To help maintain the smooth running of your office, here are 6 important questions you should be asking your facility management team:
1. Are the systems and processes up-to-date?
Your facilities manager holds the key to the backbone of your office and physical working environment.
It is essential that all the methods and processes used for maintaining your business premises are up-to-date to facilitate a productive and efficient workplace.
Your facilities management team should always have an eye on the latest technologies relating to your business and surroundings.
Upgraded systems could also save your organisation money, as well as other efficiencies, including environmental benefits.
And it goes without saying that they must be aware of, and adhere to, codes of best practice.
2. Have you got all the information?
Analytics and system-tracking are standard practices for facilities managers in the workplace.
However, interpreting the data and ensuring that you’re monitoring the correct things is key to maintaining your safety and to making progress.
Request a monthly update on the facilities processes in order to keep on the pulse and highlight issues.
3. What are the immediate issues we face?
Your facilities manager should have the data and knowledge to help flag problems in the workplace.
Do they have an in-depth understanding of your business to know what issues to prioritise?
Your facilities managers should be experienced professionals who know to be proactive in sourcing issues and flagging them before they run the risk of causing problems to your team.
4. How should we most effectively communicate?
As with all areas of business, communication is key. Maintain open communications with your facilities team.
You will need to work with them on more projects and issues than you can bargain for and building a relationship with the facilities team will help get the job done quickly and efficiently.
Book in monthly (or more regular) meetings – you don’t want to have a relationship where you only speak in a crisis.
As office manager you will often be managing the facilities team, employees and third party service providers such as professional office cleaning services. Is there a structure in place to manage these inter-connecting relationships?
5. Is there an adequate budget?
When something needs sorting in the office, you want to ensure that there is sufficient budget to fix the issue quickly and efficiently.
This means managing the facilities budgets taking into account all assets, systems, processes and people.
The facilities management team will be able to advise on when to outsource work to experienced service providers. For example, to fix the printer or other equipment.
6. Are we ready for an emergency?
Processes must be in place for urgent situations, be it flooding in the washrooms or more serious emergencies.
Is your facilities management team ready for all eventualities?
Ensure an action plan is mapped out for surprise scenarios and this is communicated to your team as required.
According to Facilities Executive magazine, safety in the workplace was among the top criteria cited by employees considering a job offer. So quality facilities management could also help you attract and retain talented employees.
Speak to us at Swift Office Cleaning Services for a quality, efficient and professional office cleaning service.
With over 35 years of cleaning offices, our experienced cleaning operatives and managers know how to work effectively as part of the facilities management team.
We are ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certified.
Call us on London: 0203 405 8442
or Essex: 01279 413 641 for a no obligation and FREE quotation.