Below we showcase the different ways technology is shaping the facilities management space and how it’s changing day-to-day operations in the process.
Depending on the size of your team and your space, you might not be aware of exactly how and where space is being utilized and what areas are being neglected.
As a facilities manager, the prevalence of video cameras, RFID technology and mobile integration allow you to better monitor the workplace. Instead of depending on employees to submit surveys about office use or relying on your own best guesses, you can visually see how your employees are using the office in real-time so you can adjust how you use the space to maximize efficiency and minimize wasted space.
Did you just complete a big move and are trying to decide how you can most effectively plan your office space? OfficeSpace Software and programs like it let you connect to the employee directory to get an overall visual representation of employee seating. This will help you make more educated decisions about how to engineer your office for increased productivity.
Further, if you’ve just gone through a period of departmental layoffs or new hires, you can easily track which seats and wings of the office are under-utilized, all without having to leave your desk.
As a facility manager, you’ll have a range of tasks you need to take care of every single day. Some tasks will relate to more overarching long-term projects that help to increase overall workplace practices. These might include going over maintenance schedules or managing office design overhauls or employee requests.
Others will be daily office tasks that help ensure your workplace runs smoothly, such as reviewing worker reports or inputting employee schedule requests. Some common pieces of technology are so integrated in our daily lives we rarely think of them as revolutionary. These include email and employee chat systems, which can help with both the long-term and daily office tasks you’re checking off your list.
Software like OfficeSpace will bring every element of your job as a facility manager under a single umbrella—the definition of one-stop shop.
Preventative maintenance is good for your company’s bottom line. Today, RFID tracking programs, real-time maintenance data and scheduling software can ensure all of your company’s assets remain operable. Better yet, these tools can remind you when routine maintenance is required so you fix an issue before it becomes a problem.
Some of these tools even allow you to constantly monitor energy usage across your office. Even small changes in energy consumption through the installation of motion-sensor lighting and energy efficient appliances can save your business a lot of money over the long term. Essentially, by being preventative, you’ll avoid unexpected problems and associated costs.
The integration of technology into the facility management space is still relatively young. As it continues to play a bigger role in our work and personal lives, you can bet that the use of technology within the facilities management space is only going to grow.
Beyond utilizing current facility management software, you can expect the eventual introduction of drones for monitoring hard-to-access parts of the office, smart desks and chairs to better optimize worker productivity and even nanotechnology in office equipment that will repair itself. Of course, some of these technological advancements won’t become part of your office routine for many years, but it’s important to start integrating technology into your current workplace to lay the foundation for a successful future. Start with small, easy changes and you’ll be ready for whatever high-tech elements emerge to revolutionize the workplace.
Photo credit: Yuriy Trubitsyn, Jordan Sanchez, Rum Bucolic Ape, GaudiLab / Shutterstock, Lukasz Kowalewski, mavo / Shutterstock