Facility Management Importance - Literature review Example

Facility Management Name Institution Professor Course Date Abstract Facility management is a novel discipline that embraces scores of essential built environment areas. The last few decades have demonstrated a major growth in the profession to a degree where there is a need to be open about its role in organisations. Although there is a close link between facility management and security management, the two functions are distinct. However, the two functions hold a powerful relationship with overlapping responsibilities and roles. Drawing from concepts of facility management and technologies utilised within a typical high-rise building, this essay contends that current facility managers and security managers must appreciate each other’s responsibilities and roles. Introduction Both facility managers and security managers operate within the human-constructed built environment that promotes human activities. The built environment quality holds a direct influence on security thereby making security crucial to the input into operation, design and development of a facility. The operation of both facility management and security management functions depends on a firm itself, its locality and structure. Similar to facility management, security management should function at an operational, tactical and strategic level, which calls for cooperation with the facility managers at different levels. Therefore, facility management is a crucial knowledge area that promotes security management. This essay defines both security management and facility management; assess the distinct roles of both security and facility managers and underscore the similarities between the roles and responsibilities of both security managers and facility managers. Although both facility managers and security managers share responsibilities because of the need to comprehend life safety systems when conducting a security survey and designing security systems such as access control, security managers must appreciate the roles and responsibilities of each other. Facility management entails the incorporation of all processes with a firm to develop and uphold the established services that improve and promote the efficiency of a firm’s core activities (Wiggins, 2010). A facility manager incorporates many of job functions that have been traditionally performed in an uncoordinated fashion by different individual, groups or departments. Smith and Brooke (2013) define facility management as the business practice of managing, providing and planning an effective work setting. Facility management enhances quality of life within the working environment. The responsibilities and roles of facility managers has surfaced and recognised in organisations as both small and large, public and private acknowledge the capital level entailed in their warehouses, factories and offices (Barret & Baldry, 2003). Security management, on the other hand, entails the coordination of security-linked tasks that are carried out in a facility (Fay, 2009). According Craighead (2009), within a high-rise building, security-linked activities are roles that are usually carried out by the security department action on behalf of the facility manager or owner. The organisation and size of the security department varies based on the convolution of the facility and requirements of its security (Haris & Adnan, 2008). Although facility management is different from security management, both functions share overlapping responsibilities and roles (Christopher, 2014). According to Smith and Brooks (2013), facility managers tend to view security as a supporting service. Facility managers maintain that security is their responsibility because they are tasked with ensuring that visitors and occupants of a building are safe. Nevertheless, provision of a safe environment is distinct to provision of organisational security, hence a clear demarcation between the roles and responsibilities of security managers and facility managers (Gallant, 2007). Although there is an apparent link, between security management and facility management, facility managers and security managers require functioning in tandem and such an approach is beneficial to both security management department and facility management department. Although both security and facility managers work collaboratively, their roles and responsibilities are separate from each other. Effective security of an organisation depends on roles and responsibilities of both facility managers and security managers. Facility managers are tasked with establishing a facility management program that facilitates reduction of security risks (Craighead, 2009). Facility managers are also required to develop a comprehension of physical security trends, assist with establishing effective security solutions to attain imminent organisation and facility requirements. This is a clear indication that facility managers enhance the role of security managers. It also demonstrates that the roles and responsibilities are essential in the security management of an organisation. Facility managers are tasked with provision of guidance and criteria to ensure appropriate design, acceptance testing and installation of all organisation projects linked to physical security (Atkin & Brooks, 2002). They also identify problems areas that influence security design, coordinate physical security surveys and provide equipment and work force required to support security measures besides ensuring that the backup power systems are functional (Challinger, 2011). Facility managers require the skills and knowledge of security managers. According to Cotts, Roper and Payant (2009), facility managers coordinate with security managers in the course of planning, design and construction stages of construction projects to categorize physical security requirements. Similarly, Security managers hold a crucial role in the effectiveness of facility management. According to Cotts et al.(2009), security managers are tasked with recommending physical security considerations with respect to a firm’s mission and susceptibility to troublesome influences. Security managers perform physical security inspections and surveys along with the facility managers (Held, 2000). More so, security managers are tasked with monitoring the resource management of a firm’s physical security program, coordinate the physical requirement of an organisation with the help of a facility manager. Similar to the roles and responsibilities of facility managers, security managers assess all planning documents and construction specifications and plans for renovation and construction projects at all developmental stages (Craighead, 2009). Security manager also develop and enforce security procedures and standards that promotes effective facility management (Sennewald, 2011). However, Cotts (1999) asserts that if facility managers do not have the responsibility for security, numerous functions can be wearisome. This is especially true as life-safety and security systems become greatly automated Despite some similarities between the roles and responsibilities of both security managers and facility managers, security management and facility management are two distinct functions. The distinctiveness of the two functions calls for respect and appreciation of the roles and responsibilities of both security managers and facility managers. Smith and Brooks (2013) assert that the principal role of a facility manager is to offer a safe environment besides customer service. A facility manager requires offering two major upshots, which include maximisation of return on investment for owners of a facility and integrity of the facility services (Booty, 2009). The security managers, on the other hand, determine the physical security