This was a big year for Okappy and we couldn’t be more proud of the product we’ve been working hard on over the last 3 ½ years! Reflecting upon our journey, we thought we’d share a review of how far we’ve come this year.

Improved Performance

On the technology side, 2018 has seen improvements to the reliability and performance of the system as usage has grown dramatically. Part of improving performance is understanding where the bottlenecks are.

Over the year we’ve implemented better monitoring so we can improve our understanding of the performance and reliability of the platform. This has allowed us to dramatically speed up certain aspects of the system and better handle large spikes in traffic. We’ve also implemented automated testing across the platform with over 1,000 tests now running each night!

New Developments

Highlights of the features and improvements we’ve rolled out this year include:

• The ability to link jobs
• A more in-depth auditing to the system
• Improvements to reporting functionality
• Enhancements to search throughout the platform
• Improvements to the calendar and scheduling
• Improvements to the performance of the iOS app when in poor network conditions
• Enhancements to Android app for more consistency with the iOS app

Over the next quarter we’re planning to work on the following:

• Optimising our onboarding through the website and apps
• Allowing customers to add/edit their own templates
• Enhancing invoicing, calendar and scheduler
• Improving location functionality within our apps
• Improving performance across the platform
• Automating and promoting referrals

Thought Leaders

This year we’ve been invited to give over 8 seminars to industry leaders on how companies can adapt to the changing world of work. This included speaking at UK Construction Week and being shortlisted to speak at the Mayor of London’s TechInvest event for smart city technologies. We were also selected to be on the innovation trail at UK Construction Week. This year we’ve more than doubled our social media following and continue to generate interest across the Trades media.

Out and About

This year we attended 4 trade shows including the Facilities Management show at Excel, Construction Week at the NEC, Drain Trader show in Glasgow and HVAC show at Excel. These shows were a great opportunity to meet with industry leading companies and raise awareness of how Okappy is helping businesses to better collaborate.

In the Press

We’ve received a lot of coverage in the Trades press over the past year and have also taken part in a number of marketing collaborations with other businesses. We’d like to thank FM World, FMJ, Drain Trader, ThisWeekinFM, iOffice, Elevation Magazine and UK Construction Week for their support and promotion of our core work.

Seeing Our Customers Thrive

It has been very heartwarming to see our efforts reap benefits for customers. We have received a number of reviews from customers who have really benefited from the system. Here is a selection of our favourites…

“This app is superb, it’s changed the way my business operates. I run a building and maintenance firm. It has saved us a lot of time and money in the past 9 months. I can’t rate it highly enough. The support is also very good.” – Leo, Director LA Rosser Ltd.

“Okappy has reduced the amount of paperwork by about 90% and, on an even better note, it has reduced my workload by about 80% as a Service Manager who manages multiple engineers… The Okappy system has improved the service we provide whilst helping to make us super efficient and provide the best service for our customers.” – Lee, Services Manager at BEC Security Perimeter.

“With Okappy, we now collaborate in a whole new way! We get the job done far more efficiently than we’ve ever been able to, which has had a real positive impact.” – Anthony, Director of Convert Water Ltd.

“We can always see what is going on with each job at a glance. We get job information back straight away but I always have the option to change it if I need to.” – Mark, Managing Director, Maclin Pumps.

“Okappy helps us build better relationships in the industry. It’s not just job management, but a network to connect with our employees, customers and subcontractors!” – Kris, Director of MW Lifts Services Ltd.

The A-Team

And, of course, none of this would be possible without the hard work of team Okappy behind the scenes! This year the team has really grown. Earlier in the year we welcomed Joe who has been leading on the Sales front and  Zeeshan whose wealth of expertise on frontend development has helped us accelerate building a software we are truly proud of. We’ve also had a number of interns and short term employees including Noah who helped us work on our API and Ren who worked across testing.

Not only do we feel we have the right balance of creativity, technical know-how and fine-tuned business acumen, but a group of people who share the common goal of creating a product that really helps improve people’s working lives. We believe we have an opportunity to help millions of companies around the world collaborate and communicate in a better way. So on that note, we wish you all a happy new year and look forward to what 2019 has in store!

