It’s almost noon, on an overcast Monday in Brighton. I’m in a studio space with my colleagues and we’re closing off our weekly PT session with Sam by practising some breathing exercises to kick start the week. I can hardly believe I’m part of a team that really values personal wellbeing not only on paper but also in practice. We’ve already had a positive team catch up earlier today, and although there’s a great deal to keep me busy for the rest of the week, I’m not intimidated – I’m looking forward to it. From a personal perspective, I’ve noticed a massive change in my outlook when it comes to work and productivity; now more than ever, I want to be productive and suddenly waking up each morning seems infinitely easier.
Magenta is a company that believes in walking the talk. I recently attended two events in London focussing on designing spaces that facilitate and create a sense of wellbeing at work. Throughout each event I kept hearing lists of elements that should be considered in order to create a comfortable workplace where people actually want to be; how important the correct lighting is, providing a choice of working environments, giving employees a sense of self and providing the necessary support to allow everyone to flourish. As I sat in the seminar rooms, frantically taking notes and trying to fully comprehend both the PR and FM industries respectively, what rung clear to me on each occasion was how I could suddenly identify with what was being said about working in stimulating environments that enhance productivity and leave you feeling positive about your job when you clock off at the end of the day. I now work in one.
As a child, I would often watch Bond films and while everyone else was perfectly content to take in the action as it unfolded, I still had questions. How did a secret spy base, built into the side of a mountain, function on a day-to-day basis? Who kept these research facilities running so efficiently? (Yes, I genuinely asked these questions). And now I know! Facilities management is a massive and complex industry that is constantly evolving, so it’s been exciting to learn more about it and some of the great work our clients are doing. Coming from a background in interior design and, more recently, having run an international awards programme for interior design over the past four years, I’ve seen the front of house money-shots of some of the world’s most distinctive design spaces. What I’m now gaining at Magenta is a deeper understanding for how these incredible award-winning spaces truly function, and the logistical considerations and practices that keep them operating at the highest international standards. I’ve also been surprised at how technical the industry is becoming; efficiencies are being streamlined at an incredible rate thanks to technological developments that I hadn’t considered would have a place in the facilities industry.
I’m incredibly happy to have joined a proactive, supportive team at Magenta in a role that challenges me and allows me to work with so many talented and inspiring people. Starting a new job always brings with it questions from friends and family like “how’s the new job?”. I have no hesitation at all in answering, “it’s going really well, I’m so glad to have made this move”.
By Steve Penney.
