Universities Increasingly Turn to Facility Management Software to Optimize Space Utilization and Safely Navigate the Return to Campus

Workplace Analytics, Workplace Management and Employee Experience solutions from FM:Systems allow universities to fulfill their missions more effectively and efficiently

RALEIGH, N.C., Feb. 9, 2022FM:Systems, provider of the most scalable and intuitive all-in-one digital workplace platform, today announced that more than 2 million students at leading global universities worldwide are now using FM:Systems solutions to track, survey, report and optimize their use of space and manage a safe return to campus.

“Even before the pandemic, institutions of higher education were responsible for managing incredibly complex real estate portfolios, balancing the needs of countless stakeholders, and reporting utilization accurately as part of their funding process,” said Kurt von Koch, CEO of FM:Systems. “Now, as universities navigate the additional pressures of hybrid work and learning, we’re seeing a spike in their desire to use data and technology to solve problems that traditional processes simply can’t support.”

As Dan Yohey, space manager at the University of Delaware stated, “The colleges have embraced the system, inputting their employees and assigning their spaces. They are excited about knowing where their faculty are, knowing if there are vacant offices, just understanding what the breakdown and big picture of their space looks like. It empowers them to make better decisions on a broad spectrum.”

Using Workplace Management Solutions from FM:Systems, universities no longer need to collect and consolidate all of this data manually, nor do they need to weed out duplicates and errors, reconcile discrepancies, or spend up to six months evaluating information for reporting. With multiple integrated solutions, FM:Systems enables users to establish a timely, comprehensive, collaborative and strategic view of their campus facilities so that they can optimize space efficiency and introduce a number of additional benefits for cross-functional teams:

FMS:Workplace

This suite of modular, flexible, and easy-to-use solutions enables universities to manage, analyze and report operational and maintenance (O&M) information. Access to accurate data means facilities and real estate professionals can reduce costs and improve the performance and value of their facilities portfolio-wide. From lecture halls to individual offices, event spaces to science labs, FM:Systems makes it easy to identify the most valuable use of available space – and take action on those insights.

FMS:Analytics

This solution unlocks opportunities for universities across their real estate portfolio through sophisticated data science and machine-learning algorithms. The solution automates data gathering, analysis and reporting to provide users with powerful insights on space utilization and opportunity, employee mobility, and much more. Leveraging existing data sources, algorithms quickly deliver analytics at a scale, speed, level of accuracy, and price not possible with manual methods.

FMS:Employee 

Employee enablement solutions improve the day-to-day experience of every mobile, virtual, and traditional employee by offering key capabilities that promote efficiency and productivity. From full-service room scheduling to seamless integrations with existing workplace tools, FM:Systems offers the most comprehensive set of capabilities to help university employees maintain their productivity through uncertain circumstances.

Together, these solutions can operate seamlessly together in a single integrated platform that enables facility managers and other university leaders to:

  • Establish a single source of truth based on defensible data and centralize data governance;
  • Conduct streamlined space surveys to optimize space utilization and satisfy F&A audits;
  • Maximize indirect cost recovery (ICR) rates;
  • Facilitate accreditation processes and increase state funding outcomes;
  • Promote sustainability and energy efficiency by analyzing environmental sensor and user behavior data.

“I just can’t even imagine – beyond my wildest dreams – doing this job without FMS:Workplace. I don’t know how we could possibly keep up with what we are required to track on a daily basis,” said Cheryl Benningfield, Space Planning Manager at the University of North Texas. “I use FMS:Workplace every day for 80-90% of my activities—it allows me to manage our constant churn and space changes—things that just weren’t possible to manage in the past with the size of our university.”

To learn more about how the FM:Systems all-in-one digital workplace platform provides the most complete range of truly scalable and intuitive solutions for higher education institutions, visit fmsystems.com/higher-education/. You may also find a number of relevant case study examples at fmsystems.com/our-resources/customer-success-stories/.

About FM:Systems

More than 1,400 organizations worldwide trust FM:Systems to transform their workplace experience and bring employees together in exceptional, healthy workplaces that enhance productivity and delight occupants. Recognized as a market leader by industry analysts, our suite of Workplace Management Solutions provides actionable insights to optimize every facet of your real estate portfolio and ensure your ever-ready workplace is prepared for the unexpected. Our market leading solutions manage over 3 billion square feet across 80 countries for customers representing 40% of the Fortune 50 and seven of the top 15, 40% of top U.S. banks and 30% of top European banks, 150+ government institutions including 10 of the 15 federal government departments, 150+ universities, several top 20 tech companies, more than 200 hospital and healthcare organizations, and half of the top 10 pharmaceutical firms. FM:Systems is

headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina and conducts business globally. For more information about FM:Systems, please visit www.fmsystems.com.