Managing Expectations

In the gig economy, employers contract freelancers to complete temporary jobs as opposed to utilizing internal resources or hiring full-time employees. According to Statista.com, more than one-third of United States workers participate in this labor market. It is no surprise that IT, retail, health care and media heavily rely on gig workers. However, gig workers have a growing presence in the FM industry and FM is among the top eight industries poised for disruption by on-demand workers according to WorkMarket, Inc. Here’s how FMs are leveraging the gig economy:

To change the game

Those who work in FM are accustomed to adapting to change. Using technology powered by the gig economy provides quicker and more efficient methods to gather data and makes it easier to adapt. Especially as FMs race to prepare facilities for safe re-opening or oversee facilities that are open and perhaps busier than ever.

So how does it work? Similar to how Uber or DoorDash operates, but instead of giving a ride or delivering food, crowdsourcing technology is used to connect companies with professional talent and trade workers looking for short-term positions or local consumers searching for on-demand assignments within the facilities management industry.

To rescue resources

Even before the pandemic, FMs often felt the burden of being spread thin on available resources as well as the skyrocketing cost required to send teams out in the field. But to be effective, FMs need multiple productive teams who are readily available at a moment’s notice. Hiring gig talent helps fill the gap and frees internal resources for other tasks. Not only do gig workers provide help when it is needed, but they also come with a fresh perspective. Oftentimes, a different outlook can help ownership and FMs become more adept at delivering advice, insights, and new services — especially concerning health priorities — to improve customer experience and the bottom line. Also, hiring gig workers instead of utilizing internal employees also saves employment-related expenses such as payroll tax, health/insurance premiums and other overhead.

To improve operations

At one time or another, most FMs have hired extra workers to meet intermittent high demand in areas such as cleaning or security. However, now, whether a temporary issue caused by pandemic relief or otherwise, many industries are suffering from a shortage of skilled labor. Fortunately, there is no shortage of gig workers. And, with dedicated freelancing platforms, it has become easier to procure highly specialized talent. Some gig talent websites can source virtual assistants to manage tenant relations or field emergency calls, perform data entry or accounting tasks; temporary labor to enhance sanitation practices or otherwise augment the team; or project managers to coordinate jobs and help free up frontline internal resources. There is no doubt a wide range of gig talent is available to improve day-to-day operations. But the gig economy can also help FMs increase response time and make data-driven decisions.

To increase response time

FMs often hear from their organizations: “I need it now.” Leveraging the gig economy to satisfy speed requirements puts control back into the FM’s hands to create real-time impact.

Augmented reality (AR) is an emerging technology that is gaining momentum post pandemic. Imagine a facility has experienced some sort of control failure on an HVAC system that affects indoor air quality. A master technician located halfway across the country can slip on AR glasses to inspect the system and troubleshoot the problem without ever having to step foot on site. Sounds incredible, but it is possible with the right setup.

Consider this scenario — a tenant calls to complain about a leak at a property four states away. Gig workers, along with visual verification technology, can show the location of the leak and the extent of the damage — all from a smartphone or other device. This enables FM teams to respond more rapidly and mitigate risk. But that’s not all.

This technology and gig economy enables monitoring quality control, contract compliance, service verification and more from anywhere in the world. Regardless of whether FMs need eyes on one site or an entire portfolio, it is possible to see virtually every property within minutes of a request. Using third-party workers to collect the data eliminates the chance for biased data.

To improve efficiencies

Here are a few ways facility managers can leverage visual verification technology and the gig economy to improve efficiencies.

• Track progress – Monitor project/vendor progress of any service on one or multiple sites

• Monthly audits – Request survey data to proactively address repair and maintenance issues

• Proof-of-presence – Request photos to satisfy proof-of-presence requirements and verify workmanship

• Risk mitigation – Request photos of areas that have resulted in liabilities for speedy resolution and future prevention

• Rollouts – Monitor milestones with photos and video of a variety of trades

• Prioritization – Rank repairs based on location and severity of defect with photos that are time- and location-stamped

• Budgeting – Make well-informed decisions based on what is seen

Ultimately, gigs are not just for ridesharing or e-commerce delivery – FMs have a growing need and demand for the gig economy. Whether to help navigate continual changes or to collect data for informed decision-making, the technology and the workers make it possible. With the right people in the right places, FMs can respond rapidly, with accuracy, and deliver on ever-shifting expectations in a post-pandemic world.