Management of Facilities | Management Optional Notes for UPSC PDF Download

Introduction

• The field of facility management has undergone rapid development over the past few decades, emerging as a crucial sector supporting businesses. It is imperative for facility management to be closely aligned with the overall strategy of an organization. Over the past decade, facility management has evolved into a significant and thriving industry and discipline, continuing to progress in various countries. Recognized by governments, the business community, educators, and researchers, facility management is acknowledged as a vital component of the business world. It holds great importance for organizations, serving as a focal point for key issues such as maximizing value and enhancing customer satisfaction in the management of support services.
• The importance of facility management is widely acknowledged within many companies due to the need for efficient management of complex and high-end support facilities (Kincaid, 1994). This involves a diverse range of tasks that span multiple disciplines and require a broad spectrum of activities, responsibilities, and knowledge. Effective management of services enables organizations to operate efficiently and effectively, bringing tangible improvements and added value to the core business.
• Facility management is increasingly being elevated to a strategic level of importance, providing opportunities to contribute to business success and gain a competitive edge. The expanding scope of services within facility management responsibilities adds complexity to the process. As a result, facility management has become integrated into the core operational functions of client organizations. It is crucial for both facility management service providers and their clients to recognize the strategic role of facility management in organizational operations.

Evolution and Definition of Facility Management

• The concept of facility management originated in the United States during the 1970s within the realm of outsourced services in the business sector. It emerged to address companies' needs for a proficient and specialized single point of contact capable of optimizing all activities related to managing supplementary internal services that support the business organization. Facility management aims to integrate and coordinate multiple services to achieve cost-efficiency for the client.
• Facilities management is defined as an integrated approach to operating, maintaining, improving, and adapting the buildings and infrastructure of an organization to create an environment that strongly aligns with the organization's primary objectives (Barrett and Baldry, 2003). It involves coordinating the physical workplace with the people and work of the organization, integrating principles from business administration, architecture, and behavioral and engineering sciences. According to Curcio (2003), facility management entails the integrated management of all non-core business services related to buildings, space, and personnel to operate and maintain real estate effectively.
• Theoretical studies illustrate that facility management integrates processes within an organization to sustain and enhance agreed-upon services that support and improve the efficiency of its primary activities.
• The IFMA model, represented by a triangle of 'Ps,' elucidates facility management in today's work environment, comprising people, process, and place. These three elements are interdependent and have direct reciprocal relationships. As Armstrong (1982) noted, there is a recognized need to manage the physical environment in harmony with people and job processes. Facility management addresses management challenges by positioning itself at the intersection of these three factors.

Understanding Facility Management

Facilities management encompasses a diverse range of activities within the built environment and focuses on managing their impact on individuals and the workplace. Effective facility management results in workplaces that better facilitate productive processes, add value, and reduce costs. The scope, range of services, activities, responsibilities, skills, and knowledge within facility management aim to integrate seamlessly with existing organizational factors.

Kincaid's Perspective on Facilities Management

Kincaid defines facilities management as a supportive role or service within an organization's non-core business (supply side), catering to the needs of major activities or core business (demand side). The function of facility management is to bridge the gap between these demand and supply aspects over time. According to the IFMA model, facility management operates within the realm of place but is responsible for supporting the needs of people and processes associated with those places.

Role of the Facilities Manager

The facility manager has dual responsibilities. Firstly, they manage the organization's capital resources, including property, physical infrastructure, and facilities. Secondly, they oversee the organization's support services, both in routine operations and during emergencies. These management roles encompass three main activities:

Property Management (Real Estate)

Involves overseeing the organization's real estate assets.

• Property Operations and Maintenance: Includes the day-to-day operation and maintenance of physical resources to ensure their good condition, appearance, and value addition.
• Office Administration: Encompasses administrative tasks related to office operations.
• Categorization of Facilities Management: Barrett and Owen (1992) classify facilities management into two main categories based on functional analysis:

Operational or Implementation Functions:

These are routine support functions performed by the workforce, focusing on activities such as maintenance, cleaning, repair, and grounds-keeping. These tasks have a short-term scope and involve precise processes to ensure the proper functioning of facilities.

Management Functions:

Further divided into tactical and strategic levels, management functions involve action plans and planning aimed at optimizing the organization's physical resources and facilities in the long term. Tactical activities focus on routine, specific, and short-term preventive or managerial operations, while strategic activities involve consultation and non-routine planning for long-term resource utilization.

Operational and Strategic Levels in Facilities Management:

Reports indicate that support activities within facilities management serve both short and long-term objectives, encompassing specific tasks at operational levels and the formulation of projects and plans aligned with policy and strategy, considering future requirements.

Incorporating Facilities Management within Organizations

The activities of facilities management are crucial across various dimensions of organizations, necessitating managers to possess a comprehensive understanding of organizational operations (Kincaid, 1994). To develop and implement effective facilities management strategies, planners must grasp all organizational dimensions, including:

• The organization's purpose, vision, mission, objectives, core competency, and goals.
• Work processes, operations, and projects.
• Environmental context, organizational behavior, culture, and market.
• Products, infrastructure, property, and facilities.

A thorough understanding facilitates the formulation of suitable facilities management strategies and plans, supporting the utilization of processes and operations tailored to each organization's assets and facilities.

Scope of Facilities Management

• Numerous studies highlight the critical importance of efficient facilities management, which combines resources and activities to drive organizational success. At the corporate level, it contributes to the achievement of strategic and operational objectives. 
• On a daily basis, effective facilities management ensures a safe and efficient working environment essential for business performance. Kincaid (1994) asserts that facilities management transcends merely managing support services; rather, it integrates knowledge of both facilities and management to operate effectively.

Conclusion

Facilities management engages with the organization throughout each building's life cycle, acting as a mediator and integrating agent to align demand and supply. It provides and manages a range of support services to coordinate all organizational functions, focusing on integrating primary activities at both strategic and operational levels. Facility managers are expected to possess informed and competent administrative and leadership skills. Kincaid's four components encompass a broad spectrum of requirements.