Agility of facilities management organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons learnt for future pandemics

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to investigate how agile facilities management (FM) organizations were during the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore, examine the agile strategies adopted and extracted lessons learnt for managing facilities in future pandemics. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected using a questionnaire coupled with in-depth interviews with FM professionals. Findings The FM sector experienced significant challenges such as increased operating cost and shortage of FM staff. FM organizations were assessed to be agile as they overcame challenges swiftly, made rapid changes to their service offerings as the situation evolved, engaged facility owners actively and adopted strategies that were flexible and responsive. They also adopted health-centric employee care. Research limitations/implications The research was conducted during the pandemic. The final verdict of FM organizations’ agility and the most effective practices may only be known when the COVID-19 pandemic ends. Practical implications Lessons learnt for FM to manage future pandemics were crystalized. These include reducing reliance on manpower, boosting technology adoption and personalized employee engagement. Originality/value This study added to knowledge by testing and confirming that the agility theory and its six metrics of agility comprising flexibility, velocity, responsiveness, collaboration, visibility and competence may be used by FM organizations to be agile in a crisis or disruption. Its originality is the discovery of a new construct – health-centric employee care – that is needed to further boost FM organizations’ agility performance in a pandemic. Health-centric employee care involves practices to reduce intra-staff transmission of the virus and individualized employee support to build resilience.