News Results | Features Results | Comments Results
This search function has been limited to 300 new stories and 100 features and comments
The scholarship fund is dedicated to finding and supporting new talent in the FM industry.
Matthew Lockton, sales director at integrated FM provider 14forty, has achieved Certified level membership with the Institute.
Plan to develop training programmes in Saudi Arabia led to serious questions about compatibility with EDI commitments.
The Deborah Rowland Scholarship is a fund dedicated to finding and supporting new talent in the facilities management industry.
The annual networking event is seeking nominations for young people to join in.
We know the answer to that, mostly. But what about people on the edges of the industry, or outside it altogether?
IFMA collaborating on integrated resources to help drive organisational success.
The closing date to apply for this new opportunity for FM is 14 September.
Entries for this coveted FM award now due by 29 August.
UK’s two main building services engineering organisations will work more closely together on key initiatives.
The scholarship, created in collaboration with IWFM, aims to bring on the next generation of professionals through financial and mentoring support.
All workplace and facilities management professionals are invited to participate.
New campaign aims to make it easier for young people to find out about FM and the career opportunities it offers.
The definition will be used in the context of workplace and facilities management.
To mark World FM Day Sodexo has spoken to four FM colleagues about their journey, experiences, challenges and aspirations.
New report identifies how these are affecting professionals, the sector and the wider business world now and into the future.
The Institute is backing the promise to active personnel, veterans and their families that they will be treated fairly.
A new white paper from the International Facility Management Association leads on the theme ‘evolution is never finished’.
An online workshop, coming up in October, aims to tackle some of the common problems and share strategies for success.
The Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management has launched a new mentoring programme for members.
And not in a good way, as the entire Standards and Regulation Board resigns.
A new white paper from the FM group tackles eight key questions shaping the industry’s future.
The hard-hitting review calls for ‘transformation of the Institution at pace’.
Geoff Prudence CEng FCIBSE FRICS FIWFM MIoD has been recognised for his contributions to the building services and facilities management disciplines.
Dates for two celebratory days have been confirmed, one for an established annual feature and another for a newly launched event.
It is one of the most important issues on the FM agenda, perhaps the most important. Should the industry work together on a response to the sustainability challenge?
The Government Property Agency, Whitehall’s in-house property advisor, has published standards on management of services and asset data.
RICS has appointed Lord Michael Bichard to lead a wide-ranging independent review into the governance and purpose of the Institution.
Livery company the Worshipful Company of Pattenmakers is looking for the next winner of its annual Young Facilities Manager Award.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak outlined plans to rebuild the economy and drive growth, as well as providing some detail on how the government will aim to achieve its longer term objectives.
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has announced the appointment of a new interim leadership team to drive its modernisation.
The revised standards include a new emphasis on diversity and inclusion, as well as more focus on sustainability.
The International Facility Management Association has announced the creation of a new Research Advisory Committee.
Annual general meetings can follow one of two routes: real engagement with stakeholders, which can be difficult but useful, or a kind of managed positivity that hopes to avoid challenge. IWFM chose the latter.
The Governing Council of RICS has published the results of an Independent Review by Alison Levitt QC, resulting in considerable fall-out at the Institution.
The International Facility Management Association has refreshed its positioning, as well as its logo and website.
The volunteer group has announced a change in leadership.
This year's global celebration of facilities management will take place on 12 May.
A new suite of facilities management contracts is due to be launched this month.
A lack of long-term strategic thinking amongst FM service providers and their customers is limiting opportunities for substantial business and social benefits.
We’ve made a whole series of changes that both refresh the look and feel of the site and enhance the operational efficiency. We hope you’ll like it!
David Emanuel writes: our professional institutes and associations need to react to market change just as quickly as do commercial businesses.
A new white paper published by the Sustainable Facilities Management Index provides FM organisations with a framework that can help propel them to leading sustainability status.
The High Performance Buildings Coalition, based in Washington, represents about 200 organisations involved in building efficiency, innovation and sustainability. Its key focus is the US Congress.
The annual strategic FM event, taking place this year online, hit its 500-delegate capacity a few days ago. That has now been upped to 1000 to meet continued demand.
Jane Farrell, Sodexo's head of security for UK and Ireland, is only the seventh women to be admitted to the Register since it launched in 2011.
Today marks the annual global celebration of facilities management and facilities managers, especially appropriate at this point this year.
We have two research projects underway: one in preparation for World FM Day and a second looking into the realities of today's FM business operations.
A sector that is too often overlooked or relegated to 'commodity service' is playing a critical role in the battle against the covid-19 outbreak. What does FM itself need and how can it access that?
The theme of this year's Workplace Futures conference was wellness and FM's role in supporting and enhancing that for individuals, organisations and their communities.
The training group is offering free qualifications for the unemployed, relaxed payment terms and support from their recruitment division to facilities managers who have fallen victim to the economics of epidemics, Chris Morris writes.
World Workplace Europe, due to take place this month in Amsterdam but cancelled, is returning as a virtual event in April.
The IFMA Foundation is accepting applications for its 2020 scholarship programme, which is designed to support aspiring and practising facilities managers to pursue higher education.
The contract standards group has confirmed that a new suite of facilities management contracts will be available early in the new year.
i-FM has published its latest Trends & Opportunities Report, providing a unique look at major events in the marketplace over the past year, their impact on the industry and how they, and events in the wider environment, are shaping FM for the future.
The service provider has been awarded the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply Corporate Ethical Mark for the third time in three years.
The first big industry event of 2020, the annual Workplace Futures conference, will take on one of the newest and biggest challenges for facilities management: wellness, and all that this means for future FM strategy and practice.
Sixty learners have enrolled in the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management's newly created Level 6 Diploma in Workplace, launching what it calls a ground-breaking qualification.
The Worshipful Company of Pattenmakers' annual Young Manager Award is still open for entries, but only till Monday.
With record-breaking attendance, this year's event, held in Phoenix, focused on four themes: employee experience, human performance, 'good' jobs and better business, with tech as an enabler. Jo Sutherland summarises the key takeaways.
