What are the Two Types of Facilities Management?
/What are the Two Types of Facilities Management?
When managing a commercial property or any large facility in Sydney, you’ll often hear about two categories of services that keep everything running: hard facilities management and soft facilities management. These are the two main types of facilities management (FM) that businesses in NSW rely on to maintain their operations and work environments . Understanding the difference between hard and soft FM is crucial for property managers, business owners, and anyone responsible for the upkeep of a building – from a retail store or hospital to a retirement village. In this post, we’ll explain both hard and soft facilities management in detail, provide industry-specific examples (including how they apply to sectors like healthcare and aged care), and show why Aurora Group Services is an expert in delivering both types of FM services in Sydney. By the end, you’ll know how these two sides of facilities management work together to create safe, efficient, and pleasant facilities.
Hard Facilities Management (Hard FM)
Hard facilities management refers to the maintenance and services related to the physical fabric of the building – essentially, anything that involves the built environment and its critical systems. Hard FM services are typically fixed to the building and directly affect the safety and viability of the property. They are called “hard” because they are tangible, physical assets. Crucially, these are often non-negotiable services – many are required by law or necessary for the building to be operational .
Key aspects of Hard FM include:
• Building Structure & Integrity: This covers the maintenance of the actual building structure – walls, roofs, windows, doors, foundations. For example, repairing a crack in the wall, fixing a leaking roof, or ensuring all exit doors are functioning properly are hard FM tasks. Without these, the building could become unsafe or unusable.
• Mechanical & Electrical Systems: All the core building systems fall under hard FM. This includes HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) systems, electrical supply and distribution (wiring, switchboards, lighting), plumbing and water supply, elevators and escalators, and any specialized mechanical systems (boilers, generators, etc.). Maintenance of these systems – like servicing the air conditioning, testing the backup generator, or fixing plumbing leaks – is a classic hard FM responsibility . In a medical facility, this would extend to maintaining critical systems like medical gas pipelines and backup power for life-saving equipment (these are physical systems integral to the building’s function).
• Fire and Life Safety Systems: Keeping fire alarms, sprinkler systems, fire extinguishers, emergency lighting, and smoke detectors in working order is a hard FM duty. These systems are directly tied to building safety regulations. For instance, Australian building codes and NSW regulations require regular inspection and maintenance of fire safety equipment. Ensuring these checks happen (and any repairs are done) is non-optional – it’s about compliance and saving lives in an emergency .
• Structural Repairs and General Maintenance: Routine tasks like painting, fixing broken fixtures, carpentry works, and maintaining structural elements also come under hard FM. For example, repairing a damaged handrail in a stairwell or replacing broken floor tiles. These might seem minor, but they affect the building’s usability and safety. In retirement villages, tasks such as fixing pathways or ensuring ramps and railings are secure are hard FM activities critical for resident safety.
• Compliance and Legal Requirements: Many hard FM tasks are driven by law. There are strict compliance schedules for certain inspections (like fire systems or lifts) and failing to comply can result in fines or closure. A hard FM manager will keep track of all these requirements and ensure the facility meets Australian standards and codes. For example, electrical systems in a commercial property must be certified, and things like boilers or pressure vessels might require annual safety checks by licensed professionals.
Examples of Hard FM Services: To put it simply, if you walk through a facility and see a physical asset that needs looking after, it’s likely hard FM. Some common examples are:
• HVAC maintenance (cleaning filters, checking AC units)
• Electrical maintenance (replacing faulty wiring, maintaining generators)
• Plumbing maintenance (fixing leaks, ensuring proper water pressure)
• Fire system checks (sprinkler tests, alarm panel servicing)
• Building repairs (patching a wall, fixing the roof, painting, carpentry)
• Elevator and escalator servicing for multi-story buildings.
Hard FM is essentially about ensuring the building’s infrastructure is sound and safe for use. It’s often said that if hard services fail, the building might not be legally or practically usable . For instance, you cannot operate a commercial kitchen if the ventilation (a hard service) is not up to standard, and you can’t open a high-rise office if the elevators or fire systems aren’t working. That’s why hard facilities management is typically the first priority for any facility manager – these services keep the lights on, the environment safe, and the facility compliant with laws.
