Facilities Management

Written by Max | Edited by Rory Hart

Last updated on Aug 15, 2023

Sections of this topic

Colleagues listening to executive at meeting in office boardroom

Sections of This Topic Include

Plan Your Facilities
Select the Best Location
Specific Facilities (signage, computers, etc.)
Setting Up an Office
Telecommuting (working from home)
Inventory
Management (this section is in “Operations Management)
Logistics
and Transportation Management (this section is in “Operations Management”)

Also, consider
Related Library Topics

Plan Your Facilities

Small-business planning often overlooks the critical importance of clarifying
what facilities are needed to support the development and provision of a product
or service, and then to plan how to get those facilities. That is true especially
if you are providing a product rather than a service because a product often
requires space to store the necessary materials and supplies to produce the
product, as well as to develop it.

Important decisions about facilities include, for example: How much space do
Do I need it for storage? Production? Personnel? How should the facility represent
my brand, colors, and tone? What about parking? What about expected future
growth? Should I rent or buy?

After answering the above questions and considering the guidelines in the following
articles, write down your requirements for facilities. You, or any others who
are helping you, can continually reference your requirements to ensure that
your facilities meet your requirements.
Strategic
Facility Planning — Now More Important Than Ever
What
to Consider When Making Business Facility Decisions
Implementing
Facilities Management Successfully in 7 Steps
Facility
Planning: Steps, Process, Objectives, Importance
50
Expert Facilities Management Tips and Best Practices

Useful Resources in Facilities Planning Include
Planning
| Project
Planning | Technical
Writing

Select the Best Location

Having having thought about your needs and preferences for facilities, you
are ready to think about where to locate your business. Decisions include, for
example: Do I want proximity to my customers? Proximity to my suppliers? Distance
from my competitors? What municipalities might grant you some tax breaks if
you locate near them? What about parking?

Before you select a location, your answers to these questions should be written
in a specification that you can reference when searching for a location or that
you can bring to a real-estate agent. That way, you will be making the best
choice based on your actual needs, rather than on your personal preferences.
How to Find the Best Location
A
Step-by-Step Guide to Finding the Right Location for Your Business
Choosing
the Right Location for Your New Business
How
to Choose the Best Location for Your Small Business
How
to Choose a Business Location

Useful Resources in Selecting a Location Include
Planning
| Technical
Specifications | Contracting

Specific Facilities

Setting Up An Office

Designing
An Effective Home Office
Designing
Your Home Office
Introduction
to Property Management

(This section is about setting up office facilities. Information about organizing
yourself, your files, paperwork, etc., is included in the topic Organizing
Yourself.)
Office
Design, Leasing and Organizing
Organizing
Yourself (organizing your office and activities, once the office is set up)
Time
Management

Telecommuting (virtual workplace)

Basics

Basics of Telecommuting for Companies
The Rise of the Truly Virtual Workplace
Why and how to transition to a virtual workplace

General Resources About Telecommuting

Telecommuting Defined
26 Great Telecommuting Resources
Telecommuting Resource Center
List of sites
and articles about telecommuting

General Resources
About Facilities Management

USArchitecture.com a by the State Directory of Architecture, Engineering and Construction
International Facilities Management Association
Facilities Management News

For the Category of Facilities Management:

To round out your knowledge of this Library topic, you may want to review some related topics, available from the link below. Each of the related topics includes free, online resources.

Also, scan the Recommended Books listed below. They have been selected for their relevance and highly practical nature.

Max

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Facilities Management

Sections of This Topic Include

Plan Your Facilities

Select the Best Location

Specific Facilities

Building

HVAC Systems

Offices

Computers