Facility management articles

Below are summaries of some of our recent articles. Click on the "read more" button to view the whole article.

You can also read older articles in our Article Archive.

Facilities Management and Facilities Equipment

_{Published: 2011}

All organisations are faced with fresh challenges in the post recession economic climate. Facilities Management (FM) is an important sector of the UK economy and FM operators rely heavily on a wide range of tools and equipment. This paper considers trends within the FM market, the management required by facilities equipment and the need for innovation and effective replacement policies.

Can FM Really help Organisations to Achieve their Corporate Strategies?

_{Published: 2010}

Claims of high value returns on investment in facilities management are sometimes at odds with the reality of what some people consider to be a commodity service with a poor reputation for delivery. Martin Pickard of The FM Guru Consultancy asks the question: Can FM Really help Organisations to Achieve their Corporate Strategies?

FM Buying in the Shadow of the Recession

_{Published: 2010}

While governments and financial markets are still dealing with the ongoing effects of the worst economic crisis in seventy years, the business of facilities management goes on. In this article, Martin Pickard from The FM Guru Consultancy takes a look at how the recession has affected the buying decisions being made in the FM sector. Has the much vaunted flight to price strategy been dominant or are buyers being more discerning?

FM After the Election

_{Published: 2010}

Now that the excitement of televised debates, Cleggmania and the votes themselves are behind us, what does the future hold for facilities management? Will the promises made in party manifestos and on the doorstep during the campaign drift into the recesses of memory as newly elected MPs and a host of familiar faces return to Westminster? Can FM achieve its long awaited destiny and achieve a position at the heart of the recovery or will a new wave of cost cutting reinforce facilities position at the bottom of the outsourcing ladder.

Facilities Management in 2020

_{Published: 2010}

Facilities Management as we know it was borne out of the recessions of the 1970s and 80s. The challenges forced upon organisations by the difficult economic circumstances of those years created the need for a different kind of workplace and a new breed of workplace manager. That need was met by the emergence of modern facilities management which built upon the basic accommodation function of previous generations.

Property & FM Winners and Losers in the Public Sector Spending Review

_{Published: 2010}

In some ways Chancellor George Osborne's spending review came as a bit of an anti-climax as so much of the detail was leaked to the press well in advance of the formal announcement. Nevertheless there was plenty of substance in the actual speech and a great deal of small print still has to be revealed. It will be some time before we fully understand the implication of the largest cuts to public spending since World War Two.

The F Word - Talent

_{Published: 2006}

Businesses leaders don't want to talk about facilities and 'dirty' details associated with cleaning, maintenance and other non-core activities. In this series of articles, Martin Pickard will highlight six reasons why this should not be the case, starting this month with FM's contribution to the battle for talent.

The F Word - Compliance

_{Published: 2006}

In the second article in 'The F Word' series to demonstrate the beneﬁts of good FM in attaining organisational goals, Martin Pickard focuses on the signiﬁcant contribution that can be made to meet the challenge of compliance with regulations, standards and corporate targets.

The F Word - Efficiency

_{Published: 2006}

In his third article in the 'F' Word series Martin Pickard focuses on the contribution of facilities managers to the efficiency challenge through implementing lean management methods, improving workspace design and energy use, and by providing the inspiration and skills for working smarter.

The F Word - Reputation

_{Published: 2006}

Reputations matter to organisations today more than ever before. In his fourth article on the 'F' Word series, Martin Pickard considers the contribution facilities managers plays in maintaining and protecting the corporate reputation.

The F Word - Risk

_{Published: 2006}

Leaders of businesses and organisations don't want to talk about Facilities. It's a dirty word associated with cleaning, maintenance and other non-core activities. The common view seems to be that facility managers should be neither seen nor heard. In this series of articles originally published in PFM Magazine Martin Pickard highlights six reasons why this should not be the case.

The F Word - Productivity

_{Published: 2006}