Best Practices in Facilities Management to Rectify Office Building Performance Issues in Malaysia: Insights From Facilities Management Team

Abstract

Malaysian facilities management (FM) faces a variety of obstacles that make it difficult for them to carry out their essential duties. These challenges are found in the domains of personnel, policies, budget, technology and equipment. The literature contains an infinite array of challenges. Thus, the goal of this research was to determine which FM approach would be most useful in addressing the challenges of attaining building performance in the Malaysian real estate market. This study used fully qualitative methods through interviews with experts. This research expands knowledge by investigating FM practices to ensure that buildings and facilities are well-maintained, operational and comply with safety and regulatory standards. The results of this study revealed that FM teams in Malaysia face critical challenges such as aging infrastructure, limited budgets and insufficient personnel training, which hinder maintenance efforts, necessary upgrades and the adoption of modern practices. Then, the effectiveness of FM teams in Malaysia is significantly influenced by technological adoption and stakeholder engagement, which collectively impact standards, efficiency and service delivery. Third, to enhance FM in Malaysia, the study recommends investing in training programs, adopting advanced management systems and predictive maintenance tools and fostering proactive stakeholder engagement. Furthermore, the findings of this study were useful to FM teams and users since they provide the best strategies for FM practitioners, based on experts’ insights in managing and maintaining office buildings in Malaysia. It is suggested that further study be conducted to study the best approach to FM in maintaining and managing the safety and regulatory standards in Malaysian office buildings.