With a limited talent pool and a competitive hiring landscape, a key challenge for employers is finding enough talent to effectively manage their facilities and enable their organizations to meet their strategic goals. Instead of relying on external recruitment, more employers are using internal training funds to help FM staff with high potential build the right skills while increasing confidence and credibility.
For built environment professionals, 2022 is proving to be a year of rebuilding and growth worldwide.
Since 2019, the Professional Facility Management Institute (ProFMI) and Building Operating Management (BOM) magazine have been conducting the Facility Management (FM) Training Outlook Survey to determine the need for facility management training and credentials from both the management and staff points of view. The latest survey was conducted in February and March of 2022 to identify FM workforce trends, determine the current need for FM training and credentials, and gauge how sentiments may have shifted over time.
This study answered several key questions in four categories: Building and retaining the FM workforce; the value of FM training; addressing the FM skills gap; and the important of FM credentials and qualifications.
Building and retaining the FM workforce
How has the “Great Resignation” impacted the FM profession? How can employers attract and retain top talent to help meet their organization’s strategic goals?
- 66% of FM managers and staff have left or have considered leaving their job in the past year.
- The top 3 ways for organizations to retain facility professionals are:
1. Increase compensation or benefits.
2. Provide opportunities for professional development or training.
3. Offer opportunities for internal advancement.
- 54% of FM leaders expect to have open FM-related positions primarily due to staff moving to other organizations, senior staff retiring, and organizational growth requiring more staff.
The value of FM training
Do FM employers and individuals recognize a need for facility management training? What is the impact of training and how accessible is it to the FM workforce?
- 86% of FM employers say there’s a gap between the knowledge and skills their team has and what they need to excel.
- Training can make an impact, with 74% of FM employers saying that FM training and credentials result in better job performance.
- 57% of FM employers are planning to implement FM training this year.
FMs were also surveyed about addressing the FM skills gap and the importance of FM credentials and qualifications.
Overwhelmingly, FM managers and staff agree that training is needed for job performance and growth. More employers are adding training to their budgets in recognition of the confidence and credibility boost it provides.
Addressing the FM skills gap
What are the top priorities for FM employers and staff when it comes to facility management training?
- FM managers identify compliance & standards, strategic planning, and project management as top training priorities for themselves.
- FM managers say their team’s top training needs are compliance & standards, leadership skills, and emergency management.
- FM staff say their top training needs are project management, emergency management, capital planning, and utility management.
The most efficient way to deliver training is to understand what knowledge and skill gaps exist. Facility managers who have a clear picture of their existing skill sets are more in tune with where FM training is needed.
Click here to download the FM Training Outlook Survey Executive Summary. The full survey report soon will be published at ProFMI.