There is a Way To Create Sustainable Change in FM
FM can be an enabler of institutional success rather than just a cost centre. This means demonstrating how FM enhances the student and staff experience, supports priorities like sustainability and growth, and mitigates risks that could disrupt operations. Strategic alignment is key. FM initiatives should tie directly to the institution’s mission and goals. Organizational sustainability efforts should reflect broader values, and data must highlight how FM contributes to recruitment, retention, and reputation. This approach builds credibility and positions FM as a partner in institutional success.
It’s also critical to measure what truly matters. Instead of focusing on immediate cost reductions it is necessary to emphasize lifecycle savings, stakeholder satisfaction, and contributions to long-term objectives like carbon neutrality and resilience. These metrics shift the narrative, showing FM’s broader impact.
With limited resources, focus on fixing what’s broken with the most significant impact. LEAN process reviews help eliminate waste, and stakeholder engagement programs ensure that faculty, students, and staff feel heard and involved. Communication ties everything together. Leaders need to see FM as more than maintenance—it’s about delivering meaningful outcomes. Success stories, compelling visuals, and data demonstrate FM’s impact in ways that resonate with decision-makers.
Executive FM Approach: Through ARC to IMPACT
There is a better way to enhance FM than by focusing on costs and complaints and creating a vicious cycle where you’re continually trading off one for the other. The IMPACT framework goes beyond traditional FM practices. By shifting the focus from reactive cost-cutting to proactive value creation, institutions can develop a clear roadmap to improve FM operations and enhance their overall strategic success.
Structuring an Engagement that Fits Your Timelines and Budget
IMPACT serves as our guiding philosophy, while ARC outlines how we organize our collaborations with clients to establish a reliable process that aligns with their schedules and budgets. Clients can engage one step at a time to create a small, low risk pilot to begin with and expand later if desired or create a bundle to initiate a larger and more comprehensive proigram that is less costly than proceeding one step at a time. Most clients choose the latter option.
A: Typical projects begin with an examination of current state operations to uncover or confirm problems and opportunities and to establish a baseline for further work. This independent and unbiased assessment of the FM service delivery model supports planning and communication efforts.
R: Next, if the client chooses to proceed, is quantitative and qualitative research to confirm and elaborate on the findings documented in the original assessment. This step provides confidence in prioritizing areas of focus and in establishing baselines to use in measuring progress. C: The final step is developing solutions and implementation plans to bring about the desired changes and to create mechanisms for strategic and operational planning to 'stay the course' and strategic planning to ensure the course remains correct. |
The IMPACT Methodology directs what happens at each step.
Different frameworks, research methodologies, and tools are used in each step to create a seamless assessment, validation, and recommendations to support the FM transition along with tools to ensure progress in monitored and that strategy becoming an active driver of the departments ongoing and sustainable success. |