As buildings become more modern and complex, a facilities manager’s responsibilities and hiring needs continue to change rapidly. Already, smart buildings are a big talking point within the industry, with research estimating that the market will grow to $408.21 billion in 2030, up from $96.96 billion in 2023.
The rise in smart buildings, among other factors, is shaping the facilities management trends for 2024. These trends include ESG reporting and sustainability, preventive and predictive maintenance, and increasing building regulations.
Here’s a look into the top facilities management trends for 2024 and the top skills you should be looking for in new hires based on these trends.
The Trends Affecting Facilities Management in 2024
Facilities management in 2024 is expected to be highlighted by the following top trends:
New and More Complex Building Systems
With more buildings incorporating technology, facilities managers are now tasked with managing new and more complex building systems. These include electrical, HVAC, safety, and engineering systems being upgraded to more efficient, automated, and interconnected variants.
Therefore, facilities managers need core competence in building information systems for monitoring and reporting in these new facilities. These systems allow facilities managers to get information from amenities and operations and better understand the building’s strengths and weaknesses.
With these modern, more complex systems, facilities managers can incorporate efficient workflows for crews working within the building to ensure effective and efficient management.
Increasing Building Regulations
There’s increased building regulation from federal, state, and local regulators. For instance, California has A.B.2446, which mandates lifecycle assessments and environmental product declarations for new buildings. There’s also the proposed A.B.593 regulation, which will introduce an emissions reduction strategy milestone from the California Energy Commission.
With such regulation changes, especially surrounding environmental standards, facilities managers are under increased pressure to improve their buildings and operate more sustainably. Other regulations, such as the 2023 National Electrical Code, enforce new energy efficiency standards and cybersecurity considerations for facilities managers.
Fast Adoption of Software and IoT Technology
Automation in facilities management is growing rapidly. For instance, some buildings use AI-powered surveillance systems to help quickly notify security of any odd movements or activities and provide more security.
Field service management software automates scheduling and dispatch for crew to handle various service requests within buildings, improving management and service delivery.
Therefore, facilities managers and building crew can accomplish more tasks faster, with lesser labor requirements, since automation and other IoT technology help handle redundant tasks.
ESG Reporting and Sustainability
Environmental, social, and governance reporting is a big topic in facilities management and real estate. This is evident by the increasing regulation surrounding environmental impact and sustainability for buildings, making it increasingly important that facilities managers find a way to measure their performance and make appropriate changes.
With this rising trend, ESG reporting software is increasingly being used for facilities management and real estate.
Facilities managers can use this software to generate comprehensive reports on their building’s sustainability performance and practices and understand the impact of their buildings on the environment.
Preventive and Predictive Maintenance
With advanced equipment monitoring tools and analytics, facilities managers are increasingly adopting preventive and predictive maintenance strategies to proactively address issues and potential equipment failures before they occur.
Using preventive and predictive maintenance, facilities managers can minimize downtime, only scheduling repairs and maintenance when the building is not in use. Consequently, they improve the building’s performance, raise tenants’ satisfaction, and reduce costs related to unexpected repairs.
Top Skills You Should Be Looking for When Hiring in 2024
The trends shaping facilities management in 2024 define a unique set of skills facilities managers should seek when looking for new hires. Here are the top ones:
Communication
Communication is an essential skill every new hire must have. Facilities managers and building crew need to seamlessly exchange information for the efficient management and running of the facility.
Therefore, your new hire should be someone conversant with relaying the necessary information to necessary teams and departments at the right time and can also delegate work. They should be proactive and often ready to guide other employees and suggest improvements, changes, or new ideas.
They should ideally know how to use various modern communication tools in facilities to relay important information, such as communication software.
Knowledge of Using Technology and Operating and Maintaining Modern Machines
As technology makes a solid footing in facilities management, facilities managers face the difficult task of hiring workers who know how to use these technologies to make facilities management easier and more effective.
According to research, this type of skills deficit affects a third of facilities managers.
Therefore, you must test your new hires for proficiency in using technology and operating modern machines, including reading their data and signals and understanding the appropriate action to take.
For maintenance teams, the new hires should be able to accurately assess equipment’s lifespan from the integrated preventive and predictive maintenance systems and troubleshoot the affected equipment to determine the repair needed.
Sustainability Practices
Maintaining compliance with building sustainability and environmental regulations needs proactive participation from your crew and employees. Your crew should help you make environmentally conscious and sustainable decisions about equipment, operations, and energy consumption to ensure you hit your ESG goals.
They should be able to assess an equipment’s energy efficiency, suggest appropriate upgrades to old equipment, and adhere to sustainable practices such as recycling and waste management.
Excellent Teamwork and Team Management
Your new hire may have to take a leadership position or work within an existing crew. Therefore, excellent teamwork and team management skills will be necessary to ensure the facility’s and crew’s smooth operation.
Specifically, the new hire should be conversant with setting schedules, preferably using electrical contractor management software or other technology you use within the building; report to relevant crew members for any critical updates; and follow the proper channels to resolve or mediate conflict.
The new hire should also be an active and eager learner, willing to gain new knowledge from their team members on concepts such as cybersecurity, safety using various modern equipment in the facility, and sustainability.
Make the Right Hiring Choices
Modern facilities management requires adaptable facilities managers willing to embrace new technology to handle modern building management challenges. You must constantly be aware of changing regulations, keen on environmentalism and sustainability, and ready to use current technology, such as field service management software, AI, and IoT, to improve operations.
Garrett Wilson is president and co-founder of FieldBin, a field service management software company.
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