'Climate Change Fundamentals for Facility Management Professionals' is the first report to address this subject as it relates to FM roles and responsibilities, the association says.
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors is calling on built environment professionals to promote and implement the UN's sustainable development goals.
As part of his IWFM Leader of the Year award, David Carr hosted a thought leadership debate with his fellow experts in the industry. The conclusions of that debate have now been collated and published.
In line with growing calls for action in the face of the world's climate emergency, businesses, organisations and, more recently, built environment professionals have been signing up to new policies and practices.
The business standards business has launched a certification scheme and supporting training courses to help organisations develop, implement and maintain effective facilities management across all operations.
The corporate office FM specialist has unveiled a new apprenticeship programme designed to offer career-building opportunities in facilities management.
David Emanuel reports on the RICS Integrated Property Services Conference, held Monday in London.
Comments are invited on the new draft code of practice on procurement of facilities management
The Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management and the Facility Management Association of Australia are teaming up in pursuit of "workplace and facilities management excellence".
The industry-backed training and support organisation is reporting positive results on multiple fronts following its latest Impact Survey.
The UK chapter of the International Facility Management Association has published a global outlook report featuring interviews with 12 FM leaders from around the world to coincide with FM's global celebration.
The Middle East Facility Management Association is calling for a comprehensive regulatory framework that will enhance accountability and professionalism for the region's FM industry.
The IWFM has unveiled a plan that will see its members delivering activity-based workshops in schools across the UK with the aim of encouraging the next generation to learn about FM's diversity and impact and to get involved.
What does it take to survive, or even thrive, in this business? The post-Workplace Futures 2019 conference white paper offers some valuable insights at every level of this complex and complicated market.
'World Workplace Europe meets Facility for Future' was the theme for IFMA's European conference held last week in Amsterdam. David Emanuel reports.
The 20th RICS and Macdonald & Company Rewards and Attitudes Survey has found that professionals in the industry are mostly positive about the outlook for 2019, despite concerns around Brexit.
The International Facility Management Association has been awarding scholarships to FM professionals for almost two decades. Applications are now open for this year's opportunity.
In pursuit of its mission, the IFMA UK chapter is looking for content partners to generate engaging thought-leadership material addressing FMs' needs and interests.
What does it take to survive as an FM business these days? And what does it take to thrive? Simon Iatrou reports from the first major conference of the year, Workplace Futures 2019.
In a broad study of the profession, CoreNet Global has identified the most influential trends in CRE through 2025 and beyond, which could include the disappearance of the CRE label itself.
The International Facility Management Association has released the latest product of its FM Research and Benchmarking Institute, the 2018 Operations and Maintenance: Qualitative Analysis Benchmarking Report.
Under the title 'Surviving FM: making tomorrow a better place', Workplace Futures 2019 will be looking at what it takes to build and run a successful business in this continuously changing and challenging marketplace.
Just months after the creation of a chapter in the United Kingdom, bids for chapters in France and Croatia were approved by the US-headquartered International Facility Management Association.
The i-FM Audit is back. Our focused research surveys, run every couple of years for the past decade, provide a check-up on market drivers, decision factors and likely trends for the future. Join us in this unique project!
The new Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management, formerly the BIFM, held its initial event Thursday evening and offered its ten-point plan for becoming "a modern professional body".
"Will the last person to leave the Cabinet please turn out the lights" was the Evening Standard's headline, echoing The Sun's famous 1992 Neil Kinnock front page, being sold outside the UBM building last night.
This week sees the start of the process of transformational change at the BIFM as it moves to become the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management.
Trends & Opportunities tracks major events in the marketplace over the past year, their impact on the industry and how they, and events in the wider environment, are shaping facilities management for the future.
The International Facility Management Association's World Workplace event, which took place last week, brings together 4,000 facilities professionals from across the globe. Or rather that's what it's supposed to do. Cathy Hayward reports.
The services group has recognised the achievement of around 100 of its most outstanding customer-facing employees in its seventh annual Service Excellence Awards.
The energy and services group has established a new Responsible Business Charter and an independent Scrutiny Board. ENGIE says this underlines its commitment to operate to the highest economic, social and environmental standards.
The facilities management services provider has recently seen its approach to training reach the next level, with its academy being awarded City & Guilds Approved Centre status.
The institute has published an updated good practice guide for individuals who are responsible for, or are looking to source, catering services for their workplace.
BIFM has published a new Leaders' Forum report focused on the challenges and practical solutions for embedding building information modelling processes across the sector.
Increasingly people want to choose where and when they work and they look to the workplace, wherever that may be, to deliver much more in terms of services and amenities. This is reshaping FM, says the property services group.
The British Institute of Facilities Management has entered into a two-year deal with a specialist business and market development agency that will focus on building a strategic partnership programme.
The British Institute of Facilities Management has welcomed recommendations made by the Public Accounts Committee following its Strategic Suppliers Inquiry.
Today sees the launch of the institution's first professional statement to reduce risk, increase transparency and further trust in procurement in facilities management.
The latest report from the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee highlights a series of flaws in central government procurement policy and procedure.
Members of the British Institute of Facilities Management have voted to approve the board's recommendation to change the group's name to the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management.
The International Facility Management Association UK Chapter has confirmed four appointments to its board of directors, further strengthening its ties with the RICS FM Professional Group as part of the collaboration between RICS and IFMA.
i-FM reports from this year's RICS Strategic FM Conference, where presenters warned that some of tomorrow's opportunities come with considerable risks.
Bulgaria was the location for this year's EuroFM conference, which coincided with the organisation's celebrations of its 30th year as well as the 10th anniversary of the Bulgarian FM Association.
BIFM and the RICS/IFMA coalition aren't the only facilities management bodies thinking about their development strategies. The 'membership group for FM membership groups' has also been invited to consider its future.
The British Institute of Facilities Management has announced plans to develop a new certified accreditation and a suite of training courses for facilities managers in charge of life safety in buildings.
