What is the true value of a good FM provider? Increasingly, FM has a broader strategic role to play, over and above the essential day-to-day maintenance of spaces, one that considers the overall experience the building user has, and how that impacts the success of the organisation itself.

At Tudor Group, we pride ourselves on taking the time to understand our clients’ vision, objectives, and fundamental principles. Doing this enables our business to establish priorities and administer work areas that support the broader purposes and direction of an organisation.

Understanding a client’s broader vision means we can balance operations and practicality with the aspirations and values of the organisation and its employees.

What exactly is strategic facilities management?

Strategic facilities management means an organisation and its facilities staff must adopt a less reactionary attitude to how their workplaces function – focusing on long-term planning and innovation instead.

In light of the coronavirus pandemic, this could mean a crew of dedicated operatives arriving at set times to clean workspaces. It could also involve swapping the vending machine in the corridor with an on-site cafeteria providing fresh, nutritious meals for employees to order in advance – a great idea for keeping employees motivated.

Successful strategic facility operations begin with identifying a workplace’s contribution to meeting business objectives. Further drivers for strategic facility management include:

  • The move to hybrid working
  • Recruiting and keeping the best people
  • Fostering a culture of greater cooperation
  • Adopting eco-friendly business practices

A holistic approach that serves all goals

At the Tudor Group, we manifest strategic facilities management as a holistic approach that caters to an organisation’s needs.

The prime goal of a facilities manager is to create a conducive environment for productivity and create maximum value from the space people use. Therefore, a holistic FM process starts with the facilities manager focusing on people, identifying their needs and priorities, and adopting strategies and technology to support those needs.

When facilities management is viewed through purely an operational lens, the FM company operates irrespective and sometimes at odds with the company’s direction. Building management services ought to be integrated into the core direction of the company; in so doing, FM managers can contribute a lot to reaching business goals.

At Tudor Group, we’re always interested in a client’s core values and objectives. For example, if a client is keen to improve its environmental business practices, it would make sense to attempt this by involving the facilities management team.

Partnership is paramount

It is only possible to understand what matters to a company through effective partnerships. When we establish cooperation on business objectives, we ensure continuous improvement and compliance that can be measured through Key Performances Indicators.

We meet with companies’ management and staff to understand their current situation and the direction they wish to take the company.

The initial stage in establishing strategic facility management is determining what success looks like and what is entailed in making it happen. However, it is also vital to clarify what budget is allocated for the transition, who must participate, and the process’s duration.

Once we know where the client wants to take the company, we partner with them to devise a viable operational plan. We analyse how the previous company dealt with the broader goals; perhaps they neglected these objectives in favour of simply ‘firefighting’ their way through the job.

At Tudor Group, we believe in meaningful meetings, where as partners, we reach that holistic plan needed to achieve the company’s broader goals.

Realising attractive workplaces

We are responsible for creating and delivering workplaces that enhance staff recruitment, retain those staff, and foster greater success for the organisation.

Strategic facilities management is essential in achieving those goals, since a purely transactional, operational approach would neglect important aspects crucial to creating a better workplace.

For instance, establishing a more attractive workplace means more than just making it cleaner. The company’s goals of healthier food, better decor, and good ventilation all contribute to a better environment for staff.

Taking the lead

We’re passionate about taking the lead on environmental and social issues that matter to clients and their workforce. Strategic facilities management dictates that we consider operational sustainability, energy usage, health and safety, and social policies.

Sustainability is rapidly emerging as a major focus for companies and is steadily climbing up the boardroom ladder worldwide. Meanwhile, COP27 has reiterated the requirement for pressing action on the environment.

We recognise that organisations dedicated to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) concerns need sustainable facilities operations to meet these ambitions.

Sustainability is a cornerstone in our vision of the future, and facilities management performance is essential to achieving greener buildings and practices within them.

The broader approach that strategic facilities management offers means Tudor Group can implement environmental and social objectives as part of a comprehensive solution.

We’re proud to lead the way in delivering a suite of services that meet the operational and aspirational goals of our clients.

To find out more about working with a facilities management company that aligns with your business objectives, get in touch sales@tudorcc.comor 0161 789 3550