Facilities management aims to provide efficient and effective services to a company that needs their assistance. The role of a facilities manager is to oversee day-to-day tasks and employee operations. They work together with employees to create systems that assist in making it easier for them to go about their daily work. Click the link here to learn more about the importance of facilities management and how it can support your business.
What is the Importance of Facilities Management to a Business?
With hundreds of things to think about when running a business, it simply isn’t possible for you to do everything. A facilities manager can make sure everything is running smoothly, without any issues. When a problem arises, an experienced facilities manager can jump into action and handle the issue. This is why having a facilities manager is so important; they know of common issues that can occur in the workplace and how to resolve them quickly and efficiently. The outcome might have been very different if you had a regular employee handling the matter or tried to do it yourself.
How Can Facilities Management Assist Your Business?
Planning for the Future
Office facilities management will help to set long-term and short-term goals for your business. They will then put in place plans and processes to help your business reach those goals. For example, if your facilities manager sets a goal to increase productivity, they might require your employees to complete a minimum number of files a day. They may then make use of software to track the status of your employees’ files. A good facilities manager will also be confident using BIM, which can help your company to cut costs and plan for the future.
Manage Day-to-Day Operations
Your facilities manager will oversee the day-to-day operations. This could be through coordinating arrangements, facilitating moves, ordering stock and managing deliveries. To support your employees’ everyday activities, your facilities manager will also minimise disruptions as far as possible. This could take the form of your manager supervising contractors, so there are minimal distractions and planning renovations around office hours. This is especially useful during peak hours when there is significant traffic in and out of the office. This will lead to your company having greater operational efficiency, as day-to-day issues won’t slow down operations within your business.
Health and Safety
A good facilities manager will also carry out frequent health and safety assessments to reduce the risk of workplace hazards. They will also handle any on-site emergencies and carry out frequent workplace audits. These include electrical inspections, gas and heating services, and fire safety. It is far better to take a proactive approach towards such cases than a reactive one, where procedures are put in place only after an incident has occurred. A proactive approach in facilities management would be putting several Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in place to avoid any confusion when a situation arises.
While risk cannot be eliminated entirely in any workplace, regular health and safety audits will lower injury incidents and comply with existing safety regulations. As a result of these programmes, a culture of health and safety will be fostered in your workplace. Your employees will have greater peace of mind, allowing them to focus entirely on their work without any concern for safety hazards.
Repairs and Maintenance
Similar to providing assistance with health and safety, facility managers also ensure your businesses’ equipment and machinery are functioning at full capacity. This ensures your company is producing at optimal levels and is not hindered by old, inefficient hardware. Facilities management will also ensure your building meets any legal requirements, and they will prevent unauthorised access.
Regular maintenance of buildings could include assessing electrical wiring conditions within the office building and determining if repairs are needed. Facilities managers are also in charge of maintaining hygiene standards. This includes the disposal of waste, sanitisation of the office building and regularly scheduled cleaning. These are tasks that are often overlooked by employees, but are essential for keeping your building compliant with health and safety standards.
Ensure Full Compliance
Lastly, facilities managers will make sure your business activities comply with the law and that your building is following all necessary health and safety regulations. This can include ensuring all of your permits are up to date and preventing equipment from malfunctioning. Office facilities management will also make sure your business complies with all anti-discrimination laws and human resource-related regulations. All of these can reduce hefty fines and issues that may occur in the future if they are left unattended.
Clear Choice can assist with facilities management services and offer a solution to fit your company’s needs. Don’t hesitate to contact Clear Choice today for more information or to understand how this solution could assist your business.
Reference video: Facilities Management Association NZ
