A Day in the life of a Facilities Manager [Infographic]

The definition of a facilities manager can vary high and wide depending on who you’re talking to. A position on a college campus under the same name may be completely different from the government building just across the street. One thing remains constant, the role of the facilities manager is essential, but their daily tasks and the way they work can be quite different. We took two of the most opposite points in the country – Charleston, South Carolina and Seattle, Washington – and evaluated the daily life of the average facilities manager working in each bustling city.

So how different are these two cities for facilities managers? 

Just from the commute alone, workers in Seattle spend an average of about 25 minutes getting to work, while people in Charleston only spend 22. And while 61.3 percent of people drive to work in Seattle, 89.2 percent drive in Charleston. This could explain the extra minutes of commuting in Seattle, since over 9 percent of people choosing walking instead of driving.

Within the office, there are many differentiations as well. For one, there are 1,544 jobs currently available as a facility manager in Seattle compared to only 442 available in Charleston. This could be because Seattle has more companies than Charleston (58,200 compared to 38,458). Seattle is also the number 9 city out of 200 in job growth this year, while Charleston is the number 28 city out of 200.

Even extracurricular activities available within the two cities differ. While Seattle has four pro sports teams, Charleston only has one. However, both cities are pretty similar when it comes to the best cities in the United States for dating (Seattle is number 5 and Charleston is number 6).

As you can see, although facilities managers may do similar tasks throughout the day, each person works and lives in different environments. From the weather to housing, different things affect every facility manager, causing them to bring something individually unique to their work environment. 

There are many factors that play into your experience as a facilities leader. How does your job compare with other FMs around the country? Check out our infographic to learn more.