A Brief Guide to Facility Management

All of us enjoy goodfacility management on a daily basis. Facilities Management (FM) consists of all modalities going on behind the scenes to ensure a safe, productive, and comfortable physical environment for people to live and work in, all in a cost-effective and sustainable mode.
Most people associate the term ‘facility’ with factories, office buildings, or huge industrial settings. However, facility implies more than these- it includes shopping malls, schools, gyms, casinos, hotels, churches, etc.

Scope of Facility Management

FM consists of a broad range of activities. The following are the major areas of FM:
  • Project management: It ensures successful implementation of processes and taking steps to deal with concerns.
  • Communications management: This involves getting information across in a prompt fashion so that all are on one page regarding what tasks are required to be done, how these are to be done and when these must be completed.
  • Ergonomics and the human factor: this is the task to define and maintain reasonable standards of comfort, including noise, temperature, sitting standards, visual cues, etc.
  • Safety management: One must ensure compliance with instructions for amenities, installations, and services to avoid disastrous incidents.
  • Cost management: It is not possible to run a facility with an unlimited budget, and FM includes running all activities in a cost-effective mode.
Types
Facilities management solutions can be distinguished into Soft Facilities Management (SFM) and Hard Facilities Management (HFM).
The aspects of HFM include elements of Infrastructure and Space like:
  • Maintenance of plumbing system
  • Maintenance of HVAC and lighting systems
  • Compliance with regulations of fire safety
  • maintenance of electrical and mechanical systems
  • Structural maintenance.
Aspects of SFM include elements of organization and people like:
  • Management of waste
  • Cleaning services
  • Space planning
  • Landscaping
  • Pest control
  • Security of building
Developing FM action plans
Though they are entrusted with the management of physical assets in the workplace, FM professionals also have to handle process development. The umbrella of FM covers processes such as evaluating vendors, strategizing moves and submitting requests for maintenance.
Action processes and plans are crucial for a company as it impacts the workflow. It is not sufficient to offer workspace for workers- there must be activities, rules, and actions to ensure the meeting of requirements. These may differ in scope, ranging from repairing a computer to handling emergency procedures.
Top traits of FM professionals
The responsibilities of FM professionals are growing fast. Great professionals offer diverse skills to the arena and devote their talents to do problem-solving and anticipating the needs of the workplace.
The following are some necessary traits of FM professionals:
  • Good structure and organization management
  • Leadership and project management skills
  • Creative and problem-solving skills
  • Abilities to liaison
  • Skills of identifying and handling risks
  • Attention to detail and quality control.
Attention to industry evolution
FM is a career that is always evolving, especially in current times in contrast to yore. The ideal way for FM professionals to keep pace is by paying close attention to the requirements of facilities and the people using them. The way in which people work and their demands result in certain trends in FM. It is up to the FM professional to measure, adapt and optimize trends.
These are all top facts about Facility Management.

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