As the group continues to organise and starts planning its programme, it is calling on IFMA members to share their views on needs and opportunities.
Sodexo's recently published Public Service Pledge, a key set of commitments to customers, employees and communities, will form the basis of a Twitter Q&A session on Wednesday.
Research has found that projects with 'excellent' change management in place are six times more likely to meet objectives than those with 'poor' change management. Even 'good' change management increases the odds substantially.
The International Facility Management Association has approved a petition to form a chapter that will, IFMA says, offer FM professionals direct localised support that taps into the global industry in ways not currently available in the UK market.
Fontana will be the first chartered surveyor from the area of workplace and facilities strategy to lead the profession when she becomes RICS president in November 2020.
The new management system standard constitutes a benchmark for developing and driving an effective strategic, tactical and operational FM regime, the ISO says.
The Strategic Facility Management Framework, launched in Dubai during the annual IFMA-RICS World Workplace Forum Middle East, promises a holistic approach to strategic FM best practice.
Sodexo has published its second Public Service Pledge, a strategic and ethical set of commitments to its customers, employees and communities.
The company will provide weekly market information for members of the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply to ensure they are up-to-date and fully informed.
FM's professional body is proposing some big changes: a new name and perhaps even the introduction of chartered status are just the outward signs of an organisation that suddenly seems intent on raising its game.
The annual i-FM-organised Workplace Futures conference, held in February, took on the challenges and opportunities around an increasingly important subject: how FM can add value to clients and communities.
The results of the fourth annual FM Business Confidence Monitor show that a majority of FM professionals are optimistic about the state of the market. But the size of that majority has been on the slide since 2015, as concerns and uncertainty creep in.
The British Institute of Facilities Management has published its latest Leaders' Forum report as part of a campaign to provide greater clarity on the issue of compliance within the built environment.
The Institute of Civil Engineers and the British Institute of Facilities Management have announced a joint initiative to explore the potential to develop a completely new form of contract explicitly for FM.
Disruption is a fashionable concept, of course, and as with all such terms its meaning has been diluted with use. But the concept remains timely: so, could we soon see fundamental change in facilities management?
The British Institute of Facilities Management is marking its 25th anniversary with the publication of a 'manifesto for change' that involves a refocusing of its strategy, a new name and pursuit of chartered status.
Developing standards is a complex process: they have to work for businesses around the world. That means they can take some understanding, which only comes with digging into them to find out what they say and why.
Earlier this month Workplace Futures delegates benefited from insider explanations of two concepts that could change the FM landscape, the integrator model and new ISO standards. That raised questions for some about the impacts on clients.
Simon Iatrou reports from Workplace Futures 2018, a conference that covered the good and the bad in facilities management.
The results of the Institute's Pay and Prospects Survey show that BIFM membership and qualifications have an impact on facilities managers' career development.
In the context of market change suddenly hugely magnified by Carillion's collapse, David Emanuel wrote recently: "If there ever was a time for our institutions and associations to step up, this is it." Will they?
i-FM's Simon Iatrou can be heard on the latest episode of Workplace Matters, a regular podcast produced by workplace consultancy 3edges.
In a press statement, BIFM’s CEO claimed that the circumstances surrounding Carillion’s liquidation should be used as a “catalyst for change”.
The British Institute of Facilities Management has announced the appointment of Chris Moriarty as Director of Insight.
There's a lot of change in the air these days: economies, politics, society, technology. What would it take to bring about a fundamental change in FM, too?
Leaders from the FM sector are being urged to share their views on the state of the sector following the launch of the British Institute of Facilities Management's fourth annual UK FM Business Confidence Monitor survey.
There is considerable weight growing behind the view that facilities management is approaching, if not a crisis point, than at least a crossroads where decisions will have to be made about what FM does and what it can do in the future.
The British Institute of Facilities Management is urging all businesses employing FM staff to lobby for changes to the Apprenticeship Levy, after it was revealed that allocated funding is insufficient to deliver degree-level apprenticeships in FM.
Wherever you stand on the debate around how facilities management relates to workplace, one thing is true: how we work is evolving, opening the door to change in where we work. FM should be intimately involved in planning, programming and implementing.
The Institute's latest guidance note is designed to help facilities management professionals evaluate risks to their buildings and decide what they should do about them.
If there ever was a time when the commercial environment seemed straightforward, with demand predictable and trends clear enough to see and plan for, those were the good old days. The old five-year horizon often feels more like five days now.
The results of the 11the annual BIFM Sustainability Survey shine a light on how the profession is adapting to and tackling the increasing demand for sustainable business.
It's been a bit of a rocky road, but the new customer relationship management system on the institute's agenda for some years has almost reached its goal, with implementation due within days.
Understanding how people feel and behave in work environments could be the key to better business outcomes; and building that knowledge within FM could be the key to greater impact.
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has published a new addition to its case studies series, this time turning the focusing on FM and social value.
Trends & Opportunities, i-FM's annual market insight report, tracks major events in the marketplace over the past year, their impact on the industry and how they, and events in the wider environment, are shaping facilities management for the future.
BIFM has published new guidance on the buying process, while RICS is in the midst of a consultation period supporting the development of its own guidance.
The British Institute of Facilities Management's Procurement Special Interest Group has published guidance to help FM professionals involved in supply chain management understand statutory compliance.
The latest good practice guide from the British Institute of Facilities Management focuses on a subject that is rapidly climbing both service buyer and service provider agendas.
Dave Wilson reports from hurricane-ravaged Houston on this year's World Workplace conference, where British input was much in evidence.
The UK office industry is undergoing a fundamental shift towards a more customer-centric approach, with an increasingly greater emphasis being placed on delivering outstanding customer service to occupiers.
The Health Estates and Facilities Management Association and the Institute of Healthcare Engineering and Estate Management have launched the "definitive" resource for their industry.
It's been building slowly for a couple of years now: FM has always been a people business, and its next challenge is prove itself a genuinely customer-focused business.
