermott came up with some sound proposals
which included:
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an
initial mentoring process
|
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creating
a retention policy |
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introducing
a company-wide classification system and scanning
procedures |
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additionally
applying the above to off-site archived material
|
The
mentoring process was very much a hand-holding exercise
where the customers became educated in some compelling
realities: which documents need and need not be
retained; archiving hard copy and retaining electronic
copy for reference where appropriate; eliminating
duplication; centralising accessibility to common
manuals and reference books; secure shredding and
disposal of redundant matter.
 The
retention policy was created in collaboration with
each of the nine departments and introduces a stringent
process in which all stored data is allocated a
destruction date, when the need to retain the information
is reviewed.
The goal is to implement an Electronic Document
Management System during the course of 2006, and
all of the rigorous processes put in place are the
foundation stones for this objective.
This project has produced some notable results,
both in terms of statistical data and business benefits
to Edexcel. Facilities Manager, Adele Rose, states
that they were able to realise a massive reduction
in storage requirements and huge benefits in efficient
information retrieval.
The facts and figures are:
|
original storage = 4,300 linear metres = 7 linear metres per head |
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actual new storage = 1,300 linear metres = 2 linear metres per head |
Resultant
savings:
|
750
fewer new filing units at an approximate cost
of £375,000 |
|
a
saving of 750 sq.m. of office space at approximately
£50 per sq.m. = £375,000 per annum |
|
the
associated add-on property savings like business
rates, utilities and service charges |
Other
benefits:
|
improved
storage security |
|
Health
and Safety addressed and previously dangerous
practices eliminated |
|
space
freed up for future expansion |
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foundations
laid for the Electronic Document Management
System |
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a
dramatically more efficient organisation reaping
the benefits of best practice knowledge management |
The Edexcel results were similar to those McDermott
achieved at HSBC - in that instance there was a
70% reduction in filing from an average of 6.5 linear
meters per person, down to 2 linear metres.
A
business does not need to wait for a relocation
project to trigger a review of its document management
systems - although it could be logical, because
this is the time when the entire organisation is
under the microscope. However, as evidenced here,
the benefits can be so far-reaching that perhaps
any time - like now - could be a good time to undergo
this process and reap the rewards.
Peter
McDermott is a member of Knowledge-Counsel, offering
a filing and document management consultancy service.
First
published in FM World, September 2006
Knowledge-Counsel is the compelling source
of independent specialists for FMs and the office
furniture industry addressing areas such as:
For
further information:
Tel: 01344 779 438 or visit www.knowledge-counsel.com
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Case
Study Article - OFAS Newsletter July 2006
Smallest Actions - Huge Returns by Sue Harrison
 It
is not enough just to have a great product and sales
team. The mystical "added value" nugget
is already sited within your organisation. No need
for expensive systems - It is FREE - It is vastly
neglected - and yet could be your greatest marketing
tool!
Good customer service means continued success,
increased profits, improved morale and teamwork.
More importantly it is the catalyst to business
expansion - yet how many organisations simply pay
lip service to its significance?
I have worked with manufacturers, dealers and service
providers to devise marketing packages promoting
the virtues of their business capabilities. Unfortunately
money has to be thrown at reactionary "hole
plugging" and the demoralising culture of "fire
fighting" as expectations cannot be met.
Key customer data reveals:
Customer
Service for Dummies by Bailey, Keith & Leyland
We
can all identify with the "Brick wall"
treatment - the unhelpful help desk! Just how difficult
is it to offer a solution?
How do you think your business is viewed? And can
customer commitment and loyalty be guaranteed in
the ever-changing market place?
The
Nugget
External customer service starts from within. Employees
need to be empowered to deliver satisfaction by
having the knowledge, tools, training and communication
about their product and service. All departments
should be encouraged to take ownership and cross
communicate. This should be part of the basic marketing
strategy.
The
critical factor is to know the inadequacies of your
customer service rather than continue to operate
under the impression that you are serving your customers
well. Leverage the potential that lies within your
own workforce. Build trust, value and confidence
and MOVE with your customers, don't get left behind!
