To move or not to move – that is the question

Relocating your business is a huge decision and not one to be taken lightly. Sometimes when a company sits back and evaluates the reasons why it is looking to move, there are other options that should perhaps be considered.

What should I do about KPIs?

KPIs can be applied at the micro level or the macro level - and everywhere in between. In FM terms, there are many and varied KPIs. Here, we take a look into what can seem a daunting topic.

FM strategy – turning myth into reality

Recent research shows that over 70 per cent of strategic plans fail to achieve their objectives. But facilities managers can ensure they produce a strategic plan for their function that is a meaningful exercise and that will successfully deliver its aims by following five crucial steps.

PFI – whose market opportunity is it?

Much has been written in recent years about Private Finance Initiative (PFI) and Public Private Partnership (PPP) routes to investing in, building and managing public sector projects. While early PFI contracts and contractors have had their problems, it is now acknowledged that the PFI market - in existence for over a decade - has reached a state of maturity.

Legislation and regulation

More than ever before, facilities managers and contractors are having to allocate time and budget to keeping up-to-date with their legal requirements in order to minimise their potential liability.

Disaster recovery for facilities managers – it could happen to you

In everyday facilities operations, accidents happen. So do disasters. Thankfully, there are a number of steps that a facilities manager can take to minimise the risk to business and to ensure that recovery gets underway as soon as possible following an incident.

Corporate social responsibility – implications for the facilities manager

Just because something is fashionable it's not necessarily a bad idea. Whatever else it might be, corporate social responsibility is certainly fashionable. But what does it mean? And is the facilities profession going to be a leader or follower in this new area?

Performance measurement

Building confidence in the idea that FM can deliver for business has been hampered by the lack of agreed performance measurement standards. Replacing the proliferation of alternative models would be a mark of maturity for FM.

Records management – burden or advantage?

So you are thinking of outsourcing your document management? Where do you start? What do you need to consider? What options do you have?

Many happy returns

The benefits of introducing new software, or upgrading existing software, are often obvious to the facilities manager but it might not be so easy to persuade the financial decision-makers. Here is a practical approach to calculating the return on investment (ROI) on FM software, even when you don't have all the information at your fingertips.

Service delivery

The UK FM market arguably leads the world in the range of capabilities available to clients, but there is a long way to go before truly sustainable relationships are the norm.

Why manufacturing back-up is essential to the success of catering FM

The key to offering a successful FM programme to the foodservice sector is providing both reactive and preventative equipment service on a local, regional and national level from one central logistics centre teamed with a strong manufacturing back-up.

Access Equality – a Time to Get Equal initiative

Access Equality is a sustained campaign to: raise awareness of the problems and barriers faced by disabled people in their everyday lives; demand an improvement in the attitudes and actions that disabled people experience; and build a mass movement of disabled and non-disabled people campaigning and working for equality.

International FM

An international FM market is developing rapidly as organisations face relentless pressure to reduce costs and increase flexibility. Facilities providers must be ready to respond.

Believers and cynics

Adrian Hackford asks how far the total FM model can be taken in the modern university.

Facilities management legal update

2006 will be a significant year for changes in premises management, health and safety, and employment law, all of which will impact considerably on facilities managers. Kelly Mansfield explains.

Education sector FM

Facilities estate management in universities is an all-day, all-year provision to a diverse customer base – just one of many factors in the property and FM challenge for universities trying to create a learning and research infrastructure for the 21st century.

The current state of PFI

There are few ideological issues left in our post-political age but one that has certainly stirred up controversy – and plenty of headlines in newspapers – over the last few years has been the Private Finance Initiative (PFI).

European standards in FM

The development of European standards is essential for the FM profession and industry if it is to be recognised as a sector in its own right.

A fresh look at catering

When management of catering facilities falls within the remit of the facilities or estates management department, it requires a significant investment of time and resources. Savings on both can be made by outsourcing procurement and management of catering equipment to a specialist provider.