Aurora Group Services has a strong background in hard facilities management. Our team includes licensed electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians, carpenters and other trades, all fully compliant with NSW regulations . We handle everything from routine building maintenance to complex infrastructure upgrades. For example, we manage hard FM for shopping centres (ensuring all electrical and mechanical systems are maintained) and for healthcare facilities (keeping critical systems running reliably). Our construction services expertise also feeds into hard FM – we understand buildings inside out, which helps in maintaining them effectively.
Soft Facilities Management (Soft FM)
Soft facilities management covers the services that make the workplace or facility environment more pleasant, secure, and livable for the people using the space. Unlike hard FM, soft FM services are not necessarily physical or tied to the building’s fabric – they are more about supporting the people and the day-to-day operations. These services are called “soft” because they are often more variable and can be added or removed without directly affecting the building’s core functionality. However, they hugely impact user experience and operational efficiency.
Key aspects of Soft FM include:
• Cleaning and Housekeeping: Janitorial services, daily cleaning of offices, disinfecting surfaces in a clinic, waste collection, and washroom hygiene all fall under soft FM . For instance, in a medical facility, rigorous cleaning and sanitization are part of soft FM, crucial for infection control but not part of the building’s physical structure. In an office or retail store, regular cleaning keeps the space welcoming and professional.
• Security Services: This includes manned security guards, CCTV monitoring, access control systems, and alarm response. Keeping a premise secure is a service that safeguards the people and assets inside. For example, a shopping mall might have security personnel patrolling and cameras monitored – these are soft FM measures. They don’t hold up the building itself, but they protect the business.
• Landscaping and Grounds Maintenance: Taking care of gardens, lawns, outdoor cleaning, snow removal (not much of an issue in Sydney, but perhaps clearing fallen leaves or debris after storms) are soft FM tasks . In a retirement village, beautifully maintained gardens and outdoor areas are a big part of residents’ quality of life, handled by soft FM (often through contracted landscapers).
• Catering and Kitchen Services: If a facility offers food services (like a cafeteria in a company or meal services in an aged care home), managing the kitchen operations, vending machines, and catering contracts is considered soft FM . It’s about providing convenience and care for people on site.
• Mailroom and Administrative Support: Managing incoming/outgoing mail, reception services, and other administrative tasks that help the facility users is part of soft FM. For example, a corporate office’s facilities management might include running a front desk, handling visitor logs, and distributing mail internally.
• Space Management and Office Services: Things like arranging office moves, managing meeting room bookings, furniture setup, and ensuring the office layout is optimal also fall under soft FM. These tasks focus on how people interact with the space.
• Waste Management and Recycling: Disposing of waste, shredding confidential documents, and recycling programs are included here . They are services that maintain cleanliness and sustainability but are not physical building systems per se.
Examples of Soft FM Services: Essentially, soft FM is all the supportive services that keep an environment running on a daily basis. Some examples are:
• Daily cleaning of floors, windows, and restrooms
• Security guard patrols and alarm monitoring
• Lawn mowing, gardening, and outdoor pest control
• Receptionist and help-desk services for a building
• Managing cafeteria staff or vending machine stocking
• Regular waste bin collection and recycling initiatives
• IT support services (sometimes this is separately managed, but in some cases, basic IT infrastructure support is included in facility services)
The goal of soft facilities management is to create a comfortable, safe, and efficient environment for occupants . While hard FM keeps the building standing and operational, soft FM ensures that the people within the building have what they need for their work or living activities. Soft services often have a direct impact on employee morale and customer impressions – for instance, a clean and well-secured shopping center not only attracts customers but also makes employees proud and happy to work there.
It’s worth noting that unlike many hard services, soft services are sometimes considered more optional or can be adjusted according to budget and needs. For example, a business might decide to reduce cleaning frequency to save costs or outsource catering entirely. However, completely neglecting soft FM isn’t viable if you want a high-functioning facility. A messy, disorganized, or insecure environment can undermine productivity and even drive people away (imagine a gym with no regular cleaning – members would flee!).