The annual Worshipful Company of Pattenmakers Young Manager Award is open for entries. Act soon to beat the October closing date.
Kentish and Co, the coaching and people advisory firm, has launched its first salary benchmarking survey. And they're thinking big: the survey is global.
The BIFM has formally adopted the definition of facilities management as it is set out in the new ISO standards.
'Bringing inclusive design into built environment education' is the new teaching and learning guide published by the built environment industry group.
Under the headline 'a career of choice', WhatisFM.com offers a shop window explicitly aimed at educating visitors on what FM is and does and the opportunities the industry offers.
The British Institute of Facilities Management has developed an online interactive FM Professional Standards Wheel that defines the competences necessary to be a proficient facilities management practitioner at all career levels.
David Batley, Steve Gladwin, Julie Kortens and Polly Plunket-Checkemian were awarded the Institute's highest accolade at yesterday's Annual General Meeting.
The British Institute of Facilities Management has commissioned independent consultants 3edges to explore how well equipped the FM profession is to support the future world of work.
The British Institute of Facilities Management has published updated guidance to help in-house FM teams understand what is involved in managing and changing space.
BSI is hosting the current phase of the development process for the FM standard ISO 41001 Management System – Requirements. Comments are invited from all in the industry.
Albert Einstein is once again having a moment. If you find yourself in a mess, he argued many years ago, continuing to think about things in the same way is unlikely to get you out of that mess. Timely advice.
The British Institute of Facilities Management has set out its strategic priorities for the facilities management sector following last week's general election.
The country president of Sodexo Ireland has been named Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite by the French Ambassador to Ireland.
Our day, the one that aims to showcase the work that FM professionals do and the value that the FM sector contributes to businesses worldwide.
The British Institute of Facilities Management is rolling out a new route to Fellowship to encourage the profession's most accomplished practitioners to apply for this top grade of membership.
How many times has that question been asked over the years? Why is it still being asked? What makes success measures so difficult to define and operate in ways that satisfy all stakeholders?
The collaborating partners are offering a combined suite of credentials and professional qualifications for facilities management in a single online academy.
RICS has published the third instalment of its Raising the Bar series. This combination of research findings and commentary covers a considerable amount of ground and deserves a close read.
OK, that might be overstating it a little; but new developments are reshaping capabilities, expectations and skills requirements right across the industry.
The first two international standards in facilities (or facility) management were published at the end of March. Stan Mitchell provides the following update.
FM professionals with an interest in how technology and innovation will continue to influence the way facilities management is delivered are invited to contribute to the debate by joining a new working group being formed by BIFM.
The annual i-FM-organised Workplace Futures conference, held last month, took on FM's tendency to default to the office as the prevailing place of work. In fact, there's a lot of interesting stuff going on in non-office environments.
The Construction Industry Council has published its Essential Principles Guide, designed to provide built environment professionals with information and advice on creating an accessible and inclusive environment.
The sector is facing a shortage of professionals and urgently needs to attract new talent, according to a report by the International Facility Management Association and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
The latest good practice guide from the British Institute of Facilities Management focuses on the trend for organisations to manage and procure FM services at a continental or global level.
This year's global celebration of FM takes place 17 May, featuring the theme 'enabling positive experiences'.
In the first quarter of this year we hosted a brief survey asking for views from across the FM sector on the roles and effectiveness of the two key professional membership bodies. Here are the results.
Productivity has become something of a hot topic for FM, one of a handful of areas of opportunity where the industry collectively sees the prospect of making a significant contribution to economic and social success.
In a sense, FM professionals are spoiled for choice: the British Institute of Facilities Management and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors are both championing the cause. But are they making their mark?
BIFM has incorporated building information modelling into its Facilities Management Professional Standards to reflect the growing impact BIM has on the working practices of FM professionals.
Simon Iatrou looks back at this year's industry conference, Workplace Futures 2017, and ponders whether the FM sector is ready to embrace change.
The BIFM is urging stakeholders across the industry to take part in a consultation on a new FM Manager (Level 4) Apprenticeship Standard.
Global FM, the alliance for facilities management associations worldwide, has named 17 May 2017 as the date for the next World FM Day.
Research for the 2017 FM Business Confidence Monitor is underway. The survey has already drawn hundreds of responses, but more are needed. Please take a few minutes before the holidays to join in.
Leaders from the facilities management sector are being urged to share their views on the state of the sector following the launch of the British Institute of Facilities Management's third annual UK FM Business Confidence Monitor.
Helping facilities management professionals to highlight best practice and identify gaps in performance through operational cost benchmarking is the subject of the latest guidance note published by BIFM.
Stan Mitchell, long-time champion of the development of standards for the facilities management sector, has been honoured with a BSI Leadership Award.
Disruption is a concept that's on every business pundit's list of interesting things to talk about. But is this relevant in FM? Can you have disruption in a business that was so recently itself a disruption of a traditional marketplace?
Today marks the official launch of BIFM in the United Arab Emirates, amidst 'great opportunity' in the region.
The BIFM was one of six professional institutes debating the place of such bodies and the meaning of the term 'professional' in a rapidly changing social and economic environment.
One of the interesting things about FM for those of us who have been around for, shall we say, more than a few years is the reappearance of old colleagues and acquaintances. Unfortunately, old issues and problems tend to come back, too.
For all its strengths, and there are plenty, the FM industry's professional institute seems to have some chronic flaw somewhere: things keep going wrong.
The BIFM announced late on Wednesday (26 October) that new CEO Ray Perry has left the Institute. Linda Hausmanis is stepping in as Acting Chief Executive.
The BIFM reports that it is working with a 'trailblazer' group including employers and higher education institutes to develop a new degree apprenticeship for senior facilities managers.
i-FM's annual market landscape review tracks major events in the marketplace over the past year, their impact on the industry and how they, and events in the wider environment, are shaping facilities management for the future. It is available online now.
While the final news from last week's event involves the significant achievement of the organisation riling all its 4500 delegates, this is no cliff-hanger: there is a happy ending to a story which mixes ineptitude, misunderstanding and a major mea culpa.
