Managing Stress for Facility Managers

Abstract

Facility Managers (FMs) are being increasingly recognised in the building industry, as facility management progresses into core operational functions. With increased responsibilities, FMs experience higher pressure and more stressful working conditions. To ensure continuous value-added services to the industry, it is of paramount importance that stress levels are identified to enhance work performance and satisfaction. The aim of this study is to identify the relationship between stress and stressors affecting FMs in Singapore. The specific objectives are to (a) identify the stress levels faced by facility managers, (b) investigate the major stress factors faced by facility managers, (c) investigate the relationship between stress factors and stress levels of facility managers, and (d) suggest strategies in minimizing stress levels. A structured questionnaire was developed from a comprehensive literature review, with the goal of determining the relationship between 44 stressors and 15 stress level indicators. The data was collected through electronic mail and subsequently analysed using SPSS software. It was revealed that FMs in Singapore face moderate stress levels. One sample T-test revealed 31 stressors and 10 stress level indicators were significantly present in the facility management profession. Job and coping stressors were revealed to be the major type of stressors contributing to stress levels faced by FMs. Pearson’s Correlation analysis revealed that difficulty in dealing with clients (X11), work overload (X4), proposals not frequently accepted (X16) and lack of work-life balance (X39) have the highest associations with stress level indicators. To manage the stress faced by FMs, it is recommended that organisations incorporate training programs, work-life balance strategies, and promote a cooperative work culture to reduce stress levels and bolster work performance.