Aurora Group Services provides a range of soft facilities management solutions to complement our hard FM work. We either deliver these through our in-house team or coordinate with trusted partners. For instance, we offer commercial cleaning services as part of facility contracts, ensuring spaces are hygienic and presentable. We understand that for many NSW businesses, outsourcing soft FM to a single provider streamlines operations – you have one point of contact for both your building maintenance and your cleaning/security needs. Our team has experience managing cleaning schedules for large offices and retail chains, setting up security protocols for sites under our care, and even arranging waste removal and handyman services as needed. By covering both hard and soft FM, we act as an integrated facilities management provider, so our clients don’t have to juggle multiple vendors for different tasks.
Hard FM vs Soft FM: Understanding the Difference and Overlap
It’s clear that hard and soft facilities management cover different scopes, but together they encompass all aspects of running a facility. The easiest way to distinguish them is: hard FM looks after the building, while soft FM looks after the people (and daily operations) in the building . Both types are essential for a fully functional and pleasant facility environment.
Here are a few points to summarize the differences and how they complement each other:
• Legal Necessity: Hard FM services are often legally required and failure to perform them can violate regulations (e.g., not servicing fire equipment). Soft FM services, while not typically mandated by law, are necessary for practical and business reasons (no law says an office must be cleaned daily, but you’ll certainly have issues if it isn’t).
• Tangible vs Intangible Benefits: Hard FM directly affects the physical state of the facility – if you skip an electrical maintenance, lights might literally go out. Soft FM affects experience and efficiency – if you skip cleaning, the office becomes unpleasant and possibly unhealthy, but the building is still standing. However, over time soft FM issues can also lead to hard consequences (e.g., poor cleaning might cause rodent issues which then affect wiring or health compliance).
• Skill Sets: Hard FM typically requires specialized technical trades and engineering knowledge (electricians, HVAC techs, plumbers, etc.). Soft FM often involves management of service staff or contractors in roles like janitors, security guards, receptionists, or landscapers. The facility manager might oversee both, but they might coordinate with different teams.
• Budgeting: Hard FM usually involves capital expenditure and planned investment (e.g., replacing a chiller or overhauling an electrical system is a big expense that needs planning). Soft FM is often operational expense (ongoing costs like cleaning supplies, paying security monthly contracts, etc.). In budgets, they might be separated so businesses can see how much goes into the building vs services.
• Overlap and Coordination: There are situations where hard and soft FM overlap. For example, consider energy management: Is it hard or soft? Replacing light bulbs with LEDs is a hard FM task (physical change), but managing how and when lights are used (perhaps a cleaning staff turning off lights after finishing, or an office policy to shut down computers at night) is more of a soft side policy. Good facilities management means hard and soft services are coordinated. Another overlap: renovations or moving offices involves both hard aspects (modifying the space) and soft aspects (moving people’s setups, updating cleaning schedules for new areas). A facilities manager will often coordinate both sides during such projects.
For facilities management in retirement villages or hospitals (or any complex environment), you can see both types in action daily. The hard FM team ensures the power, water, climate control, and buildings are all in order, while the soft FM team ensures meals are served on time, rooms are cleaned, lawns are mowed, and security is vigilant. One without the other would not suffice – a hospital can’t function if the power is out (hard FM failure), and it also can’t function if the wards are not cleaned and supplies not delivered (soft FM failure). Hence, balanced attention to both is key.
To quote an insight from industry experts: hard services relate to the building’s infrastructure, while soft services cater to the needs of the people using the facility . Keeping this in mind helps allocate the right resources to each.
Facilities Management for Retirement Villages (Integrating Hard & Soft FM)
Let’s delve a bit deeper into an example sector – retirement villages and aged care facilities – to illustrate how hard and soft FM both play vital roles. We touched on many of these points earlier, but here we’ll explicitly frame them in terms of the two types of FM:
Hard FM in Retirement Villages: These are the non-negotiables that keep the facility safe and operational. For instance, in a retirement community:
• The building maintenance team (hard FM) will schedule regular servicing of critical systems: checking that all elevators are safe and smooth (since many residents rely on them instead of stairs), inspecting the roofs and gutters to prevent leaks (protecting residents’ rooms and common areas), and ensuring the backup generator is functional (in case of power outages, critical for things like medical devices some residents might use).