The
solution is not difficult or hugely expensive but
does require understanding, commitment, time and
effort.
Most
companies don't know where to start or indeed have
the spare resource. This is where Sue can help by
working for you at ground level on special projects,
allowing you to concentrate on the day-to-day running
of your business.
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Universally
acclaimed audit
Universal Music is the home of record labels like
Island, who recorded Bob Marley, to the great classics
of Deutsche Grammophon. They recently faced the
usual challenges during relocation from various
buildings in and around Hammersmith - to a new headquarters
facility in High Street Kensington. One inevitable
challenge concerned the office furniture - nobody
knew the scope of what existed, or its condition
- a situation not helped by the disparate facilities
and the historic absence of any cohesive purchasing
policy.
 Universal
Music's architect, Ken McFarlane of McFarlane Latter,
was not able to arrive at a logical recommendation
for his client until a complete assessment of all
furniture was undertaken. He commissioned Knowledge-Counsel
to execute this daunting task using just two teams
of furniture-industry experts from its membership.
The Knowledge-Counsel teams collectively
drew up spreadsheets to record all the necessary
data like building name, floor number, department,
description, brand, finish, dimension and condition.
During the evaluation process the teams met daily
to monitor the consistency of the data being gathered.
What had the potential to become a very tedious
task was made enjoyable by the passing encounters
with Universal Music's staff - almost all of whom
were cheerful, interesting and full of character.
One team even bumped into Ronan Keating - a chance
encounter that made their day!
Over a period of just four days, the two teams examined
every office, reception room, break room and other
facility to measure and assess each item of furniture
in the six Universal Music buildings across west
London. In all, the teams assessed 2,898 items noting
their brands, ranges and condition, and photographing
pieces deemed to be in excellent order. The diversity
of brands was remarkable - from Unifor, Ahrend and
Kinnarps, through to Ikea.
The raw data then had to be entered into an Excel
spreadsheet stretching to 44 pages. This allowed
the data to be manipulated and enabled the identification
of like items of furniture in good condition from
the various buildings. The architect could then
make recommendations on its re-use. The spreadsheets
also identified items that might have been suitable
for refurbishment and earmarked others for disposal.
The
overall result is that three-and-a-half floors of
the new building have now been furnished with the
best of the identified existing furniture and the
remaining three-and-a-half floors have been planned
with new. McFarlane said: "The overall effect
in the areas where furniture has been re-used and
is now matching is very good indeed." He further
commented: "It is surprising what can be achieved
with a little cleaning!"
The furniture selected for those other floors came
from Austrian company Hali which was coordinated
by their UK distributor Natural Elements. Bruce
Wetherburn of Natural Elements commented: "The
furniture audit was enormously helpful in executing
the project and it would have been very difficult
to achieve the same timely results without it."
Facilities
practitioners who find themselves in a similar situation
might benefit from some of the wisdom the Knowledge-Counsel
teams gained on the pros and cons of refurbishing
and re-using existing furniture versus purchasing
all new:
Refurbish and re-use existing:
Advantages:
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Smaller
initial cost |
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Refurbishing
can render as new |
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Environmentally
friendly |
Disadvantages:
|
Logistically
complex |
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No
warranty is created |
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Inconsistent
aesthetic |
|
Furniture
may not be fit for purpose any more |
|
Staff
divisive - the 'haves' and 'have-nots' |
Purchase
new:
Advantages:
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Buying
power = discounts |
|
Negotiable
extended warranties |
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Supplier
buy-back of existing |
|
Logistically
simpler |
|
Furniture
is fit for purpose |
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Good
for staff morale |
|
Future
flexibility in planning |
|
Continuity
of supply guarantees negotiable |
Disadvantages:
|
Large
capital outlay (leasing can be an option though) |
|
Market
assessment is very time consuming |
|
Environmentally
less sound |
Knowledge-Counsel is a unique collection
of impartial and completely independent consultant
businesses covering numerous disciplines relevant
to the world of facilities management in areas such
as:
For
further information: T 01344 779 438 or visit www.knowledge-counsel.com
First
published in Estate Review, April/May 2006
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Case
Study Article - Facilities Management Journal October
2005
Stopping
progress
 By
Professor Adrian Furnham
The collapse of the old Soviet Union has,
alas, not resulted in the end of 'nyet culture'.
