What are the Challenges Faced by Facility Managers

By Apac CIO Outlook | Wednesday, August 05, 2020

A facility manager should be capable of managing people, the place, and the processes that make up a modern facility. It is essential to understand these factors to be able to apply the most efficient and effective ways to stay on top of facility management

Fremont, CA: Facility management is a delicate and complicated process that can be very demanding at times. A facility manager should be capable of managing people, the place, and the processes that make up a modern facility. It is essential to understand these factors to be able to apply the most efficient and effective ways to stay on top of facility management. The situation can become even more complicated when facility managers have to prepare for an external situation that is beyond their control, like the current COVID-19 pandemic. Here are a few of the challenges faced by facility managers regularly.

Stakeholder Management

Facility managers are in control of the estate and decide the progress of the property. As a result, their leadership qualities are tested daily. The impact of their soft skills on the success of the facility is almost equal to their technical skills because they must manage different sets of people, like the people that directly help them run the property, manage the expectations of people that use the facility, and communicate effectively with all parties. Considering the current pandemic situation, it is essential to have fast, effective, and a trusted means of communicating with staff, occupants, and other stakeholders to ensure that everyone is updated about any decisions taken by the facility manager and whether they are required to take any actions on their part. Consider a variety of channels such as intranet or internet information pages with Q&A sections and informative posters within the premises.

Asset Maintenance

Regardless of the size of the organization, there is significant pressure on facility managers when a valuable asset breaks down. Experienced facility managers have learned to take proactive measures to minimize equipment failure by regularly monitoring equipment maintenance through annual and monthly maintenance plans as well as following the best building maintenance practices. The added pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic has made the challenge even more demanding. The highly contagious nature of the virus means facility managers have to now put all their effort into preventing any operational problems for equipment. They need to be alert and take all precautions to prevent the virus from entering the premises.