Facility Management is facing a critical shortage of professionals and urgently needs to attract new talent, a new report by IFMA (International Facility Management Association) and RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) has revealed.
According to the third edition of Raising The Bar – which surveyed more than 2,500 facilities managers around the world – the profession must transform its “Cinderella” image to attract diverse new talent, as the average age of the workforce is currently 50.9 years.
The report also identified the need for increased focus on the strategic impact of facility management, and to do more to champion the benefits professionals can deliver to workplaces and the people and organisations that use them.
RICS spokesperson Paul Bagust said: “In the past, facility management has been seen as a Cinderella profession, which explains the problems in attracting and retaining new talent to replace professionals when they leave. To challenge this image, we must increase our strategic focus and champion the ways in which facility management can enhance productivity in the workplace and show the vital role that FM professionals play in the workplace.
“As working practices evolve in the digital age, FMs will need new skills based on collaboration and forging interpersonal relationships. Our innovative collaboration with IFMA is an exciting development to encourage and nurture these skills. And, by working together to standardise working practices and standards across the globe, we will unite the FM community and ensure it is ideally placed to attract a diverse range of new talent and take advantage of the opportunities that exist for this dynamic and fast-evolving profession.”
Tony Keane, President and CEO of IFMA added: “This is a valuable report that provides empirical support for what many FM professionals have been saying for years. It should serve as a clarion call to action for the global FM industry.
“Our collaboration with RICS ensures our global thought leaders within the FM industry will have the platform to attract fresh new talent to workforce management. By supporting universal standards and practices and fostering a greater appreciation of the impact of facilities and workforce management, we will enhance the outstanding service FM professionals provide to the built environment, ensuring the transformative effect on workplaces and the people who use them.”