The Professional Standards, established in 2014, clearly define the competences that are necessary to be a competent facilities management practitioner at all career levels; forming a global competence model for the profession.
Created in consultation with industry stakeholders, experts and professional standards writers, the Standards can be used to benchmark skills, knowledge and competence for those working at all levels in the FM profession.
These standards form the basis of what is the world's most extensive FM Professional Development Pathway, from entry level through to senior strategic roles, which provides qualifications, training, professional membership and CPD to help all individuals and businesses excel in facilities management.
Professional Standards Wheel
The interactive tool below provides the high-level competence statements for each area and across each career level. To access the full detailed competencies for the Standards, download the handbook.
Professional Standards Handbook
Impact
Business
Economy
Society
Sustainability
To recognise and address the importance of sustainability and environmental issues and how workplace and facilities management has an impact on these issues. To develop and implement policies that protect the environment and improve awareness. To review policies to reflect changes in legislation. To analyse and improve energy and utility efficiency.
Energy and carbon management
To develop, implement and review an organisation’s energy management policy based on optimising building energy performance, applicable legislation and reporting.
To collect and analyse data on energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions against targets to reduce cost, increase efficiency and support the corporate vision.Environmental management
To manage an organisation’s environmental affairs so as to minimise any negative impact whilst still achieving maximum operational efficiency.
To identify and escalate environmental issues associated with workplace and facilities management activities and projects.Responsible business
To recognise both the moral and commercial imperatives for being a responsible business.
To champion best practice in line with global standards and emerging social, legislative and commercial drivers and to influence others to maintain the highest standards.Social value
To develop, implement and review social value policies in line with an organisation’s goals and best practice as well as all applicable legislation.
To improve awareness of social value amongst stakeholders and embed the creation of social value into policy and practice.
To contribute to the development of a workplace and supplier strategy where social value creation, measurement and data validation is seen as a key strategic outcome.
Procurement and Contract Management
To develop a procurement strategy that is aligned to an organisation’s strategic objectives. To develop specifications to use and manage contracts in accordance with business requirements whilst ensuring compliance with relevant legislation. To identify suppliers, manage and review on‑going supplier relationships. To establish clear selection criteria and manage performance against stated criteria, creating value for the organisation.
Procurement
To develop and implement a procurement strategy.
To identify and select suppliers following robust and transparent selection criteria.
To acquire products or services and understand and manage the whole supply chain.
To ensure alignment with an organisation’s corporate objectives by measuring quality versus price versus risk so that best value for the company is achieved.Contract management
To identify, use and manage different types of contracts.
To develop specifications and terms and conditions for the procurement of goods and/or services and to manage the costs of the contract.
To gather data and analyse feedback to monitor performance of the contract.
To comply with relevant legislation and manage stakeholder relationships.
Finance and Technology
To set out how organisations will use and manage data and its interaction with humans. To design an organisation’s IT systems to optimise its facilities and assets. To develop a maturity roadmap to facilitate an organisation’s direction and ability to expand its continuous improvement processes. To integrate different aspects of workplaces and their assets to optimise sustainability, social, economic, experience and wellbeing. To harmonise the workplace and facility management digital tools to deliver a unified organisational best value approach to the develop and system needs.
Financial Management
To recognise how income is generated within workplace and facilities management, the legal obligations and to evaluate financial performance.
To understand the principles of management accounting, balance sheets, the use of capital and revenue budgets.
To identify trends and variances and prepare financial cases.
To develop and manage budgets, understand the impact of depreciating asset values, whole‑life costing and discounted cash flow.Data naming and structure
To understand the elements of an organisation’s workplace and facilities and to bring consistency and standardisation in a computer readable fashion and to align how the data is structured.
To understand the various systems working with and using the workplace and facility data and how the different organisational needs will consume digital resources and ongoing work with the data (other parts of the organisations, other organisational systems or supply chain and their systems/environments) and that where these systems need contract, compliance or operational requirements to share data, there is a framework that supports a full life information model.Information security and management
To understand how to manage information across all environments, systems, people and processes at all points to keep the information both true and secure. Understanding by extension also where data goes out and comes into the organisation from either other functional areas or external streams to the core operation.
Information exchange
To ensure the trust and reliability of data that is exchanged from one environment to another and the integrity of the underlying information models. This involves understanding where data goes out and comes into an organisation from either other functional areas or external streams to the core operation. This ensures that, at all points of the process and at all stages of the lifecycle, across any system or supplier, information is unified and reliable and can support organisational needs.
Data-driven approach
To understand the information model at both organisational and functional levels, integrating the correct checks and measures to allow real-time delivery of automated services and data-driven human services along with medium- and long-term strategy, planning and management of the operation to align and best promote the long-term value to the organisation.
