Navigating the Dynamic Landscape of Facility Management

Nabila Mohamad has eight years of experience in the Facilities Management industry. As Assistant Manager at her company, she oversees employee health and safety initiatives, project management, and real estate operations. Nabila is passionate about creating conducive working environments where employees can feel comfortable, safe and productive. With her strong background managing facilities and teams, she enjoys finding solutions that meet operational needs while prioritizing staff well-being. Nabila's attention to detail and commitment to workplace excellence have served her well during her career so far.

In an interview with Business Management Review, Mohamad shares her insights on the challenges and emerging trends in the facilities management sector and the experience she has gathered in the domain.

I would like to gain an understanding of your background. So if you could give me a brief description of your experience in the industry, I believe it would be the best place to start off this conversation.

I began my journey in the industry seven years ago, starting as a resident executive overseeing facilities management for residential buildings. However, after just a year, I made a deliberate shift in my career path, transitioning to facilities management in office environments. This change not only altered my professional trajectory but also introduced me to a new realm of responsibilities.

Since then, I've remained dedicated to the same company within the insurance sector, marking a consistent six-year tenure. During this time, my focus has been on managing facilities at our head office located in Kuala Lumpur and several branches scattered across Malaysia. This diverse experience has allowed me to adeptly navigate the intricacies of office facility management within the insurance industry.

I would like to know some of the specific challenges that you have seen in facilities management. So if you could give me an idea about the challenges, that would be great.

A significant challenge in facility management lies in effectively managing the expectations of users. This industry involves providing a service to the personnel within the organization, making it crucial to address their needs and expectations. Personally, I've found the task of aligning people's expectations to be the most formidable.

One of the instances where expectation management comes into play is during office breakdowns, which can occur both at the main headquarters and at branch locations. While it's normal for occasional breakdowns to happen throughout the day, the goal is to minimize their frequency and impact. Nonetheless, unforeseen incidents do arise, causing disruptions to the normal workflow and operational processes within the office environment. These breakdowns indeed pose a noteworthy challenge in our field.

Apart from handling breakdowns, there's also the responsibility of adhering to the established rules and regulations for office management. In the realm of facilities management, we are guided by the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which necessitates strict compliance. This involves ensuring that all activities within the office align with the prescribed standards outlined in the act. Furthermore, the Department of Occupational Safety and Health in Malaysia issues specific guidelines and conducts periodic inspections to ensure compliance. Consequently, meticulous preparation is essential to meet these guidelines and any specified requirements whenever these inspections take place.

You have seen a lot of trends happening in the industry currently, and the industry has evolved a lot in recent years. So what are the prominent trends that you have seen that are shaping the future of the industry?

The prevailing trend that stands out prominently in the field of facility management is the rapid integration of technology. In the past, facility management processes were largely manual, involving handwritten records of incoming tasks, manual coordination with vendors, and hands-on inspections of equipment and systems. However, the industry has experienced a significant shift due to the emergence of advanced technologies, particularly in facility management software.

While our own company is relatively small and has yet to fully adopt these technological advancements, there is a noticeable transformation happening in the industry. Colleagues, peers, and even the building management teams we collaborate with have embraced various innovative software solutions tailored to facility management. One noteworthy example is the use of mobile applications. Building management teams have developed their own dedicated apps, providing a direct channel for occupants and users to submit complaints or feedback.

This integration of apps has substantially streamlined and expedited processes. By submitting complaints or feedback through the app, the building management team receives instant notifications, enabling them to promptly address the issues raised. The app also facilitates the tracking of response times, creating a transparent timeline for issue resolution. This not only enhances efficiency but also fosters a sense of urgency among service providers to address user concerns swiftly.

Overall, the prevailing and most remarkable trend in facility management today revolves around the adoption of technology-driven solutions by professionals in the field. This shift is reshaping traditional practices, yielding more efficient and user-friendly processes across the industry.

I would like to know some of the best practices that you have implemented throughout your career to ensure effective facility management.

A paramount aspect of facilities management centers on the precise commitment to meeting deadlines. This imperative arises due to the dynamic and sometimes unpredictable nature of the industry. Often, unforeseen incidents, such as sudden breakdowns of facilities, demand urgent attention, necessitating a constant commitment to meeting established timelines.

In tackling this challenge, the establishment of a comprehensive maintenance schedule takes precedence. Reactive maintenance, where repairs are carried out only when issues arise, is insufficient. Preventive maintenance, which involves adhering to a structured schedule for activities like quarterly servicing of systems like elevators, HVAC units, and communication systems, is the key. This approach ensures the continuous smooth operation of critical systems while preventively averting potential disruptions.

Furthermore, facility management often encompasses projects that involve renovations, space reconfigurations, or repair undertakings. Efficiently managing these projects requires stringent timeline management. For instance, if there's a need to adapt office space for an incoming project team, thorough planning becomes essential. Renovation or reconfiguration projects must be executed within predetermined timelines to prevent disruptions to ongoing operations.

Imagine a scenario where a power short circuit affects an essential workspace, causing potential disruptions to a team working on time-sensitive tasks. In this context, having a well-structured timeline and action plan becomes pivotal. This approach ensures that repairs are executed promptly and the workspace is reinstated swiftly, mitigating interruptions to the overall company's operations.

In essence, the art of facility management lies in skillfully navigating the intricacies of timelines. This entails maintaining rigorous maintenance schedules to proactively address potential issues and orchestrating project timelines with precision. By adhering to these practices, facility managers can ensure the seamless functioning of an organization while minimizing disruptions and delays.

What advice would you offer to young professionals who are interested in pursuing a career in facilities management?

What's crucial to bear in mind is the readiness to learn and accumulate extensive experience, particularly due to the unpredictable nature of working conditions. Given the dynamic landscape, especially for those entering the industry at a young age, it's a strong necessity to be receptive to learning from the diverse array of occurrences within the work environment.

In addition, a considerable portion of this readiness involves not only willingness but also the embrace of change. Constant technological advancements are prevalent in the facility management sector, both in terms of software applications and building systems. Thus, an open attitude toward adopting new technologies and the ability to swiftly adapt to evolving systems become paramount.

Furthermore, one should be prepared to welcome shifts in the organizational culture. Facility management is characterized by its ever-changing nature, necessitating a high degree of adaptability. For instance, modern offices are moving towards open-space layouts, diverging from the traditional cubicle setup. This change necessitates flexibility and an understanding that conventional office design might not hold true anymore.

The bedrock of success in this field hinges on being receptive to change and anticipating continuous shifts in the industry landscape. It's an environment where being proactive in embracing novel practices, technologies, and evolving office dynamics is not just beneficial but essential.