• They’ll also handle repairs promptly: if an air conditioning unit fails on a hot summer day in Sydney, it’s a hard FM issue to fix it immediately, as many elderly residents are sensitive to heat. If a handrail on a ramp comes loose, hard FM will fix it to prevent falls. Fire safety systems are maintained so that alarms and sprinklers will work in an emergency, giving residents and staff ample warning and control over any fire incident.
• Essentially, hard FM in aged care focuses on resident safety, comfort, and compliance with aged care facility regulations. The physical environment must be free of hazards and support the health needs of seniors.
Soft FM in Retirement Villages: These services ensure residents have a good quality of life and that the facility runs like a community.
• Housekeeping and Cleaning: Soft FM staff will clean residents’ rooms (if it’s part of the service) and all common areas. High cleanliness standards are paramount to prevent illness and provide a pleasant living space. This might include daily cleaning of dining areas, frequent disinfection of handrails and common toilets, and weekly cleaning of apartments.
• Catering: Many retirement villages provide meals or have dining halls. Soft FM covers kitchen services, ensuring residents get nutritious meals on schedule. It includes everything from managing kitchen hygiene (often audited by health authorities) to the actual service of food.
• Recreation and Comfort Services: Some aspects like organizing communal activities, setting up furniture for events, or even running a shuttle bus for residents’ outings can fall under a broad interpretation of soft FM (though some of these might be handled by an activities coordinator, not the facility manager). However, the facility manager often ensures that the amenities (like a library, garden, or TV lounge) are accessible and well-kept – blending maintenance with hospitality.
• Security and Reception: Controlling access (so that only authorized people come into the private areas) and having a concierge or reception to assist residents and visitors is another soft FM element. This provides safety and convenience, making residents feel secure.
• Grounds and Outdoor Maintenance: Keeping the outdoor environment nice — gardening, pathway snow (or leaf) clearance, outdoor lighting for evening walks — is usually a soft FM responsibility, often delivered via a landscaping service. Beautiful grounds are a pride point for communities and have therapeutic benefits for residents.
In a retirement village, facilities management must be holistic. Hard FM failures might endanger residents or disrupt daily living (imagine the water boiler breaking; residents can’t get hot water for showers – that’s a hard FM issue causing a big quality of life problem). Soft FM lapses, on the other hand, might not immediately endanger anyone, but they seriously affect resident happiness and health over time (imagine if the cleaning staff were cut back – the place could become unsanitary or just depressing, which can affect mental health).
Aurora Group Services approaches facilities management for such communities with a deep sense of responsibility. We provide:
• Integrated Hard FM: routine building checks, rapid response repairs, compliance scheduling (so everything is inspected and certified when it should be).
• Comprehensive Soft FM Coordination: We can manage or liaise with cleaning crews, arrange waste removal, ensure security systems are monitored, and more. We position ourselves as facility caretakers, meaning staff and residents know exactly who to call for any issue, whether it’s a broken light or a cleaning request.
Our experience with aged care facilities has taught us that empathy and respect are as important as technical skills. So, our team members are trained to work considerately around residents – for example, scheduling noisy or disruptive work at times that won’t disturb daily routines, and always being courteous and helpful on-site. We view both hard and soft services through the lens of resident well-being.
In practical terms, if you manage a retirement village in Sydney and engage Aurora Group Services, we will likely deploy a dedicated facility manager or team for your site. They would create a custom facilities management plan that outlines all required hard FM tasks (equipment maintenance, building checks, compliance) and all soft FM tasks (cleaning rosters, garden upkeep schedules, etc.). We can also handle the facilities management for retirement villages on a consulting basis – maybe you have your own cleaning staff but need help organizing maintenance; we’re flexible to provide as much or as little service as you need. Our goal is to ensure your facility remains a safe, beautiful, and comfortable home for residents, covering both the bricks-and-mortar and the services that support daily life.
