Outsourcing Facilities Management Vs Facilities Management Recruitment Agencies – which is best?

Is it time to outsource your Facilities Management?  Or are the Facilities Management Recruitment Agencies not supporting you as well as needed? We take a look at the pros and cons!

Facilities Management Companies started appearing in UK in the 1970’s – coming over from the USA where businesses were much larger and facilities more complex. The industry has grown rapidly in recent years; according to the UK Facilities Management Association, it is now worth over £60 billion and employs over 1 million people.

If you are reading this, then you are already thinking about your Facilities Management and whether it might be time to outsource.  We take a look at the pros and cons, which vary depending on the size and values of your company!

Facilities Management Companies provide professional service people for commercial cleaning and building maintenance, including ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ services.

Depending on the size of your business premises, are you employing staff for internal and external cleaning and maintenance, caretaking, security or front of house services? Do you have enough cover for absences, do you have cover for your FM Manager?  

What about compliance with the latest laws and regulations for your facilities?  Health & Safety and Hygiene require regular inspections and testing of mechanical and electrical assets, lighting, fire alarms, gas equipment, plumbing, heating, ventilation and air conditioning!  These are all done by different professionals in their field. Depending on the size of your organisation, this can be time consuming to arrange and keep on top of.

The general components of FM, include: Building maintenance, Grounds-keeping, Security, Energy management, Waste management, Workplace safety, Compliance, and in some cases…Front of House and Catering. 

If you are managing your own facilities, and are focused on other areas of your business, outsourcing FM can free up your time and resources to focus on those priorities.  You can cherry pick the services you need, perhaps it’s just the cleaning, but you could also access the specialised tradespeople they employ.

Larger and more complex facilities are more likely to benefit from outsourcing, as they require a wider range of FM services.  It can be a cost-effective, but if you have a strong in-house FM team, you may be able to provide the same level of service at a lower cost.

We will take a look at the pros of outsourcing with regards to Costs, Efficiency, Expertise and Risk.

  • Cost –  FM Management companies typically have lower labour and supply costs, access to equipment you don’t need to invest in, and better deals on utilities and insurance. 
  • Efficiency – FM companies can provide additional specialized skills when you need them and will have cover for absences.
  • Expertise – All the professional services are experts under one roof, ready to jump in when you need them!
  • Risk – Mitigate your risk with compliance (laws and regulations) as the FM Management company will be responsible.

Now lets take a look at the cons….

  • Control: When you outsource FM, you lose some control over how your facilities are managed. This can be a problem if you need to make quick decisions or changes to your FM strategy.
  • Risk: Outsourcing companies may not have the same level of commitment to your organization as your own staff
  • Lack of flexibility: Contracts are typically long-term, which can make it difficult to change vendors or services if your needs change.
  • Quality issues: There is always the risk of quality issues. You need to make sure that you choose a reputable provider with a good track record.
  • Security risks: There is also the risk of security breaches. You need to make sure that your provider has strong security measures in place.

If you do feel it’s time to outsource your Facilities Management, do your research – get quotes from several different providers and compare their services and pricing.

Make sure you have a clear understanding of the scope of work: What services will the provider be responsible for? What are your expectations?

Get everything in writing, including the contract and any service level agreements (SLAs).

Once the contract is in place, be sure to monitor the provider’s performance and make sure they are meeting your expectations.

We have put together a list of the best Facilities Management Companies in London, in no particular order:

Entire FM
Established in 2009. Covering all of the UK from 5 regional offices including dedicated London office.

PPVS
Established 2014. Covering London, Peterborough, Manchester, Nottingham, Cambridge, Leeds and Liverpool.

Total Facilities Management
Established over 25 years. Covering London, as well as Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire.

Precision FM
Established in 2012. Covering the whole of the UK, but based in Leicester.

KCE FM
Established in 2008. Based in London.

Tempus FM
Established in 2011. Covering London and the UK.

BSE FM
Established in 2017. Covering London and the South East.

FMS
Established 1995. Based in Maidenhead. Also provides Front of House and Catering Services.

Anabas
Established 2003. Covering London and the South East. Also provides Front of House and Catering Services.

First Class FM
Established in 2010. Covering London. Also provide bookkeeping and payroll.

Bluefan Group
Covering London and Essex.

We have a number of useful lists we have compiled to help you find the right agency or company for your needs:

* See About Us for more information

HAVE A LOOK AT OUR LIST OF THE BEST FACILITIES MANAGEMENT RECRUITMENT AGENCIES

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