The Facilities Management Legal Update course, organised by training, consulting and support group International Workplace, has become a fixture in the FM calendar, running now for over 20 years. This year's takes place later this month.
A unified career map is to be unveiled at this week's World Workplace conference in what the International Facility Management Association describes as a priority joint output of its global collaboration with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
Dave Wilson has been named as a Fellow in the International Facility Management Association's class of 2016.
All the ingredients are in place for FM to secure a future as a strategic discipline enabling organisations to both meet the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities that a changing workplace entails.
Arguing that a new ISO management system standard will be more than welcome in the dynamic world that is FM, the International Organization for Standardization has offered an update on progress so far.
Post Brexit referendum, the future is paved with uncertainty regardless of your political views, says Talent FM Managing Director Nikki Dallas. So what can job candidates do to enhance their career opportunities?
The Institute's latest Guidance Note is 'Collaboration in FM: Integrated Supply Chain Management', produced by its Procurement Special Interest Group.
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has published its fourth collection of case studies focusing on strategic FM in action.
The facilities services group has confirmed its role, and expressed its pride, as one of the supporting partners of the recently launched Stoddart Review.
The BIFM has published 'Outsourcing Across Borders', its latest FM Leaders Forum discussion paper and the first from the Institute's International Special Interest Group.
Cost, and more specifically cost saving, always lands near the top of the client priorities list when it comes to making the decision to outsource FM services. But how often do buyers investigate the full cost of service provision?
The worldwide celebration of facilities management takes place on Wednesday 13 July, but BIFM members will be hosting events throughout this week.
It is occasionally argued that FM has followed an evolutionary path, from single-service supply through bundled and heading on towards TFM. That over-simplifies the pattern; but it may be indicative of outsourcing more broadly.
Staying competitive is a matter of survival in UK facilities management. It is an essential characteristic in a market where buyers enjoy considerable choice and suppliers struggle against a move to commoditise their offers.
The British Institute of Facilities Management has been granted a licence to operate from the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and will be providing its educational programme to support the FM profession and BIFM members in the United Arab Emirates.
Following a six-month process of internal review and external assessment, the BBC has been awarded full corporate accreditation for its outsourcing strategy.
Sheffield Hallam University's major research project exploring the FM industry, its current issues and the trends for the future winds up at the end of this week. All facilities professionals are invited to complete the online survey before then.
UK facilities management doesn't have any 'elder statesmen' (perhaps it should), but it does have a handful of long-serving, highly experienced people whose views are always worth listening to. We have comments on the site from two of them.
The UK industry has done pretty well, reaching its current multi-billion pound status from more or less a standing start 30 years ago or so; all of that without benefit of a real trade association.
Sheffield Hallam University has launched its fourth FM sector survey and is inviting facilities professionals from across the sector to provide insight into current practices, issues and expectations in the industry.
Telefonica UK, an ISS client, has renewed its Hospitality Assured accreditation for the third time and received the highest score achieved within the facilities management sector.
This year's Workplace Futures conference, held in February, took on the change agent theme, which looks increasingly like being the future of FM itself. The summary white paper is now available.
David Emanuel returns to the insourcing vs outsourcing debate and asks why things go wrong in some contracting relationships and what can be done about it.
The British Institute of Facilities Management has launched its latest advice publication, its new 'Operational Readiness Guide: a guide to ensuring long-term effectiveness in the design and construction process'.
The facilities management contract performance improvement specialist is building a reputation for success.
Having spent three days at the NEC for Facilities Management 2016, i-FM's David Emanuel reflects on his time in Birmingham and asks some questions about the FM industry's current key talking points.
If there never seem to be enough hours in the day to do what needs doing, it may be (prepare yourself) your fault.
Whether they are personal, professional or commercial, goals have a regrettable propensity to slip eventually into the 'easier said than done' category.
There were high hopes for the Building Futures Group when it unveiled its new identity in 2014, and widespread surprise when it announced its closure early this year. How does the in, then out cleaning sector association see the whole experience?
The rise of insourcing, or at least the possibility of a rise, crops up in industry discussions on a regular basis. And it's been a subject recently on our news and features pages, too. So what does it mean for FM if there is some sort of trend here?
The latest good practice guide from BIFM, Asset Management Surveying Practice, aims to help FM professionals produce meaningful asset data that meets increasing expectations of clients, adds value to FM operations and supports business decision-making.
Commoditisation has been sitting on FM's horizon for quite some time, like a dark cloud threatening to rain on the sector's ambitions. But maybe FMs themselves are partly to blame. Maybe they are not asking the right questions.
"The biggest threat to security is believing that no threat exists." That was the key message from Kenneth Upham, counter-terrorism security advisor for Greater Manchester Police.
Workplace Futures, the annual industry conference organised by i-FM, this year asked delegates to make the case for facilities management as an agent of change. Simon Iatrou reports on the day, and some of the issues involved.
When the Building Futures Group shut its doors in January, it did so quietly. While rumours of financial trouble had been swirling for months, the group's eventual collapse left people with many unanswered questions.
The 2016 Facilities Management Business Confidence Monitor, the barometer measuring buoyancy across the FM sector, is now up and running. BIFM is inviting widespread participation.
The annual Facilities Management Business Confidence Monitor research is underway. All FM service providers are invited to join in the survey, contributing to a deeper understanding of the state of the marketplace.
The IFMA Foundation is pressing ahead with its Global Workforce Initiative, aiming to overcome a growing 'talent gap' in facilities management and facilities services.
Technological development will have the greatest impact on outsourcing by 2020, spurring on the emergence of a series of new sourcing models.
FM is often talked about as being a people business. From cleaners to engineers, project managers to apprentices: people make up who we are and without them we simply could not succeed.
The BIFM SIG created to focus on the needs of women in the industry remains in no way exclusive; and its annual conference remains in no way bound by the expectations that the words 'industry conference' might imply.