There are still many individuals who have
most effectively absorbed their corporate
culture and default on: 'No: sorry, it can't,
shouldn't, will not be done'. They can provide
quick and effective answers as to why everything
is impossible.
The
nyet individual in the nyet company may be
given vision-things and mission statements
about creativity, innovation, customer service,
responsiveness and the like, but they simply
ignore them. Such employees often come from
the 'jobs-worth' sector of society, with poor
intrinsic motivation and low pay, but no performance
management system.
The ideal request-stopper is short, serious
and leads to an immediate end to the idea.
So 'too busy', or 'not in my job description'
or 'company policy' will not do.
Is
'nyet-ness' a stable personality trait, manifest
early in life, or learnt through hard knocks?
Is 'potty refusal' the first signs of this
syndrome (Customer Negativity Syndrome) or
is it perhaps more associated with power than
stubbornness? Can it be learnt by early school
and job experience where role models embody
everything about the syndrome? More likely
is that both personality and experience are
to blame and exercise a happy circle which
is vicious to the customer, virtuous to the
individual. So nyet-people seek out nyet jobs
in nyet organisations.
Of course there are times when all of us simply
rebuff difficult, demanding requests that
take up a great deal of our time and provide
no benefits, only costs.
There
are, however three rather good, simple, tried
and tested responses to be recommended. The
first is to baldly state 'for security reasons'.
This is an excellent post 9/11; post House
of Commons and Buckingham Palace invasion
response. We have got used to massive and
sudden increases in security. Air travel is
now a desperate tedious bore, but we all know
why security procedures are in place and endure
the consequences.
Ordinary
buildings containing little of interest and
value, and certainly irrelevant to national
security are now controlled and patrolled
by un-charm-able security staff hiding their
appalling boredom under a scowl. They know
they have wonderful powers over the powerful.
They can stop anybody and demand they show
their security pass or some other means of
identification. But the 'can't because of
security' has the potential to be easily and
happily transferred to practically anything.
From where you park your car, to gaining access
to any sort of information, the 'can't because
of security' works like a dream. If you argue
back with a mix of cool logic and reasonable
questions, you may be treated as an urban
terrorist, happy to put the lives and welfare
of the whole organisation in danger. So, best
to back down.
The
second request-stopper is an old favourite
and still works well. It's the 'health and
safety' argument. This is subtly different
from security and not quite as effective.
It can be said in various ways depending on
whether the reason-giver wants to side with
or against the idea. To imply that the refusal
is due to litigation in the past or the dictates
of Brussels usually means the person can subtly
side with the requester in spirit but lament
the impossibility of anything being done.
Alternatively
the request stopper can attempt to induce
guilt in the requester by suggesting that
they are proposing something that is highly
dangerous, unhealthy and a threat to lots
of innocent people's lives, incomes, etc.
It is often useful to have handbooks and references
that point out precisely what, why, where
and how things should never be done.
The
third request-stopper is that of the millennium
and comes in many forms, the easiest of which
is 'data protection'. This is a particularly
good wheeze for those who are a little behind
in their computer skills and are not quite
sure what it all means. The idea is that anything
that is electronically controlled somehow
requires special access. Such people are dimly
aware that information which is stored on
disk is different from that stored in old
manilla files. They are aware of cyber-fraud
and identify theft.
So
anything that is associated with computers,
swipe cards and the like offers the 'data
protection act' excuse.
The
marvellous thing about the nyet trilogy is
that the statements never seem to require
a great deal of elaboration. They are simple
and effective request and behaviour stoppers.
Further, they can be used in combination,
so 'Sorry, security and health and safety
legislation' means that "under no circumstances
can you" is rather good. Or try "data
protection, security-based rules means that
I cannot allow…".
