Facilities & Workplace Services
Facilities & Workplace Services covers how workplaces operate day-to-day—amenities, maintenance, cleaning, reception and service operations that support employees.
This category includes terms for measuring service levels, satisfaction, helpdesk and maintenance workflows, vendor performance, amenities provisioning and accessibility. Use these terms when designing surveys, reviewing service delivery or evaluating the effectiveness of workplace support functions.
Energy Management
Energy management is the ongoing process of monitoring, controlling and reducing energy use in workplace buildings and services to lower costs, meet sustainability goals and maintain occupant comfort. It combines technical systems, operational practices and behaviour change.
Facilities Management (FM)
Facilities Management (FM) is the coordinated practice of maintaining and operating a workplace’s physical environment and services to support people, safety and business continuity. It covers everything from building systems and cleaning to vendor management and compliance.
Hard Services
Hard services are the technical, physical building systems and planned maintenance activities that keep a workplace safe, functional and compliant — for example heating, ventilation, electrical, lifts and fire safety. They are typically regulated, contract-managed and distinct from people-facing 'soft' services like cleaning or catering.
Janitorial and Cleaning Standards
Janitorial and cleaning standards define the expected scope, frequency and quality of cleaning activities in a workplace, including routines for daily upkeep, periodic deep cleans and hygiene protocols for high-touch areas. They set measurable criteria and service-level expectations for janitorial teams and vendors.
Preventive Maintenance
Preventive maintenance is the planned, routine upkeep and inspection of building systems and equipment to prevent breakdowns, ensure safety and maintain a comfortable workplace. It includes scheduled servicing, part replacement and condition checks before problems occur.
Reactive Maintenance
Reactive maintenance is the process of fixing equipment, systems or facilities after a fault or failure is reported. It focuses on immediate repairs rather than scheduled checks or preventative work.
Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are formal agreements that define the expected standard and timeliness of facilities and workplace services, including measurable targets and responsibilities for providers and customers. They translate service expectations into clear, trackable metrics such as response times, resolution times and uptime.
Soft Services
Soft services are people-focused, day-to-day workplace services—like cleaning, reception, catering and security—that keep an office functioning and comfortable. They contrast with 'hard' building systems (HVAC, electrical, structure) and are usually delivered by facilities teams or external suppliers.
Sustainability in Facilities
Sustainability in Facilities covers the policies, practices and day-to-day operations that reduce a workplace’s environmental footprint while supporting occupant wellbeing and efficient use of resources. It includes energy, water, waste, materials, procurement and behaviour-change measures managed by facilities teams.
Vendor and Contract Management
Vendor and contract management covers selecting, managing and measuring third‑party suppliers who deliver facilities and workplace services, plus the lifecycle of their contracts (terms, SLAs, renewals and compliance). It ensures services meet organisational needs, budgets and quality standards.
Work Order Management
Work order management is the system and process for capturing, prioritising, assigning and tracking workplace repair, maintenance and service requests from initiation to completion. It ensures work is logged, scheduled, executed and closed with accountability and records for reporting.
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