There is no doubt at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors: RICS has a key role to play in the continued professionalisation of facilities management.
How do you say 'facilities management' in a photograph? Is it about people? Process? Technology? Management? A specific service line? Show us the best answer, and we will reward your achievement.
Four senior facilities management practitioners have backed the call from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors for more fully qualified people across the industry.
At a recent webinar, jointly hosted by FM software provider Service Works Group and the Facilities Show, a panel of leading lights from the FM profession explored what the future holds for the FM industry in 2016 and beyond.
The approach to building and then maintaining solid customer relationships is one of the few areas in the crowded facilities management marketplace where service providers can find some opportunity for differentiation.
'Change' is one of those ubiquitous words, found in virtually everything said or written about facilities management. In fact, change is effectively FM's middle name.
The British Institute of Facilities Management has announced that its Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications are now available through an online learning and assessment platform, BIFM Direct.
Ian Townsend, Deputy Chairman of the BIFM, will leave the Institute's Board ahead of the Chairman Elect and Deputy Chair elections which will take place in November.
The process by which facilities management is evolving, both as an industry and a business discipline, has been fascinating to watch, in part because it regularly raises questions about the direction of travel and the rate of progress.
WeLink, originally launched by Bouygues Construction in 2013, now stretches right across the group providing an in-house network for women to share information and ideas and develop their careers.
IFMA, in partnership with JLL, has published a white paper exploring the challenges and benefits of a shift in C-suite perception of facilities management from a support-based cost centre to a strategic partner.
Globally, facilities management is a growth market. Understanding the drivers of that growth is essential for service providers looking to grow, and to evolve as the market evolves.
The world's biggest facilities management show moved up a gear Wednesday, with events running throughout the day and into the evening: from entrepreneurial keynotes, through educational sessions, briefings and the launch of a new knowledge resource.
Dutch university NHTV has been confirmed as a recognised centre delivering the BIFM Level 5 Qualification in Facilities Management.
Service excellence is a promise likely to be held out in every tender exercise, an objective set in every contract review and an ambition underpinning every KPI discussion. But what do we actually mean by 'excellence'?
An initial group of NHS Property Services employees has gained membership in the British Institute of Facilities Management following a fast-track assessment process.
FM employers can now purchase a package of licences for the BIFM online learning portal to enable their employees to undertake BIFM Levels 2 and 3 qualifications.
Following last week's AGM the British Institute of Facilities Management has confirmed the make-up of two key institute bodies and the winners of several awards.
The International Facility Management Association has launched a research project designed to identify the key tasks and work activities carried out by FMs.
The Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply is collaborating with Cofely to offer CIPS members access to a range of sources to support procurement activity in the FM sector.
Before he finishes the graduate programme at Bouygues Energies & Services, Robbie Kidd reflects on the past two years.
There's no question that asset management is a critical discipline; we just need to be clear which asset management we're talking about.
Incentive FM has joined a pioneering scheme designed to help vulnerable members of the community.
The BIFM board of directors has appointed current Chief Operating Officer James Sutton to the role of Chief Executive Officer following the resignation of Gareth Tancred.
ISS makes no secret of its ambition to be the world's greatest service organisation. So what is it doing to make progress towards that remarkable goal?
The British Institute of Facilities Management has announced the creation of a new regional community group in Nigeria to support BIFM members there and the wider facilities management profession in the region.
A new international standard for facilities management has been formally approved to proceed into development by the International Organisation for Standardisation following a poll of its 159 member organisations.
We all do it: we start making decisions about an organisation we're visiting for the first time as soon as we approach the front door. Front of house is a risky place.
Facilities managers are increasingly focused on improving quality of life in the workplace and are looking to integrated services to achieve their outsourcing needs, according to new research.
EFMC 2015 was a big and diverse event that said almost as much about the state of facilities management in an increasingly global marketplace as it did about current and emerging FM practice itself.
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has launched its Aspire to Lead campaign, focused on career development in facilities management.
New research from Grant Thornton concludes that reliability, trust and other 'non-technical' skills matter most in building successful outsourcing partnerships.
RICS will launch its third series of strategic facilities management case studies at an event to be held 19 June at Birmingham's NEC.
The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers Facilities Management Group has unveiled plans to cooperate with the Building Controls Industry Association and the Building Futures Group.
The Institute says that anyone in FM who is looking for information about CPD, training, management skills or career opportunities will find it at its Facilities Show Careers Zone.
The presidents of CIBSE, B&ES and RIBA have come together to call for more collaboration between members of the construction supply chain.
Earlier this month, BIFM's annual conference invited FM industry professionals to The Guardian's head office in Kings Cross. Simon Iatrou reflects on the day's biggest talking points.
The National Outsourcing Association has surveyed more than 150 of its members to compare buyers' and sellers' perceptions in a search for lessons that can help shape the future of the industry.
The UK facilities management sector is increasingly optimistic about prospects for both the UK economy and growth in FM over the coming year, according to research conducted by the BIFM in partnership with i-FM and Barclays.
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has announced four new appointments to its Facilities Management Board.
A new international coalition is being drawn together to develop the first set of globally recognised ethics standards for real estate and related professional organisations.
What is FM and what does it want to be: two questions that are bound to come up in any gathering of practitioners, in the past, the present and seemingly for the foreseeable future.
Attitudes and awareness towards the Living Wage campaign are changing steadily, with almost 80% of adults in the UK saying they have heard of it, according to research commissioned by KPMG.
Following three months of online discussion, the creation of an online knowledge sharing community for workplace professionals has been selected as the winning idea in The Workplace Conversation.
FM training provider Xenon Group has launched a comprehensive guide to the institute's qualifications.
Speakers at next month’s ThinkFM will give a series of presentations discussing how organisations can achieve competitive advantage through workplace management.
BIFM Scotland toasted the winners of its inaugural awards at a special ceremony on Saturday.
The online conversation, backed by the BIFM and the CIPD, is working its way towards a conclusion and now is a very good time to get involved.
