Proactive or reactive maintenance? How to plan an effective facility maintenance strategy

As a facility manager, you’ve likely experienced downtime from equipment failure, emergency maintenance, or one of the many other disruptions that can interrupt productivity. You know that in order to keep the workplace running efficiently, you need a balance of different maintenance strategies. 

Two major strategies for maintaining your facility are proactive maintenance and reactive maintenance. Both are crucial for minimizing downtime, extending the lifespan of assets, and keeping the workplace running smoothly. Rather than choosing one over the other, the key is effectively balancing these two approaches to meet your organization’s needs.

In this post, we’ll explore the benefits of both proactive and reactive maintenance, explain the difference between preventive and proactive maintenance, and discuss how a well-rounded maintenance strategy can help you avoid unexpected breakdowns, reduce repair costs, and ensure your equipment and systems operate efficiently.

Why do FMs need a maintenance plan?

Here’s the reality: things will break down in every facility at some point. Without a clear, structured plan in place, these failures lead to unexpected delays—whether that’s a broken air conditioning system in the middle of summer or painfully slow internet speed across the network. These unplanned downtimes can be costly, not only in terms of repair expenses but also lost productivity.

A routine maintenance plan ensures that assets are managed, costly repairs are handled promptly, and workspaces remain operational and safe. By taking an all-encompassing approach to maintenance, organizations can avoid emergencies and save significant costs in the long run.

What is proactive maintenance?

Proactive maintenance, also referred to as predictive maintenance, goes beyond the traditional “fix it when it breaks” mentality. Alternatively, it focuses on identifying potential issues before they cause significant disruption. The main goal is to address potential failures ahead of time through data, ongoing monitoring, routine checkups, and repairs based on asset condition.

With proactive maintenance, you’re preventing downtime and extending the life of your assets by keeping everything well-maintained. It’s a more data-driven approach than traditional maintenance, leveraging technology and real-time insights to monitor equipment performance and predict maintenance needs.

How is proactive maintenance different from preventive maintenance?

Although proactive maintenance and preventive maintenance are often used interchangeably, they have subtle differences in their approaches:

Preventive maintenance is a routine, scheduled approach. It involves regular inspections and servicing at set intervals, regardless of asset condition. For instance, an HVAC system might be checked every six months to ensure optimal performance, even if it shows no signs of malfunctioning.

Proactive maintenance, on the other hand, is more dynamic. It involves using data and real-time monitoring tools to predict when a problem might arise and addressing it before it escalates. This method often utilizes predictive analytics, sensor data, and machine learning models to identify patterns that indicate when maintenance is required, as opposed to sticking to fixed schedules.

While both approaches aim to extend asset lifespans and minimize downtime, proactive maintenance incorporates a broader scope of tools and is more responsive to the actual conditions of the equipment.

Creating a proactive maintenance schedule

To implement a successful proactive maintenance strategy, facility managers need to create a well-structured maintenance schedule that takes into account the real-time condition of assets. Here’s how to do it:

• Monitor asset conditions: Use technology like IoT sensors or software to continuously monitor equipment health. Track data on usage patterns, temperature fluctuations, vibrations, and other relevant metrics.
• Analyze historical performance data: Leverage data from past repairs or inspections to identify patterns. For example, if a piece of machinery tends to experience issues after a certain number of hours of operation, you can predict and address future problems before they occur.
• Set adjustable maintenance schedules: Based on asset performance, you can adjust maintenance tasks to fit the needs of the equipment. Instead of following a rigid schedule, use insights to decide when an asset needs attention—whether it’s due to wear and tear, performance issues, or impending failure.
• Integrate with asset management software: Using software to automate this process will ensure you’re on top of your proactive maintenance tasks. This could include automated reminders for checks, asset status tracking, and integration with work order management.

By developing and following a proactive maintenance schedule, you’ll address issues before they become serious and keep operations running smoothly without the need for expensive repairs or downtime.

What is reactive maintenance?

