Facility management plays a crucial role in ensuring all necessary resources are readily available and functioning effectively for building occupants, thus enabling them to perform their work seamlessly. The facility manager predominantly influences the overall quality of life within a facility.
In India, the profession of facility management began to take serious shape during the early 1990s. Mr. Anuj Puri, the chairman and country head of Jones Lang LaSalle Meghraj, remarked, "It was being carried out before that, but primarily on an in-house basis and through petty contractors. This business sector has matured considerably now from the earlier days, when facility management was little more than simple manpower supply."
Mr. Pankaj Kapoor, the CEO of the Real Estate Research Agency Liases Foras, pointed out that as 'outsourced services' have become an essential term in the Indian corporate landscape, facility management has solidified its position in this space. He reinforced, "The role of facility management is ensuring that everything is available and operating properly for building occupants to do their work. The facility manager generally has the influence upon the quality of life within a facility."
Anuj Puri emphasized a significant surge in demand for professional facility management services, primarily driven by the booming IT and BPO sectors, alongside other multinational corporations. He elaborated, "This demand comes from the fact that such entities are in India for a specific purpose and wish to focus on their core areas." In such contexts, outsourcing facility management to expert providers proves to be a sensible approach in terms of saving both time and resources. Additionally, as multinationals establish operations in India, they require local expertise for manpower acquisition and adherence to property laws.
Presently, some of the most sophisticated facilities incorporate Computer Aided Facilities Management, where technology is harnessed to automate the gathering and upkeep of essential facilities management data.