Wayer: Today’s forward-looking FM teams are helping address critical challenges for life sciences companies, in both their offices and technical facilities. For instance, replacing a ventilation system might previously have been viewed simply as a cost, but today we know that improved indoor air quality boosts employee productivity and results in net savings.

Well-maintained facilities are especially critical in addressing the war for scarce life sciences talent. C-suite leaders have recognized the competitive advantage of workplaces that inspire innovation, promote wellness and make it easier to be productive. An FM team can add strategic value by shaping workplace experiences that help attract and retain talent. Forward-looking FM teams are adding top-line value, too, by initiating concierge services, new workplace technologies, office designs focused on wellness and other concepts that boost engagement and productivity, and reduce costly turnover.

Wayer: Life sciences laboratories and production environments have become increasingly complex and challenging to manage. Emerging therapies, including the COVID-19 vaccines, cell and gene therapies, require sophisticated R&D and production systems. Adding to the challenge, the FDA has begun to expect faster access to more data from life sciences regulated facilities. FM teams are on the frontlines of optimizing uptime and regulatory compliance—and the stakes are high.

Any hiccup in compliance can cause costly delays, FDA citations or 483 inspection observations. Even worse, a compliance mistake can lead to a safety or quality breach that poses an existential threat to the activities performed at that facility.

Life sciences companies are looking to their FM teams to be fully trained in regulatory standard operating procedures (SOPs), Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPAs), quality assurance, calibration methodologies and other best practices for technical environments. A quality management system is also essential to track and store training records, quality plans and regulatory documentation in compliance with the FDA’s 21 CFR Part 11 regulation.

Many biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical device companies seek concierge-level support for their R&D employees to improve their day-to-day experience and productivity. JLL has been able to provide this service efficiently with organizations who have partnered with us on a facility management program.

Wayer: We’ve seen growing interest in FM partnership not only for office space, but also for highly regulated “behind the yellow line” spaces. One reason is that facilities issues are often a major management distraction from the mission of providing life-saving medicines if an organization lacks a well-rounded FM team. Now, as aging Baby Boomers leave the FM workforce, companies are finding it more challenging to acquire and develop technical expertise and experience at the level required for today’s demands.

Another reason to outsource is to gain access to new technologies that would otherwise require significant investment. When a company is focused on life sciences innovation, it’s not necessarily able to stay up to date on advances in building and workplace technologies and best practices. In contrast, the leading FM service providers are constantly investing in digital technology and training. 

To fill the gaps, many life sciences organizations have been partnering with FM service providers. Over the past decade, leading FM service providers have invested in talent, technologies and best practices for the most challenging life sciences R&D and production environments. Companies that have tapped these resources have benefited from cost savings, improved service delivery, more engaging workplaces, improved compliance and uptime, and more.

Some organizations have even embarked on their second or third generation FM partnership agreements. They’re viewing their next-generation FM outsourcing agreements as true partnerships, raising their expectations to unlock additional cost savings, stimulate FM innovation and enhance the human experience. Now that they’ve validated the concept, these companies are eager to pursue additional value from their FM partnerships.

Want to find out more about how taking a strategic approach to FM can help drive discovery and help your company grow smarter? Find out how a Canadian drug company saved nearly $1.2 million by working with an experienced FM partner. Ready to start talking about strategizing your own company's approach to FM? Contact us today.