Mental Health in Facilities Management
Facilities Management as an industry is trying to transform itself from a secondary career to the first-choice option for young people entering the UK workforce.
In light of this, we must be alert to the fact that we’re trying to appeal to a generation for which mental health issues are far more prevalent. According to the Youth Future Foundation, between 2000-2019, the number of 16–25-year-olds presenting to primary health care with mental health issues tripled, so for FM to appeal to this generation we need to adjust workplace strategies accordingly.
Attracting the next generation into a career in Facilities Management
One way we’re seeing this addressed is through more businesses utilising Employee Assistance Programmes as part of their benefits packages. These can directly relate to mental health through access to online counselling but crucially also cover many other aspects such as financial planning, legal advice, access to virtual GPs and more. These serve as a key alleviator of factors that contribute to mental health issues making them an invaluable tool for more businesses.
However for me, EAP’s serve as a sticking plaster rather than an antidote to the problem. For that we need broader action across the industry. As mentioned, mental health issues do not arise in a vacuum but due to a myriad of factors such as economic pressures, employment insecurity and the rise of social media which all need to addressing.
The elephant in the room for me is workload.
Improving the plight of those already working in Facilities Management
Facilities is still seen as a cost by the wider industry, which can leave it under-resourced and overworked. It’s not uncommon to find employment gaps plugged by adding responsibilities onto other staff for sustained periods and in a role that already involves spinning many plates this can be a key recipe for burnout.
It’s also worth noting that in a survey Cobalt conducted, 83% of UK FM’s said they were dissatisfied with their salary, highlighting a perceived imbalance between responsibilities and reward exists in the industry. Facilities Managers understand the need to muck in, but if this becomes the status quo without reward & recognition, we’re simply creating a petri-dish for mental illness – and then chucking future FM’s in at the deep end.
Secondly, we need to address management. 80% of FM’s I surveyed reported having no formal training in the last year whatsoever – let alone on management & mental health first-aid. In an overworked industry, managers are no exception and can be forgiven for resorting to the way they themselves were managed.
However, we need to realise that for a new generation of FM’s resiliency needs to be learned not assumed. This requires us to equip our managers with the tools, time, and training to coach this into them.
Lastly, I would encourage businesses to explore building stronger social networks within their FM teams. Whether by mentor schemes, workshops or socials, we need to create more opportunities to build internal relationships. Those in regional roles may spend more time travelling alone than interacting with others in their shoes, and Building Managers are not immune to this isolation. It’s crucial we build connections with those that can understand and empathize with the workplace stresses we face otherwise these issues can fester and become bigger – particularly for the next generation which is less equipped for this initially.
Simply put, FM can be a stressful, unpredictable job, that often goes unrecognised as the positive parts of your work take place behind the scenes. In this environment, looking after your team’s mental wellbeing isn’t a “nice to have” initiative, it’s a fundamental investment that keeps the industry’s talent pipeline from running dry.
This piece is part of a wider feature in the Facilities Management Journal on FM's role in addressing mental ill health within the workplace.
