What is FM Services?
FM services, or facilities management services, is all about looking after your buildings and people. It is made up of multiple disciplines and services that fall under the facilities' management umbrella. These disciplines combined help ensure there is functionality, comfort and safety in a company’s buildings and premises.
Although FM services are not seen as an essential business function, they are vital in the smooth and efficient running of a business.
Facilities management services are designed around making a company’s working environment harmonious. A harmonious workplace is vital as it makes sure employees and visitors are safe and comfortable whilst offering the best chance of a productive and sustainable place of work. They do this by considering the people that operate within the building each day, aiming to create the best environment possible.
Traditional responsibilities associated with FM services include:
- Security
- Janitorial
- Building engineering and management
- Layout planning
- System management
Facility Management is also beneficial for a company’s profitability and performance. FM services focus on maintaining what can be considered a business biggest asset. These assets include:
- Commercial Property
- Buildings
- Equipment
- Machinery
Facilities management can be broken down into two key disciplines:
- Soft FM
- Hard FM
Below, we explore exactly what these are and what they can do for your business.
Soft FM
Soft FM services (or soft facilities' management) describe the services involved in maintaining a healthy and safe environment for your company’s building. These are usually services that involve the management of members of staff.
Below is a list of soft facilities' management services:
- Cleaning
- Security
- Waste Disposal
- Mail Organisation
- Catering
Soft FM services are vital to the day-to-day operations and are often the unsung heroes of how a building is maintained and looked after. These services are crucial in providing properties with the required elements to run smoothly and safely.
Hard FM
Hard FM (or hard facilities' management) refers to the services that are relied upon for the management of a physical item such as your buildings, premises or equipment, in which you maintain value and to contribute to the overall lifetime worth of the site.
Below is a list of hard facilities' management services:
- Heating
- Lighting Fixtures
- Air conditioning
- Plumbing
- Fire Safety
- Building Maintenance
Hard FM services refer to the functions of a building or site that cannot be removed and are generally required by law to be installed into any site or premise.
Hard FM services can each be broken down into providing many other operations within them. They are the key elements which must be implemented within a site to be compliant with the necessary rules and regulations referring to:
- Temperature
- Lighting
- Ventilation
- Bathroom Facilities
- Health and Safety
Soft FM and Hard FM
So, Facilities management is a combination of both Soft FM and hard FM. The two go hand in hand in maintaining your buildings.
To summarise, Soft FM involves management of people to carry out services to maintain the health and safety of your building, while Hard FM relates to the care of physical items to maintain and contribute to the overall value of a site of company.