Facilities management is the “organizational function which integrates people, place, and process within the built environment to improve the quality of life of people and the productivity of the core business.” Effective facilities management processes must be in line with the highest standards, which means processes need to be carried out at the same standard all the time.
What can facility managers do to ensure control and consistency over every aspect of their work? Before the last few years, they relied on manuals and checklists printed on paper to ensure that everything was in order and to note the processes and issues that needed to be optimized. Employing this method, managers could not access the truthful information they needed, especially in the event that they were not located in the areas where employees were working. Thus, they could not ensure that staff were performing their jobs as they were expected to. Checklists made of paper only offer an incomplete picture of the scenario, which is why a rising number of businesses are switching to electronic checklists.
Digital Checklists
Digital technology gives managers superior control over processes and information because staff can exchange information with the headquarters from anywhere they may be. Thus, managers can have the ability to monitor in real-time what’s happening on the ground.
Digital checklists don’t just give better visibility but aid in ensuring that any problem is dealt with quickly and efficiently. There’s no need to manually input information into spreadsheets. This can result in delays and errors.
Ultimate Goal of Digital Checklists
Make Sure That the Business Runs Smoothly.
According to facility manager roles and responsibilities pdf Facility managers should conduct regular inspections to ensure that facilities are operating according to plan. This can include basic tasks like switching off lights at specific places, distributing mail, and replenishing vending machines.
Digital checklists aid them in keeping track of what they have to do while keeping track of completed actions.
Security
Ensuring the safety of buildings and keeping the premises of a business safe can be made much easier with the help of digital checklists that give the ability to keep a document of the time when inspections were carried out and who carried out the inspection and the location.
Your company can run effectively and meet your business objectives by implementing the right workplace security systems.
Safety
Inability to control safety can cause unsafe situations that can cause employees to fall unwell, injuries to occur, or loss to the company prosecution, insurance claims.
Digital checklists help create a comprehensive health and safety policy in the workplace. Identifying potential risks and creating procedures to address these risks will ensure your employees’ safety and prove your commitment to implementing the safety policy within your organization.
Cleaning and Hygiene
One of the most critical aspects of managing a building is ensuring that all essential building components are assessed and cleaned.
Digital checklists provide the timestamped records of the time when inspections were conducted and can aid employees through the process of determining what has to be cleaned and when.
Reasons Every Organization Must Adopt Facility Digital Checklists
Improved Accountability, Clear Communication
Digital checklists are a great way to ensure accountability for task completion. The who, when, and the reasons behind every action are recorded using manual procedures. Digital checklists include timestamps and signatures when tasks are completed, providing new insight into the causes of failure to help identify areas to improve. It’s essential to have a couple of points to keep in mind as you work towards the new accountability levels, which will help bridge the communication gap between employees.
Simplify Workflow Management
A lot of facilities management companies have hundreds of pages to list the numerous regular tasks that need to be accomplished every day. Not only can digital task management remove the necessity for endless paper trials, however, it also gives the ability to make adjustments on the spot. Through workflow automation, you can quickly transmit documents to clients or subcontractors, eliminating the requirement to send snail mail, scan, and the time and expense associated with those processes. In addition, businesses can automate their workflows to automate scheduling, issue corrective actions, send detailed reports, and give approvals to customers and other stakeholders.
The First Step to Digital Transformation Journey
The use of digital checklists is the initial sensible, easy, and cost-effective in the digital transformation process of any business. Digital checklists enable companies to automate their daily tasks, like inspections, handle maintenance work and safety audits, and clean up the environment with mobile applications, thus assisting businesses to get on the right path to digital transformation.
Save Money by Going Paperless
A mobile application that uses checklists make it easier to manage your time and reduce stress and time, but it also can aid in reducing the overhead expenses of your business. The reliable sources say that the paper industry earns billions of dollars in income each year, the majority of it coming through corporate spending. Converting your mobile application to a mobile lets you save money on shredding paper, storage and ink and also eliminates the hassles that are associated from paper-based forms.
Centralized View of All Information
Digital checklists allow FM firms can save all necessary information in a central place. From audits and trend analysis to KPIs and non-conformances, dashboards built on checklists help you to spot issues before they occur and continuously improve the way you perform. Additionally, some advanced checklist-based applications also allow companies to transmit digital reports to relevant departments. Field staff members can get automated changes and approvals. KPIs are shared in real-time through report sharing.
Final Words
Facilities managers are in charge of day-to-day maintenance tasks and contingency plans. They also have to be aware of potential problems before their occurrence and introduce solutions for problems as fast as possible. They must also guide the employees to ensure that the work is completed promptly and according to the appropriate standards.
Digital checklists can help support these processes, providing greater control, and making the operation more efficient. Facility management is a complicated control of all taking place in the facility. But, the task is now much more manageable and effective with the help of digital tools, like digital checklists and facilities management software.