In her latest blog Joanne Garwood, Aggregates and Asphalt Managing Director, highlights FM Conway's commitment to combatting the skills shortage and encouraging more women into the construction industry.
Mobilisation, Momentum and the Power of Teamwork
Author: Saleha Khanom, Service Director (Westminster) FM Conway
Some people like to ease into their working day, I seem to have developed a slightly different approach.
At 6:30am, armed with a black coffee and what can only be described as an optimistic amount of enthusiasm, I was already deep into conversations about the mobilisation of what is set to be FM Conway’s biggest contract.
By 7:30am, I had already been involved in four team calls, responded to countless messages and worked my way through enough WhatsApp messages to rival a small novel. My brain is operating at full capacity, my phone was working overtime, and the day had barely begun.
For some people, that probably sounds exhausting. For me, it's genuinely exciting.
Not because of the early starts or the relentless pace, but because of the energy that comes from seeing people come together with a shared purpose.
Mobilisation is often viewed as a process driven by programmes, resources, procurement plans, operational requirements and detailed schedules. And whilst all of those things are important, they are only part of the picture.
At its heart, mobilisation is about people.
It's about bringing together individuals with different skills, experiences and perspectives and aligning them behind a common goal. It is about collaboration, partnership and creating an environment where people feel empowered to contribute, challenge, support and innovate.
As part of my visit, I was tasked with taking photographs of the site to capture and highlight the hard work being delivered by the team to complete the project.
As this mobilisation gathers momentum, one thing has become abundantly clear: the success of this contract will not be determined by any single individual or team.
It will be determined by everyone.
Every conversation matters.
Every idea matters.
Every challenge raised matters.
Every lesson learned matters.
From those planning behind the scenes to those delivering on the ground, from commercial teams and operational leads to the health and safety professionals, planners, support services and the front-line staff, each person plays a critical role in shaping the outcome.
Too often, the success of a project is measured by milestones achieved, programmes delivered and targets met. Whilst those things are important, the real measure of success is often found elsewhere.
It's found in the willingness of people to support one another.
It's found in the relationships built between teams.
It's found in the trust that develops through collaboration.
And it's found in the collective determination to solve problems and keep moving forward when challenges inevitably arise.
That is what I am seeing across this mobilisation.
The pace is fast.
The workload is significant.
The number of moving parts seems to increase by the hour.
And my phone has developed a habit of demanding attention at every possible moment.
Yet despite all of that, there is a tangible sense of positivity across the teams involved.
People are engaged.
People are committed.
People genuinely care about getting this right.
For me, that is what makes this so rewarding. Not the calls, the meetings or even the coffee. It's the opportunity to work alongside talented people who are passionate about what they do and who understand that the best results are achieved when we work together.
As we continue this journey, there will undoubtedly be challenges ahead. Mobilisation on this scale is never without its complexities. But if the enthusiasm, collaboration and commitment demonstrated so far are anything to go by, I have every confidence that we will meet those challenges head-on.
So, here's to the early starts, the busy days, the problem-solving conversations and the inevitable mountain of coffee cups.
Most importantly, here's to the people who are making this mobilisation happen. Because whilst contracts, systems and processes are important, it is people who truly make the difference.
And that's something worth celebrating.
Now, where’s that coffee?
