COVID-19 Strategies for Facility Managers

If there is one thing that employers and businesses have learned during this COVID-19 pandemic, it is just how resourceful their labor force can be. Organizations that couldn’t have possibly envisioned a fully remote labor force have been able to adjust without a lot of changes in productivity. In the same breath, on-site workers such as facility managers have worked effortlessly to keep their facilities clean, sanitized, and ready for when things return to normal.

Still, as impressive as things are, facility managers have a responsibility to ensure that the facilities they are in charge of remain operational. But as circumstances are not as they were before; things are a little harder for facility managers. So, what is it that facility managers can do to more effectively deal with COVID-19? Here are some COVID-19 strategies for facility managers:

Be Keener Than Ever

Because of COVID-19, it could mean that tenant occupancy in your facility is almost non-existent or is often fluctuating. During this pandemic period, facility managers must maintain emergency systems. Facility managers should also be vigilant and keep a close eye on the operating systems to make certain that the facility isn’t wasting energy in unoccupied areas, which will inflate the utility bills.

Adjust Your Operating Procedures to Reflect This Pandemic Period

As mentioned above, your building is probably empty. It is easy to just say ‘everything should be shut down since no one is in the building’. However, doing so might lead to serious consequences.

For instance, some facilities still don’t know the extent of how occupied the spaces are. Therefore, if everything were to be shut down, the risks include failing to meet code or having some occupants not enjoy expected comforts such as fresh air at certain points. As such, for things to run as smoothly as they can during a pandemic, facility managers must adjust their operating procedures to reflect this low pandemic period.

Ensure That Any Emergency Systems Are Current

During this tough period, you might not be able to access your integrated facility management services as much as you normally would. That is why it is more vital than ever for facility managers to ensure that their facilities have not been left in vulnerable positions. This means making sure that all emergency systems are current and up to date.

Some of the things that need checking include the fire suppression or detecting systems- these need to be inspected, tested, and maintained to make certain that everything is functioning as it should.