Facility Management in a Post Covid-19 World

The Covid-19 has acted as an element of change that has compelled businesses to focus on how facilities are getting managed and services are being delivered. With this change, all our built environment, properties, offices, retail stores, warehouses, and all other facilities will require a different consideration and customized plan. 

As health and wellness are going to now become the key focus areas, businesses are now more likely to bring in facility managers who are experienced in driving such initiatives. Going forward, the role of facility managers is also going to be more strategic and aligned with the different aspects of safety and hygiene. Technology and the change in attitude will introduce more sophistication in the way facility management services are now being offered. The role of facility managers is evolving from being just a service provider to someone who anchors safe workplace culture, technology and analytics, and talent development. 

Digital technology is gradually changing the way in which facilities are being used and information is being accessed. The use of facility management software or a facility management app helps facility managers get access to crucial information about a facility and its equipment in seconds from a mobile device or tablet. Information like floor plans, shut-offs, As-Builts, emergency procedures, equipment warranty, everything can be accessed from any remote location without having to travel to the site all the time. This helps facility managers plan ahead of time and better deal with emergencies or any equipment failure. Technology has redefined how and where people work and has completely altered the workplace and way of living. With digital systems becoming more powerful and more deeply embedded in the process, the way companies will use their facilities will always continue to evolve. Digital processes help companies to take a more data-driven approach and manage properties more effectively.

The shift to digital 

As organizations are preparing to reopen their workspaces, facility professionals should be able to determine policies and thresholds to welcome customers, visitors, and employees back to their places of business and offices. The expectations of people from the amenities and services that the companies provide are increasing at a rapid pace, with the focus primarily being on health and wellness. By adopting the latest technologies, facility managers are required to closely work with clients to improve the workplace experience and undertake health and wellness initiatives.

The Covid-19 outbreak has forced companies to rest their ongoing soft services and focus on the workplace environment. There has been an increasing need to automate the facility management processes right from maintenance to move-ins to service requests and energy management. Facility managers are expected to leverage data for better decision-making, improving workplace experience for employees and customers, and capital planning.

Artificial intelligence and smart technology 

Smart technologies are accelerating almost every aspect of building automation. By making use of the latest technologies, the daily work of the facility managers will become more intelligent and smart. There are a large number of smart technologies with which facilities teams can automate buildings, business parks, apartments and complexes, shopping malls, office spaces, warehouses, and the like. Facility managers are now able to optimize their time and overall costs to create a better living and working environment for residents and employees and visitors.

In a post-Covid world, smart technologies will play a more significant role keeping in mind that facilities will now be getting occupied gradually and better intelligence and control will be required to operate facilities in a dynamic environment having a varied occupancy pattern. Sensors, quick changes, data analytics, remote monitoring, and the like will help bring efficiency in an environment of dynamically changing occupancy.

It is this concept of smart buildings that is forcing facility managers to explore the integration of facilities into one single ecosystem. Each and every system within the facility like the sensors, lights, HVAC units, CCTV cameras come with a unique identity and they can be fully integrated into one single network. IoT and artificial intelligence can increase operational efficiency and improve the maintenance work of facilities by monitoring and controlling the facilities from a distance. 

Wellness and user experience 

The pandemic had completely redefined employee experience and expectations. As a result, the key focus of organizations now is on the health and wellness of their employees. As organizations are gradually beginning to reopen, there is an increasing need for employers to ensure and demonstrate to their employees that they are safe to return to the workplace and that they will remain safe in the longer run. This demonstration of wellness initiatives requires active participation from facility managers. Facility managers are required to arrange for wellness programs that boost productivity, reduce the rate of people falling sick at work and attract new talent. 

In the post-Covid-19 world, therefore, there will be an increased focus on new programs and services to facilitate the return of employees to workplaces.