Zombies have appeared in almost every corner of popular culture, so there is a reasonable chance you have already considered your survival plan for the inevitable outbreak.
You might assume that a soldier, doctor or wilderness expert would be the ideal person to have by your side. At Maxwell Stephens, however, we believe there is another professional who would be perfectly equipped to lead a group of survivors: the Facilities Manager.
From emergency planning and security to resource management and conflict resolution, FM professionals already possess many of the skills needed to survive a fictional zombie apocalypse.
Here is why you should make friends with a Facilities Manager before the undead arrive.
Facilities Managers deal with unexpected problems every day.
A critical system fails. A contractor does not arrive. A health and safety concern appears without warning. A building loses power at the worst possible moment.
Whatever happens, the FM professional must remain calm, assess the situation and coordinate an effective response without causing unnecessary panic.
A zombie outbreak may be considerably more dramatic, but the principle remains the same: understand the risk, protect people and take decisive action.
After all, a zombie apocalypse is essentially an enormous health and safety incident—just with more biting.
Business continuity and emergency preparedness are central parts of modern Facilities Management.
FM teams regularly develop plans for:
These skills would transfer surprisingly well to a survival situation.
A Facilities Manager would already be thinking about safe evacuation routes, backup supplies, secure assembly points and what to do when the primary plan inevitably goes wrong.
Facilities Managers are rarely afraid to roll up their sleeves and solve a problem.
Their experience may include:
This broad practical knowledge would become invaluable when society collapses and the nearest approved contractor stops answering the telephone.
Whether the group needs power, shelter, water or a reinforced entrance, the FM professional is likely to have a sensible solution—or at least know which tool to reach for.
Keeping buildings and people safe is already a major FM responsibility.
Facilities Managers understand:
They would quickly identify the safest building, secure vulnerable entrances and establish who should be allowed inside.
The Facilities Manager would also be the person reminding everyone not to leave the back door open while fleeing from a horde.
Facilities Management is often about achieving the best possible result with a limited budget.
FM professionals regularly balance:
In a zombie apocalypse, these skills would translate directly into managing food, water, fuel, medicine and shelter.
While everyone else argues over the final tin of beans, the Facilities Manager will already have created a fair distribution schedule and a stock-control spreadsheet.
Facilities Managers work with a wide variety of people, including employees, clients, contractors, landlords, suppliers and senior leaders.
These groups rarely share exactly the same priorities.
A successful FM professional must listen, negotiate and find practical solutions that work for everyone.
This diplomatic ability would be essential when deciding:
Keeping a group of frightened survivors working together may prove almost as difficult as managing a particularly complicated stakeholder meeting.
During a crisis, not every problem can be addressed at once.
Facilities Managers are experienced in assessing urgency, risk and operational impact before deciding what requires immediate attention.
A leaking roof might normally take priority over a faulty coffee machine. During a zombie outbreak, barricading the entrance would probably rank above improving the office Wi-Fi.
That ability to distinguish between urgent, important and merely inconvenient issues could keep the entire group alive.
Few professionals understand the practical workings of a building as well as an experienced Facilities Manager.
They know where to find:
While everyone else is admiring the dramatic headquarters they have chosen, the Facilities Manager will be checking whether it has reliable power, secure access and functioning toilets.
Thankfully, a zombie apocalypse remains firmly within the world of fiction.
However, the skills that would make Facilities Managers excellent survival leaders are very real. Calm decision-making, practical knowledge, emergency planning, diplomacy and resource management are all essential qualities within the profession.
At Maxwell Stephens, we know many of the UK's most talented Facilities Management professionals. Whether you need someone to manage your estate, strengthen your emergency planning or prepare your organisation for a slightly less dramatic crisis, our team is ready to help.