Health & safety policy and practice is a standard part of the facilities management remit, as well as wider corporate operations, but it's all too easy to relegate it to the 'routine'.
Incentive FM Group has been accredited as a Living Wage Provider, formalising the company's commitment to paying the employees that work within its central team the relevant Living Wage as a minimum.
Robbie Kidd reports on the skills his employer has identified as crucial to his learning and development in facilities management and how these are being applied in his job role.
NHS Property Services Ltd has announced a new partnership with the British Institute of Facilities Management to provide membership and professional development for 1500 of its FM employees.
If you were to take all the latest technological innovation in energy efficiency and apply it to one space, what would that facility look like?
We've added a brief video to the Workplace Futures website, summarising the themes of the conference, sharing some insights into FM's challenges and opportunities, and capturing the feel of the day.
Portable appliance testing is a straightforward concept that would probably draw universal support if put to a vote. But it's also a concept marked by confusion about requirements and disagreement about appropriate practices.
Benchmarking initiatives seem to get criticised as often as they get praised. But the underlying concept of sharing information about common issues, problems and opportunities can't be faulted.
A recent industry roundtable, organised by Incentive FM Group, took on the tough issue of margin erosion in the UK contract security sector.
We're good at identifying the problems in this sector: limited understanding of what FM is and does, poor and often confusing communication, scattergun approach to problem-solving. But we're not so good at doing something about it.
Predicting the future is a fool's game, but last week's Workplace Futures conference took on the challenge more than once as speakers and delegates tackled some of the major issues and trends shaping work, the workplace and FM.
Some significant part of the facilities management community has always been easily distracted by discussions around the definition of FM, the size of the market, how we do things, where it's all headed. Important, yes. But critical?
Following the highly successful event last week, speaker slides and a number of other resources have been made available on the Workplace Futures website.
In his second update, Robbie Kidd discusses how his experiences now working in FM compare to his initial perception of the profession and what key lessons he has learnt while on the job.
The BIFM and the CIPD have launched a collaborative project exploring the evolution of the work environment and what the future of the workplace looks like.
The unique and insightful video series has returned, with BIFM CEO Gareth Tancred focusing on the great career opportunities in FM.
"You are the future," Sodexo's Andrew Wilkinson told a group of Dutch facilities management students on Monday evening.
How do we avoid a lack of skills, learning & development and experience becoming a block on business development?
With ambitions to grow and an increasing appetite for new technologies, are FM providers redefining ‘the workplace experience’?
In the face of so much possibility and potential, how do FM service providers harness new technologies for the benefit of customers – and themselves?
If FM wants to prove its role, it’s time to put employee experience first, workplace specialist Debra Ward tells Fiona Perrin.
Uncertainty, change, agility, creativity: these are business-as-usual factors in FM. But could the industry be approaching a critical point where decisions made could reshape its future?
Steve Brewer reflects on this year’s IWFM ‘agents of change’ conference.
To mark International Women’s Day 2022, we feature Lorraine Thomas, deputy business director for Sodexo Healthcare at Queen’s Hospital, Romford.
In recent months ‘shortage’ has become a key theme in all sorts of conversations, whether that’s doing the weekly shopping, planning a building project or looking to recruit staff.
People in FM hold all kinds of roles in all kinds of situations, working these days under considerable pressure. It is inspirational to hear what they do and how. We asked a whole selection to tell us about themselves in their own words.
Economic growth, globalisation, technological development... here are a just some of the megatrends that are shaping the future of FM, analysed by the experts at ISS.
Why does the UK continue to suffer from a short supply of engineering talent? Why is the gap getting bigger despite efforts to put an end to the problem? And where can FM help?
The future of facilities management in Sri Lanka could be shaped by Chinese investment, Sienna Emanuel reports
The why, when and what: insights and updates from the LGBT+ in FM committee.
Outsourcing is taking the blame for 'poverty' employment conditions and exploitation. How did it come to this and what should our industry be doing about it? Fiona Perrin reports.
We hear a lot about the big organisations in UK FM. But who are the rising stars and what makes them successful? Fiona Perrin talked to four of the challengers.
According to the Department for Education, apprenticeship figures have been decreasing in 2018. At the same time, perceptions of this career path continue to be debated and discussed.
To accommodate new market needs and increasing hyper-competition, the way business partners interact will change over the coming decade. The experts at ISS outline some of the options on the horizon.
While inadequate budgets, supervision, and regulation are often blamed for the failures of public sector outsourcing, the absence of ethical standards in the commissioning and procurement process remains an overlooked issue.
Tim Hysom discusses high performing teams and the best ways to collaborate effectively to achieve common goals.
Service quality is one of the most important competitive factors in today’s business landscape. Here's some advice on how to make it excellent from the team at ISS.
Change management and transition management are important processes of any service outsourcing project. But what is the difference between them and what outcomes can they help you to achieve? ISS offers insights and advice.
John Paul Pearson discusses the stages of a mobilisation, the process and the most common challenges faced by facilities managers.
FM is re-setting its governing compass. Part of that is a new focus on diversity and inclusivity and on attitudes towards delivering facilities services across society. So, International Women's Day could not be celebrated at a better time.
Simon Iatrou examines how the gig economy and new technologies may soon revolutionise FM and other built environment disciplines.
Dave Wilson provides some insights into the development of the new ISO standards for FM and, crucially, how the incorporated principles and processes will work.
Facilities management has come a long way since the mid ‘80s when the world gradually awoke to the fact that effective FM could significantly influence business and social performance. Bernard Williams looks at the path of change and where it's headed.
The latest in our occasional history series looks at the path of the British Institute of Facilities Management, definitely a case of moving forward though with a fair few potholes and switchbacks along the way.
Do the actions and objectives of the facilities management bodies align with where the industry is heading? Simon Iatrou talked with three professionals from different parts of the FM sector.
Richard Jenkins looks at the challenge of balancing security needs with personal freedoms.
As always in UK FM, it's been a busy year. It has also been a year notable for its mixed messages, with many service providers reporting growth but a significant number of others, including some of the biggest in the business, reporting problems.
