Category: Management & Leadership

Getting Information from FM Systems

Getting Information from FM Systems In my Webinar on Information Based Decisions (see the link below), I spoke about getting and using information for your benefit.

While you need an FM system and should work towards getting approval and implementing one, if you already have one, the question is whether you use it for information, not just process management. Whether you manage space with a CAFM system manage maintenance with a CMMS system or handle other typical Facilities Management responsibilities, information is king and visibility into your operations are critical to your success.

This time, as an expansion of what I talked about in the Webinar, I’d like to focus on the two challenges to getting and using information.

Posted by Michel Theriault Feb 02, 2012

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Results – Scope & Responsibility Survey

Facility Management Roles and Responsibilties Our first survey from our Facility Management survey and polls site FMinsight.com was closed late last year and we now have summary results in a highly graphic format.

Only participants in the survey recieve the more detailed results, so be sure to contribute to our open surveys on FMinsight.com

For our first main survey, inspired by our FM Pie – Roles & Responsibilities graphic, we limited the number of responses and the time it was open so we could compile and report the results this year.

Visit FMinsight and Download the one-page results.

Posted by Michel Theriault Jan 21, 2012

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Making Information Based Decisions – Webinar

Planon Software IWMS Recently I had the pleasure of delivering my first webinar for Facility Managers.

The webinar was hosted by Planon Software and dealt with using information for decision making. If you missed it, you can watch and listen to it on-demand for free here.

In addition to my segment, Planon’s Director of Product Strategy, Erik Jaspers, also gave some great examples of how to use information from an FM System in Facility Management.

I’ve talked before about the importance of having decisions here on my blog, and it’s been part of several of my Facility Management workshops and seminars as well as a section in my book “Managing Facilities & Real Estate.”

Posted by Michel Theriault Dec 27, 2011

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Incentives and Amenities in the Workplace – What does your company do for employees?

While Facility Managers aren’t always responsible for deciding what amenities to provide for the workplace, that’s often the domain of the Human Resources group, those of us in Facilities & Corporate Real Estate certainly end up managing many of them.

Regardless of your FM or CRE responsibilities, you can certainly provide input and make suggestions about amenities in the work place an overall part of your responsibilities for the physical work environment, even if you aren’t the one responsible for the ultimate decision. In fact, you may want to make sure you aren’t the decision maker – it keeps the pressure off.

Recently, I came across an Infographic (scroll down to see it) with amenities other companies use, many of them very recognizable companies. Whether you are able to implement them or not, they are interesting to consider.

As well, there was an interesting discussion on LinkedIn on one of the many Facility Management groups recently on the topic. I’ve compiled some of the amenities the group members mentioned. I am very envious of some of them.

Posted by Michel Theriault Nov 13, 2011

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Is Facility Management Really That Different Between Countries?

I saw an Interesting comment about my FM Pie diagram recently. Someone from the United Kingdom made a comment that it didn’t really apply in the UK.

Given that the FM Pie included the full range of responsibilities involved in managing a building of any kind, imagine my surprise that things might be so different in the United Kingdom.

After seeing more discussions on the LinkedIn groups, I realized that there are some perceptions and preconceived notions about the differences between facilities management in various countries. The tendency is a ‘we’re different’ or perhaps even a ‘we’re better’ approach.

It’s clear to me that the basic functions of Facility Management are the same no matter where you are. The difference is sometimes are simple as the terminology that’s used or how the various roles and responsibilities are divided up between individuals within a facilities management group.

Posted by Michel Theriault Oct 13, 2011

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