The term integrated workplace management system (IWMS) refers to a software platform that aids organizations in optimizing the use of resources in the workplace. This includes the management of a company’s facilities, infrastructure and real estate portfolio assets.
The idea behind this technology is that it uses one centralized database and ties together several corporate functions. There are five aspects or components of IWMS functionality within an enterprise, in no particular order of implementation and it is usually according to the needs of the organization.
a) Real Estate Management
This refers to areas that have to do with the financial management, acquisition, and real property asset disposition.
b) Capital Project Management
This refers to activities associated with the development and design of new facilities. It also includes the enhancement and remodeling of existing facilities.
c) Maintenance Management
This has to do with areas related to maintenance – whether corrective or preventive, and the operation of assets and facilities.
d) Facilities Management
This area refers to the activities associated with the optimized utilization and operation of facilities.
e) Sustainability and Energy Management
This area encompasses every activity that relates to the measurement and reduction of the consumption of resources and production of waste within the enterprise.
Benefits of CAFM Integrated Workplace Management System
i. Efficiency
CAFM IWMS, there is a platform for you to analyze, measure the utilization of facilities in your organization, and promote the value of your organization. This way you are able to eliminate facilities that are underperforming or possibly change their functions.
ii. Complete Transparency
CAFM IWMS eliminates the risk of non-transparency in relevant aspects of your organization. For instance, when you’re not well aware of your portfolio, size, its value, planned maintenance, etc., it poses an enormous amount of risk in terms of cost and continuity of business. IWMS creates structured and standardized data repository for all your processes which in turn allows for transparency.
iii. Save Cost
With CAFM IWMS, one of the obvious benefits you get is in terms of saving costs and increasing revenue – sometimes direct and at other times indirect. According to analysis, it has been established that efficient management, process improvements and professional lease administration, which are a result of IWMS, there is a percentage of cost reduction it helps attain.
iv. Decision Support
Making the right decisions and fast is an important quality that every business should possess. However, there’s always pressure on managers as a result of budget constraints, restructuring and other economic factors, and as such, there is an increased need for an integrated and reliable management information to support the process of decision making.
and finally …
The CAFM integrated management system aims at bettering the management of assets despite the competitive nature of the economy. With this technology, there’s ease in capturing asset data collecting and comparing operating results, and making of long term planning decisions based upon a reasonable projected return on assets.