Inspiring excellence in facilities management

Returning to ExCeL London for a third year, Facilities Show 2016 is set to be bigger and better than ever. With a host of new and exciting features, Government Business previews the must attend show for those involved in facilities management.

The ever expanding remit of a facilities manager relies on a reactive approach to the challenges and problems that arise in a day-to-day working environment. With exciting features including the BIFM Career Zone, an expanded Interiors Zone, and incredible networking opportunities at the only facilities management (FM) event to have the support of BIFM, Building Futures Group and many more, absence at the Facilities Show this year is simply not an option.

Colonel Tim Collins attracted attention on both sides of the Atlantic for his rousing speech to the troops before going into battle in Iraq. His autobiography, Rules of Engagement, subsequently went straight into the bestseller lists and he is now CEO of a security company. Tim is a naturally inspiring speaker, combining extensive experience of active service with broad knowledge of military and political history. An authority on teamwork, leadership and motivation, his speeches show a clear parallel between military problem solving and the challenges faced by leaders in any walk of life. Tim will be the keynote speaker on the first day of this year’s Facilities Show.

On the second day, 22 June, Kate Adie, a household name as BBC chief news reporter, covering the Gulf War, the demise of the Soviet Union, the protests in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square and NATO’s campaign in Kosovo, will present the keynote. While on the final day British Olympian James Cracknell will talk about his adventures, the build-up to both Olympics and how they were nowhere near as straightforward as the public seemed to think. He reveals the highs and lows of his training regime, the different characters that make a successful team and what drives him to seek out new challenges.

Educating the sector
Facilities Show 2016 will have more speakers and more educational content than ever before. Having consulted widely with the industry to find out what visitors want to hear about at the show, the 2016 programme is packed with ‘real world’ talks delivered by FMs, as well as practical and strategic presentations by a few hand-picked industry experts. You will find three large seminar theatres on the exhibition floor, all with different content on each day of the show.

Additionally, back by popular demand is the BIFM Careers Zone for those looking at CPD training, management skills or career opportunities. Current ‘Facilities Manager of the Year’, Alan Russell, will lead a session on ‘How to lead and inspire’. Focusing on his journey from apprentice to leader of a facility delivering a service to 70,000 passengers a day with a budget in excess of £27 million, Alan will share ideas on how you can plot your own career progression to leader and beyond, looking at the skills needed to lead and inspire.

On the same morning, 21 June, Lucy Jeynes will discuss ‘Women in FM: Learn, grow and progress your career’. The Women in FM Mentoring Programme has been running successfully since 2008, and there will be a chance to learn more about the scheme, its mentors and the valuable experience gained from taking part.

Other sessions on the first day include Fraser Talbot analysing ‘Facilities management qualifications’, a very popular session last year, and Jane Bell advising on ‘Keeping ahead of the curve in FM training and skills’. This session will explore how the balance of knowledge and skills is shifting in response to rapid change, and what could make you stand out from the crowd in the eyes of current or future employers.

Recognition and development are key themes on the second day of the BIFM Careers Zone. Julian Burton, a BIFM membership and qualifications assessor, returns to the Careers Zone in 2016 to discuss why you need to be maintaining your knowledge and skills through Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in his session ‘Investing in yourself through CPD’. ‘Recognition in FM’ will be hosted by Tanya Horscroft, named the BIFM ‘Rising Talent in Facilities Management’ in 2015 for her impact and contribution to her organisation and the FM profession.

Other noticeable sessions include ‘Who exactly is a typical facilities manager in 2016?’, led by Martin Read. This illuminating session will use the very latest BIFM/FM World research to explain how today’s facilities manager differs from their historical counterparts. Additionally, Victoria O’Farrell will explain ‘How to get THAT job’. This session will help equip you to aim higher and work towards your dream job. Victoria will cover off how to set your sights higher, how to get noticed in the crowd of other applicants and how to get the right job.

The final day will see Ricky Plumb explain why facilities management is not just about looking after the facility itself but also the people within it. ‘FM and H&S - Not just abbreviations’ will help you understand the link between FM and health and safety, including the various training routes available. This will be followed by a session entitled ‘Be the boss - how to start your own FM company’ which will inspire how best to take the next steps and set up your own company.

Facilities 2020 Strategy Summit
This theatre will provide thought leadership to prepare facilities management leaders for workplaces of the future. On the first day there will be a panel discussion on ‘FM in 2020’, which will question how the role of facilities manager will change over the next five years and what the biggest challenges are that we will face as an industry between now and 2020.

A second panel discussion will address ‘Managing the cultural shift that comes with flexible working’. How do you know whether flexible working is right for your business? And what should flexible working look like? Following the panel discussion the moderator will open this up to the floor and turn the session into an interactive group discussion with the audience.

The second day will see Linda Hausmanis exploring ‘Talent in FM - attracting, keeping, inspiring’. In this panel discussion Linda will be joined by an FM professional, an FM client and an FM service provider to take a 360 degree view of talent in FM. ‘Managing regional and international teams’ will be a further panel discussion which will question what are the challenges of managing teams across different regions and/or countries?; how do you manage cultural differences in teams?; how do you ensure effective communication with teams in different locations?; and how often should you meet in person?

‘Waste management and compliance’, a session on the final day, will look at the legal requirements to be aware of in relation to waste crime and duty of care; cases of businesses who have been fined; cost saving initiatives to handle waste more efficiently; and methods for improving waste management. Sustainability is something that is getting more and more attention. Leading the way in engagement can make an organisation stand out from the crowd, as well as resulting in significant financial savings with little investment.

John Bailey and Jack Connors discuss this in their session on ‘Reduce the juice: engaging on sustainability’.

The Society Fair
Results from a 2015 visitor survey highlighted that visitors are keen to be kept in the loop about all opportunities to meet and socialise with their peers in the FM industry. As a results of this, the organisers of the show have established the, new to 2016, Facilities Society Fair – a 232m² feature area, where visitors will be able ask questions, try a selection of mini hosted events, discover all of the groups they can join to meet their peers throughout the year and sign up to a society that they would like to become a member of. The societies can be run independently and don’t have to be part of an association to keep the feature area impartial.

The fair will consist of 10 societies having a table, two chairs and a space for a pop-up banner around the edge of the fair. Each group will have someone manning their table across the three days, talking about their group, some of the events that they host, and also signing up new members. Amongst others, Property Affiliates, CIBSE, The Hill Club and FM North will be participating.

Protection and Management Series
The Facilities Show is part of UBM Live’s Protection & Management Series taking place from 21-23 June 2016 at the ExCeL Centre, London. The Protection & Management Series attracts 45,000 visitors and more than 1,600 exhibitors, and covers a number of shows including: Service Management Expo; Safety & Health Expo; FIREX International; and IFSEC International.

Further Information
www.facilitiesshow.com