Sustainability, technology, and advanced education are changing various aspects of the facilities management industry. More advanced systems can now prevent elevator breakdowns before they happen, control door functions, plan preventative maintenance, and more. Automation systems are striving to centrally control and monitor buildings from a single workstation, and also work hand-in-hand to shrink it carbon footprint, all while continuously tracking the energy used in a building.

The Next Generation of Facilities Managers

What we’ve noticed here at SOLID, is that the pool of facility managers is getting younger and younger as students are obtaining property management degrees to keep up with the complexity of building controls emerging within the industry. And while their role is being largely driven by consistent development in other sectors, many facility managers wonder if what they do on a daily basis has always involved sustainability.

The job of a facility manager generally involves helping clients and customers assess the impact of their decisions when it comes to the provision of space, services, cost, and business risk – all while still ensuring corporate and regulatory compliance, safety security, and proper operational management. And isn’t sustainability all of these functions in a nutshell?

By definition, sustainability means to maintain viability using methods that allow for continual reuse, and an effective facility manager can help facilitate an environment where a company can achieve its goals by managing business support services. With all of the changes happening in the facility management sector, some companies have responded to the growing demands in their field, by remotely monitoring building systems and assuring customers that the problem has been identified, while dispatching a technician for repairs. Also incorporating “soft skills” like team-building, technical judgment, business continuity, customer relations, and financial awareness is crucial, especially as younger facility managers usually possess these skills coming right out college.

Mentorship is a Must

Another important key to becoming a successful facility manager in the 21 century is to develop a mentorship with skilled tradesmen who have well-rounded experience and can provide the security and continuity that an organization needs, while creating successful partnerships that will benefit the future of the company in the process. That’s where we come in. SOLID is all about cultivating and maintaining relationships with our clients – one company, one maintenance plan, and one bottom line. Check out our green cleaning services, and see what makes our account management system different from all other companies out there.

For more information about SOLID, please call 844.227.6543 ext. 3 or contact us.