Today’s facilities managers have more to handle and will require more training than ever before. As older professionals step into retirement, demand for trained facilities professionals is only set to get higher.
As technology advances, we expect our buildings to work for us, and to be safe, functional, and comfortable. There’s a lot that goes into making that happen, which is why facilities managers can be such an important job function – propmondo.com points out.
Facilities management is more of an umbrella term
“Facilities management” encompasses a variety of different roles. Traditionally, maintaining a building for the benefit of its occupant was the facilities manager’s responsibility. The managers would design the building’s interior layout with things like safety, noise levels, humidity levels, or temperatures.
Nowadays, facilities managers must give their whole attention to building functions and employee safety and satisfaction. They are responsible for HVAC systems maintenance, emergency planning, and overseeing all modes of communication in the building, up to move management.
Found out about the job through a friend
The lack of marketing for the position becomes evident as many in the industry end up in their careers through word of mouth and happenstance. It is a common phrase in conversations that someone found out about the job through a friend.
COVID-19 has expanded the scope of responsibilities
After the pandemic crept in, facilities managers graduated to a highly-specialized role that’s at the epicentre of both building and business operations. During the initial lockdowns, facilities managers found themselves at the centre of the chaos with the responsibility of keeping buildings habitable and safe.
FMs became key figures again with the push to “return to work” in hybrid mode. So companies fast have recognized this shift and demand for facilities managers have surged. In 2021, the global facilities management market was valued at $42.2 billion. By 2028, that market is expected to explode to $109.05 billion at a compound annual growth rate of 12.6 per cent – according to propmodo.com.
Veteran knowledge is soon to retire
Companies are already aware that they need to adequately replace their workforce with their staff entering retirement age. As of September of this year, the average age for a working facilities manager in the US is 50 years old. This means that the companies need to build a pool of FMs and train new employees.
FMs are also getting more concerned about the growing threat of cybersecurity as cybercrime rates keep rising. This means that new facilities managers will naturally require additional training on top of what their older mentors can teach them.
FMs play a key role in business functions
The job of a facility manager has become more concentrated on increasing worker productivity, health and happiness rather than merely addressing workplace requirements. This shift is the result of an increased emphasis on workplace technology thanks to the rise of hybrid work – for which facilities managers must ensure the proper environment.
From the corporate occupier’s perspective, equipment lifespans, digital connectivity and workplace comfort are dependent on the facilities management department. This means that if the building is in less-than-stellar shape, the quality of the occupiers’ products or services can suffer. So labour shortage is not only going to hurt the facilities management industry, it’s going to hurt the function of the office as a whole.
Seeing the transformations in the industry, there is no question that those companies and service providers who focus on recruiting, mentoring, and training the new generation of FMs will gain an advantage. It may be time to better showcase how lucrative, challenging and rewarding a career in facilities management can be.