Aurora Group Services: Your Sydney Expert in Hard & Soft FM
Aurora Group Services prides itself on being a leading facilities management provider in Sydney, NSW, with expertise in both hard and soft services. Our mission is to take the complexity of facility management off your plate so you can focus on running your business (or facility operations) with peace of mind.
Here’s why partnering with Aurora Group Services for both types of facilities management is a smart choice:
• Comprehensive Service Offering: We don’t just fix air conditioners or just clean floors—we do it all. From technical maintenance work to daily cleaning schedules, we have the capability to manage and deliver every aspect of facility upkeep. This holistic approach is efficient and ensures nothing falls through the cracks. Our clients enjoy the convenience of a single point of contact for all facility needs, be it a leaky roof repair or an extra deep clean request.
• Industry-Specific Knowledge: We understand that facilities management is not one-size-fits-all. Our team has specialized knowledge across industries:
• In retail, we know presentation and quick turnarounds are key (hard FM to keep stores open, soft FM to keep them attractive).
• In healthcare, we strictly follow compliance and hygiene standards (hard FM to ensure vital systems never fail, soft FM to maintain sterile, comfortable environments).
• In aged care/retirement living, we blend facility safety with a personal touch (hard FM to secure the premises, soft FM to enhance home-like comfort).
• In office and corporate settings, we focus on productivity (hard FM to avoid any technical disruptions, soft FM to give employees a clean, well-serviced workplace).
We tailor our FM strategy to each context, which means you get a program that truly supports your core operations.
• Skilled and Certified Team: Our hard FM crew consists of fully licensed tradespeople – electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians, builders, and more – who ensure every job is done to code and with quality workmanship. For soft FM, we have trained cleaning staff and can coordinate certified security personnel or other service providers as needed. We vet and train everyone to Aurora’s high standards. When our team is on your site, you can expect professionalism, safety consciousness, and minimal disruption.
• Use of Technology: We leverage modern facilities management tools to streamline our service. This might include using a Computer-Aided Facilities Management (CAFM) system or a maintenance management software to track tasks, tickets, and assets. For you, this means transparent reporting and the ability to see what work has been done (and when). If you request it, we can set up client dashboards or regular reports, so you’re always informed. Technology also helps us be proactive – for instance, using sensors or IoT devices for predictive maintenance (a part of hard FM) or scheduling software to optimize cleaning routes (soft FM efficiency).
• Customer-Centric Approach: What truly sets Aurora Group Services apart is our commitment to customer satisfaction. Facilities management is a service industry at heart. We measure our success by your facility’s performance and by your happiness with our work. That means being responsive to your needs, be it an urgent repair or a request to adjust cleaning frequency. We treat every client as a long-term partner. Many of our clients in Sydney have stayed with us for years because we actively contribute to their success – when their operations expand or change, we adapt our services right along with them.
In the landscape of facilities management companies, Aurora Group Services stands out as a provider that genuinely covers “end-to-end” facility solutions. We’re equally comfortable fixing a complex electrical fault at 2 AM (hard FM emergency response) as we are managing a multi-site cleaning contract for a chain of medical clinics (soft FM coordination). Our breadth of expertise means we can also advise you strategically. For example, if you’re planning a new site or renovating, we can consult on design for maintainability (making future hard FM easier) and on setting up soft services from day one.
Get a Consultation: If you’re in Sydney or anywhere in NSW and are looking to improve how your facilities are managed, we invite you to reach out to Aurora Group Services for a consultation. We’ll assess your current hard and soft FM setup, identify gaps or inefficiencies, and propose a tailored solution that fits your budget and needs. Whether you need full facilities management or just a specific service, we are happy to help.
Contact us today for a custom quote or to speak with our experts about your facility management challenges. Let Aurora Group Services demonstrate why we’re the trusted choice for comprehensive facilities management in Sydney – from the hard fundamentals to the soft touches, we’ve got you covered.
By entrusting both the bricks-and-mortar and the daily services to us, you ensure your facility is in the best hands. With Aurora as your facilities management partner, you can rest easy knowing your building is safe, your occupants are happy, and your operations are running like clockwork. Let us handle the hard and soft work behind the scenes, while you focus on your core business success.
