IFMA CFM TRAINING COURSE

SESSION NO. 05
HUMAN FACTORS

CHAPTER 1 | THE HUMAN FACTOR IN THE WORKPLACE

TOPIC 1 | EFFECTIVE WORKPLACES
The Human Factors competency views occupants and employees
as a sustainable resource, as critical to an organization as energy
and water resources, materials and processes. By far the largest
cost component during the life cycle of a building is the salaries and
benefits of occupants.

A workplace is effective to the degree that it fulfills the needs and

expectations of its occupants and visitors (including customers),
supports work processes so that performance goals can be met,
and does all this in a cost effective manner.
CHAPTER 1 | THE HUMAN FACTOR IN THE WORKPLACE
FRAMEWORKS FOR ASSESSING THE QUALITY OF A WORKPLACE
• THE BALANCED SCORECARD an assessment tool that combines different
perspectives— people, customers, processes, finance — to provide a more
holistic analysis.
sis.

CHAPTER 1 | THE HUMAN FACTOR IN THE WORKPLACE

FRAMEWORKS FOR ASSESSING THE QUALITY OF A WORKPLACE
• The second analytic framework derived from the work of Francis Duffy, the
founder of the firm DEGW (now the Strategy Plus group within AECOM). Duffy
proposed that a workplace that truly "works" is one that balances efficiency,
effectiveness and expression, which are referred to sometimes as the "three
Es":
Efficiency refers to optimal use of the workspace from a cost perspective.
Effectiveness refers to the degree to which the workplace supports
productivity by enabling occupants' performance.
Expression refers to the way in which the workplace articulates the values
and goals of the organization and its members.
CHAPTER 1 | THE HUMAN FACTOR IN THE WORKPLACE
TOPIC 1 | EFFECTIVE WORKPLACES
COMPLIANCE ISSUES Facility managers should be well aware of compliance
obligations related to, building codes and signage, fire detection and suppression
systems, indoor air quality, national and local laws and regulations & others.

Facility managers need to understand how these

laws and regulations affect their facilities' layout and
operation. For example, some laws may specify the
maximum distance between workstations and
exterior windows, or they may require employers to
provide nursing areas for working mothers.

CHAPTER 1 | THE HUMAN FACTOR IN THE WORKPLACE

TOPIC 2 | THE NEED FOR COMFORT
Humans seek comfort; comfort is a sense of satisfaction with
one's current state. Comfort is an essential ingredient of
productivity. Numerous studies have shown that occupants are
not as productive when they are physically uncomfortable.
Speed slows, error rates increase and attention spans decrease.

Comfort, however, is not just physical. It has emotional and

cognitive dimensions as well.

Productive workplaces are effective at accommodating the wide

range of occupant needs that result in comfort; from obvious
physical requirements to more subtle issues related to social and
emotional comfort.
CHAPTER 1 | THE HUMAN FACTOR IN THE WORKPLACE
TOPIC 2 | THE NEED FOR COMFORT
The work of the psychologist Abraham Maslow can provide a better
understanding of the kinds of factors that contribute
bute to comfort.

FM owns the mission to consider and address

occupants' needs.

CHAPTER 1 | THE HUMAN FACTOR IN THE WORKPLACE

TOPIC 3 | HUMANS & CHANGE
There is an irony in the fact that facility managers must usually implement Change changes to
improve the way the human factor is addressed in facilities. The irony is that, unless conditions
are very bad, change is often perceived in a negative way.

Occupants resistance to change is

understandable, because some aspects of
change interfere with humans' comfort needs.
Attachment to familiar surroundings is
driven by a basic need for a sense of
security and survival.
CHAPTER 1 | THE HUMAN FACTOR IN THE WORKPLACE
TOPIC 3 | HUMANS & CHANGE DO AVOID

The facility manager can help implement • Face possible conflict head on • Ignoring occupants' reactions to
change by supporting occupants through and engage with those affected. change, including their emotional
• Provide as much Information up responses.
the change process; front as possible. • Lying, overpromising or
• Focus on the reasons for change engaging in unfounded optimism
• Fear of loss. and benefits to the organization. (e.g., how long the project will
• Listen to occupants and provide take, how much disruption it will
• Mistrust of superiors. support if possible. produce).
• Identifying a champion. • Negotiate solutions If necessary. • Asking open-ended questions
when seeking occupant input.
• Too much change. • Engage occupants by gathering
This can invite occupants to
• Engagement in change process. input through questionnaires and
compile lists of wishes, most of
focus groups.
• Managing the “costs” of change. • Use post-occupancy evaluations
which cannot be fulfilled. When
management fails to respond to
• Learning new processes. to Identify unanticipated effects these wishes, occupant reaction
and take steps to address them. can further deteriorate.