Practice
using the nyet-trilogy! You never know when
you may need them. But if you find yourself
using each more than twice a week, it may
be time for therapy.
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Case
Study Article - Qube Magazine July 2005
Communicate the message
 Knowledge-Counsel
member Karoline Newman is a wordsmith and
uses her skills to great effect in the world
of business communication. She believes that
internal Public Relations and copywriting
are essential activities that are all too
frequently overlooked, because the general
discipline of PR often falls into the marketing
department's remit.
She asserts that PR must address lots of different
audiences, both internally and externally,
and not just those on the marketing department's
agenda, in order to achieve results.
One classic example of communications that
Newman undertook was for BZW's move of more
than 3,000 staff from five City locations
to Canary Wharf. Working alongside BDG Work
Futures, Newman helped to create a magazine
and a video, and manage a hotline.
The magazine was considered sufficiently important,
effective and generally worthwhile by the
management to run to three editions. It was
sent to every member of staff telling them
all about the scope of the project and the
simple device of a crossword, where the answers
were derived from local information, was one
of the many devices used in this publication.
A video containing project news, interviews
with management and information from the Docklands
Corporation was another effective tool. It
was sent to each employee's home address to
ensure their families too became involved
in the project.
At the time of this project, the mid-nineties,
Docklands was something of a wasteland and
many of the amenities were yet to be created.
The Jubilee line extension did not exist and
Canary Wharf DLR station was still under construction
- although the transport issue was helped
by giving staff access to a ferry from the
City to Docklands.
BZW inevitably felt some trepidation because
such a move really was a very bold exercise
at that time - and needed wholesale buy-in
from its workforce.
To provide this communication strategy with
a human touch, Newman also set up a hotline
for the benefit of employees and their families.
Numerous issues could be addressed in this
manner, such as how to plan the journey to
the office, car parking allocations and location
of facilities such restaurants, sandwich bars,
post office, newsagents - and even the nearest
heliport! This was complemented by arranged
coach tours of the Docklands area to familiarise
BZW's people with the local geography and
amenities.
The entire project ran incredibly smoothly
and this internal PR exercise contributed
significantly to its success.
Effective communication requires the skilful
use of language and internal PR campaigns
such as this exploit the very skill that only
a professional copywriter can provide.
Knowledge-Counsel has members who specialise
in copywriting and PR, for campaigns, brochures,
web-sites, newsletters, advertisements, manuals,
presentations and corporate announcements.
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Case
Study Article - Estates Review June 2005
Inclusive
Design
 Inclusive
design is all about making things accessible
to all, including those with sensory, cognitive
and physical impairment. This obviously
includes the workplace, technology, work
tools, and so on, and amazingly, sometimes
for rather cynical reasons - like corporate
disregard for the market size - continues
to be underestimated.
However,
a strong design movement is emerging in
the UK to address this important issue.
Champions of this cause include Alan Tye
RDI, The Royal College of Art's Helen Hamlyn
Research Centre, and Knowledge-Counsel member
Duncan Abbott.
Inclusive
design has arguably evolved because of the
shift in emphasis from healthcare provision
to human rights over the last fifty years.
The 1995 Disability Discrimination Act,
which became fully implemented in 2004,
now provides disabled people with a legally
enforceable right of access to buildings
and services.
The
ageing demographic of the population places
increasing burden on the likes of state
pensions, healthcare and welfare services.
This will lead to older people remaining
in work for significantly longer to support
these services. Inclusive design therefore
becomes more and more relevant because of
the inevitable correlation between age and
impairment. That ageing workforce will need
to be suitably supported within the workplace
with appropriate access to all the necessary
tools and facilities.
Designers
and practitioners of the world of inclusive
design are seizing the initiative because
they can see the broader market appeal of
designed goods, or places, in this expanding
market. Most businesses are focussed on
the ever challenging reality of protecting
their market share, with increasing pressure
from smarter competitors - and yet here
is a largely untapped business opportunity
going begging.
Inclusive
design is not just about addressing disability
and age-related issues; it is about embracing
the needs of the whole population including
those with special needs.
