The Difference Between Soft & Hard Facilities Management

How Facilities Management Services Differ

Facilities management refers to ensuring that the vital parts of the business function and operate as they should. This can be connected to guaranteeing that employees and visitors to the business do have the right environment that is managed effectively. It can also relate to areas of the business that must be maintained to comply with the correct laws and regulations. Essentially, facilities management controls everything connected to keeping people alive, safe, and well. Facilities management is divided into soft and hard services. Both of these are important for the functions of the business and relate to the core processes of a company but they do so in different ways.

What is Soft Facilities Management?

Soft facilities services refer to services and facilities that directly relate to making an environment a better place to work. Of course, you can make a place better to work in a variety of ways. As such, this could be connected to ensuring that the building is more secure or more pleasant which could directly lead to higher levels of efficiency overall.

Typically, soft facilities management will not be required by law but they could certainly improve the company overall. The different types of soft services will differ depending on the company and the industry that it is part of.

Soft Facilities Management Services

• Maintaining business grounds
• Landscaping
• Catering
• Cleaning
• Painting & Decorating
• Pest Control
• Car Parking
• Waste Management
• Manned Security
• Window Cleaning

What is Hard Facilities Management?

Hard facilities management refers to the physical structure of a building. Specifically, it refers to structures that can not be removed. There are many examples of this and they will usually relate directly to the safety and welfare to visitors as well as employees. As such, they are required, by law, to be correctly maintained. Companies are expected to ensure that they take measures to keep these structures maintained with the correct hard facilities management services. Even structures that are not required to be maintained by law could contribute to the well-being and overall productivity of the business as well as its staff

Hard Facilities Management Services

• Commercial Lighting
• Air conditioning
• Heating
• Plumbing
• Building maintenance
• Fire safety systems
• Mechanical systems
• Gas

Conclusion

It’s clear that there are significant differences between hard and soft facilities management. While one is largely required under law, the other is not regulated but will provide key benefits for the business. Indeed, both hard and software facilities management is necessary for ensuring that a business does reach its maximum potential on the market. This is why you need to make sure that you are choosing the right facilities, management team. The right facilities management company will provide both hard and soft services in your business, ensuring that your company does fire on all cylinders each day.