Facilities Management in a Digital World

As your enterprise grows, the complexity of the environment can make information sharing and management increasingly difficult. Workplace management solutions require state of the art software systems that can mesh and analyze data from different operations and facilities. What is known as Integrated Workplace Management Software (IWMS) is critical for the effective use of facilities in today’s increasingly digitized business world. Click here to learn about how to get optimal results from your IWMS.

Space Management

Space management becomes a necessity for facilities larger than 100,000 square feet. Iwms allows managers to visualize floor plan space in a virtual environment, reducing waste and giving the bigger picture on how space is actually being used; HR and IT departments can also use this to make better planning decisions regarding floor plans. Floor space is becoming part of an overall strategy of managing assets, rather than seen only as a cost.

Older buildings have separate systems such as waste management, climate control and security. A modern workplace, however, has to consider technological change which is occurring more rapidly all the time, and the needs of the workers to enable them to work at maximum productivity levels. Even a decision as simple as whether to design an open layout workspace or one with individual offices is no longer easy. Businesses need to consider the type of work being done and to address the behavioral style of the employees. Worker health and well-being is now considered a serious measure of productivity and success. Facility managers can make ambient changes such as adding windows to bring in more natural light instead of relying on fluorescent lighting to change mood; common areas that contribute to more relaxed social interactions between employees are good practice.

Time Management

Another critical piece in the new world of workplace management solutions is that it is no longer necessary for a few people to have meetings face to face regularly. When information is shared collaboratively on a network, it is free for anyone to look at, add to, or comment on at any time that best suits them and their schedule. This saves a great deal of time otherwise wasted on unproductive meetings that disrupt projects already in progress. With critical information available to all in a straight-forward and real time format, fewer meetings are held and those are much more effective. Time lag is also reduced between different offices and facilities that need to collaborate on a decision and end up playing phone tag or waiting for key personnel to be in the office to respond to an email.

Accepting Change

Change is inevitable and is accelerating in today’s business world. You must keep your head up and be aware of future trends before your competitor gets the upper hand. The tools you use should be easy to learn and user friendly or your workers will never use them enough to be practical, and you need to have a way to measure results from the implementation of any change. The best way to introduce to change is to make sure employees have access to the proposals and are able to provide input on them. With IWMS tools, it is easier than ever before to communicate with multiple departments to maximize use of space and employee time, and to allow workers the satisfaction of access to critical information along with the ability to make direct inputs.