The
movement will gain increasing momentum when
decision-makers in business realise the
potential proffered by inclusive design
from a manufacturing viewpoint. And, employers
stand to gain from recognising and harnessing
the potential and the skills of those previously
excluded from the workplace.
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Case
Study Article - Estates Review June 2005
A
moving story
 Uniq
Prepared Foods Plc, perhaps better known for its Unigate
milk business and the St. Ivel brand, recently consolidated
their various Wiltshire factories and facilities into
one new building in Swindon. The Chartered Surveyors
handling the project appointed Knowledge-Counsel
member Richard Buckley to organise the move of 70 office
staff.
Buckley discussed the move strategy options with Uniq's
management and IT people and it was decided to minimise
disruption by splitting the move over two weekends,
with staff from other locations moving at a later stage.
An essential ingredient was a comprehensive storage
survey, including rationalising existing material -
two 'throw-away-Fridays' helped dispose of redundant
paper, and comprehensively space planning the remainder
into the new facility. Colour coded labelling and numbering
systems for furniture and filing were implemented to
guarantee an effective transition, and plans detailing
all this data were created for the numerous teams involved.
Other devices used in this successful relocation operation
included; a PowerPoint presentation posted on the company's
intranet describing the fundamentals of the new building
and the move process; a 24/7 telephone hotline for immediate
answers; discussion groups to address the often emotive
issue of who sits where; and personal contact with each
member of staff confirming their workstation location
and storage provision.
Behind the scenes Buckley was busy analysing the various
responses to the tender from the short-listed contractors.
He determined a recommendation to present to the Board
by using, amongst other things, the usual criteria of
cost, method statement and Health & Safety issues.
As a realistic precaution on the actual move days, porters
were on hand and in plentiful supply to assist Uniq's
staff move their packed crates efficiently. They were
also in attendance after the physical move to clear
emptied crates and assist with the minor planning changes
that always seem to occur.
The result of all this careful planning was a straightforward
relocation with the minimum disruption to Uniq's business.
Richard Buckley is a relocation management practitioner
and a member of Knowledge-Counsel.
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Case
Study Article - Estates Review June 2005
Ergonomics defined
Dictionary
definition - ergonomics = study of efficiency of persons
in their working environment.
The subject embraces a number of disciplines - psychology,
physiology, biomechanics, engineering, sociology and
industrial design. This multi-disciplinary approach
differentiates an ergonomist from other occupational
health professionals and business consultants in his
or her quest to resolve workplace issues.
Forward-thinking organisations have realised that by
getting the relationship right between their greatest
assets - their people and their technology - they can
create flexible, responsive and effective work places
for their employees.
Although technology is a key factor to the effective
work environment, it should not be separated from other
factors like the need to accommodate organisational
change, and the resultant need for internal education
programmes.
If a company is performing below par an ergonomist can
often identify the causes of frustration in the workplace.
The process involves analysis of the causes of the under-performance,
the identification and removal of the obstacles, and
the creation of a sustainable system built around the
way the users function.
What does ergonomics offer?
By utilising a wide range of methods, it optimises the
work place, improves cognitive ability and reduces physical
stress, whilst improving comfort and efficiency. The
involvement of qualified ergonomists avoids the many
pitfalls that can be encountered in this complex subject.
An ergonomic assessment can offer task analysis, particularly
relevant when new technology or changes in working practices
are occurring. User trials are also found to be an effective
ergonomic measuring device allowing for the correction
or adjustment in design before expensive mistakes are
made.
A rigid or formulaic approach should be avoided because
it may well not address all the issues relevant to a
particular organisation.
Whatever the results of the analysis or user trials,
best practice ergonomic assessment will provide all
the information to correct the weaknesses whilst delivering
benefits to the physical and mental health of the workforce.
Duncan Abbott, an ergonomics expert who specialises
in the inclusive workplace, is a Knowledge-Counsel
member giving design and ergonomic advice.
