Top 5 Skills Every Facilities Manager Needs

 

Facilities management is a demanding but exciting role that requires a unique set of skills. If you’re looking for a new career in facilities management, Conditioned Environment have put together a list of top 5 skills we look for in the perfect candidate. Perhaps you’re already a Facilities Manager? In which case, read our list and see how you measure up!

Mental Agility

Thinking on your feet is essential. Though you can avoid mishaps by planning in advance, some days you’ll need to juggle the workload of multiple teams to ensure no client is left without essential services.

You will need to visualise your team’s workday, calculate their workload and assign tasks effectively. This is because they’ll be looking after clients as diverse as commercial outlets, residential buildings, hospitals and airports. Each client will have their own ways of working, so you need to determine their needs in advance.

 

Responsive to Emergencies

The emergencies that Facilities Managers are expected to deal with are wide and varied. From heating system breakdowns on Christmas Eve to air conditioning malfunctions in the height of the summer, you’ll see the lot. When presented with these situations, the ideal candidate is always level-headed and solutions-oriented. As well as this, the ideal candidate will manage client expectations by keeping them up to date at all times.

 

 

Organisation

‘Organisation skills’ is a phrase bandied around most job interviews and you’ll find it written on most CVs, too. But anyone can wake up in the morning and get to work on time. A Facilities Manager needs to be outstanding in their organisation to minimise the risk of emergency situations that are described above. Maintenance rotas, industry news and legal knowledge is all part of being well organised in your role.

Leadership

Your team are your most important asset. As their boss you’ll need to be firm and fair, lead by example and be approachable. If there is a problem, the proper procedure needs to be followed to satisfy the company and employees. Overall, this is a mutual relationship, which means if you look after them, they will look after you.

People Skills

This is different to effective leadership. Just because you have a rapport with your team, doesn’t mean you will instantly hit it off with a client. You need to be polite, friendly and manage expectations well, even if this means delivering bad news. Making a good impression on the client with open honesty from the start is always the best policy. Ideally, these people skills will be instinctive to you and be part of your personality.

What do you think are the key skills of a Facilities Manager? Did we miss anything out? Leave a message in the comments below.

Conditioned Environment provide the highest level of facilities management to executive clients throughout London, and have done for over 45 years. Our expert teams of engineers are dedicated to installing, maintaining and repairing all types of mechanical systems including air conditioning, HVAC, plumbing and fire suppression. Contact our friendly team today to discuss your facilities management needs.