Three skill areas to develop in 2020 and the courses you need to do it

News

Staying on top of your profession is crucial to develop your career, compete in the demanding modern labour market, and realise the full potential of our influential discipline.

To start your 2020 on the right footing, IWFM’s Head of Professional Development, Fraser Talbot, has identified the three key skill areas you should focus on for your personal development this year. You can read his recommendations in full in January’s edition of Facilitate by turning to page 45 in either your printed copy or the digital version*.

For now, though, here are the key skill areas Fraser named along with some of the courses you can book now to fill your skills gaps and take your career to the next level. All courses last for one day unless otherwise stated.

Technology and data

What Fraser said: 'Data is critical in effective decision-making and will help our professionals to understand the users of their facilities better and resolve problems faster.'

• Digital technology in workplace
  Available in-house only, this course will give you a better understanding of emerging digital technology and its role in workplace.
• Making better workplace decisions using data
  Taught face-to-face, this course will improve your understanding of how to collect and use workplace data to solve real-world problems and make more informed, evidence-based decisions.
• Presenting numerical data
  This short online course, equivalent to four CPD hours, will give you the skills to showcase numerical information in a way that makes it accessible to everyone involved.

Workplace vision

What Fraser said: 'If your organisation is looking at how its workplace environment can support talent acquisition and retention, you will need to understand how to build a robust, evidence-based case for workplace change...'

• Leading successful workplace change
  Taught face-to-face, this course will teach you about the different perspectives of workplace change and help you develop an understanding of approaches to implementing it.
• Essentials of workplace
  This intensive three-day course is taught face-to-face and will give you the skills and confidence to tackle the challenges you encounter in your day-to-day work.
• Selling your workplace vision
  Taught face-to-face, this course will help you communicate more confidently about workplace and its organisational value, framing your vision according to what’s important to your audience.

Cultural competence

What Fraser said: 'It's critical we build our cultural competence and understand what people need from us, why, and how best to meet their needs.'

• Behavioural insights into workplace
  This course, which is taught in-house, will boost your knowledge of behavioural insights and give you the tools to use that knowledge to improve workplaces.
• Improving the customer experience
  Delivered in-house, this course will teach you quick, cheap and easy ways to improve your customer's experience and create an enthusiastic advocate out of every customer.
• Building effective business relationships
  Last but not least, this course is delivered in-house and will provide you with the knowledge and tools you need to develop positive, productive relationships with your professional network and customers.

*only IWFM members can access online copies of Facilitate. Not an IWFM member? Follow this link to learn about the excellent benefits (including access to Facilitate), choose the membership grade that’s right for you, and become part of the UK’s largest workplace and FM community.