Sustainable solutions to boost clean-desk to green planet

There has been a paradigm shift in how FM job roles are currently being viewed. From housekeeping to consultancy to soft technical services, the entire gamut of FM services has radically evolved into the new-age Design, Build, and Operate model that aims at the holistic enhancement of workplace experiences.

With World FM Day just concluded, we spoke with our Segment Director for FM Sales, GSAs, and Manufacturing IFM Leah Dango, who shared her insights on the transformation of FM and beyond.

1.There is a visible shift in the perception of FM job roles. Do you feel the new-age FM offers more scope and has transformed over the years?

Workplaces around us have evolved. There is a demand for ergonomic spaces, lively cafeterias, AI-enabled monitoring systems, seamless query resolutions and more importantly sustainability KPIs to reduce carbon footprint. This demand directly mirrors the need to have skilled people deployed across a varied range of functions. At Sodexo, we deliver FM services at client sites ranging from technology, automation, biomedical equipment maintenance, drone-based cleaning & surveillance to fuel station management. Service excellence is only possible if you have people with the right kind of skill set to deliver the required tasks. With digitalization and automation lacing every nook and corner of a contemporary workplace, I see the FM job roles further evolving in the coming years.  

2.How does Sodexo position itself as a front-runner in FM space?

Our approach to enhancing workplace experiences is integrated. For us, the entire consumer journey is important; right from the time an employee enters the workplace and sometimes even before that. Any and every consumer touchpoint matters to us, and our sole objective is to create an experience that stays much beyond the end of work hours. We are consistently working with industry experts like NASSCOM and CoreNet to understand and design technologies and solutions that can improve the overall workplace experience. Today companies want their employees to be happy, and motivated to come to work and a lot depends on the office environment; and how productive or conducive it is to foster a healthy workday for an employee. And this is exactly where our services fit in – from pre-booking a desk to a yoga session in the evening, pre-ordering your favourite meal anytime/anywhere to digital payments & mailroom management. Experience and excellence are made available at your fingertips.  

3.How are you integrating newer innovations into your services?

FM solutions have witnessed a surge in technological advancements and digitalization in recent years, and Sodexo has proved to be a market maker. Our value proposition Vital Spaces aims at a unified approach to transforming the FM spectrum in workplaces. Whether it is the 360-degree guest journey experience, tailored space transitions, optimized asset management, comprehensive workplace safety, or sustainable design solutions – we aim to enhance every consumer touchpoint with innovative solutions. SoCampus, our end-to-end IFM App digitalizes and streamlines the way our clients, employees, and consumers experience workplace solutions while at work or otherwise. We have also adapted it recently to accommodate a new mobile FM model that caters to Fuel Retail at petrol pumps. Another value-add that makes our FM services comprehensive is Project Management. Here, with a team of experts in design & build, we focus on space optimization, office refurbishments and kitchen design to make our services more end-to-end. We Design-Build-Operate facilities to enable client focus on their core business activities. In the area of sustainability, our expertise with platform specialists’ range in collaborative efforts to minimize food waste, energy & water consumption leading to tangible reduction in carbon emission driving Net Zero objectives.