Defining Facilities Management

Facility management is taking care of the assets of the organization, e.g., building, estates, which refers to both the physical product and services.  The services can be classified into hard and soft services.  An example of hard service is taking care of an equipment while soft services can be janitorial, security, custodial, reception, etc.  Sometimes facility management is also called property management especially when talking about commercial properties of which its complexity is maintained by a computer system.  Facility management ensures functionality of the environment through the management of people, place, technology and processes. (IFMA) 


Facilities management is a strategy and it must be undertaken using appropriate techniques and tools, and by following through these three stages - analysis, solution and implementation.  These are essential in producing an effective strategy for the management and maintenance of facilities. 
Upon completion, the facilities management strategy should continue to become an essential part of the strategic and operating plans of the organization and should incorporate the business processes, financial objectives, goals, technical issues, etc. 
The organization must give importance to facilities management and must treat it as a starting point of its accommodating strategy. 
Decision making is based on the concept that change is a constant feature in the workplace and a requirement for success in the organization.  Therefore, facilities management has to overcome a wide range of issues that might hinder the success of the core business of the organization. 
The emergence of ICT and the integration of technology onto buildings is an implication that facilities management and its strategies must be connected to the ICT strategy and business strategy of the organization  (Atkin, Brooks 2009). 



The role of the facility management is to be able to oversee and manage a safe, secure, and sound operations and...