As a facility manager, you can do things to help your organization entice and retain talented employees. Don’t wait for HR to approach you about this, take the initiative to recommend these perks and demonstrate your value to the organization you work for. Of course you should make sure they are efficient and cost-effective like…
DetailsI recently did a benchmarking study for a client who was trying to rationalize their office space allocation standards while planning for a major relocation. The relocation would result In a lot of change for many employees currently in a mix of old furniture and no real standards in older leased space. The study was…
DetailsFacility Managers do a lot of things and sometimes those things get in the way of what they should be doing. They get re-directed by the latest trends and concepts and neglect to focus on the fundamental things that drive results and improve what we do. Instead of spending so much effort always responding immediately…
DetailsFacility Managers are always getting things done around their facility, whether its responding to a complaint, dealing with space issue, organizing a move, coordinating maintenance or delivering customer service. It almost feels like you are on a treadmill, moving ahead but never really getting to the end. It’s a fact of life in the Facilities…
DetailsEvaluating RFP proposal responses is a critical yet often painful process. You want enough information to evaluate the bidders, yet you get widely varying responses that don’t always answer your questions and sometimes don’t reflect their true capabilities. This makes it hard to evaluate.
While I deal with many Facilities clients who have little if any documented processes, policies and procedures, simply writing detailed documents isn’t the answer. Having them will definitely improve results, improve consistency, enable training and cross-training, make it easier for someone to fill in for an absence and provide a means of explaining / defending…
DetailsThe Facilities Management profession has come a long way, and modern management, leadership and business practices are required not only for you to service your organization well, but to also compete internally for scarce resources and demonstrate your value. Here are the features of a High Performing FM Department that if you aren’t already doing,…
DetailsThere are certain realities with implementing an IWMS / CAFM / CMMS system. I find that the right process is critical to success and is often overlooked. Here is what I recommend in a nutshell:
CMMS is a maintenance management system that keeps a computerized database of an organization’s planned and corrective maintenance information associated to facility equipment. It is used to generate, schedule and prioritize work orders for the maintenance staff, allowing them to perform periodic preventative activities. This allows facility managers to effectively execute their asset management strategy.…
DetailsFacility Management Outsourcing companies have expanded into huge organizations, managing large portfolios of facilities for small and large corporations with local and even international portfolios. There is a reason they are successful in getting the attention and the business from large sophisticated corporations who entrust them to manage their Facility assets. While their success is…
DetailsThere is nothing special about cleaning hard to reach windows with a pole system, and this looks pretty typical until you look closer. (see the full size image below) This is in the new and very beautiful Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar. I transited through the airport on my way from Kuala Lumpur where…
Details(First, my apologies to the Property Managers out there – your function and role is much clearer and has a much more obvious and measurable impact to your company) The demands of the job are intense, the stakes high and the credit often elusive, but we all know how important the job is and I…
DetailsI had a conversation recently with a client, the head of a large facilities department. We were talking about the difference between those who get involved and advance their knowledge and those who don’t. Which one do you think are more likely to get ahead in their careers and deliver results for their employers? It’s…
DetailsFor some reason. I’ve been seeing a lot of articles recently about using information for decision making. Some in our industry, but lots in other areas as well. What this confirms to me is that the Facility Management industry is a business function in addition to a technical or tactical function. The methods, approaches, skills…
DetailsI continue to talk to senior FM managers who have computerized maintenance management systems such as CAFM or CMMS installed – often installed before they arrived on the job – and they know they aren’t being used the way they are supposed to be used, if at all. Their organizations are sold on the systems…
DetailsAre you chasing best practices? While it’s fashionable, the problem is what to do when you catch those best practices. Do you implement them? Do you adapt them? Do you assess whether they will work for you? Do you learn why they are best practices? The notion of best practices is a good one, but…
DetailsWhy should you benchmark? Measuring results is the best way to improve what you are doing. Benchmarking is a form of measurement – where you measure against something else to see where you are lagging, identify the areas and take corrective action. Even if you think you are doing everything right, how do you know…
DetailsI’ve been on many building tours held through FM associations and while they are popular events for Facility Managers, often out-drawing the learning seminars, I think we often miss the most important thing about Facility tours and visits. Usually, the focus is on the architect’s vision, construction, materials, flexible furniture layouts, energy efficient elements and…
DetailsIf you are like most Property and Facility Managers, you are inundated with data and information on a daily basis yet not much of it helps you make decisions.
I recently had a coffee with a recruitment specialist who focuses on Facilities Management jobs. She confirmed my own observations – increasingly, companies are looking for Facility Management staff who have skills and knowledge beyond just technical. They are looking for Facility Managers (at all levels) with proven management, leadership and business skills, not just…
Details
