Facilities Management is all around you, every day. It’s a discipline that varies in salaries, from £25k to as high as £100k+. But what is it?
At its core, FM roles and responsibilities can be split into two areas: hard FM, and soft FM. Hard FM covers things like:
- Design
- Construction
- Maintenance
- Furniture
Whereas its counterpart, soft FM, concerns areas like:
- Catering
- Cleaning
- ICT
- HR
- Marketing
- Hospitality
Essentially, you can think about hard FM as having a focus on the building in which people work, and soft FM instead focusing on the people within that building. Already, it’s clear to see that this covers hundreds of roles.
For example, an IT Operations Manager who deals with communications systems and oversees contracts is just as much a part of FM as a Corporate Receptionist who directs phone calls and handles incoming deliveries.
Hiring Shortages
But if there’s so many jobs available under the umbrella of FM, why is it that large firms are having difficulty hiring successful candidates? Well, this can be largely pinned on the lack of trainee roles out there.
The sector isn’t necessarily cost-led. Yes, qualifications are a huge boost to potential CVs (such as BIFM certifications, bachelor’s degrees, or NEBOSH qualifications). But sometimes these aren’t enough to prove that upcoming Facilities Managers have what it takes.
Skills Needed
Regardless of which role a candidate applies for within FM, there’s several skills which are invaluable across all positions. These can include:
- Multitasking and prioritisation
- Decision making and leadership
- Time management
- Project management
- Clear, concise writing skills
- IT skills
- Interpersonal relationship skills
The last of those is becoming more important than ever. With a rise in automation caused by developing technologies, many of the day-to-day duties within FM can be handled by AI. This means that upcoming candidates need to be good with people – the human element of the workspace is at the forefront more than ever before.
Working Environment
As is standard, most FM roles will occupy 40 hours of a working week. This might increase with regards to emergencies, or upcoming deadlines that need hitting.
Members of the FM team in a company will vary from in-house hires, to outsourced experts from an external organisation.
The modern FM industry is leaning towards the latter, as in-house employees are seen as a jack-of-all-trades, whereas external hires can be more specialised. Especially with the aforementioned skill shortages, external experts are looking more attractive than ever.
For more information, or to talk to one of Build Recruitment’s expert FM consultants, call 020 3176 4790, or email info@buildrec.com.
Also, come and join us at this year's Facilities Show, from the 19th - 21st June, at stand T820. Click here for more info and registration.