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Examines best practices in several areas of FM, based on case work completed over the last four years by FMGC (formerly UFMR). Compares them by reference to two dominant paradigms, or patterns, of modern organisational theory and argues that a view of organisations as living, learning systems better explains ‐ and more importantly better enables ‐ best practice. The challenges facing facilities managers in the future are, as in other areas, those of finding new ways of leading, of cultivating environments for performing, and of finding new conversations with clients, customers and staff.

The paper reports an investigation of the premise that modern HRM practices ‐ used to encourage and motivate the workforce of an organisation ‐ can be extended to the peripheral workforce of contractors and agency staff. Literature review of HRM identified Communications, Teamworking, Training and Performance Management as suitable topics for consideration. Under these headings the project investigated the views of peripheral workers and their supervising managers within a facilities management environment. The data reveal a highly positive response to the topics with a significant degree of consistency across all groups of respondents. All categories attracted high scores with Teamworking coming out as the most favoured. The creation of genuine teams across contractual interfaces is highlighted as a means to significant enhancement of service provision.

During 1994‐1995, work carried out by the author as Head of Unit for Facilities Management Research at Sheffield Hallam University has opened the way for the creation of a new approach to support service management and contracting that could potentially revolutionize the customers’ ability to ensure value for money from facilities management (FM) internal and outsourced contracts. Introduces the concepts of “living contracts” and “moving specification”, using FM in the UK National Health Service as an example. New management tools and methods based on the approach are currently being implemented in a number of contract situations with very positive early results. Describes some of the principles of the approach. Future work will aim to expose some of the early findings from the field data.

Introduces an outline methodology for facilities management to handle the new corporate polytechnics′ building stocks. Reviews the context of the incorporation of polytechnics and the implications for their building stocks. Defines facilities objectives and mechanisms for proactive facilities management. Considers the role of design and institutional restructuring. Suggests that automated systems will enhance facilities management. Finally, concludes that facilities management will be one means of balancing the existing mismatch between supply and demand for space in the new polytechnics.

Facilities operations are influenced by levels of decision making that can be classified in order of priority as strategic/corporate, tactical/ professional and operational/implementational. Facilities managers themselves operate at the tactical/professional level, translating strategic/corporate policies into operational realities within buildings, while dealing with the day‐to‐day problems of monitoring, provision and management. To ensure excellence in the quality of decisions at all levels, it is essential that professionals successfully influence policy decisions and facilities managers are no exception to this rule.

Throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s, manufacturing companies have adopted a wide variety of performance‐improvement programmes. Such approaches have resulted in productivity gains for some companies, although the UK still has few world‐class performers. Despite huge investment in performance‐improvement programmes, competitive advantage for many British companies still remains elusive. Looks at recent developments in thinking which have begun to shed light on why this is happening. Discusses flaws in the widely‐adopted competitive‐forces model and considers the strategic‐capabilities approach as an alternative and potentially crucial model. In the context of the whole organization, it is claimed that the role of facilities management has evolved from merely helping the organization survive, to acting to enhance its potential to prosper in a volatile commercial climate. Thus the challenge for facilities management is indeed the same challenge facing the organization.

Based largely on a series of reports and written guidelines to NHS trust members of the Unit for Facilities Management Research Health Service Forum who took part in a comprehensive and collaborative “catering benchmarking” exercise. Aims to introduce the concept of “process benchmarking” in the context of facilities services and demonstrate the relevance and use of generic process analysis. Also aims to assist those who wish to become involved in such exercises by guiding them at the planning, information gathering and analysis stages.

Reports on research which was funded by the 20 NHS trusts which are members of the Health Service Facilities Management Research and Application Forum co‐ordinated by the Unit for Facilities Management Research at Sheffield Hallam University. Using a literature search and by collecting primary data from NHS and non‐NHS organizations, tested the hypothesis that the introduction of multiskilling and/or generic working can give an organization greater efficiency and also provide job enrichment for its workers. These benefits will increasingly lead NHS trusts to introduce these systems as a means of making effective use of the available resources. Refers to recent changes in the pattern of working in NHS trusts. Uses various case studies to provide guidance. These, together with the primary information, are used to identify the key success factors and the potential dangers of implementing multiskilling or generic working. Also outlines steps for the introduction of these policies into an NHS trust.