For many years the facilities manager was responsible for building operations and he was the building superintendent. The facilities manager is responsible for hiring maintenance personnel and for supervising the scheduled routine maintenance. His work is to look after how the cleaning is performed in the company and changing light bulbs in the lobby security.
Usually the building owners outsource the facilities management. Managers are not gate keepers, but they should be knowledgeable in employee litigation. The facilities managers should have skill in communication technology, environmental regulatory guidelines, and also about the violence in the work place. The building owners expect the facilities managers to keep the operating cost at a minimum level because the building owners have to get the maximum return on their investment.
The facilities manager has to anticipate the problems in the building. The problems in the automatic air conditioning system and the exterior environmental impact the interior of the building. The operation of the facilities manager varies according to the business. The buildings like large shopping malls, convention centers, sports arenas, where thousands of people accommodate. The job of the facilities manager will be determined by the construction of budgets and the expectations of the building people. The building owners on a tight budget may not anticipate or they may ignore the future needs of the people. The common challenges are the inadequate air conditioning systems and heating system. Now-a-days the owners devote 20 percent of the budget to the requirements of the structure. The manager must be sensitive to the operations of air handlers which mix the interior with the exterior.