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Case
Study Article - Estates Review June 2005
"Gross failure of the
management"
|
 Doug
Hills MBE QGM, a member of Knowledge-Counsel,
has a wealth of practical and academic experience
in the field of Risk Management. He has been involved
in this field since 1987 and has a background in the
Special Forces and aviation security. Doug advises
businesses by performing a thorough risk health-check
and analysis to pinpoint areas of vulnerability -
leading to an action plan.
This analysis leads to the process of identifying
and controlling risks that can otherwise cause harm.
That means anything that could have downside impact
whether it is sudden, like a serious fire, burglary
or a bad debt, or gradual, like pilfering or a high
vehicle accident rate.
Sound risk management can deliver the following benefits:
• Legislative and contractual compliance
• The potential to lower insurance costs
• Greater efficiency
• Reduced chance of costly, disruptive events
• Reduced exposure of the business and its directors
to litigation
Ignoring risk management has the potential to cause
costly financial losses, disruption to trade and a
setback that can sometimes wreck future prospects.
The survival rate of UK businesses that suffer a major
catastrophe such as fire or serious weather damage
is estimated at only 20%. Lack of contingency planning
is the primary cause.
A classic but sad example is the case of the Distillex
factory in North Shields in April 2002.
The factory, a recycling plant for industrial solvents,
employed a small workforce of 12 and housed between
40 and 50 different chemicals. The plant had previously
caused a major alert after a chemical reaction had
triggered a poisonous gas leak necessitating a police
cordon in nearby streets.
Worse was to come. An employee, who was using an angle
grinder too close to 400,000 litres of industrial
solvents, caused the ultimate fire disaster.
At one point, the flames were almost three times the
height of the factory building and a half-mile exclusion
zone was established, forcing 500 people to evacuate
their homes. 25 fire crews of more than 300 fire fighters
attended the factory compound as burning oil drums
were blasted 150 metres from the site as they exploded.
Fumes and thick billowing smoke could be seen more
than 20 miles away and people to the south of the
River Tyne were ordered to seal their homes. Medical
advice was offered to those living nearby.
All aircraft were diverted from the area, metro trains
stopped running between Tynemouth and North Shields,
the Tyne Tunnel road link under the river was closed,
and more than 150 police officers were deployed to
counter the ensuing traffic chaos and patrol the exclusion
zones.
The company's premises were totally destroyed by the
blaze as was a neighbouring building. Heat damage
affected nearby industrial premises and structural
engineers were called in because of fears these buildings
could collapse. The inferno took nearly five hours
to bring under control and a further 15 hours before
it was successfully damped down.
More than 500 people were allowed to return to their
homes the same night whilst a further 100 spent the
night at a local leisure centre. The Food Standards
Agency warned local people of the dangers of chemical
products having entered the food chain as a result
of the incident.
The Health & Safety Executive investigated and
prosecution ensued. The Judge fined the company, whose
MD had previously pleaded guilty, £39,000 in
total, with £8,000 costs for failure to discharge
its duties under the Health & Safety at Work Act
1974.
The two charges were:
• failure to ensure the safety of employees,
and
• failure to ensure the safety of non-employees
- a charge relating to nearby residents and businesses
In December 2003, Distillex, who employed 44 staff
in total, went into administration, causing significant
unemployment and the closure of five other local companies.
The HSE commented: "This case should be a reminder
to all employers and operators of similar sites of
the need for a very high standard of fire prevention
and the serious consequences of getting it wrong."
The final comment from the Judge was: "gross
failure of the management."
Case studies such as this are not uncommon - with
proactive Risk Management it is so easy to see that
many of these tragedies could be mitigated and the
fall-out avoided. Risk Management, if it is not already
on your agenda, can be assessed for a modest outlay,
particularly when compared to the costs of the possible
consequences if disaster strikes.
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Case
Study Article - Facilities Management Journal March 2005
Workplace
satisfaction and performance measurement
 By
Richard Watts Dip Arch RIBA FBIFM
Changing the way people work and their work environment
can significantly affect staff morale and productivity.
The difficulty is always to quantify the effect of any
changes, particularly in t | | | |
