10 Core Competencies of FM
As a facility manager, you wield a unique blend of leadership, problem-solving, and technical skills to ensure that buildings operate efficiently, effectively, and safely. Every day presents new challenges and opportunities, meaning your role encompasses diverse responsibilities. To be successful in this dynamic field and make a lasting impact on the spaces where people live, work, and thrive, we recommend that facility managers be knowledgeable of the following 10 core competencies.
1. Project Management —
Providing the framework and tools necessary to effectively plan, execute, and complete various initiatives within a facility, project management is a core skill for facility managers. From resource allocation to timeline management to budget control — every project comes with its own set of items to juggle. Project management enables FMs to identify risks, assess financial constraints, minimize disruptions, and positively impact outcomes.
2. Facility Information Management & Technology Management —
Proficiency in the technologies that support the day-to-day operations of your facilities is a critical component of modern facility management, providing tools to streamline operations, enhance decision making, and optimize facility performance. Technology tools can collect, organize, and analyze considerable amounts of data related to operations, maintenance, occupancy, energy usage, and more! By leveraging this data, FMs can make informed decisions about resource allocation, maintenance scheduling, space utilization, and long-term planning.
Since facilities typically contain numerous assets ranging from equipment and machinery to furniture and fixtures, knowing the systems available that enable FM's to track and manage these assets throughout their lifecycle is key. From procurement and installation to maintenance and disposal, asset tagging can support the maintenance of accurate records, optimize utilization, minimize downtime, and extend asset lifespan.
Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) and Building Management Systems (BMS) automate and streamline maintenance workflows, allowing facility managers to schedule preventive maintenance, track work orders, and monitor equipment performance in real-time. This proactive approach to maintenance helps prevent breakdowns, reduce repair costs, and prolong the lifespan of facility assets.
These are just a few examples of the ways technology is essential for FM’s to harness the power of data, technology, and automation to optimize facility operations, enhance decision making, and deliver value to stakeholders.
3. Operations & Maintenance —
It seems obvious to state that FMs should have a working knowledge of building systems, structure, interiors and exteriors, and grounds to ensure reliable function. Serving as the backbone for safe and efficient buildings, proper O&M practices ensure that facility assets, including equipment, systems, and infrastructure, perform optimally throughout their lifecycle. Knowing how and when to perform regular maintenance helps prevent breakdowns, extends asset lifespan, and maximizes return on investment. Effective O&M protocols help identify and mitigate potential risks, like equipment failures or compliance issues, and can help control operational costs by minimizing unplanned repairs and optimizing resource utilization.
O&M activities provide valuable data and insights that inform asset planning and replacement decisions. By tracking asset performance, maintenance history, and lifecycle costs, FMs can develop strategic plans for upgrading or replacing assets at the most opportune times, ensuring peak performance and cost-effectiveness.
4. Leadership & Strategy —
As a FM, you are responsible for aligning the organization’s objectives and resources with the facility portfolio. With ever-changing requirements, innovation is key to adapt staff and processes to dynamic needs. In addition to guiding internal teams, FMs must also use their leadership and strategic thinking skills to influence service providers, occupants, government officials, suppliers, community leaders, and business partners.
5. Communications —
Facility projects often involve various stakeholders including clients, vendors, contractors, and internal teams. Effective communication facilitates clear discussion and project management channels, ensuring that all stakeholders are informed about project progress, milestones, and any changes in plans.
6. Finance & Business —
Facility management represents significant financial investments in technology, buildings, and grounds, so it’s no surprise FMs are expected to have competencies in finance and business. This includes operational and capital budgeting, evidence-based decision making, procurement and contracting, and financial analysis and reporting.
7. Quality Assurance —
Maintaining high quality standards is essential to facility management to ensure building safety and functionality. Project management methodologies that incorporate quality assurance processes to monitor and evaluate deliverables will ensure your facilities meet the desired standards.
8. Occupancy & Human Factors —
While supporting organizational effectiveness and minimizing risks, it’s expected that FMs will also take steps to protect the people who use the facilities. Occupant health, safety, security, and environment are all factors that can be influenced by the work of a facility manager.
9. Risk Management —
Natural disasters and weather events, including those made more extreme by climate change, can have a significant impact on our built environment. While these events have increased in intensity and frequency, so have they increased in costs for damages and loss of business continuity. Building codes have been based on historical data and reactive to extreme events, but resiliency requires looking to future potentials and changes in the environment as well. How does a facility manager know their existing building is prepared and able to withstand and recover from what could come? Being knowledgeable about how to conduct a risk assessment, evaluating property-specific vulnerabilities, and identifying potential resilience measures are all crucial components to success.
10. Sustainability —
Recent history has proved organizations need to be ready for anything. Evolving climate, fluctuating legislation, public health emergencies —they're all possible. And while there's no way to know exactly what lies ahead, there are clear strategies that can be deployed to make buildings, systems, and actions more environmentally responsible, equitable, and resilient. Facility managers should be equipped with skillsets spanning building performance analysis, sustainability master planning, carbon and lifecycle analysis, resiliency planning, and more.
A well-maintained facility creates a positive environment for occupants, whether they are employees, tenants, customers, or visitors. By ensuring that systems function reliably, spaces are clean and well-maintained, and amenities meet expectations, facility managers contribute to higher levels of occupant satisfaction, productivity, and morale. Facility managers empower their organizations to not just persevere, but to thrive.
FOS offers a full suite of facility optimization solutions to enhance facility management practices, reduce deferred maintenance backlogs, and prioritize capital improvements. We partner with clients to deliver consulting solutions that enable a proactive approach — ensuring facility functionality, safety, and efficiency. Reach out to our team to learn more!