Page 20 - CIOs Edition June 2021

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

Facilities management can be defined as the tools and services that
support the functionality, safety, and sustainability of buildings,

grounds, infrastructure, and real estate. The International Organization

for Standardization (ISO) defines facility management as the
"organizational function which integrates people, place, and process

within the built environment with the purpose of improving the quality of

life of people and the productivity of the core business."

Facilities Management (FM) covers these two main areas - 'Space and

Infrastructure' (such as planning, design, workplace, construction,

lease, occupancy, maintenance, and furniture) and 'People and
Organisation' (such as catering, cleaning, ICT, HR, accounting,

marketing, and hospitality). These two broad areas of operation are

commonly referred to as "hard FM" and "soft FM". The first refers to the
physical built environment with a focus on (work-) space and (building-

) infrastructure. The second covers the people and the organization and

is related to work psychology and occupational physiology.

June 2021