How we measure ourselves

I have always used the old adage "you can't measure you can't manage" This is especially relevant to BBC Worplace as we have to make the best use of the License Fee and demonstrate value for money. To do this we have used the services of IPD Occupiers over the past 7 years.

Ranging from the quarterly FM Seminars through to tracking the performance of our properties in relation to cost, space and effectiveness. IPD Occupiers approach in developing an industry standard in its Global Estate Measurement Standards (GEMS) has created a standard platform that occupiers can use as a common tool to benchmark and report on performance of its estate. Each of the codes (Cost, Environment, and Space) enable property teams to generate consistent and comparable performance information about their portfolio. There has long been a need for an instantly recognisable standard for Corporate Real Estate teams to report on their estate and IPD Occupiers provide this.

The latest standard that BBC Workplace been involved with and have endorsed is the Space Code. BBC Workplace has changed its financial reporting structure to mirror the Cost Code and saw the adoption of the Space Code as a logical progression in creating a consistent and balanced view of property performance. The nature of the BBC's business means that it has space that is not easily classified into standard categories of use and this in the past had led to a confusing and lengthy list of categories in the property management database. With the help of IPD Occupiers, BBC Workplace has re-classified our estates space to map that of the Space Code. The Code is flexible in that it recognises the specialist nature of specific occupiers and their need to track specific space use. The Code enables users to do this without creating a bespoke system that is incomparable to industry best practise. Further adoption of the Space Code will provide the industry with a much needed tool for standardising space data captured across an organisation, but also provide a clear direction to suppliers and advisors to work in a more consistent manner.