Processes are an integral part of facility management (FM). To that extent, processes and activities are the actions that provide perceptible or tangible benefits to owners, occupants, tenants, guests and those who work in the facility. These processes are expected to be value-add mechanisms to the entire maintenance and management systems. However, in order to continue to achieve the expected or desired result, process improvement is usually required either as the need arises or on a periodic basis. Process improvement may be for the purpose of refining processes and activities that currently add value. This includes simplifying procurement paperwork, simplifying equipment inventory procedure, publishing a new version of the maintenance manual and redesigning inadequate performance standards. On the other hand, it may also be to eliminate wasted resources and effort since the goal of facility management can be defined as managing a facility where people delight in interacting with the built-environment and its contents in an optimally cost-effective manner. Any task, method or operation that does not support this goal can be described as ‘waste’ if they add nothing of value to the facility and its environment. When such wasteful activities are eliminated, money is saved and facility management becomes valued for efficiency and effectiveness. Such waste-elimination activities include scrapping and recreating an outdated safety plan, and rectifying dangerous equipment shutdown procedures. For process improvement to take place, it is advisable to set up a Process Improvement Team (PIT) to identify and investigate problems, find root causes and analyse them, and make improvement to the processes under review. The goal of the team is to effect positive change to the systems that support the work of the facility manager and maintenance team. Ideally, the team should consist of personnel who either have knowledge of the processes in question or whose daily responsibilities are directly or indirectly affected by the issue(s) being examined. They may be selected from different departments or divisions within the organisation. The extent to which process improvement is deemed successful or acceptable will depend on how much results are measured. This is necessary as there may be those who believe that the current processes are working and don’t require to be changed. Others may not think the improvement has made any difference. Whatever the case, the goal of capturing metrics is to demonstrate the positive impact of the process improvement to the overall objective of facility management.Once their recommendations have been made and implemented, the assignment is generally complete and the team may be disbanded.
MAINTAINING THE DRIVE FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE IN FACILITY MANAGEMENT -Tunde Obileye LL.B(Hons) CIWFM
Sustainability is one of the most frequently heard buzzwords when our future development is brought to the fore, regardless of whether it is about the future of our society, businesses, nature or the planet itself. Even though the word “sustainability” has become somewhat trendy and its usage has increased in recent years, its concept is not new. The concept of sustainability first appeared in the 1987 Brundtland report produced for the UN. Understanding what it really means, understanding our relationship with nature and why we need to become more sustainable is one of the most crucial situations facing the world today. It should come as no surprise that this topic concerns everyone including the biggest global corporations.Sustainability is a complex concept that has attracted different definitions however one point is clear, it is not a trend but a concept that is bringing profound change in the social, economic and environmental aspects of our daily lives. With the changing outlook towards sustainability, business leaders continue to face the real challenge of securing the bottom line of their organizations, ensuring the welfare of their employees, and the planet such as adoption of greener technologies, conserving energy and reducing pollution which leads to better living environment and public health. While many companies talk the talk of sustainability, claiming to be integrating environmental and societal concerns into their business models, a far fewer number of them actually walk the walk. Sustainability is typically treated by most managers as someone else’s problem and relegated to a department or even a single individual. Therefore, facilities managers or FM practitioners ought to play their part in how best to successfully support their organizations in transforming the corporate business models as a catalyst for a new way of understanding the long-term sustainable vision and seeking a balance between the social, economic and environmental targets. As key players in the workplace and facilities management space, facilities managers should introduce sustainable practices in the day-to-day maintenance activities as well as putting together a strategic plan. This will include conscious actions such as cutting down excess energy usage and switching to sustainable sources such as wind, hydropower and solar. Another focus area for the strategic plan will be waste management. Generally, the way we dispose of waste is troubling. The goal of sustainable waste management is to reduce the number of natural resources consumed, reuse the materials taken from nature as much as possible and create as minimal waste as possible. For sustainability progress to be maintained, the following recommendations are provided for facilities managers to consider as part of the organizational model and culture. Establish purpose-based values on sustainability.Include sustainability as part of corporate strategy.Train employees and incentivize actions that advance sustainability.Create a sustainability culture in your organization.Conduct business with sustainability in mind. Small actions make a big difference, if facilities managers encourage all employees do what they can in their own spheres of influence, impact will take place.
PRESS RELEASE
Africa Real Estate International Ltd Brings Innovative Real Estate Solutions to African Market with New Agency Launch” Africa Real Estate International Ltd, a cutting-edge real estate company, officially launches her Agency today. Africa Real Estate International Agency (AREIA) is a real estate agency that aims to provide top-notch real estate services to clients in Africa. AREIA will operate in multiple African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa. Our business model will focus on providing a comprehensive range of real estate services, including property sales, leasing, property management, and investment advisory services. AREIA has built a team of highly experienced and professional real estate agents who possess an in-depth knowledge of the African real estate market and who have extensive experience dealing with the unique challenges of this market. Speaking about the launch, the CEO of Africa Real Estate International Ltd, Onwuka M. Onyeka, said, “We are thrilled to be launching Africa Real Estate International Agency today. Our vision is to be the go-to real estate agency for clients looking to invest in or sell property in Africa. We are passionate about providing world-class service to our clients and are confident that we have the team and technology in place to make this a reality.” AREIA will leverage networks, technology, and digital marketing strategies to reach a wider audience and streamline our operations. For more information, visit us at www.africarealestateinternational.comEmail: agency@africarealestateinternational.com Call/WhatsApp Customer Support +234 915 099 9340 Follow us on socials: Twitter @AREInternationFacebook: Africa Real Estate InternationalIG: Africa Real Estate InternationalYoutube.com/@africarealestateinternationalhttps://www.linkedin.com/Africaealestateinternational