CHAPTER 2 | CREATING A HEALTHFUL, PRODUCTIVE WORKPLACE

TOPIC 1 | INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) refers to the strategies and systems used to provide occupants
with a healthful, comfortable and safe workplace. Indoor Environmental Quality generally focuses on:

• TEMPERATURE AND RELATIVE HUMIDITY The

vast majority of occupant complaints tend to be about
the difficulty of achieving a comfortable temperature.
• INDOOR AIR QUALITY (IAQ) refers to both the
quantity of fresh air and the quality of air within the
facility.
Paints, glues and coatings can emit volatile organic
compounds (VOCs), which are harmful to health.
CHAPTER 2 | CREATING A HEALTHFUL, PRODUCTIVE WORKPLACE
TOPIC 1 | INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) refers to the strategies and systems used to provide occupants
with a healthful, comfortable and safe workplace. Indoor Environmental Quality generally focuses on:

• LIGHTING Adequate lighting means that lighting levels are

appropriate to task and surroundings. Lighting is sourced to
avoid glare, and lighting is designed to incorporate natural light.
• NOISE can be considered unwanted sound that can harm health
and impair productivity.

• CLEANLINESS refers to the presence of dirt and dust and the

maintenance of interior elements and furnishings.

CHAPTER 2 | CREATING A HEALTHFUL, PRODUCTIVE WORKPLACE

TOPIC 2 | OCCUPANT WELNESS
FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO WELLNESS: This topic shifts the focus away from external
environmental influences on the contributing to human factor to internal factors that can affect
occupant well-being and wellness productivity. These internal factors include:

• STRESS; an individual psychological response to work

conditions that can harm physical health and occupant
productivity.
• ERGONOMICS, Ergonomics is defined as the study of
equipment design in order to reduce operator equipment
fatigue and discomfort.
• HEALTH MAINTENANCE, or the way in which the
workplace can support or discourage healthful practices.
CHAPTER 2 | CREATING A HEALTHFUL, PRODUCTIVE WORKPLACE
TOPIC 3 | OCCUPANT PRODUCTIVITY & CREATIVITY
Among the forces challenging today's organizations, three directly affect the way facility
managers use space to support productivity and creativity:
• The trend toward smaller facilities.
• The increasing size of the knowledge-based economy.
• Changing demographics.

CHAPTER 2 | CREATING A HEALTHFUL, PRODUCTIVE WORKPLACE

REDUCING THE FACILITY FOOTPRINT
A common topic at facility management professional gatherings is how organizations can
an
es
decrease their square footage while simultaneously growing the number of employees
and increasing output.
Approaches used for reduction in footprints:
• Allocating space by actual work needs rather than by status.
• ses.
Consolidation of amenities, such as multiple cafeterias in facility campuses.
• Open floor plans that waste less space on walls and halls, using movable panels instead.
• Smaller-scaled furniture and equipment.
• Eliminating data equipment space by using cloud computing and storage.
• Eliminating vast paper file areas in favor of electronic archiving.
• ng.
Alternative work methods, such as telecommuting or part-time space sharing or hoteling.
THE KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY
As society's needs change and new technologies emerge, work is becoming more about
acquiring, using and sharing knowledge and less about performing the same physical
tasks.
The "knowledge workplace" needs four different types of space:
• Social space: Social space supports building relationships and trust between workers
and cohesiveness in teams. Social space includes lounges, beverage stations, etc.
• Learning space: This type of space accommodates individual and group learning.
Training spaces must be equipped with technology that supports learners.
• Focused space: Opposite of open space. It promotes concentration e.g. quiet rooms.
• Collaborative space accommodates small team discussions, group or project rooms in
which team members can move from individual workstations to team work areas.

DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES
Facilities will constantly be challenged
by the changing characteristics and
expectations of demographic groups
passing through the workplace.

