The end of 2021 is almost here. The new year brings optimism and a desire to look forwards, not backwards. Having an idea of what to focus on or what will be important in the next 12 months. Although, we don’t have a crystal ball, we asked our teams what they think will be trends in facilities management in 2022. Here are a few that we think will feature in 2022.
Remote and hybrid working:
Remote and hybrid working have become a huge feature of our lives. Despite the initial urgency that forced many organisations to adapt at breakneck speed, it has had many positive side effects. Many organisations report that productivity has been largely unaffected by remote working, and some have reported that more efforts in communications have been made by having daily check-ins on zoom. The increase in remote working has focused employer’s attention on the health and safety of employees while working remotely. Consequently, remote digital screen equipment assessments will become more commonplace. This brings us to one of the biggest and potentially most lasting effects of hybrid working, the increased use of technology. Using sensor technology and computer-aided facilities management software will become increasingly common due to hybrid working.
Sustainability & sustainable development:
Air travel and commuting came to a very sudden halt early in 2020. The almost immediate reduction in CO2 emissions was shocking in a good way. Perhaps it isn’t surprising that an interest in sustainability and sustainable development has increased over the course of the pandemic and is here to stay. Additionally, many consumers (61%) believe that organisations and not individuals are responsible for sustainability (Kantar Europe Sustainability Foundational Study, 2021).
Facilities management is in a unique position to influence the sustainability of an organisation as they have a comprehensive understanding of the functionality of a building, a knowledge of compliance and health and safety. Contributing to the sustainable development of an organisation through proactive maintenance and creating healthy buildings will ensure that the focus on sustainable development continues to grow.
Technology:
There have been some major advances in FM Technology over the last year, this is mainly due to the impact of the pandemic. Social distancing requirements, air quality concerns, and low occupancy levels have accelerated sensor technology within FM drastically.
Up until now, IoT brought qualitative real-time data without the actions required to resolve any issues raised. Now, we have action-based IoT solutions like Azolla that use qualitative data and pre-set thresholds together, generating alerts and work orders when those thresholds are met or exceeded.
Sensors have also become more decreet, compact and powerful, some even house their own edge computer for on site calculations. The smaller more compact size also means sensors can now be placed in hard-to-reach areas, existing assets, furniture, pipes and plant room equipment.
With the growing popularity of IoT solutions in 2021, facility managers are reducing costs and expanding the scope of their services and business, supplying a better experience for their clients, and increasing the productivity of their teams. They can also be compliant with government requirements concerning social distancing or even help achieve local and national environmental goals through the transformation of traditional buildings into efficient and connected smart buildings.
If you would like to speak to us about how we can help your business by supporting your remote working and sustainability efforts or to have a conversation about how technology can help you to streamline your facilities management, contact us here.
