FM & TECHNOLOGY
given shifts in working patterns, increased numbers of remote employees and, unfortunately, likely reductions in premises and personnel.
Simply put, paper-based, manual methods are not robust or reliable enough to manage this and cannot be relied upon for the informed strategic decision-making which is required.
“The world of work was changing even before the COVID-19
pandemic hit, and now that shift has gathered greater pace.”
The ability to plan spaces more effectively means facilities managers will need to rely on complete and accurate information – and have the right solutions in place to visualise and manage their space and related workplace data, and take the steps required. To properly address these challenges, space management solutions that offer visibility of room layouts, seating configurations and diary bookings in one place must be leveraged to ensure locations are utilised in the best and safest way. Through software, actions or assets can be assigned to users, and can all be tracked on the system, while requests, assignments and approvals can be applied and automated. In what has the potential to be a confusing and sensitive time for stakeholders, this clear communication will be vital.
In terms of building security and safety in a post-lockdown world, there is a growing need for facilities managers to look at how to streamline visitor management and lobby traffic. Knowing the who, when and where of everyone in a commercial property – whether visitors, contractors, tenants, or FM staff themselves – will be more important than ever in ensuring the safe operation of facilities and to comply with any track and trace requirements of the government.
Technology that allows the capture and analysis of real-time data on new working patterns and visitor activity can play a critical role here. For instance, visitor management solutions that offer an intuitive interface to quickly check staff and register visitors will be critical to ensuring the overall safety for everyone while providing a smooth process.
By leveraging technology to make sure effective measures are in place and communicate that across to all staff will be important in inspiring confidence and assuring those who are returning to work that it is a safe working environment.
Opening clear lines of communication The COVID-19 crisis has made communication across estates and property teams more important than ever. Tenants and staff alike need information on everything from social distancing and cleaning, to maintenance and contractors, to visitor management and where to enter or exit. Tenants, employees and customers, as well as FM teams and contractors, may need to be made aware of all
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new rules, restrictions and actions taken in every physical working space and technology will be vital to achieving this. Traditional, cumbersome methods need to give way to digital solutions that ensure the safe dissemination of up-to-date and accurate information.
By utilising online portals, not only can facilities management teams maintain clear and consistent lines of communications, but they also provide an easier, agile way to handle day-to-day queries as well as urgent issues – particularly raised by COVID-19. Issues that might not have previously been flagged as non-urgent could suddenly become critical in the context of maintaining a COVID-secure environment, and FM teams will want to rely on the flexibility of their software to ensure critical issues are not missed.
Communications around all works will take on a whole new level of importance. FM managers will need to have digital tools for ensuring that engineers and contractors have all the information they need. They will also need to run an effective multi-discipline helpdesk to deal with reactive jobs and also to manage COVID related issues. It is likely that facilities managers will need to have procedures in place, for instance, if a COVID case is reported at their location. With an appropriate FM system, they could have built-in workflows of the steps needed to manage and respond to such an incident.
“Traditional, cumbersome methods need to give way to digital solutions that ensure the safe
dissemination of up-to-date and accurate information.”
COVID-19 will also impact how teams communicate and execute planned work. For example, if there are simultaneous jobs at a building, measures might now need to be taken to prevent separate teams or engineers being in a building together, and to allow for cleaning to take place between their visits.
Boosting efficiency and agility The Coronavirus crisis comes at a time when facilities managers are already facing mounting pressure to provide better customer service than ever, all the while cutting costs. Today’s consumers have high expectations on the use of digital technology to live, work and play. Investing in the right digital solutions not only improves the working and customer experience but boosts efficiency by optimising the use of staff and time needed to deal with tenant issues – leading to savings.
www.mrisoftware.com/uk/solutions/space- management-software/
www.mrisoftware.com/uk/solutions/space-management-software/ TOMORROW’S FM | 33
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