ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Facilities management employers are among the most committed to staff training, with more than a third increasing the time devoted to skills development during the recession. That's the finding of the Asset Skills Barometer Project, a rolling six monthly survey of employers by the organisation in the UK.

While 34 per cent of those questioned spent more time on training compared with 12 months ago, 11 per cent spent more money. A significant proportion of businesses (43 per cent) said the level of financial investment remained the same.

“These findings are hugely encouraging and show employers in facilities management are still placing high priority on training despite the tough climate they have been operating in,” said Richard Beamish, chief executive of Asset Skills, the government funded Sector Skills Council for facilities management.

Worst recession

“The industry has just gone through the worst recession for 60 years and yet more than a third of those who took part in our Barometer Survey recognise how essential staff training and development is to the recovery process.

“They have found ways of devoting significantly more time to this issue, which we believe shows energy and commitment.”

Nearly half the respondents cited issues such as the low carbon agenda as creating new demands and a need for skills their existing workforce did not have. And 35 per cent of companies are planning to expand into new areas of activity, though 18 per cent say their staff are not equipped with the right skills and knowledge to undertake this.

Elsewhere, the Barometer Survey of 77 cleaning employers showed the time spent on staff training during the downturn rose by a quarter. While 26 per cent of the companies questioned spent more time on workforce development compared with 12 months ago, 10 per cent spent more money. More than half (56 per cent) said the level of investment had remained the same.

www.assetskills.org