Penguin FM

Home
United Kingdom
Leeds
Penguin FM

Penguin Facilities Management provide a large range of services all around the UK, 24/7, 365 days a y

24/09/2026

"Are you ready to purchase curiosity? Or are you destined to purchase compliance?"

That's the question our latest podcast guest, Philippa Perryman, put to the FM industry, and it's one that's been sitting with us since we recorded.

For years, FM has been trying to earn a genuine seat at board level. Not just delivering, but shaping strategy, driving value, being part of the conversation before decisions are made rather than cleaning up after them.

But procurement still largely buys compliance. Boxes ticked, contracts signed, risk managed. Rarely curiosity. Rarely the kind of strategic thinking that actually moves a business forward.

Philippa's argument is that FM won't get taken seriously as a strategic partner until it starts positioning itself as one, not just in delivery, but in how it tells its own story, how it shows up in the room, and what it asks to be valued for.

It's a bigger conversation than one post can hold. We go deep on this, along with digital wellbeing, storytelling in FM, and why frontline teams behave more like squirrels than dominoes, on the latest episode of The Penguin Podcast with Philippa Perryman.

If you've ever felt like FM deserves more credit than it gets in the boardroom, this episode is for you.

🎧 Full episode live now on YouTube and Spotify.

https://youtu.be/NUWQ95rBXt8

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7vKFzmOOCdZIykXkIUaD6H?si=Squ4SLIeQbKl266BcuOiJQ

21/09/2026

Does FM have an identity problem?

That's the question our latest podcast guest put to us.

Philippa Perryman is the Director of Share3, a digital wellbeing studio working with FM clients, and the founder of The Bridge, a new quarterly debate series and magazine for the industry. She joined Mike to talk systems thinking, storytelling, and why FM often behaves less like an engineered process and more like a squirrel run.

In this episode:
- The three Ps of digital wellbeing: presence, purpose, progress
- Why compliance data is really a series of decisions, not just a checklist
- Turning administrative burden into something people actually value
- What FM can learn from an industry that struggles to tell its own story

New episode live. Stream on
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7vKFzmOOCdZIykXkIUaD6H?si=Squ4SLIeQbKl266BcuOiJQ
YouTube: https://youtu.be/NUWQ95rBXt8

18/09/2026

Happy Friday 🐧

Something we're extremely proud of at Penguin FM is that we have 100% retention rate. Client feedback means the world to us and it goes to show just how incredible our team of penguins are.

Some recent highlights include:
"We all love you for everything you do."
"A huge thanks for sorting the air con."
"MASSIVE thank you."
"A successful day for sure."

That's the team. That's the ethos. That's Penguin FM.

14/09/2026

We're finalists 🎉

Penguin FM has been shortlisted for Innovation in Technology & Systems (SME) at the 2026 Facilities Management Awards UK, for our AI Helpdesk Transformation with TYTEN.

Whatever we build, our people are the core of this business, and this recognition belongs to them. The transformation hasn't replaced anyone. It's freed our team up to do more of what they do best, and made us stronger for it.

Proud to be shortlisted and looking forward to celebrating with the team on the night.

Winners announced 25th September at the Park Plaza London Riverbank.

08/09/2026

🐧 We're Hiring: Facilities Management Help Desk Coordinator

Based in Leeds, this is a full-time, on-site role at the heart of how we deliver for our clients. You'll be the first point of contact for incoming helpdesk queries, coordinating maintenance, managing sub-contractors, and keeping things moving behind the scenes.

What you'll be doing:
- Supporting clients via phone, email and our CAFM system
- Setting up and managing supplier and sub-contractor accounts
- Handling scheduling, invoicing and budgeting support
- Recording property works and maintenance
- Making sure sub-contractors follow procedure and health & safety

What we're looking for:
- Strong communication and analytical skills
- Someone who stays calm under pressure and doesn't miss detail
- Experience in facilities, maintenance or property management is a bonus

£26,000 to £28,500 per annum.

If you like keeping things organised and want to be part of a team that genuinely cares about getting the job done properly, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply by sending your CV and a covering letter to [email protected]

04/09/2026

Ask most people what facilities management is, and you'll hear the same few answers...

Maintenance. Security. Someone to call when something breaks.

All true. But it's a fraction of the picture.

Behind the obvious stuff sits the work people rarely see: smart technology pulling live data from a building, compliance that keeps people safe and legal, sustainability built into how a site actually runs day to day.

Good FM is most of what keeps a building working, and most of it goes unnoticed. That's the job. When it's done well, you don't think about it at all.

What's the most underrated part of FM? Tell us in the comments.

02/09/2026

"You're not having AI work for you. You're working with it."

That's Jo, on how AI has changed things on the help desk.

Her team's seen 50 to 60% of the chasing paperwork lifted, the admin that used to eat into time before a job even started. Now it's handled in the background, freeing people up to focus on the actual conversation with the client and getting reactive and service jobs moving.

No hype, no big claims about AI replacing people. Just a practical tool doing the unglamorous work so the team can do theirs.

That's the kind of AI adoption we believe in.

31/08/2026

"If you've got that little bit of humour, it takes the anxiety away."

That's Jo, talking about what makes her help desk team click.

Help desk work in FM is high pressure by nature. Calls come in when something's already gone wrong, and the person on the other end needs it sorting ASAP.

Jo's approach: get the right mix of characters, let a bit of humour do its job, and back it all up with real listening, clear communication, and total honesty.

It's a simple formula. It just takes the right people to pull it off.

28/08/2026

The one you've all been waiting for... it's bloopers time 🤣

Our videos may look polished from the outside, but please know that our filming days are always fun and games.

Let the bloopers roll.

26/08/2026

The hardest part of scaling isn't hiring senior people. It's letting them lead.

We've brought more experienced people into positions of trust and management this year. Bringing them in was the easy part. Letting go was the challenge.

Not everyone solves a problem the way you would. And the instinct, when you hear something in the office that doesn't sound quite right, is to jump straight in and fix it.

But stepping in too early doesn't protect anyone. It just means they never get the chance to work it out themselves.

The real learning happens when people are allowed to struggle a little, in a safe environment, rather than always being caught before they fall.

That's been one of our biggest lessons this year. Empowering people properly means trusting the process, even when it feels uncomfortable.

Address

The Trilogy, 49A St Pauls Street
Leeds
LS12TE

Website

https://penguinfm.co.uk/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Penguin FM posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Penguin FM:

Want your business to be the top-listed Estate Agent/service in Leeds?