For example, today's facility is

challenged to meet the needs of the
Millennial generation who are more
social than previous generations. They
have a preference for social networking
and collaboration.
FACILITY MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
Facility management can support more productive use of workspace by ensuring that
occupants have the right quantity of space for their needs and the right quality of space.

This means that facility managers must:

• Design for workplace effectiveness.
• Facilitate Collaboration.
• Satisfy Occupants’Aesthetic Needs.
• Design for workplace efficiency.

DESIGN FOR WORKPLACE EFFECTIVENESS

Too often, workplace design is simply too standardized. For example, everyone (other than
management) is given the same size cubicle, without regard to how they use space. Some
occupants may need enough space to have frequent one-on-one meetings with team members,
while others may interact with others only virtually, by phone or e-mail.
A functional workplace needs different types of workspaces:

• Individual and group reflective places – personal space not

meant for formal meetings.
• Team or networking spaces – encourages unconventional
spaces like café style rather than a meeting room.

Inside Google’s offices

FACILITATING COLLABORATION
Facility managers can support
collaboration and creativity by:
• Creating and supporting flexible,
well-equipped team spaces.
• Ensuring that frequently collaborating
groups can access each other easily.

Google’s Dublin Office

SATISFYING OCCUPANTS’ AESTHETIC NEEDS

Facility aesthetics can be an integral part of a corporate design
but can also include:

• Cleanliness
• Well-maintained interiors
• Views
• Lighting
• Art

Google’s Office Aesthetics

DESIGN FOR WORKPLACE EFFECIENCY
• Workplace efficiency can be seen as
something that primarily benefits an
organization’s financial stakeholders.

• Decreasing footprint and the facility’s

churn rate will reduce an organization’s
operating costs.

• Facility managers can make a sound

business case for investing in new,
modular, freestanding furniture.

DESIGN FOR WORKPLACE EFFECIENCY

Facility manager can employ other strategies as well to minimize the impact of a move
on occupants, such as:

• Ensuring that all storage furniture is on wheels so that it can be quickly moved into its new
location.
• Ensuring that occupants can secure expensive or sensitive equipment in a locked space.
• Providing occupants with tools they need for their moves.
• Providing a “plug and play” facility, in which occupants can simply plug their data and
communications equipment in to existing connections, without having to wait for rewiring
and cabling.
• “One number” phone systems that follow occupants to their new locations.
• Swing spaces to accommodate displaced occupants during extended relocations.
SUPPORT ALTERNATIVE WORK STARTEGIES
work strategies can be an effective way to accommodate a growing workforce
and/or shrinking facility. After all, "work is what you do, not where you go.“

On-site distributed workspace refers to items such as:

• Common activity areas, such as huddle rooms or team spaces.
• Individual work areas that are not assigned to specific occupants
• Shared space, where two or more occupants share one workstation.
• Satellite offices that are owned or leased by the organization and provide
workspace and support services.

Off-site distributed space refers to remote working arrangements.

CHAPTER 3 | CREATING A SAFE & SECURE WORKPLACE

Safety and security must become
permanent responsibility in a facility
manager’s work life.

Whenever the facility manager

considers a new process, project or
piece of equipment, possible impact on
safety and security should be added to
the list of factors to be evaluated,
alongside budgets and schedules.
STRATEGIES TO INCREASE FACILITY SAFETY
• Ensure Management Support
• Identify risks
• Plan a facility safety strategy
• Implement the strategy

SAFETY COMMITTEES
Safety committees can support safety programs in a
number of ways; they can:
• Assess workplace risks and conduct workplace inspections.
• Implement training and review its effectiveness.
• Investigate safety-related complaints.
• Monitor facility conditions for safety and propose changes.
TRAINING AND PROMOTING BEHAVIOR CHANGES
Safety training programs, whether developed in house
or purchased from external sources, must be assessed
for effectiveness and appropriateness for the intended
audiences.

