For the majority of organizations, the buildings they operate from represent one of their greatest corporate assets and, after staff, one of their largest operational costs. Today’s facilities management market offers innumerable solutions. Some organizations use a mix of delivery solutions including in-house teams and single-service suppliers. Others outsource some services to a contractor while handling the rest in-house. Alternatively, the whole real estate and facilities management function may be outsourced through a total facilities management contract, ideally (but not necessarily) supervised in-house by a specialist manager acting as the informed client. Adopting the right approach is crucial.
The new RICS global guidance note ‘Managing facilities to enhance organizational performance’, which will be released on November 6, 2013 provides a route-map for practitioners of the processes, assisting both large and small organizations in aligning business and facilities strategies and plans, together with managing service delivery and reviewing performance.
The note has been produced in collaboration with BIFM, IFMA and CoreNet Global, recognizing that the facilities management sector is populated by a wide range of professionals from a variety of different backgrounds, many of whom have come to the profession with experience in the construction and servicing of buildings.
It is hoped that the publication will help in drawing together the facilities management ‘community’ which is already benefiting from a more holistic approach to many issues affecting the sector. In particular, the more integrated and collaborative approach to education and training is a considerable benefit to the sector in helping aspiring facilities managers to pick the most appropriate training route.
The note provides practitioners with operational pointers to best practice in the management of facilities while exploring the depth of the facilities management discipline and the advantages to organizations and is relevant to clients, consultants and service providers. It also highlights the roadmap towards best practice, emphasizing those issues which the facilities team should be considering in managing their portfolio of accommodation and its servicing.
Author of the guidance, Alan D White BSc FRICS, member of the RICS Commercial Occupier Group and the Public Sector Executive Group, stated: “Irrespective of size, and whether in the private or public sector, the aim should be to manage facilities to enable organizations to better achieve their operational objectives. It is here that the facilities manager holds the key to organizational performance. There is the potential to add value by facilitating increased productivity from a satisfied and comfortable workforce, enhancing customer experience and, by controlling costs through the efficient management of the accommodation, improving overall operational performance.”
Links to specific reference to practice, experience and sources of information throughout the RICS world regions is also included.
The document will be available for download from rics.org/knowledge.
About RICS
RICS is an independent professional body originally established in the UK by Royal Charter. Since 1868, RICS has been committed to setting and upholding the highest standards of excellence and integrity–providing impartial, authoritative advice on key issues affecting both businesses and society. Based in Brussels since 1993, RICS Europe is the continental European headquarters of RICS and has offices and staff all around continental Europe. RICS Europe is growing fast in all European countries, from Germany to Russia, Central and Eastern Europe to the Nordic region, and from the Baltics to Turkey.