To end, here is a selection of some of our personal highlights and lowlights from the year…

Robin, iOS Guru 

“My low points involved

unnecessary anger

upsetting people

My highest point was

getting a sneaky haiku

onto the app store”

Joe, Chatty Sales Guy 

“My lowest point was when I gave myself whiplash whilst I flung my bag over my shoulder running for the train in my excitement to get to work. But the high point was that I found a good Osteopath…”

Naomi, Artsy Fartsy Person 

“My highlight involved working closely with Joe to work out the perfect coffee blend for our coffee breaks. My lowest moment was one day when the office manager announced there was no more coffee… we really lost the plot that day (a bit like this).”

Zeeshan, Frontend Dude 

“My highlight was speaking at a Raspberry Pi Conference about importance of AI and presenting a Raspberry based solution for loading bays at busy industrial units. My lowlight was sticking my car’s wing mirrors with scotch tape after motorcyclists broke both of them and I did not have time to go get replacements. Mind you, this could easily be a highlight as three months on, the scotch tape is holding strong.”

Richard, Everyone’s Boss 

“My low point was getting Robin angry when I noticed he posted a haiku onto the app store. My high point was seeing the look on Naomi and Gerry’s faces when they realised that Joe spent more time doing his hair in the morning than they did.”

Leave your email below to stay up to date with our latest tips, tricks and trends on all things business!

First Name:

 

Last Name: *

 

Email:

 

Submit

 

The mental health conversation has come to the forefront, and it’s about time! We discuss how the Facilities Management Industry can tackle issues of mental health in the workplace. 

Every year, approximately one in four people in the United Kingdom will experience a mental health problem. Roughly, 13,000,000 adults will suffer – often in silence –  afraid of the stigma that is attached to this complex issue. While still a taboo inducing topic, it is becoming more openly discussed, and recent research has revealed the depths of how poor mental health is affecting the facilities management industry today.

According to figures, 64 per cent of construction workers have claimed they want better physical and mental wellbeing support from their employers and nearly 400,000 worker-days are lost every year due to poor mental health. Research has also uncovered that male site workers in construction are three times more likely to die by suicide than the average UK man.

There is an evident lack of support for workers in the facilities management industry which is affecting not only their wellbeing but also productivity and effectiveness. Most businesses spend a sizeable amount of budget, time and effort guaranteeing the satisfaction of customers, so why wouldn’t they afford the same consideration to employees?

Guaranteeing employees are satisfied assures a longer tenure and fewer resources invested in recruiting. With the increase of mental health officers being appointed in the construction industry, it is essential to understand that employee wellness goes beyond typical health benefits. Companies must go all-in and foster a work environment committed to long-term employee wellbeing, making it easier to attract better workers, increase employee retention and nurture company loyalty.

However, despite mental health becoming an increasingly discussed topic, it is still one that proves challenging to tackle. 31 per cent of building engineering firms find on-site mental health issues “hard to manage” while CIPD research data indicates that the number of people saying they have experienced mental health issues while in employment has increased from a quarter to a third from 2011 to 2016.

The industry would greatly benefit from more transparency and an open channel of communication. A common source of angst for workers today is feeling like they cannot achieve a satisfactory work-life balance.

Mobility has the incredible potential to encourage a more direct level of communication and a more flexible workspace. When workers are not restricted to a physical space, and technology is used to streamline what used to be a long, chaotic process, it becomes a lot easier to achieve the work-life balance that many desire.

Job management apps can support workers’ wellbeing by improving efficiency and reducing stress. With apps that are location tracked it is possible for employers to monitor team members and identify any unusual behaviour, helping keep everyone safe. In addition, it is possible to follow when workers are being more efficient and based on that information, create a more time-effective scheme.

It is also critical, however, that employers support clear “off” times where employees can unplug and recentre, which can be achieved by encouraging small pauses during work hours. These could be in the form of lunch breaks, “brain breaks” but also equally important, taking time off work – and remaining genuinely disconnected. Incorporating relaxation into the daily routine as opposed to promoting it as a reward is key.

While mobility supports a flexible workspace, employees can feel more inclined to keep working at all times and in all places. The capacity of working from a mobile device creates an environment where workers are expected to respond to emails and resolve issues during non-work hours, leading to unhealthy expectations and a veiled obligation of always being available.

Other actions that can be taken to guarantee a happier, more motivated workforce include providing workplace therapy, creating “safe spaces” and making sure HR is working for the best interest of the workers. Emma Dallimore, facilities manager at Hull and East Yorkshire Min, has invested in a quiet area room which staff can use for up to half an hour to sit and think, catch up on emails or make a call.

