Facilities Management in 2022 – Where to Next?

The challenges posed by the disruption caused by the Coronavirus pandemic continue to shape the office design industry – and will for some time to come. The obvious impact has been on how office spaces are used as they shift away from the traditional individual workplaces towards more sanitised environments. Then there's the new remote and hybrid working styles that will continue to grow in usage this year, as an increasing number of businesses and people understand the monetary and personal value of working from home.

As well as those points, what else will change and where will facilities management go next? Here, our in-house experts look at the areas of the workplace that will likely need more attention in 2022 and beyond.

What will happen with Facilities Management in 2022?

Continued collaboration and hybridisation.

The facilities management sector will continue to support businesses and their need to bring people together to collaborate and create the energy needed to drive towards success. During the pandemic, facilities managers have essentially morphed into 'workplace experience managers'; their remit expanding from looking after a building or workplace. Today, managing a facility involves supporting a hybrid workforce – from helping to get appropriate tech out to people's homes, through to setting up wellbeing and collaborative spaces in the office.

The adoption of technology.

While IT has been part of the average office for many years now, the shift towards WFH caused by the pandemic has seen many workplaces totally transform their technology infrastructure. We're not just talking about Wi-Fi connections here, but other, more subtle aspects. For example, to cater for the hybridisation of the workplace, there has been a huge uptake of remote booking systems for desks and meeting rooms. Another good example is cleaning schedule software – these are programs that communicate with on-the-ground staff via automated alerts when rooms need preparing and cleaning, before and after use (ideal in the current circumstances). Nothing is seemingly out of bounds for tech to have an influence.

The onboarding of facilities management staff and client employees will be vital to the success of FM operations going forward. It should be kept in mind that technology can (and should) be adopted to make the process of managing a facility smarter, no matter the changing dynamics we may find ourselves in.

Keeping on top of the changing dynamics.

If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is the need to be flexible at the drop of a hat. This is something that collaborative working, hybrid design and technology are all geared towards – they all assist in making us as flexible as possible when required. Whether it's the installation of the 'Internet of Things' and smart devices into buildings to provide real time information, or the push to embrace agility within the design of the workplace, it is vital to keep atop of things to catch that hat as it drops. Without this, the business may not react quick enough and get left behind, essentially playing catch-up – never a great position to be in.

And this is where we here at Active's facilities management service can help. If you're looking for ways to improve the operations of your workplace so it is able to react to changes as and when they happen, we can help to create and manage an environment that will evoke better responses from the people who use it – regardless of whether they're physically in the building, or not.

Learn more about our facilities management service

Interested In Learning More About Bespoke Facilities Management?

Throughout the last two decades, the Active team have been providing innovative workplace solutions to a wide range of clients – regardless of their size, industry or particular requirements. Whether it's designing and building offices, relocating firms to new interiors or providing storage – our service encompasses all aspects of the workplace. So why not allow us to help you with finding your perfect solution?

To learn more about our facilities management services, please take a look at our case studies which detail the works we have performed, providing you with an insight into how we work and how we could help you too.

If you would like to speak to us directly, give us a call on 0845 130 9066 or send an e-mail to info@activews.co.uk