Facilities Management Challenges Faced by Enterprises

Due to the COVID-19-induced remote working for the past two years, companies have faced multiple challenges to ensure the effective functioning of the business by integrating people, place, and technology. They have invested in cloud-based technologies and streamlined service requests through mobile apps to make work from home easy for employees, ending up spending more than usual.

While remote working is a safe option, 39% of employees said they are exhausted, while 42% of employees said they lack essential office supplies, impacting work productivity/efficiency. Now, COVID-19 cases are declining, and companies are thinking of reopening and considering the traditional approaches to facilities management to avoid the consequences of remote working.

However, companies can expect the following facilities management challenges as they reopen:

1. Creating a Safe Workplace for Employees

While the CDC relaxed its COVID1-9 protocols, the WHO says there are still COVID-19 deaths being reported globally, and new variants continue to emerge. This emphasizes implementing safety protocols, including wellness checks, contact tracking, social distancing, and sanitization measures, as a part of facilities management to ensure a safe return to the office.

You can maintain safe collaboration by embracing return-to-office solutions, such as:

• Desk hoteling
• Sensor-enabled service requests
• Activity-based working
• Visitor management system
• Reconfiguring floor plans and seating

2. Space Utilization Optimization

Though the company predicts the average employee spends 24% less time in the office, the latest CBRE research shows the demand for office space will improve as employees return to the office. To meet this demand, 87% of companies plan to implement a hybrid workplace, which includes in-office and remote work options to ensure employees’ safety and flexibility in the office.

If you adopt a hybrid workplace, you can embrace technologies such as office hoteling or desk booking software to optimize the office space. The software allows employees to find available workspaces and reserve them in advance or on the spot. This eliminates the need for having one desk for each employee, thus saving you some cost that you otherwise have to spend on increasing the office space.

3. Planning and Customizing Office Moves

The CBRE analysis reveals that implementing hybrid work reduces the need for office space by 15%, but working with less space calls for strategic planning. Therefore, companies are planning to invest in space management software that helps them plan office moves and make customizations accordingly.

The software will help you identify how much office space is required to flexibly accommodate your employees, understand the customizations needed over time, and consolidate large departments into smaller units to optimize space utilization.

4. Workplace Technology Management

Due to the digital workplace transformation, companies were forced to invest in integrated workplace technologies to help their employees collaborate effectively, merge multiple legacy systems into unified platforms, and bridge the gap between in-person and remote employees.

According to Gartner, 2021 and 2022 have experienced an 8% increase in IT spending globally compared to 2020 because of implementing such technologies. When companies reopen and implement new technologies, they may face challenges while integrating the new ones with their existing platforms.

5. Handling Facility Maintenance

Managing facility maintenance for multiple properties can be difficult, especially if you have several ticketing systems for different service requests and buildings. However, the facility management software will help you streamline your company’s facility maintenance.

It integrates with sensors, allowing maintenance professionals or facility managers to:

• Generate daily occupancy reports for effective cleaning
• Monitor service requests
• Assign actions to their teams
• Receive automatic alerts when it is time to schedule a preventative maintenance

6. Reconsidering the Employee Experience

The distributed workspace and changes in employee expectations have made attracting and retaining talented employees a little difficult. Though some employees report improved productivity working remotely, the lack of in-person communication has weakened their relationships with colleagues.

As this reduced interaction impacts company culture, talented employees become disengaged and look to leave their jobs. To avoid this, companies are considering creating an environment that meets employees’ personal needs, preferences, and health and wellness.

How Can Companies Rethink Facilities Management Focusing on Employee Experience?

Companies considering workplace transformation from employees’ perspective must invest in a technology that supports flexibility, enhanced communication, and helps employees to resolve new facilities management challenges. Hot desking and space management software are two crucial technologies to help you cope with growing trends and ever-changing workplace dynamics.

Space Management Software

Space management software will help you effectively manage your office’s space. It helps you track space utilization, rent unused space for extra income, and gain a clear insight into your assets, thus helping you make the most of the available space. With this software, you can seamlessly monitor real-time space occupancy, and plan moves accordingly to ensure better allocation.

Hot Desking Software

Hot desking software helps you implement a safe workplace following the pandemic by effectively addressing flexibility and workplace collaboration. It helps you allocate space through booking, reduces redundancy and cost of physical workspaces, and promotes communication among teams and departments.