Facilities managers must walk a tightrope. On the one hand, they need to keep facilities in good working order so that the companies that rely on them can continue to derive value from them. But on the other, they need to keep costs down to maintain efficiency. These two goals are in opposition to each other.
In this post, we tackle this problem. We take a look at some genius hacks that facilities managers can use to cut costs without cutting quality. Read on to find out more.
Automate Labour-Intensive Tasks
Managing all aspects of a premises can be labour-intensive. The sheer volume of tasks you’re required to do can be enormous. Rote tasks include things like:
- Managing room bookings
- Setting out maintenance schedules
- Invoicing for sales
- Collecting and processing purchase orders
- Managing all your quotes
- Taking time to manage stock
Fortunately, nowadays, you can use software to automate most, if not all of the tasks listed above. Right now, for example, facilities teams all over the world use CAFM/IWMS software to speed their processes and prevent administration from dominating their workflows.
Improve Energy Saving
No matter how “green” a facility is, there are always opportunities to save energy and cut down on bills.
Facilities managers can cut down on costs in a variety of ways including:
- Switching to low-energy LEDs
- Enhancing wall insulation
- Using specialist products, like Duct Seal. Duct sealing services prevent leaks from ducting and air conditioning units, helping to make buildings more efficient
- Putting double- or triple-glazing on all exterior walls to prevent excessive heat loss in the winter
- Investing in automatic lighting that only illuminates a room if someone is present
According to estimates, most facilities use around 35 percent of their energy in lighting alone. So if you can make just this one small change, you could save clients a substantial sum of money.
Create More Hospitable Work Environments
Creating better working environments is a primary goal of facilities managers. If they can create attractive places of work, then employees are much more likely to stay with companies long-term.
Unfortunately, most employees consider their workplaces to be uninspiring. So it is clear that facilities managers are not doing enough to appeal to them as a group. Effective facilities management that offers employees an attractive environment slashes recruitment costs and reduces employee turnover, saving clients tremendous sums of money.
Improve Space Management
Most companies do not use their available space as effectively as they could. Data shows that businesses are only using a third to a half of the space that they rent for employee activities. The rest of it remains largely unused.
As a facilities manager, you can show firms how they can make use of all the space available to them. This way, you can reduce wastage and improve their productivity. Effective space management allows brands to expand without necessarily having to purchase more square footage. It also makes workspaces more manageable, improving how efficiently workers can complete tasks.