Reactive maintenance, as the name suggests, is a response strategy – not a preventative one. This approach is also referred to as breakdown maintenance. It’s a reactionary strategy that occurs only after a failure, and while it may seem simpler, it can lead to higher costs and extended downtime. Here are a few examples of reactive maintenance efforts:

• Emergency repairs following an equipment breakdown. These are typically unexpected breakdowns and nearly impossible to predict.
• Quick fixes to restore equipment to operation, usually as a temporary measure. This could include shifting to an “on/off” schedule to limit office utilization while your building undergoes renovations.
• Ad-hoc replacements when parts malfunction suddenly.

Follow these steps for guaranteeing effective reactive maintenance:

1. Create clear protocols for handling equipment breakdowns and emergency repairs. The quicker you can get on top of these, the better.
2. Set aside a maintenance budget specifically for unplanned repairs. This makes repairs more cost-effective, as you’re not scrambling last-second.
3. Establish a process for evaluating whether parts replacement or repair is the best course of action. Share this documentation with your maintenance team so everyone is on the same page.

Creating a reactive maintenance schedule

While proactive maintenance helps avoid many issues, predicting every breakdown or malfunction is impossible. Flukes happen. That’s where reactive maintenance comes in. This maintenance method is essential for addressing the unexpected, but without a clear, organized process, it can quickly lead to chaos.

In most organizations, reactive maintenance happens when something breaks down unexpectedly—usually due to poor planning or oversight. However, standardizing how you approach these breakdowns can significantly improve efficiency and help reduce the impact of emergencies. By identifying and tracking high-risk assets more prone to failure, you can set up a streamlined process for handling repairs. You may not have the time or resources to preemptively upgrade and repair every asset – that’s okay. You should at least have these things on your radar. 

Having a well-defined, prioritized system will allow facility managers to focus on the most urgent issues without scrambling to figure out where to start. This will reduce downtime, limit operational disruption, and ensure repairs are handled quickly and effectively.

• Identify high-risk assets that are more likely to fail unexpectedly and require urgent attention. Prioritize these assets in your system so you can address issues as they arise without delay.
• Track downtime and repairs consistently to identify recurring problems and develop strategies to reduce future failures. If specific equipment breaks down frequently, it may be time to invest in replacement or increase its maintenance frequency.
• Set guidelines for decision-making during emergencies. Clear protocols and escalation procedures reduce the time spent trying to figure out the best course of action in high-pressure situations.

Why your business needs both maintenance approaches

Rather than choosing one strategy over the other, the most effective maintenance plan integrates both proactive and reactive maintenance. These strategies work together to ensure maximum uptime, cost control, and the long-term health of your assets.

Some assets naturally require consistent, routine attention to avoid costly breakdowns and downtime, which is where proactive maintenance comes in. This is especially important for high-value, mission-critical assets that form the backbone of your operations—think HVAC systems, technology infrastructure, or machinery that directly impacts daily workflows.

However, despite the best efforts in proactive maintenance, breakdowns and failures will inevitably occur due to unforeseen circumstances or the natural limitations of certain equipment. This is where reactive maintenance steps in. It ensures that when an asset fails unexpectedly, there is a plan in place to restore operations quickly and efficiently.

Striking the right balance between proactive and reactive maintenance ensures that your assets are not only properly maintained but also quickly restored when unplanned issues arise. A well-rounded approach allows you to maintain operational efficiency, extend the life of your equipment, and ensure your facility remains functional with minimal downtime.

Streamlining maintenance tasks with a workplace management system

FMs should adopt a workplace management system to optimize both proactive and reactive maintenance. These systems allow teams to efficiently automate work order management, track asset histories, and schedule maintenance. With the right software, FMs can reduce manual errors, improve communication, and ensure no maintenance tasks are overlooked. Look for IWMS tools that include:

• Work order automation
• Maintenance scheduling
• Asset lifecycle management
• Centralized maintenance dashboard
• Predictive analytics for maintenance
• Reporting & analytics

Facility management software helps organizations streamline both proactive and reactive maintenance by providing a centralized hub for all asset-related tasks. 

Want to make maintenance management simpler with work order automation and real-time asset tracking? Stay in the loop on what’s coming to OfficeSpace — from asset management to preventative maintenance software.