Modern Building Services

MODERN BUILDING SERVICES MARCH 2022 29 FEATURE VERTICAL FOCUS problemalso scales. Especially as our use of office spaces becomes more complex and erratic, guided by new trends in hybrid work andmixed office use, people are needed to infer from instinct, to build bridges with building users to fill in for information gaps, and to feed back on the technology’s blind-spots as it evolves to collect information on new challenges. Blue collar workers frequently have their value undermined as leaders look for new ways to optimise their businesses. The assumption is that human beings are inherently prone to error and that automation will make processes consistent and efficient. But no single-function machine can hope to replicate the complex knowledge and experience of a seasoned worker; the technical skill of top engineers is on par with that of doctors and lawyers whose theoretical and practical careers have granted nuanced judgement and dexterity that no modern machine can hope to match. A doctor may be slower than his computer to read and analyse a database of information to work out the pattern killing his patient. The advantage the doctor has is that his patients talk to him as a person; the doctor learns to infer from what isn’t said, learns to look in the areas the equipment misses and raises the questions the forms forgot to ask. Our staff are our greatest asset and we grow by using technology to help them, not to replace them. The future of engineering Large commercial spaces are leading the way on automation. But the industry has started to twig that this cannot be at the expense of its engineers. The pressure on engineers to perform in an antagonistic working environment has seen a spike in mental health- related concerns; on the eve of the pandemic, 50.4% of manufacturing and construction companies reported an increase in the number of employee mental health issues between 2016 and 2019. Some work has been done to put this right. 65% of manufacturing and engineering firms are now taking active steps to raise awareness of mental health, above the 55% average over other sectors. We learn from a young age that we cannot expect our devices to last forever unless we look after them properly; we are now learning to afford the same kindness to our employees, our colleagues and ourselves. The pandemic has surely renewed appreciation for the ‘invisible jobs’ that keep everything running, such as cleaners and supermarket shelf stackers. But there is still a way to go. The overnight switch to remote work gave researchers an insight into the worlds of white-collar workers and their health concerns, but there has been inevitably less reporting on the people whose jobs were less drastically affected by Covid. The plight of NHS nurses striking last December now reminds us of the ongoing battle to look after those who keep us safe and able when things break down. As a result, the future of engineering will start not with a conversation but with many. Technology can facilitate a healthier, more transparent culture for our staff on the ground when used to support daily operations and give space for feedback. We should see that the technology that defines our businesses is not only the sophisticated software we take to market, but also the channels and applications we choose to help foster productive conversations between our staff. Over the years, our hardest and most important challenge has been to create a platform where engineers feel comfortable reaching out to senior staff and talking candidly about the tools and knowledge they need to be most effective. In an industry where talented engineers are used to working in strict hierarchical structures, the primary function of leadership is to give them the autonomy to thrive with a genuine commitment to addressing concerns and anxieties as they emerge. The role of technology The open potential of technology to revolutionise work is exciting but we must remember its purpose to support. When Britain finally did adopt William Lee’s technology, its textile industry paved the way for the Industrial Revolution. It did this not by destroying jobs but by creating new ones, pulling thousands from low-productivity agricultural work to bustling towns and cities. The average person earned more money, lived longer and had a better quality of life as a result. We should also remember that it was the conversations initiated between unions and industry that made early factories much safer and less costly for operators and employers in the long run. Shorter work days and better working conditions created a more productive, healthy workforce that benefitted the whole as much as the individual. Once again, leaders are challenged to decide how they will use the new power that technology affords. History tells us that the future of engineering has engineers at its core, and we must remember this as we begin the process of progress again.