In the world of facilities management, you’ll often hear people talking about hard and soft FM services. But what’s the difference?

Whether you’re new to the industry or just brushing up your knowledge, understanding the difference between hard and soft FM services is essential. These two categories make up the nuts and bolts of how buildings are managed and maintained. In the article below, I’ll break it down, and for those who aren’t keen on reading, I’ve also rustled up a short video to explain


Skip to:

Let’s dive in…

What is soft facilities management?

Soft facilities management (soft FM) focuses on the services that improve the comfort, safety and wellbeing of people in a building. These are the human-touch services – the ones you notice when they aren’t there.

Think of soft FM as the hospitality side of facilities management: the friendly face on reception, the spotless loo, the perfectly trimmed hedge that says “we care”.

Soft services in facilities management are everything that makes a building feel alive and welcoming.

Considering an IWFM Qualification?

Download your FREE GUIDE here.

Simply enter your details below for your copy.

By submitting this form, you're agreeing to let us contact you about facilities management qualifications, courses and learning events. We won't contact you for any other reason, we won't pass your data onto anyone else (ever!) and you can stop receiving communications at any time.
For more information, please see our privacy policy.

The different types of soft services in facilities management

Soft services in facilities management are typically non-technical and discretionary, but that doesn’t mean they’re optional. Try running an office without cleaning or security and see how popular you are by Friday.

Here are some of the most common soft FM services:

  • Cleaning – from daily office cleans to deep sanitisation, this is the unsung hero of workplace health (and smell).
  • Security – including manned guarding, reception access, key holding, CCTV and alarm monitoring.
  • Front-of-house and reception – your first impression matters, whether it’s a cheery hello or just knowing where the meeting room is.
  • Catering and vending – snacks, sandwiches and strong coffee are the true cornerstones of employee satisfaction.
  • Waste management and recycling – out of sight, out of mind
 but only because someone is quietly removing 87 banana peels a day.
  • Pest control – rats, mice, wasps, pigeons… nothing screams “soft FM” like calling in someone to gently evict nature’s gatecrashers.
  • Grounds maintenance and landscaping – from leaf blowing to lawn mowing, it all adds up to kerb appeal.
  • Mailroom and courier services – getting the post to the right desk without losing a single parcel to the black hole under reception.

These soft FM services don’t usually have a legal requirement attached (unlike hard services), but they do have a massive impact on morale, productivity, and that all-important perception of professionalism.

Want people to enjoy coming to work? Soft FM is your secret weapon.

Soft facilities management makes a space pleasant to use

It focuses on people and their experience of the environment. Whether you’re an employee, customer, contractor or guest, the quality of the soft FM services can be the difference between “I love working here” and “I think I’ve caught something in the lift”.

Electrics in the office hard fm skills

What is hard facilities management?

Hard facilities management (hard FM) refers to the essential services that keep a building safe, compliant and physically standing. These are the practical, technical and often legally required elements of facilities management. You can’t see them all the time, but you’ll definitely know if something goes wrong.

Unlike soft FM, which focuses on the people inside the building, hard FM services are all about the structure and systems that make the building usable in the first place.

No hard FM, no functioning building. Just a pile of bricks, pipes and problems.

The different types of hard FM services

Hard FM services cover everything that involves the maintenance, repair and compliance of a building’s physical assets and infrastructure.

These services tend to be more technical, often involve skilled engineers or contractors, and are usually subject to strict health, safety and building regulations.

Here’s a breakdown of some of the most common hard services in facilities management:

  • Plumbing – water in, waste out. From leaky taps to burst pipes.
  • Electrical systems – including lighting, power distribution, and data cabling.
  • Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) – controlling the temperature and air quality, so people aren’t sweating in summer and wearing scarves indoors in January.
  • Fire safety systems – alarms, extinguishers, sprinklers and smoke detectors. These aren’t optional extras, they’re vital and heavily regulated.
  • Lift and escalator maintenance – for safe, smooth travel between floors.
  • Building fabric maintenance – everything from roofing to windows to internal walls. If it’s part of the building and it can wear out, it falls under hard FM.

These hard facilities management services are the ones that must be looked after to meet legal standards.

Why hard FM is so important, fire risk

Why hard FM is so important

The clue is in the name: it’s hard to run a business when your building doesn’t work. A faulty boiler or a broken lift might seem like minor hiccups, but they can quickly spiral into serious safety, legal and operational issues.

Hard FM services are critical because they:

  • Keep buildings safe – fire, electrical and structural safety are non-negotiable.
  • Ensure legal compliance – many hard FM elements are governed by UK regulations (and rightly so).
  • Prevent downtime – proactive maintenance avoids costly disruptions and emergency repairs.
  • Protect long-term value – a well-maintained building holds its value better and costs less in the long run.
  • Create a stable environment – so your teams can get on with their jobs without worrying about the ceiling leaking on their keyboard.

While soft services keep everyone happy, hard services keeps everything working, whilst keeping you on the right side of the law.

Hard vs Soft FM

Hard and soft facilities management are both crucial to keeping your building safe, efficient and pleasant to be in. But while they often work hand in hand, they serve very different purposes.

The best-run buildings have a good balance of hard and soft FM services.

You need both to create a space that’s not only operational and legally compliant, but also inviting, safe, and productive.

Here’s a quick example:

  • The heating system (hard FM) keeps the office warm in winter.
  • The cleaning service (soft FM) ensures no one’s sneezing from dust.
  • The fire alarm (hard FM) protects staff from harm.
  • The security team (soft FM) makes sure no one’s sneaking in with a dodgy lanyard.

They’re different disciplines, but they work best when they’re fully integrated. That’s what good facilities management is all about – bringing together the physical and the practical to support your people and your business.

Why the distinction matters

Understanding the difference between soft FM and hard FM helps organisations make smarter decisions about their facilities strategy. Whether you’re outsourcing, hiring in-house or planning your budget, knowing where your hard and soft FM services sit is half the battle.

Ignore one side and the whole system wobbles. But get the balance right, and your building becomes a well-oiled, legally compliant, squeaky-clean productivity machine.

Now that’s facilities management done properly.

Gain a recognised IWFM Qualification

Download your FREE GUIDE detailing how here.

There so are many options when studying for an IWFM Qualification, it can be a little overwhelming.

Our guide is here to help. Inside you will find detail of:

  • The different levels
  • Study methods
  • The commitment needed

...and all of that good stuff.

Simply enter your details below for your copy.

By submitting this form, you're agreeing to let us contact you about facilities management qualifications, courses and learning events. We won't contact you for any other reason, we won't pass your data onto anyone else (ever!) and you can stop receiving communications at any time.
For more information, please see our privacy policy.

About the author

Chris Morris – Xenon Group Director

Chris has spent the past 15 years working in the field of Facilities Management training and qualifications, teaching facilities managers how to be the best they can be.

A strategist and creative thinker, Chris is also a former chair of the IWFM Rising FMs group, a contributor to Facilitate magazine and iFM.net and a firm believer in the value of identifying and developing the strengths of an organisation’s people.