Optimise your next generation maintenance strategy with our new guidance in partnership with Wates 

News

With factors such as political uncertainty, economic tumult, changing ways of working and technological innovation to consider, the FM sector is faced with challenging conditions - but also substantial opportunities to create lasting beneficial change. As it stands, FM professionals may be asked to maximise organisational outcomes with limited resources; including across their maintenance strategy, which will be a key deliverable of their role.

So often however, the role of a maintenance strategy is undervalued, especially where cost is a key consideration. IWFM and Wates have teamed up to highlight the different routes than can be taken to choose the right strategy, depending on an organisation’s risk appetite and the FM maturity capability, in service of the business specific outcomes that need to be achieved.

Our new guidance note ‘Next generation maintenance: challenges and opportunities’ provides a handrail to organisations to select a maintenance strategy that supports them in the most efficient and effective way. It helps to analyse a range of internal and external factors to navigate the challenges and provide pointers to be able to seize appropriate opportunities. It looks to provide FM professionals with the understanding and tools to navigate the choices in front of them and help them and the senior leadership of their organisations make informed decisions.

Speaking on behalf of IWFM, Sofie Hooper, Head of Policy & Research, commented: “Operating in an increasingly complex world means that maintenance strategies need to keep up with more complex needs as well. Greater skill and professionalism are needed to marry an increasing variety of risk with more demanding business needs to create substantial value beyond cost savings. Our guidance helps our members to navigate the different options so that best possible outcomes can be achieved through the maintenance of an organisation’s assets.”

On the launch of the report, Antony Collett, Managing Director of Wates, shared his perspective: “Against a backdrop of rapid change, and with the mounting pressure for organisations to meet the latest legislative and regulatory changes, we need to ensure building maintenance strategies remain fit for purpose. This shouldn’t come at unreachable cost. Our guidance has been created to support members in balancing risk within their maintenance strategies to ensure the best possible outcomes are realised and implemented.”