BIFM – BRITISH INSTITUTE OF FACILITIES MANAGEMENT
FACILITIES MANAGEMENT - A MANIFESTO FOR CHANGE
Health and safety is a central concern for facilities managers and many FMs started their careers in health and safety . But no matter where they started , all FMs have to understand health , safety and environmental concerns and be able to ensure compliance . That ’ s why so many FM employers look for a health and safety qualification when selecting staff . Recently , the FM brief has been changing and expanding , so if you are thinking of a career change and are considering a move to FM , then the current changes at the British Institute of Facilities Management ( BIFM ) will be of interest to you .
In 2018 , it is 25 years since BIFM was formed and set out on its mission to professionalise the facilities management industry . The Institute , which today has more than 17,000 members in over 80 countries , has come a long way since 1993 - when the Institute of Facilities Management and the Association of Facilities Managers merged to form a community of 1,000 professionals . It reaches its silver milestone at a time when the FM industry is maturing into a serious profession and the economic and technological challenges it faces are unprecedented .
In March , BIFM announced plans to embrace ‘ workplace ’ as a key differentiator for its members and to establish facilities management as a chartered profession . A Manifesto for Change proposes to change the Institute ’ s name to the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management and to seek chartered body status .
The FM profession is evolving . From the advancement of new technology to shifting customer expectations and increasing educational performance , FM is expanding across a broader remit into ‘ Workplace ’ and playing a critical role in shaping the work spaces and places of the future .
Today , people can and do work anywhere and when organisations bring people together in workplaces , there must be value in doing so . That is about connecting and creating a joint purpose and direction to drive productive outcomes – the perma-challenge facing every major economy throughout the world .
In the knowledge economy , particularly in tech and other professional services type activities , BIFM believes that new opportunities and challenges presented by the rising interest in workplace , offer an unprecedented chance to re-position FM ; to generate a greater understanding of the value that facilities and workplace managers can contribute to organisations . It wants to pivot facilities management toward the heart of businesses the specialism supports and leverage its faculties to optimise performance and growth .
However , the Institute is very clear that embracing workplace does not mean turning away from FM . BIFM expects that many facilities and building professionals at all levels will continue to identify as facilities managers , especially where their work context demands it – stadia , hotels , and tourist attractions for example , which are not primarily workplaces – and where perhaps , there is already a close coupling of facility and business �.
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HSE INTERNATIONAL