FM bionics
To use technology in conjunction with humans to increase both the effectiveness of the workplace and facilities management strategy as well as its ability to influence the performance of an organisation.
FM technologies
To be aware of fast‑changing technological trends and to maximise any opportunities for improvement.
To use technology to plan maintenance, maximise the lifespan of assets, analyse financial data and forecast future requirements based on changing business needs.
Quality Management and Customer Service
To embed a quality management approach into the development and delivery of a customer service‑oriented workplace and/or facilities management function. To identify key stakeholders and to build, manage and maintain relationships both internally and externally to improve continually on services delivered and encourage innovation.
Customer service
To embed a customer‑centric culture by developing, implementing and reviewing strategies to improve customer service engagement and build relationships.
To motivate, engage and empower staff to optimise opportunities to enhance relationships and improve customer satisfaction both internally and externally across an organisation.
To gather and analyse data and present findings in support of a programme of continual improvement.Stakeholder relationships
To employ a range of techniques to ensure relationships with stakeholders contribute in a positive way towards meeting targets.
To develop, build and maintain productive relationships with stakeholders, consult on key issues and activities, manage complex negotiations and understand the wider context that affects these relationships.
To monitor and review the effectiveness of the relationships with stakeholders.Quality management
To embed a culture of quality by implementing the following quality management principles: customer focus, demonstrate leadership, involve key stakeholders, develop and review processes and systems, integrate a programme of continual improvement in the pursuit of quality, gather data and facts to inform decision making and develop beneficial relationships.
Property Portfolio Management
To influence building design, manage accessibility and inclusion, manage and maintain property and assets to meet the strategic objectives of an organisation and using building information modelling (BIM) to manage buildings efficiently. To be cognisant of legal stakeholders and to comply with key legislation. To optimise space and manage its effective use that is accessible and inclusive to all, to meet immediate and future needs of a business whilst considering environmental issues and thereby complying with the organisation’s environmental, social and governance statement.
Building Maintenance
To analyse the maintenance implications associated with different building structures and assets contained therein.
To develop, implement and review the strategies for building use, building services and control systems in a range of facilities management contexts.
To manage and monitor maintenance programmes.
To evaluate and use different management systems and technologies available.Property and asset management
To collect and use data to identify the size and components of an estate.
To use that information to plan and manage the property portfolio, aligned to strategic objectives and is compliant with relevant legislation.
To manage property costs and develop, maintain, and review asset registers.
To influence building design to ensure a safe, efficient workplace is created which is inclusive to all.Space Management
To develop and implement a strategy for space, optimising its use while considering environmental issues and the experience of the users of the space.
To prepare briefs for space layout, implement changes and assess feasibility of new developments, balancing costs versus benefits.
To develop strategies for introducing alternative ways of working or the need to change the use of accommodation.Managing accessibility and inclusion
To understand the principles of inclusive design and management and how people’s diverse needs should influence the design, use and management of workplaces and facilities; the ethical, legal and organisational imperatives for inclusive facilities including the range of disabled people’s needs.
Building information modelling (BIM)
To generate and manage digital representations of physical and functional characteristics of buildings to support decision‑making and efficient running in the planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of physical assets throughout their lifecycle.
Building safety requirements
To understand the legislative and contractual requirements as well as the ethical responsibility to ensure the safety of building users.
To implement a strategy for managing these requirements across the estate, ensuring that monitoring and performance measurements are in place.
To review and manage existing procedures in line with legislation and financial considerations, ensuring that appropriate suppliers are selected, and stakeholder needs are identified and met.
To manage and monitor building assets, emergency procedures and life safety utilising technology.
Business Support Services Management
To evaluate trends and developments in the market, identify future needs and use this information to innovate and promote the added value of an organisation’s workplace and/or facilities management service. To identify, implement and maintain services in accordance with the standards set out in service level agreements. To assess continually the quality and value for money of services provided.
Service innovation
To recognise the influences and drivers of workplace and/or a facilities management function and to identify trends and future developments to improve delivery.
To optimise opportunities to market and promote the added value of workplace and facilities management both within and outside an organisation.
To promote innovation by identifying opportunities for new or alternative services.Managing service delivery
To develop and implement strategies for the delivery of support services within an organisation.
To identify the needs of an organisation, establish service level agreements and manage the delivery of a service.
To embed a culture and programme of continual review in order to monitor performance and to identify opportunities for new or alternative services.
Business Continuity and Compliance
To establish risk management strategies aligned to the strategic objectives of an organisation and to build business resilience by the creation of a robust business continuity plan. To ensure that an organisation is compliant with key regulations, legislation and codes of practice to promote a safe and healthy working environment.
