With many specialist facilities management components as well as hard and soft facilities management choices, here are some new ways to make decisions.
Hard facilities management (Hard FM) looks after the structures and physical aspects of the equipment that support your business. Soft facilities management (Soft FM) cares about the usage of facilities and the people you look after.
Hard FM and Soft FM categories allow facilities managers to manage large or multiple facilities. Managing physical aspects of facilities is Hard FM. Controlling the usage of facilities is Soft FM
Every business owner must ensure the daily health, safety, and welfare of their workforce and visitors to their premises and facilities. All facilities and supporting procedures are equally important. Health & Safety Regulations and the government-defined standard for facilities management and services highlight your responsibilities.
Facility Managers must make provisions for many varied services, which include cleanliness, toilets, washing areas, communal areas, eating options, lighting, ventilation, temperature controls and more. Sometimes the hard vs soft facilities management requirements overlap, offering subjectivity and management choices.
So perhaps instead of seeing your reception area as a place to simply welcome visitors as Soft FM, there are Hard FM procedures to manage, such as CCTV checking and pass readers to monitor entry exit volumes. This article looks at how to manage both hard and soft FM services.
Non-negotiable Hard FM Services
Some great examples of facilities management responsibilities are the non-negotiable hard FM Services. These include:
- Plumbing, heating and gas appliances.
- Heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.
- Mechanical and electrical fixtures and fittings.
- Safety systems, such as fire safety and others.
- Buildings maintenance.
Standards in Soft FM Services
Maintaining standards in soft FM services make your buildings more pleasant. Comfortable, hygienic and safe facilities are memorable for every staff member and visitor. Soft facilities include:
- Grounds safety.
- Grounds landscaping.
- Decoration and appearance.
- Catering options and water provisions.
- Cleanliness.
- Control of pests.
- Waste procedures.
- Car parking facilities.
- Workspaces control.
How to best manage hard vs soft facilities
There are options around how to best manage hard vs soft facilities. Perhaps you have multiple contractors for both hard and soft facilities management. Maybe just one contractor provides all of your hard and soft facilities services at a suitable standard for you. Or, do you have an in-house facility manager who manages an external team of contractors?
Computer-Aided Facility Management Software, also known as CAFM or simply Facilities Management Software, helps your teams with planning, scheduling, actioning, monitoring, recording and reporting on all the facility’s management work procedures.
Building maintenance tasks can be actioned and monitored whether your strategy is for planned, preventative, or reactive maintenance inspections, checks and audits. Businesses using computer-aided facility management software speed up the process by driving the facilities management and removing the hesitation and procrastination debates that might otherwise arise.
The production of work orders for technicians – and job logging of the result – also increases the speed of facilities management, particularly Hard FM tasks. Most computer-based tools provide upload functionality to store photos, documents, warranty specifications, and servicing report details.
Maintaining accurate asset registers is central to delivering hard and soft facilities services. Understanding the history of asset decisions drives the budgeting process. When there is visibility, clarity of ownership and return on investment (ROI) plans, facilities managers are empowered to decide whether to repair, replace, or dispose of assets.
Facilities management can be helpful to maximise and manage a workspace, the seating options, and general space management. All of these soft facilities help with well-being management and the hard facilities management of the equipment.
Tracking Energy Consumption is always a key consideration for businesses. Facilities management software, and internet-controlled sensors, help with energy cost savings and decisions about environmentally friendly buildings.
Conclusions
Computer-aided facilities management CAFM tools can help speed up facilities management processes in many areas. Hard FM vs Soft FM is debated when facilities have overlapped. If you would like more information, then please do get in touch with us to discuss your facilities management options.