SAFETY INCIDENT INVESTIGATIONS

Incident investigations include:
• In-person inspections of the incident scene
• Interviews with the victim and witnesses
• Documented reports of the evidence collected
SAFETY & THIRD PARTIES
To ensure the safety of occupants, facility property and the contractors themselves, facility
managers should consider:

• Ensuring that safety records and employee safety

training are criteria in selecting contractors and that
records are checked.
• Including review and compliance with facility
policies and procedures in the contractors’ scope of
work.
• Providing contractors with safe work method
statements and perhaps test their understanding.
• Requiring work permits for hazardous work

EVALUATE AND IMPLEMENT CORRECTIVE ACTION

The safety committee should review:
• Data such as the number of accident reports filed
and workers’ compensation claims submitted.
• Inspection reports, both internal and external.
• Accident reports, including insurer reports.
• “Near Miss” reports.
• Post-incident reports.
STRATEGIES TO INCREASE FACILITY SECURITY
Security threats can be:

• Internal or external.
• Minor or severe in consequence.
• Physical or nonphysical.

Depending on the organization, facility managers may

be responsible for facility security or may work closely
with security officers to develop and implement security
strategies.

STRATEGIES TO INCREASE FACILITY SECURITY

IDENTIFY RISKS

Organizational risk to occupants and assets will vary greatly,

depending on the organization's business processes,
physical facilities and culture.

• An organization engaged in a politically or socially

controversial activity may be vulnerable to physical and
cyber attacks on its property and occupants.
• High levels of traffic, including visitor traffic, may make
some parts of a facility more vulnerable to theft.
• Organizations that are known to handle large amounts of
high-value data can be subject to hacking and theft of
organizational, employee or client data.
PLAN & IMPLEMENT FACILITY SECURITY STRATEGY
Organizational culture, resources and vulnerability
assessment should be considered before choosing
specific security strategies. For example, intensive
entrance and exit visitor screening may be appropriate
for a high-tech operation, but this level of screening may
not be acceptable or practical at a university.

Communication and education play a critical role in

maintaining facility security. Occupants should be made
aware of the potential consequences of lapses in
security, such as taking unencrypted sensitive
information out of the facility.

Violations of policy must be consistently punished,

according to policy.

EVALUATE FACILITY SECURITY STRATEGY

On a periodic basis, facility managers could measure
their strategy’s effectiveness according to:

• Reports of organizational committees

• Changes in rates of loss of equipment and supplies
• Vandalism reports by facility management staff
• Communication and training events
CHAPTER 4 | EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT
THE CASE FOR EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT
Facility managers have the responsibility and
opportunity to ensure that the FM organization has
the human resources needed to achieve the strategic
goals of the entire organization

IDENTIFY ORGANIZATIONAL NEEDS & VALUES

Facility Managers must be aware of the implications
of strategies on staffing. Employee development will
be shaped by the organization’s values, which will
inform hiring profile and performance standards
used for appraisal and development purposes.

CHAPTER 4 | EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT

IDENTIFY JOB REQUIREMENTS
An accurate and valid understanding of what is
required from an employee to perform a given job
is essential to an organization since:
• It provides an opportunity for the organization to
align job applicants’ and employees’ abilities
with what the organization needs.
• Accurate descriptions of job requirements help
organizations recruit applicants with the right
type of qualifications.
• Valid descriptions that accurately reflect job
requirements can help protect employers
against claims of discrimination in hiring and
promotion.
JOB DESCRIPTION

A job description is a brief summary of the

most important features and requirements of a
specific position.
It is generic, not written to describe a specific
employee but rather a group of employees
performing similar work.

MANAGE PERFORMANCE
managing employee performance is a
continuous cycle of:
• Setting expectations of both the facility
organization and the employee
performance targets or goals.
• Observing and evaluating whether the
performance meets expectations.
• Identifying and removing obstacles to
satisfactory performance.
• Providing recognition, acknowledgement,
rewards or corrections as needed.
All discussions and communications
about performance should be documented
in an employee's personnel file.
SET EXPECTATIONS
• Expectations should be explicit, not
assumed.
• For employees new to a position, the
manager describes the standards that will
be used at the end of the period to
appraise the employee’s performance.

EFFECTIVE GOALS
• Are created by a collaborative effort
between the manager and the employee.
• The employee must feel a sense of
control in choosing goals and an
investment in the outcome of the
development effort.

TRAIN

The purpose of training is to ensure that employees have the knowledge, skills and confidence
they need to perform to expectations.

NEW EMPLOYEE TRAINING

Training for new employees should also include
experiences that speed the process of integrating
the employee into the established social fabric of the
workplace.

