UK productivity rates are below par; we all know that.  But as one more ‘why & what to do about it’ survey lands on our newsdesk, we can’t help but wonder: why don’t all the proffered solutions get implemented, thus delivering huge gains for the nation?

I was recently asked for my views on the greatest challenges that face the facilities management sector over the next few years. How long have you got, I thought.

The time is right for a new, more 'evolved' FM model - one that is broader and offers a more holistic understanding of both buildings and people. The benefits to the industry, and its clients, will be immense.

Has FM factored into business strategy sufficient consideration of the Brexit process, or is there a bit of a shock still to come?

Is it too late for that? The answer depends on what we are prepared to do; but if past events demonstrate anything, the simple answer may be yes, it probably is.

The story of FM over the past 20 years has been grow, diversify, extend and grow more. But below the headline-catching stuff has been a trend favouring small businesses, ones that focus on a region or market area, or that just don’t feel driven to be big.

Unconscious bias has been common parlance in the business world for some years, and it continues to be one of the most important issues for business to recognise and manage.

If there is one thing that FM knows a lot about, it's change. Change has been the story of facilities management since its earliest days.

Sunil Shah looks at the current practice of responsible business in the built environment and explains the collaborative approach that RICS is taking to create the new model necessary to transfer knowledge of sustainability through the property lifecycle.

On exactly the same day that yet another key supplier of services to the government ran into financial problems, last week saw a speaker from the Cabinet Office tell the Workplace Futures conference that "we need significant cultural change on all sides".

The FM industry does a lot of things really well. What if we added one more to the list that could lift our perception, our value, our reputation?

And that is what's stopping our future talent from joining what one student called a 'hidden industry'. Sienna Emanuel asked a group of students what we need to do.