Best Books for Facility Managers 2023
Facility management is a professional discipline of ensuring the functionality and sustainability of the built environment. As a facility manager or an aspiring one, you’ll have to shoulder the responsibility of maintaining residential societies to college campuses. Sounds challenging, right? However, with the best books for facility managers, you’ll be able to adapt well. Did we just say books? Yes!
Continuous learning is the minimum requirement for success in facility management. And who could possibly deny the role of reading in this? A little diligence from your side and these books for facility managers will help you excel at your job.
In this blog, we’ve compiled the top five must-read books on facility management. Let’s catch a quick glimpse and decide which one’s going on your to-read list. Buckle up!
Top 5 Books for Facility Managers
#1 The Facility Management Handbook
by David G. Cotts, Kathy O. Roper, and Richard P. Payant
The Facility Management Handbook tops this list as it encompasses an array of topics from technology system management to disaster recovery planning and zoning compliance. And this is just scratching the surface!
As aforesaid, facility management is a professional discipline and you need to have the entire business and physical planning cycle on your fingertips. How are you going to possibly remain informed about the most efficient approaches to such a wide gamut of tasks? This book for facility managers has your back!
The Facility Management Handbook outlines guided steps for successful real estate transactions, emergency preparedness, access control, and budgeting among other core areas in facility operations. The latest 4th edition explores new insights into Building Information Modelling (BIM), Contracting and Project Management, FASB and IASB requirements, Remote Work Solutions, Sustainability Reporting etc.
Check out: The Facility Management Handbook
#2 Facilities Manager’s Desk Reference
by Jane M. Wiggins
Facilities Manager’s Desk Reference is one of the best books for facility managers. Give it a read and you’ll be equipped with the expertise to navigate current regulations and innovative strategies.
Jane Wiggins is a seasoned professional with over 35 years of experience in facilities management and business support provision in major blue-chip companies and the education sector. Furthermore, she also established FM Tutor & Associates Ltd helping millions of students to gain qualifications in FM.
In her book for facility managers, Jane presents technical and administrative facets of facilities management in a concise manner. Facility Manager’s Desk Reference is a time-saving resource granting you easy access to the different aspects of safe and efficient facility maintenance.
Check out: Facilities Manager’s Desk Reference
#3 Facilities Management Key Performance Indicators
by John Williams
This is yet another cream of the crop. It’s a book for facility managers which talks about Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). KPIs are metrics which help ensure quality and compliance with statutory regulations. John Willims has meticulously curated KPIs tailored for facility management.
This is the ultimate resource for facility management as its applicability is across small to medium-sized complexes to large and intricate sites or buildings. Facility Management KPIs will save a lot of your time as you won’t be rummaging through manuals for benchmarks to assess performance. The KPIs we’ve been talking about are work order backlog, response time, and average time to completion among others.
Check out: Facilities Management Key Performance Indicators
#4 Facilities Management: What Really Matters?
by Doug Pearson
Facilities Management: What Really Matters? is a guide to the human aspect of successful facilities management. Let’s shine some more light on this book.
Who’s a facility manager? Is he a crisis manager? A social leader? A technical expert or an agent of change? The fact is he’s all of these.
To become an exemplary facility manager, you have to bolster your arsenal with logic, leadership skills, legal acumen, agility and resilience. The textbook by Doug Pearson explores the human aspects of facilities management. It reinstates the importance of these human aspects and equips you with heightened awareness.
The 8 pillars on which this book is built are fundamental human needs, emotional intelligence (EI), change management, conflict resolution, motivation, recognition, the power of a positive attitude, and customer service. Wait there’s even more! Doug also offers supplementary resources video resources and quizzes.
Check out: Facilities Management: What Really Matters?
#5 Facilities Management: Managing Maintenance for Buildings and Facilities
by Joel Levitt
This book by Joel does its job well in addressing all the roles and responsibilities of a facilities manager. It explains that FM encompasses elements of architecture, construction, engineering, and management.
You’ll be responsible for the efficient operation and maintenance of commercial spaces, college campuses, and other industrial buildings. This book for facility managers tops the comprehensive overview with concepts of strategic planning and risk-based maintenance for future sustainability.
For an aspiring facility manager, this book’s a 10/10. It includes a plethora of practical exercises, ready-to-use forms, and additional resources to facilitate extended study and instruction.
Check out: Facilities Management: Managing Maintenance for Buildings and Facilities
The Bottom Line
The crux you’ve to stay informed and be in pursuit of continuous improvement. These top five books for facility managers in 2023 are comprehensive guides by industry experts to both core concepts and innovative approaches to modern facility management practices. Both seasoned professionals, aspiring ones and FM dummies must invest time in reading these books to brush up knowledge and stay ahead of the curve. If you have any other recommendations, do drop a comment for our readers!