controls that are essential in the provision of a sufficient protection level (Fennelly, 2003). Physical security is the most essential aspect of protection and entails the use of physical control to protect the facility, building, premises site or other physical assets. Security managers unlike facility managers use layers of physical protective measures to prevent unauthorised access, destruction of property and harm. The security managers also employ sophisticated protection measures aside from physical measures to protect information and people (Schwarz, Hall & Shibli, 2015). For instance, fire and life safety systems are designed, installed and maintained to protect property and human life. Scores of contemporary high-rise facilities would not attain past fire safety anticipations if they only depend on physical fire protection perspective (Craighead, 2009). Although the fire engineer in consultation with structural engineers and architects determines fire and life safety systems installed in an organisation, security managers must demonstrate fundamental knowledge of the operations of different types of life and fire safety systems. The fire and life safety systems influence the operations of a facility and are a security concern. Scores of the responsibilities and roles of a facility manager involve akin areas of concern as for security managers. According to Smith and Brooks (2013), facility management is an intricate function that calls for diverse set of skills and knowledge across different parts of an organisation. A facility manager is much like a security manager and operates at scores of levels within an organisation. For instance, a facility manager in normal working days discusses technical issues and probable solutions with technicians and brief senior management on strategic facility issues. A facility management in an organisation is required to offer effective financial management and it uses resources and people (Madritsch & Ebinger, 2011). Similarly, the security management requires utilising physical resources and people to uphold and attain the desired security and organisational outcomes. Desired facility and security management is attainable through suitable deliverable outputs and inputs. The inputs entail different security enablers such as tactical and strategic alignment and direction, governance, ethics, resilience, sustainability, accountability, governance and leadership. For organisational security to be accepted by a firm’s decision-makers, the security manager must work along with facility managers. Similarly, to ensure effective facility management, facility managers must work together with security managers. Security managers’ roles and responsibilities are crucial to facility managers. This is because security managers’ functions to mitigate risks, put in place control, recovery and response plans and ensures potential business prospects are safeguarded. Given the technology used in most high rise building, facility managers and security managers must work collaboratively and appreciate each other’s roles. Security managers help in promoting the effectiveness of facility management. According to Smith and Brooks (2013), when linked functions such as ICT security, fraud management and preemploymennt screening are carried put beyond the control of a firm’s security, a strategic security management plan can get great value in aiding the establishment of a detailed comprehension of the overall architectural program. Such a rise in common language and understanding can help communication across scores of functional boundaries. More so, it can promote cooperation among staff and offer accurate development of security metrics. Security managers adjust a security management blueprint to fit the contextual needs of a firm depending on a firm’s strategic and operating environment. This makes easier the work of facility managers (Nutt & McLennan, 2000). Given that security management plans are not explicit functions, but an overarching procedure that combines the diverse and many security and management functions, both security managers and facility managers must acknowledge each other’s role. Security managers and facility managers share responsibilities for protecting a firm’s assets and people. Facility managers along with their security counterparts must comprehend how dependent their firms are on ICT (Cotts, 2013). It remains ambiguous which manager hold the overall responsibility. Noticeably, the difference is obscure when mixed with novel digital technologies. It remains unclear who should control the physical security effort for a facility. However, while a facility management and security management are two distinct functions, their roles and responsibilities overlap. Cotts et al. (2009) asserts that the future of physical security entails the information technology managers, facility manager and security managers. Personnel in IT management, facility management and security management must collaborate and cooperate. For a firm’s physical security to function effectively and efficiently, IT managers, security managers and facility managers must cooperate and show regard for each other’s roles (Ariwa, 2001). The effectiveness of facility managers depends on the effectiveness of security managers and IT managers in a firm. Similarly, the effectiveness of a security manger depends on the effectiveness of both the IT managers and facility managers. Effective management of an organisation security calls for collaboration of security and facility managers. Cotts et al.(2009) asserts that the entangled temperament of operating systems of a facility such as life safety systems, lighting, heating ventilation, air-conditioning (HVAC) as well as the environmental monitoring demonstrates the significance of collaboration and communication when planning renovations of facilities. Damage assessment, evacuation plans, structural integrity and emergency watchfulness comprises of areas in which facility managers must hold considerable skills and knowledge of functional requirements given the daily interaction and involvement. The security managers and facility managers should acknowledge each other’s roles and responsibilities because their distinct roles and responsibilities play a crucial role in securing and safeguarding a firm’s assets, particularly those assets that are crucial and sensitive. Conclusion Facility management and security management are becoming increasingly vital elements in the built environment. Facility management entails the management of non-vital and vital assets and infrastructure of a firm’s facilities. Facility managers play a crucial role in the security of an organisation. It is extremely essential that facility managers get the support of security managers. The support of security managers should be integrated into facility management. Given the significance of the roles and responsibilities of both facility managers and security managers in an organisation, good working relations should be cultivated. However, facility management and security management are two distinct functions that amount to diverse but overlapping roles and responsibilities. Therefore, current facility managers and security managers must show appreciation to each other’s roles and responsibilities References Ariwa, E I.(2001). Facilities Management and E-Commerce: An integrated approach for ASIS International. Atkin,B., & Brooks, A. (2002). Total facilities management. Oxford: Blackwell science limited. Barret, P., & Baldry, D. (2003). Total facilities management, Towards best practice. UK: Blackwell Science Inc. Booty, F.(2009). Facilities management handbook. UK: Routledge. Challinger, D. (2011). From the Ground Up: Security for Tall Buildings. Crisp Report. 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