OFF-SITE TRAINING
Off-site training refers to training that is completed
away from the job site.
Whatever the source of the training may be,
managers must be responsible for its effectiveness.
TRAIN

The purpose of training is to ensure that employees have the knowledge, skills and confidence
they need to perform to expectations.

ON-THE-JOB TRAINING
On-the-job training can also be described as coaching. OJT
can take many forms. It can be applied at all levels, from entry
positions to senior management It can be used to acquire
knowledge, physical skills or "soft skills" such as emotional
intelligence.

SUCCESION TRAINING
Succession planning is a human resource strategy that
focuses on having trained people "in the pipeline" to fill
positions critical to the organization if they become vacant.

ASSESS PERFORMANCE

The next stage in the performance management cycle is for the facility manager to assess the
employee's performance against expectations. Performance assessment can occur at different
times. For a new hire, performance may be assessed formally after training and an appropriate
amount of time on the job. For a current employee, there may be a formal assessment before
the annual performance review.

if poor performance is observed, managers should not wait until the next formal performance
meeting to address the gap, and should initiate PERFORMANCE REMIDIATING, through
discussion, training, counseling, or other tactics.

Younger workers have shown a preference for receiving CONTINUOUS FEEDBACK rather
than at scheduled performance meetings. Feedback timed with observed behaviors is always
more effective in rewarding or correcting the behavior.
REWARD OR CORRECT

The final stage of the performance management step is to act

based on the correct outcomes. If the employee is now
performing at the expected level, the manager delivers
positive feedback, praise or rewards. Rewards can be training
opportunities, recognition at annual meetings, certificates,
celebratory lunches or bonuses.

Persistent failure to meet job or behavioral expectations leads

to disciplinary processes and, possibly, termination after one
or more formal, written warnings. The situation and the
consequences must be clearly communicated to the
employee, and the conversation should be documented

GUIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

A manager cannot and should not plan an

employee's future, but an organization can require
that an employee commit to lifelong learning and
complete an individual development plan.

The organization can assist career and professional

development by providing tuition reimbursements but
also through a variety of organizational experiences
such as mentoring, job rotation, cross training, etc.
CHAPTER 5 | PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL
THREE COMPONENTS
• a formal evaluation of the employee’s performance against
job competencies or key performance indicators,
• a meeting in which what evaluation is communicated to the
employee and, if necessary,
• a corrective action plan to address performance
deficiencies.

TWO ASPECTS
• Informal
• Formal
Both informal and formal performance appraisals are
essential to an effective performance management system..

CHAPTER 5 | PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL

Why do so many organizations perform poorly
when it comes to performance appraisal?

The possible reasons:

• Conflict and emotion
• Connection with compensation
• Pro forma exercises
• Lack of confidence in performance measures
and how they are used
EFFECTIVE PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL SYSTEM

Many of the reasons shown before can be addressed by ensuring that the
facility organization’s performance appraisal system meets certain criteria:
• A positive and constructive focus
• Progress toward long-term goals
• Valid and specific key performance
• Effective appraisal methods
• Training of evaluators
• Documentation

LIMITATIONS OF PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL SYSTEM, could be:

• Conflicts with the FM organization’s values.

• Unrealistic time demands.

PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL METHODS

360 DEGREE FEEDBACK

In 360-degree feedback, an employee’s performance is

evaluated by those above and below and lateral to the
employee in the organization’s hierarch and by “customers”
outside the organization.

CONDUCTING A PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL MEETING

• A meeting is not required for performance appraisal, but it is

recommended.

• It can help prevent a poor appraisal from turning into

litigation as an angry employee charges the employer with
discrimination or unfair and capricious behavior.
CHAPTER 6 | MANAGING FOR DIVERSITY
commonly recognized advantages to
organizations from building and supporting
staff diversity

• Quality solutions
• Innovation
• Customer awareness
• Organizational development

ALIGNING POLICIES AND PRACTICES WITH DIVERSITY

Various methods by which a facility manager can encourage
diversity:

• Ensuring that hiring and job assignments are based on

performance and organizational policies.
• Removing barriers to advancement that are not based on
stated performance, experience or education requirements.
• Providing opportunities for career development in an
equitable manner to all function members.

SUPPORTING DIVERSITY THROUGH TRAINING

RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION
Recruitment for diversity is about finding equally qualified or more
qualified people who add something new to the current staff.