KUALA LUMPUR: Those in the facilities management industry can now align their standards to international benchmarks, as it moves towards adapting to the future of work.
Sirim QAS International Sdn Bhd’s new Facility Management Systems Certification Scheme could well pave the path for forward-looking industry players to position themselves for the fourth industrial revolution.
The certification scheme, based on the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) 41001:2018 standard, was recently launched by Sirim QAS International chief executive officer Mohd Azanuddin Salleh and witnessed by Malaysian Association of Facility Management (MAFM) vice president II Tun Masri Abu Bakar.
While facilities management services are believed to be among the top three costs for most organisations, the industry remains largely unregulated, resulting in a wide range of differing standards among the facilities here.
“Facilities management services are the second highest cost for most organisations and can make a significant contribution to an organisation’s bottom line, besides affecting the wellbeing of the employees at the workplace, ” shared Mohd Azanuddin.
The ISO 41001 standard provides for a common interpretation and understanding of facilities management on a global level, which is why he believes its implementation will enhance the level of professionalism in the local industry.
Among its benefits are improved safety, health and productivity of the workforce, better efficiency and effectiveness in facilities management, thus resulting in improved organisational costs.
He added, “Typically, in ISO or any standards, we identify risk areas that would affect the achievement of a particular objective or task and cost would be one of it. It helps identify potential pitfalls or areas where unnecessary leakage can happen and eradicate it to boost efficiency.”
Often viewed as a cost centre for organisations, facilities management is still equated with building maintenance, but has evolved over the years to cover all aspects related to all kinds of facilities within the built environment, with a key role in ensuring that organisations can focus solely on doing business and raising profit.
Failure can lead to unforeseen business disruptions and incur penalties from authorities, adding to the costs of running a business.
In light of its significant impact on overhead costs, adhering to an international set of standards can increase efficiency and productivity by reducing blind spots in facilities management for organisations, such as resource wastage and redundant processes.
The certification process may be tedious, but Mohd Azanuddin stressed that any vision to implement standards must come from the top management.
“There’s a lot of work involved in getting yourself ready to be certified and it’s a culture-changing process. With standards, there’s always an element of improvement, so the continuous implementation translates into culture, ” he stressed, adding that it will also bring about a culture for continual improvement.
This, in turn, would see well-positioned organisations ready for the adoption of new technologies in the digital transformation journey.
Moreover, he stressed that the ISO 41001 standard can also be a competitive edge for the asset owners or managers, facility managers and service providers to demonstrate the effective and efficient delivery of best-in-practice facilities management standards, in supporting the objectives of the organisations they serve.
In conjunction with the launch, Sirim QAS International held a seminar to raise awareness on the facility management industry and the newly-launched certification scheme.
The event, which was attended by around 150 participants, saw MAFM’s Tun Masri giving an overview of the current scenario and industry evolution in facilities management, while Sirim QAS International management system certification civil and construction section principal auditor Wan Shahima Mior Ahmed Shahimi shared requirements and process for the certification scheme.
Sirim QAS International, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sirim Bhd, will be running its second awareness programme in September to October this year.
Source: The Star
