Facilities Management

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects 6 percent growth through 2033 for administrative services managers, which is faster than the average for all occupations. The combination of job growth and turnover should create many job openings per year. The BLS cites several reasons for this growth, including the needs for routine management, disaster preparedness, and efficient operations.

Concern for environmental impact and energy efficiency will be additional reasons for growth. Energy-efficient means not only cheaper operating costs but, in some cases, meeting new regulations, such as the green building codes being imposed in many jurisdictions. These codes can affect decisions about new heating systems, roof designs, and other upgrades that a facilities manager might consider. Facilities also gain prestige and perhaps attract tenants by meeting voluntary standards, such as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), which was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. Under the LEED rating system, buildings are certified as meeting a certain level based on the number of points they earn for features such as efficient consumption of energy and water, use of sustainable building materials, and location in a walkable neighborhood. A thorough knowledge of green building codes and LEED standards can improve a job candidate's employment options.

Contract administration is another specialization that is expected to grow. Facilities management businesses, like many others, are often finding it more convenient and economical to contract out for services such as food, cleaning, and many kinds of maintenance rather than hire and supervise staff. However, job-seekers who can manage a wide range of responsibilities are expected to have better prospects than those who specialize in particular functions. Competition at the highest levels will be severe because of the limited number of jobs, but less so at lower levels.

Job growth will be especially strong through 2033 in the field of health care. The Department of Labor predicts that there will be approximately 1.9 million job openings in the health care field each year from 2023 through 2033. This growth will lead to more facilities requiring management and administrative services. In 2023, approximately 8,220 administrative services managers worked for general medical and surgical hospitals. Other top employers include local and state governments; companies and enterprises; colleges, universities, and professional schools; and business schools and computer and management training organizations.

Unlike many managerial jobs with a comparable level of pay, administrative services management does not typically require a bachelor's degree, and many workers have learned their skills by working their way up from a position in one of the work areas that come under a facility manager's supervision, such as security, maintenance, or energy use. Nevertheless, a bachelor's degree in business, engineering, or facilities management can be an advantage with employers.

Certification by the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) can also be a valuable credential. Several levels of certification are available, Facilities Management Professional (FMP) for newcomers to the profession, and Certified Facility Manager (CFM) or Sustainability Facility Professional (SFP) after meeting some educational and experience requirements.

Other occupations within facilities support services will continue to offer employment opportunities in the coming years. Some fast-growing occupations within this industry are security guards, janitors and cleaners, maids and housekeeping cleaners, general maintenance and repair workers, engineers, engineering technicians, and general and operations managers.

During the pandemic in 2020 and early 2021, facilities management professionals who worked at essential facilities, such as hospitals, nursing care homes, grocery stores and distributors, and in other such businesses, were able to continue working, with greater health precautions. Work hours may have been limited for some workers, and some positions eliminated as the economic slump created by the pandemic caused changes in demand. Workers in schools, office buildings, event arenas and venues, and travel facilities may have experienced a harsher scenario. With remote learning and working replacing in-person activity, many buildings went empty and required less maintenance and attention. Some, such as theaters, closed altogether, and airports and train stations experience severely reduced demand, creating an uncertain employment market.

Post pandemic, the facilities management industry is on the rebound and expected to continue growing in the coming years. According to a report by Markets and Markets, the global facilities management industry is projected to increase from $49.6 billion in revenue in 2023 to $94.8 billion by 2028, at an annual rate of 13.8 percent. Demand will continue to grow for cloud-based facility management solutions and integrated facility management and intelligent software. Other factors contributing to growth in this industry include changes in office environments and workplaces that have come about to adapt to pandemic protocols, compliance requirements for economic and regulatory regulations, and increased adoption of analytics and artificial intelligence. According to the Markets and Markets report: "The increasing focus on integrating Building Information Modeling (BIM) with facility management presents a significant opportunity to revolutionize how organizations manage and maintain their physical assets."

Another aspect of facility management that will continue in the coming years is the focus on green buildings and energy efficiency. Sustainability is not a new trend but more attention was paid to it during the pandemic, and this attention is expected to grow in the facility management industry in the coming years. According to an article in Facility Executive Magazine, there is expected to be a rise in companies that want to partner with facilities management companies for sustainable building practices. The article also pointed out a study by Ernst & Young, which revealed that 50 percent of the chief executive officers surveyed said that sustainability was now a higher priority. Another possible issue on the horizon is a shortage of facility management professionals within the next few years, due an aging workforce. More businesses will use digital platforms to find facility management professionals to fill positions. Facility management contractors who can work flexible schedules during high-demand periods are also expected to have good employment opportunities.