Why engineering excellence requires a people-first mindset

Joanna Harris MSc is Head of Technical Services for Sodexo UK&I and a recognised industry leader. She is lead author of an ‘FM Bible’ CIBSE’s Guide M Maintenance Engineering and Management and Vice Chair of the CIBSE FM group, winner of the BCIA Outstanding Contribution Award and a passionate advocate for diversity in engineering. She explains how engineering-led disciplines support a great workplace experience by forging closer connections between occupants and building operations.

From the age of 16, I’ve worked in technical roles. I started out as a maintenance apprentice, into FM operations and spent 14 years in consultancy, authoring industry best practice guidance and British Standards for FM before joining Sodexo in 2020. Even though I work at the technical end of FM, I take a people-first approach. Every day, I see how decisions made during design, construction, or refurbishment affect not just building compliance and efficiency but also occupant wellbeing and productivity. And I see how earlier technical engagement in construction projects could have improved it all.

This disconnect between buildings and people is a long-standing issue, and as an engineer: I’m interested in the fix. I have volunteered on industry groups for 20 years and have twice worked with industry colleagues to update Guide M, the maintenance engineering and management ‘bible’ published by the Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) to pass on the operational FM knowledge to the construction designers and contractors.