What does integrated facilities management mean?

 

Irrespective of the industry your business is in, a majority of businesses need Facility Management (FM) in some capacity.  In some firms, facility management requires an entire team of seasoned professionals.  In other companies, it may only be one or two individuals assigned with managing facility issues – and they may not even have any work experience in managing facilities.

Those who manage facilities look after a wide range of tasks that keep work environments operational.  These tasks are categorized in various categories, some of which are completely unconnected to one another.  From HVAC to coffee & beverage services, and building security to turning green – all of these tasks require a large opportunity of skills from the people that look after these projects and functions.

All of these tasks can place an unnecessary burden on employees, particularly those who only manage facility matters as just one part of their typical workload.  This is where Integrated Facility Management (IFM) emerges.

What is Integrated Facilities Management?

Integrated Facility Management (IFM) refers to the process of combining all of your business’s facility services and functions under a single team of experts.  This rationalizes communication and decision-making between business handlers and facility managers to augment the efficiency of your building(s) and make regular operations much easier.

The objectives of IFM

The major objectives that come under the purview of Integrated Facilities Management are:

·        developingcomfy, attractive spaces where professionals and customers want to be

·        adhering to government and industry regulations and standards

·        protecting the quality and maintenance of your systems and equipment, safeguarding them as investments

·        ensuring the safety of your workers

·        increasing productivity of employees and the facility itself

What are the benefits of IFM?

The benefits of integrated facilities management mirror the benefits of integrating operations in other industries. Some of these benefits include:

reduction in operating costs. This is often seen as extra costs linked with multiple service providers arecontrolled by moving to a single contract, simplifying facilities management.

Help with project management and change management. New systems are developed and launched regularly, and outsourcing puts the benefits of the latest technology and resources in the hands of Facilities Managers immediately. In fact, integrated facilities management can result in great savings in the adoption of latest technology.

Implementation of best practices and innovative techniques, such as using Lean Six Sigma principles in making facilities management decisions to control risk and take advantage of opportunities as they become available.

Better competition and access to field service vendors at a competitive cost. Outsourcing and integrating facilities management serves as a check on supplier pricing, ensuring Facilities Managers can work with narrowing budgets.

In order to get the best results out of your investment and time, it is widely recommended to choose a reputed facility management company that can take a customized approach to facility management at your organization. There are hundreds of companies operating the region that offer a wide range of packages that can match the varying budgets of different companies. The Internet could come out as a reliable and powerful way to conduct this research. So, do it today and get a properly management facility in an effective and cost-effective way.