A facility manager is responsible primarily for the smooth running and maintenance of buildings and properties-from a corporate office to a hospital, school, or manufacturing plant. The responsibilities include managing day-to-day operations that comprise maintenance, budgets, and employee safety, generally including clients and visitors.Sign up for the Certified Healthcare Facility Manager (CHFM) course right away and make your skills even better while advancing your career in the ever-growing field of healthcare facility management.Here, we discuss the various competencies that are necessary for a facility manager and how they play an important role as assets in any organisation-hence emphasizing their importance in today's operations.
A facility manager must develop a combination of technical, human, and management skills to be success-oriented. These skills will ensure that the facility is adequately performing in accordance with safety standards, cost-efficiency standards, and environmental standards. Here are some of the basic skills to carry out:
The facilities manager must have knowledge of specified systems in the building such as HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems, and building maintenance. This basically gives an idea of how a facility manager identifies problems before they become significant and causes the efficient running of the building.
They are called facility managers responsible for supervising various renovations, equipment upgrades, or other projects within the facilities. In addition, the excellence of strong project management skills ensures that these projects are executed as scheduled and budgeted with nominal interruptions to operations in the facility.
Probably one of the major aspects in facility management is managing budgets for maintenance, repair, and operation costs. A facility manager needs to be resource-effective and understand how to negotiate with suppliers and keep spending limit while ensuring quality services are provided in facility management.
Facility managers should use sound problem Solving techniques to manage unexpected occurrences such as plumbing leaks and power failures. They should think clearly and often very quickly to minimise risks and possible disruptions to work.
Often, facility managers have a lot of maintenance employees, contractors, and vendors with whom they work. What is needed is strong leadership skills in delegation, quality assurance, and creating an overall collaborative environment.
It is a fact that in every opportunity given to a manager, time management becomes the topmost requirement though an additional instrument to any other responsibilities assigned to that manager. Without time management, the manager cannot perform those tasks with the requisite precision and efficiency.
A facility manager constantly works hard to make sure that all projects are done on time and with quality. As such, he has to acquire this skill to qualify as a true facility manager professional.
The facility manager has several tasks to do and responsibilities to bear. He needs to speak a lot with many people so he would constantly spend time with many people. It is only natural for things that would not really go according to plan but it has its work problems and various forms of pressure.
Hence, the facility manager must be well-suited to the pressure as it would remove any hurdles that stand in the way of progress and success as a facility manager.
Facility managers are the backbone of every organisation because they associate productivity, cost, and the entire working environment with that particular organisation. Some of the reasons why facility managers are relevant are as follows:
The facility manager would be responsible for ensuring that all systems and operations around buildings are properly functioning and no interruptions are experienced due to any failures. They will assist in keeping everything moving along by preventive maintenance scheduled and running equipment optimally while preparing for trouble issues before it becomes a crisis.
Facility managers will generally look into the operation cost of the organisation within the concern. They make sure that the energy consumption is as optimal as possible; they even help negotiate with service providers for better prices, and that the maintenance of the entire facility falls within the points of the budget allocated. This makes it easy to save the company money while keeping services and infrastructure quality at par.
Facility managers would also include an aspect of safety regulation documentation within the locality, with regard to the infrastructural standards required by the authorities defining people's safety. They are also in the midst of emergency protocols, fire drills, and building inspections to ensure that employees and visitors feel safe. Along with that, they are also updated about the latest legal requirements to help the organization avoid fines and liabilities.
A conducive environment that is safe and well-maintained goes a long way in morale boosting among employees, hence increased productivity. Facility managers ensure a comfortable work environment in terms of lighting, temperature controls, and general upkeep of buildings that directly translates to the satisfaction of the employees.
Increased business brings about necessary facility adaptation to accommodate the increase in the number of employees and the changing business requirements.
The role of a facility manager involves various tasks that include many responsibilities. Here are some of the major duties that a facility manager handles:
Includes regular inspections, repairs, and a preventive maintenance schedule on building systems such as HVAC, elevators, and plumbing. Ensures that everything is in working order to prevent costly breakdowns and ensure a safe working environment.
Facility managers optimise space in buildings. They ensure that spaces are put to use maximally, be it rearranging layouts or adding new technology, or even redesigning offices to meet the requirements of the company.
Facility managers have to deal with a lot of outside contractors, vendors, and service providers. They manage contracts, negotiate pricing, and make sure that vendors are delivering quality services according to the terms of the deal.
This is the last but not the least of the functions performed by a facility manager. They may adopt some strategies that save energy, such as improving insulation or adapting to energy-efficient lighting and HVAC improvement, to lower costs and reduce the impact on the environment.
In case of natural disasters, loss of power, or accidents, facility managers design and develop emergency procedures to follow. Also, they ensure that fire safety plans are well placed, and workers have been trained properly on how to execute those emergency procedures.
A Facilities Manager is one in charge of overall operations of the facility. She/he concentrates on strategic planning, budgeting, vendor management, and long-term improvements. Her/his job includes ensuring the facility serves quality operation, safety, and economy; usually including a reporting line preferably to the company CEO. A Facilities Supervisor, while, manages daily activities relating to the maintenance of the facility and supervision of staff and checks that the operations are carried out for instance repairs, cleaning, and security. The Facilities Manager would report to it directly with much more immediate, hands-on responsibilities.
Well, Facility Managers have a really wide spectrum of functions tasked with making a facility efficiently dedicated to safety and sustainability. These functions include the following, but are not limited to:
Maintenance Management: Ensure smooth running of building systems through care and repairs.
Space Planning and Utilisation: Allocating space efficiently while meeting organisational needs.
Budgeting and Financial Management: Ensuring that facility costs remain in line-the budgeting, tracking and finding savings sources minus sacrificing the service.
Vendor Management: Selection, negotiation, and contract management governing third party vendors and service providers.
Health and Safety Compliance: Facility compliance with safety laws while keeping occupants healthy and safe.
Facility Manager plays a defining role in the smooth, efficient, and safe management of a facility. He/she is the expert in maintenance, space, budgeting, and vendor relations. This place has been dignifying workplaces, and Facility Managers create a more productive, safer work environment for most organisations. It is the best paycheck they may enjoy one day within these organisations. The Facility Manager's role, however, is of utmost importance in making an organisation grow and become more dynamic, in line with changes and strategic objectives that would lead to sustainability. Get enrolled in professional training courses from British Academy for Training and Development to sharpen your skills and be a professional in facility management.