Modern technology – when used with discernment – can allow workers to do less without affecting the quality of the outcome. Communication tools, such as real-time job management applications, automate processes so employers can spend more time and energy focused on the more human-related aspects of the job. As a result, workers will experience better mental clarity, and fewer instances of stress, anxiety and depression.

Leave your email below to stay up to date with our latest tips, tricks and trends on all things business?

In early April 2018 UK based companies with 250 employees or more were required to submit their Gender Pay gap reports. This new governmental regulation aims to reduce inequality in the workplace and improve overall attitudes to transparency surrounding salaries and pay.

In early April 2018 UK based companies with 250 employees or more were required to submit their Gender Pay gap reports. Over 10,000 businesses have now submitted their information, many of which were submitted in the last week before the deadline. The reports reveal how many companies have a gender pay gap and to what degree. This new governmental regulation aims to reduce inequality in the workplace and improve overall attitudes to transparency surrounding salaries and pay.
One of the most reported figures was the ‘median pay gap’ in companies. The median pay gap compares salaries of the middle earning woman and man. This represents arguably one of the fairest ways to look at pay gaps, because it is not an average – simply a comparison. However, all the data has flaws and some companies have debated whether hourly pay would be a fairer way to examine salaries.

Gender Pay Gap Revealed

From all the data submitted, the two sectors with the highest pay gap are construction and finance. With just 44 of 743 firms in these two sectors reported to have paid women more than they paid men. What this shows us is that there are substantially more men clustered at the top rungs of these companies receiving higher pay. Women seem to occupy a large amount of the lower percentiles of earning in construction companies, whilst men take the higher earning positions. It is this trend that we need to question and change.
Construction is one of the worst ranking sectors, with women paid on average 38% less than men. It is important to note here that this is not women being paid less than men for the same work. The equal pay act was passed in 1970, but this data shows that there is still a clear divide. The country-wide average figure for the gap is 19%, meaning that construction is nearly double the UK-wide average.
So how will reporting these, frankly dire, figures make steps to improve the situation? The aim of the initiative is to encourage change by shedding light on these statistics. For many companies this may make executives and employers take a step back and look at how balanced their workplace is, particularly in roles with higher salaries. They may want to examine their workplace culture and how they could encourage women to work towards roles higher up in their companies.

A Catalyst For Change

The pay gap is not simply about employing more women in the workplace. The pay gap reporting should be the catalyst for change in businesses across the UK. Changing attitudes is one step towards solving the issues surrounding gender equality. Gender role expectations have come a long way since the Nuclear Family of the 1950’s. But, we must also examine our expectations and understandings of gender in the workplace. Women’s role in society has changed drastically over the last few decades and workplaces must change to reflect this.
Looking back on the history of the construction industry, it has long been a field dominated by men. However, we are in a time of change and bringing more women into the construction sector leads to new ideas and new approaches in a time when the sector desperately needs to embrace a new way of thinking.

How Can the Construction Industry Be More Inclusive?

Solutions:

• Expectations are arguably what needs to change the most in the environment of construction. We have lived for decades in a society that expected employees to be at their workplace from 9-5 daily (or longer) and this is only something that is recently starting to change with a more decentralised and diverse workforce.

• Flexible working is a great way to work with more female employees who do undertake childcare or other caretaking duties. This also allows fathers to split childcare with their partners; so it benefits everyone involved in a company with children. Working remotely is a great solution to employees who cannot be at their desk or on site all the hours that the job demands but, can easily work from home or elsewhere.

• Embracing new technology can not only help you to better accommodate staff and improve diversity, but also to improve collaborative work practises and increase efficiency.

Moving forward

Combatting the gender pay gap in the construction industry will involve many small steps to eventually achieve a bigger change. Altering workplace expectations is one of the major ways to make a positive change in your work environment. But much beyond this, it is about a broader understanding and questioning of the issues surrounding the gender pay gap. Why haven’t women been included and embraced to work in the construction sector? And what are the ways that this field should change to accommodate them?
Technology can offer some great solutions and this is another way to move your business forward against competitors, whilst embracing new ways of working. Create a workplace with a forward thinking approach and your employees will also adopt this – becoming forerunners of their field.  

 

Leave your email below to stay up to date with our latest tips, tricks and trends on all things business?

First Name:

 

Last Name: *

 

Email:

 

Submit