Risk Management
To understand the principles of corporate governance, its relationship to risk management and the importance of risk management in the context of an organisational strategy.
To review the effectiveness of risk management strategies, apply risk transfer and contribute to a robust business continuity plan.
To assess the risk of not being compliant with relevant legislation.Compliance
To understand corporate governance and the scope of a workplace and/or facilities manager’s role which is affected by a plethora of regulation and legislation. For example, health and safety, environmental, employment, contract, company, etc.
To be responsible for ensuring that all relevant legislation is adhered to in the workplace and to create a culture of proactive compliance.
Leadership and Management
To develop, manage and lead highly motivated and skilled teams whilst simultaneously adjusting to fast‑changing organisational priorities. To link individual performance to the overall strategy of an organisation, considering the impact of both culture and values and to identify different approaches to management and models of team working to maximise efficiencies.
Project Management
To create a clearly defined workplace and/or facilities management project brief with a purpose, aim and SMART objectives.
To identify key stakeholders, assemble project teams, establish and monitor a project budget.
To monitor and manage a project through to completion, sign‑off and review.People Management
To recruit, build, empower and lead highly motivated and skilled individuals and teams.
To set clear objectives which are linked to the strategic objectives of an organisation and measure performance.
To identify appropriate styles of management which reflect the needs of the business.
To create a learning environment which engenders a culture of innovation.
To comply with relevant legislation.Culture and values
To apply organisational behaviour and recognition of the social processes to create a culture where employees are seen as investors to enable an organisation to respond to changing needs.
To appreciate the importance of organisational culture and climate and the successful implementation and management of organisational change.A healthy and productive workplace
To create a workplace that promotes health, wellbeing and productivity.
To understand the relationship between a building, people, organisational performance and productivity. This is not about the regulatory aspects of health and safety, but rather the qualitative aspects of an environment that promotes the wellbeing of individuals that enables them to maximise their contribution at work.Change management
To monitor the trends and future direction of workplace and facilities management to envision and initiate the need for change.
To lead and manage key stakeholders through the process of change whilst monitoring and managing any potential impact from the proposed change on the delivery of facilities management services within an organisation.
Strategy and Policy Development
To establish a strategy for the delivery of workplace and facilities management that is aligned to the strategic objectives of an organisation. To be instrumental in controlling key aspects of an organisation’s corporate social responsibility policies and its impact on the external environment. To establish and implement policies that explain and demonstrate what is expected of a workplace and/or facilities management team.Optimises performance.
Workplace and Facilities Management Strategy
To understand the influences and drivers within a business.
To develop and implement a workplace and/or facilities management strategy, aligned with an organisation’s strategic objectives which provides a detailed plan for achieving success.
To understand the relationship between both an organisational and a workplace and/or facilities management strategy and how to communicate these effectively.Organisational Performance
To manage interdependent organisational variables to optimal effect to achieve an organisation’s strategy, goals and objectives.
To integrate strategy, structure, systems, style, staff and skills through shared values.Environmental, social and governance (ESG)
To incorporate ethical values and concerns (e.g. environmental concerns) into all aspects of an organization’s work including its stakeholders (employees, board members, suppliers, shareholders and customers) to ensure probity in all its policies, procedures and operations. This includes governance, the environment, finance, ethical behaviour and people.
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) is also sometimes known as Environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG).Workplace and facilities management policy
To develop, implement and review policies which set out the details and level of service for the delivery of a workplace and/or facilities management function.
To ensure that policies are aligned with an organisation’s business plan.
To monitor the future direction of workplace and facilities management and ensure policies are fit for purpose for a dynamic industry.
To ensure that all policies reflect relevant legislation.
The Role of Workplace
To optimise the use of and manage workplaces to deliver the strategic objectives and operational requirements of an organisation. To identify examples of best practice, assess emerging developments in business thinking and be able to present realistic plans for the introduction of new innovative ways of working. To optimise operational effectiveness whilst ensuring compliance with key legislation and ensuring that the workplace adapts to the changing needs of an organisation.
Sector Knowledge
To understand the role and scope of workplace and facilities management, the function within an organisation and the wider community.
To acknowledge that workplace and/or facilities management is pivotal if organisations are to operate safely, efficiently and effectively whilst complying with relevant legislation.
To understand the structure of organisations and how its functions, culture and processes affect the delivery of workplace and facilities management.Organisational Behaviour
To create an environment which contributes to positive organisational behaviour to maximise productivity and efficiency in a dynamic and increasingly globalised environment through the development of individuals, their job satisfaction and their achievement of targets and objectives.
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