Facilities management best practices, on the workplace side, are not a list of things good managers do; they are four decisions made from measured figures and a record that proves them a month later. The facilities management strategy is the four in order: the ratio the attendance supports, the space the headcount needs at that ratio, the desk rule a hybrid week needs, and the contractors cleared to work on the building. The facilities management checklist follows from them, the facilities examples on this page are one floor worked through, and the functions of facilities management, or facilities management functions, that this hub keeps are the workplace ones only; the plant and its maintenance are the neighbouring hub's at fmlane.com.
The strategy: four decisions, in this order
First the ratio, because it is the biggest lever and the only one the attendance decides: 126 in at peak from 180 assigned supports 7 desks per 10. Second the space, from the headcount at that ratio and the organisation's own allowances: 120 people need 84 desks and 10,425 square feet, 86.9 a person. Third the rule, tested against the desks: three days for 180 people clusters to 158.4 on the busiest day, which 120 desks cannot seat. Fourth the contractors, cleared per building with dated credentials. Each is a free worksheet on this site except the fourth, which is the paid record.
The checklist that follows
Measure the attendance for a month before any space decision. Work the ratio from the peak, not the average. Size the floor from the ratio and your own allowances, and write the allowances down. Test the hybrid rule against the clustered day and name the days if it fails. Mark which desks are assigned and which are shared, and show the ratio the shared ones carry. Keep the counts weekly. Date every contractor credential and set the reminder before it lapses. Export everything as tables. That is the facilities management checklist for the workplace side and none of it needs a standard.
Facilities examples: one floor, worked
A floor of 140 desks with 180 people assigned reads oversubscribed until the count goes in: 84 in on average is 60%, 126 on the busiest day is 90%, 14 desks are spare, 12,000 square feet over 84 people is 142.9 square feet per person actually in. A three-day rule with 70% clustering needs 158.4 desks on the busiest day against 120; naming the days brings it toward 108. Every one of those is a worksheet on this site and every input is the manager's own.
The functions of facilities management this hub keeps, and the ones it does not
Space and its inventory, desks and their bookings, occupancy and its counts, contractors and their clearances: the workplace functions, kept in HardFM Pro for $24 a month for the whole team. Maintenance, the asset register and the work orders are the maintenance function at fmlane.com. Cleaning, security guarding, reception and visitor sign-in, room booking and the lease are other products' and other buyers'. A hub that claimed all the facilities management functions would keep none of them well; this one keeps four.
Questions people ask about facilities management best practices
What are facilities management best practices on the workplace side?
Four decisions from measured figures: the ratio from the peak attendance, the space from the headcount at that ratio, the hybrid rule tested against the clustered day, and contractors cleared with dated credentials; then the counts kept weekly so the decisions can be checked. The worksheets work the first three free.
What should a facilities management checklist contain?
Measure attendance first, ratio from the peak, allowances written down, rule tested against clustering, desks marked assigned or shared with the ratio visible, weekly counts, dated contractor credentials with reminders, everything exportable.
Which functions of facilities management does HardFM cover?
Space, desks, occupancy and contractors on site. Maintenance is the neighbouring hub at fmlane.com; cleaning, security, reception, room booking and the lease are other products'.