How do you manage risk and resilience in FM?

1 Understand the context

The first step to managing risk and resilience in FM is to understand the context of your facility and its stakeholders. This means analyzing the internal and external factors that affect your facility's performance, such as the location, design, function, regulations, standards, expectations, and dependencies. You also need to consider the potential sources and types of risks, such as natural hazards, human errors, accidents, cyberattacks, vandalism, or terrorism. By understanding the context, you can establish the scope and objectives of your risk and resilience management process.

2 Assess the risks

The next step is to assess the risks that your facility faces, using a systematic and consistent method. You can use various tools and techniques, such as risk matrices, checklists, surveys, audits, or simulations, to identify and evaluate the likelihood and impact of each risk. You should also involve relevant stakeholders, such as staff, customers, suppliers, or authorities, in the risk assessment process, to ensure that their perspectives and needs are considered. By assessing the risks, you can prioritize them and determine the level of risk tolerance and acceptance for your facility.

3 Implement the solutions

The third step is to implement the solutions that will help you reduce, control, or eliminate the risks, as well as enhance the resilience of your facility. You can use various strategies and measures, such as prevention, protection, mitigation, transfer, or avoidance, depending on the nature and severity of the risk. You should also develop contingency plans, emergency procedures, crisis communication, and recovery actions, to ensure that your facility can cope with and bounce back from any disruption. By implementing the solutions, you can improve the safety, security, and continuity of your facility.

4 Monitor and review

The final step is to monitor and review the effectiveness and efficiency of your risk and resilience management process. You can use various tools and indicators, such as key performance indicators (KPIs), feedback, audits, or tests, to measure and evaluate the results and outcomes of your solutions. You should also update and revise your risk and resilience management plan, based on the changing conditions and circumstances of your facility and its environment. By monitoring and reviewing, you can ensure that your risk and resilience management process is aligned with your facility's goals and stakeholder's expectations.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?