Facilities management is critical in seamlessly operating any organisation's physical space. From keeping the lights on to ensuring proper maintenance and promoting a safe workplace, facilities management teams are many successful companies' unsung heroes behind the scenes. However, managing the moving parts can become daunting when dealing with multiple vendors, contractors, and workers.
It's common for facilities management to start as a disjointed collection of internal strategies and external contracts, with teams working in silos without a cohesive vision or workflow. As operations grow and evolve, it becomes clear that a better solution is needed to manage such a complex and vital aspect of running a business. And that solution is fully integrated facilities management.
In this blog, we'll explore the various aspects of integrated facilities management, from better coordination and communication to vendor selection and performance management.
How do we Define Integrated Facilities Management?
Integrated facilities management is a comprehensive approach to facility management that unites all departments, vendors, and suppliers under a single, streamlined system. It simplifies day-to-day operations by creating a unified flow chart that provides better oversight, communication, and efficiency. The result is a more cohesive team that can more effectively and efficiently meet the organisation's needs.
However, integrating all the necessary facilities management components is a significant feat. It requires a deep understanding of each team's unique workflows and requirements and a grasp of the larger organisation's goals and objectives. Success requires technical and interpersonal skills and a commitment to transparency, collaboration, and continual improvement.
What’s the Best Way to Start with Integrated Facilities Management?
Integrated Facilities Management (IFM) is a comprehensive approach encompassing a wide range of services designed to maintain and enhance the facility. These services include maintenance, cleaning, security, catering, and more.
It is a complex process that requires careful planning, organisation, and execution. Getting started with IFM requires a clear understanding of the goals and objectives of the organisation, as well as a deep understanding of the facilities that need to be managed. Here are some tips on the best way to get started with IFM:
1. Assess Your Current Facilities Management Structure — Assessing your current facilities management structure is the initial step in implementing an Integrated Facilities Management (IFM) approach. This will help you recognise the areas where multiple departments overlap and aid you in determining which areas should be given priority for integration.
2. Identify Which Services Should Be Brought In-House — To move towards integrated facilities management (IFM), the next step is determining which facilities management services should be performed in-house. You should consider factors like the frequency, volume, and specialised nature of the services required. For instance, services such as cleaning crews and landscaping may be more efficiently managed in-house, as this would provide better control, cost savings, and employee management.
3. Determine Which Services Should Be Outsourced — Some services may be better outsourced to external vendors. Examples of outsourced services may include security, pest control, and specialised maintenance such as HVAC and plumbing services. Outsourcing these services is beneficial because it reduces the cost of investing in specialised equipment and labour required for the job.
4. Consolidate Your Facilities Management Team — Consolidating services and bringing your maintenance team under one department can be the first step towards achieving an Integrated Facilities Management (IFM) approach. This initiative can help you pool resources, consolidate job roles, and optimise work processes. As a result, staffing becomes more efficient, and you can save costs by reducing duplication in the workforce.
5. Adopt a Facilities Management Software — After consolidating your facilities management function, the next crucial step is to adopt facilities management software. The software should have features enabling you to track and manage all aspects of the maintenance process, from service requests and work orders to equipment and asset management. Moreover, it will offer you the necessary visibility into cost savings and asset management.
What are the Advantages of Integrated Facilities Management?
Integrated facilities management can be a valuable asset to facilities teams and operations, offering a range of benefits that can help to optimise your operations and improve efficiency. We’ve listed down some of the benefits of IFM:
- Streamlined processes — Consolidating maintenance needs, vendor management, and services under one umbrella leads to a more strategic approach to facility management. With a clear view of day-to-day management and the ability to handle more extensive projects, managers can align tasks with current maintenance workflows. This transparency and focus enable leaders to move teams where needed most without decreasing productivity.
- Improved focus and transparency — Without the focus and transparency that integrated facilities management provides, a maintenance team may encounter problems. The ability to plan, know, and see all events on a maintenance schedule provides structure and agility. With an all-encompassing view of available teams, maintenance, and work tasks, managers can better define the responsibilities that need to be accomplished.
- Reducing costs — Integrated facilities management can lower costs due to total work, crew, and departmental views. With better efficiency in spending, managers can immediately spot when budgets are amiss and correct them quickly to align crew better work assignments and performance. Additionally, consolidating the maintenance budget under one department can simplify budget management and help with outsourcing facilities management.
- Vendor management — Managing vendors can be a difficult task. Integrated facilities management eliminates paperwork by streamlining processes into single-service contractual arrangements based on facility needs. This approach leads to informed negotiations and leveraged agreements that benefit an organisation's workplace strategy, operational efficiency, and business plan.
- Improved productivity — Most internal teams have duplication, redundancy, and double coverage due to a lack of a manager or department's vision to see how crews respond to and perform work and maintenance. Integrated facility management encourages better productivity by providing a departmental view of activities, which can be tracked and managed to enhance the organisation's efficiency.
How Mind That Helps Maximise IFM
In summary, integrated facilities management is a comprehensive approach to facility management that promises greater oversight, communication and efficiency. It requires a dedicated team willing to work together towards common goals, promoting transparency and collaboration.
Choosing the right system for your organisation is vital to maximise its benefits. To this end, Mind That Facility can provide an integrated solution tailored to stakeholders’ needs, facilitating the organisation’s day-to-day operations and long-term objectives.
Mind That Facility enables organisations to set the standard for success with features that will help integrate aspects of your organisation’s facilities management procedures. Take the first step today and invest in your organisation’s future with Mind That Facility.
