8 Traits Every Commercial Building Facilities Manager Should Have

Design Components Inc, Your Steel Building Accessories Supplier, Offers Insights Into Choosing the Best Facilities Manager For Your Steel Building

When managing a commercial steel building, one of the most crucial roles is that of the facilities manager. This person is responsible for ensuring that your building is well-maintained, that your systems are functioning correctly, and that any issues that arise are promptly and effectively resolved. However, not every facilities manager is created equal, and choosing the right person for the job can be challenging. In this blog post, we’ll discuss some of the traits and skills you should look for in a facilities manager for your steel building, as well as the importance of knowledge of OSHA regulations and steel building accessories for regular maintenance.

The 2 Areas of Facility Management

For facility management, there are two distinct areas that are often covered by facilities managers. While some companies may employee two separate managers, each specific to the management type, more often than not, one facility manager is tasked with covering both areas.

Hard Facility Management: Hard facility management is the most common need for companies. It covers the actual physical buildings and critical system operations including electrical, plumbing, lighting and building structure. Much of these operations are guided by county codes and regulations. HVAC and fire prevention systems also fall into this area.

Soft Facility Management: Soft facility management focuses more on the features of the building for visual appeal and the comfort of employees and visitors. This area of facilities management includes needs such as custodial services, landscaping, and interior decor.

Traits to Look for in a Facilities Manager

When it comes to choosing a facilities manager for your steel commercial building, your candidates should demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of not just the structure of your building but your company’s needs for operations, technology, and safety. While their skillset should be broad, there are eight important traits that you should look for when seeking the best for our company.

The Eight Important Traits Every Facilities Manager Should Retain

1. Strong Organizational Skills: A good facilities manager must keep track of multiple tasks, maintenance deadlines, and building projects at once. They should be able to prioritize effectively and ensure that everything gets done on time and to a high standard.

2. Excellent Communication Skills: Facilities managers need to communicate effectively with a wide range of people, including tenants, owners, vendors, and contractors, as well as company employees. They should be able to listen carefully to others’ needs and concerns and provide clear and concise communication in return.

3. Attention To Detail: A successful facilities manager needs to be able to spot potential problems before they become significant issues. They should be detail-oriented and able to notice when something is not quite right.

4. Ability To Problem-Solve: Facilities managers must think on their feet and come up with creative solutions to problems as they arise. The ability to troubleshoot issues is a critical aspect of the job. In addition, they should be comfortable in emergency building matters that can affect operations. Example: A power outage that shuts down manufacturing or a plumbing failure that creates a flooding situation.

5. Strong Leadership Abilities: A great facilities manager should be able to lead and manage a team of employees effectively. They should be able to motivate and inspire their team, delegate tasks, and hold team members accountable for their work.

6. Knowledge of OSHA Regulations: Facilities managers must be well-versed in OSHA regulations both the inside and outside of any commercial building, especially when accessing the roof for maintenance. Understanding OSHA regulations helps ensure that your company is maintaining a safe and compliant work environment. This greatly reduces the safety risks for employees, as well as company citations for failure to meet OSHA Compliance.

7. Familiarity With Building Systems: Facilities managers must be familiar with the building systems, including electrical, plumbing, heating, and cooling systems. Understanding these systems helps them identify potential problems early and quickly resolve any issues that arise.

8. Budget Management: Facilities managers need to be able to manage budgets effectively. They should be able to prioritize spending and make informed decisions about the repair and replacement of equipment.

The Skill Specifically Needed for a Facilities Manager in Commercial Steel Building

In addition to the above traits, a facilities manager for a commercial steel building should possess several critical skills specific to the needs of a steel building. While chosen for their durability, strength, and flexible design options, commercial steel buildings do require specific components for their structure and regular maintenance.

A crucial skill for facilities managers of steel buildings is to have knowledge of steel-building accessories. Understanding steel building accessories and components including OSHA compliant rooftop walkway systems, roof hatches, and ladders allows them, and service technicians, to carry out regular maintenance services safely.

Design Components Provides The Industry’s Leading Steel Building Accessories To Companies and The Facilities Managers

Design Components, Inc. offers a wide range of steel building accessories for commercial buildings. Our products meet the highest engineering standards, and we have over 90 years of combined industry experience.