Facilities management has a relatively brief past, and throughout virtually all of it requirements, expectations and practices have been changing. Gary Barbour looks at one new solution model, the Integrator.
To celebrate this annual occasion, i-FM caught up with five facilities managers to find out more about their roles and the noteworthy buildings they look after.
If you're looking for ways to advance your career quickly, you'll learn as much from the mistakes of others as you will from your own. Always good advice, but especially during this Learning at Work Week.
We first published the following article, offering insights on 'an easy way into a daunting topic', in 2005. It remains remarkably timely. Lionel Prodgers offers a current view on changes over time as a footnote.
Facilities managers today often face steep challenges in successfully performing their traditional duties due to the increased competition for funding. How do you make a convincing business case?
Corporate real estate management and facilities management have for decades provided the physical cornerstone for businesses of all kinds. All that will soon change, argues ISS.
The way we inhabit workspace is changing as are the workplace strategies we must have in place to attract and retain talent, to drive productivity and performance. ISS outlines 7 ways FMs must fulfil customer needs and innovate to stay competitive.
New technologies such as Big Data and the Internet of Things are changing the way companies are doing business. The potential effect on the facilities management industry is an exciting prospect but FMs need to first understand them and then embrace them.
David Kentish discusses ways of managing your time better to make the most of your working day.
Following last month's interview with Sarah Bentley on the Building Future Group's collapse, i-FM now gives CSSA Chairman Doug Cooke an opportunity to tell his side of the story.
It simply wouldn't be a WIFM Conference without an agenda packed full of inspirational speakers sharing stories to make the audience laugh and cry. Tanya Horscroft looks back at this year's event.
While it may seem obvious that change is difficult and can cause resistance, most managers tend to under-estimate how hard it is for employees to make even small changes to work habits.
With the evolution of technology, today's facilities managers must focus on learning the skills they will need to stay relevant in the 21st century. Frank Logan examines how the sector continues to evolve.
Jackie Bennett Shaw offers advice on managing crisis situations while in the eye of the storm, as well as some practical ways you can prepare ahead for any problem.
We live in a service economy where great customer service is an asset for almost every business. But what differentiates between a service that's great and excellent service?
Records of processes and assets are important, but assets need managing and that's the key role of FM providers.
Dave Wilson writes: When someone suggests that an entire industry needs a 'call to arms' that rather implies some deep-seated lethargy or, worse, complacency.
80% of a building's value is delivered during its working life, but missed service and maintenance opportunities lead to operating costs that are often far too high, argues Simon Carter.
Keeping employees safe in the workplace can be one of the most important functions of a facilities manager, Rob Burgon writes.
Steve Lee reports that waste management is climbing rapidly up the legal and business agendas. There's an opportunity here for facilities management to take a lead on strategy and implementation.
Jim Wallace encourages a common-sense approach to ensuring the safety of electrical equipment, as cutting corners can carry considerable risks.
Neil Longley introduces the Peer to Peer Club, a new group formed to help like-minded facilities management practitioners share ideas and best practice.
The future of working will be defined by the convergence between people, workplace and the mass of data this produces. Simon Iatrou reflects on i-FM's latest conference.
Donna Brown discusses how her research into employee engagement can have a far-reaching impact on facilities management within healthcare and beyond.
William Betts discusses the skills and qualifications that employers will be looking for in 2015 and beyond.
Much of what we casually describe as FM outsourcing is in reality out-tasking. True outsourcing is a more challenging process. Is the industry ready for that, asks Neil Longley.
Phil Ratcliffe offers service buyers some guidance on getting the outcomes they want from one of the most fraught stages in any outsourcing exercise.
Sam Hockman suggests that one of the best ways facilities managers can deliver great customer service is by listening to their clients.
Dr Rachel Dick says that smarter use of IT can help facilities management organisations enhance their strategic decision-making.
Stephen Shallcroft says that FM can help create competitive advantage if it focuses on what is 'right' for the business.
The strategic importance of the ‘high ground’ was first articulated by Sun Tzu in his ancient Chinese military treatise 'The Art of War'. Simon Iatrou looks at how this applies to FM today.
Editors and PR consultants specialising in the facilities management sector are in a unique position to see into this business, what it does, how it presents itself, where it's headed, what the challenges are. We recently asked them to share their views.
Whether you are a keen supporter of the 'professionalising FM' campaign or simply interested in career-building, the issue of qualifications in facilities management is very relevant. Yet in some ways, it remains controversial.
Connel Bottom says that in-house FM teams can help the wider business deliver better value and greater efficiencies by reviewing how they are structured and managed.
Kath Fontana suggests that as FM develops as a profession the landscape of strategic FM talent is improving. But it’s in the area of general management skills that more progress is needed.
Stephen Shallcroft suggests that because facilities management functions tend to be fairly inward focused, FMs often don’t have a clear understanding of how they fit within the business.
Innovation is a much-used word in facilities management, but what does it really mean? Cathy Hayward talks to service providers, consultants and client-side FMs about the challenges of true innovation.
Connel Bottom advises that facilities management costs principally relate to assets, services and management. So cutting costs in any of these areas can have a big impact across a business.
Wayne Tantrum writes: Over 50 delegates attended a joint conference held by Euro FM’s European Facility Management Network and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors recently to discuss how to promote strategic FM.
What do these words really mean? On numerous occasions over the past ten years or so the term has turned up for debate. Larch Consulting's Mike Cant gives us his thoughts.
As the FM market changes, so too does the role of the FM consultant. Dave Wilson examines the reasons why clients employ consultancy services and how this has been affected by external issues such as the economy.
Do sound facilities management principles apply across the board, or is it wise to single out FM in a legal context? Russ Stevens of Mace Macro considers the issues.
Iain Murray was an early adopter of social media in the FM sector. Here he tells us why it should form a key part of your organisation's overall business strategy.
Nigel Thacker writes: Customers are always looking for cost reductions, or quality improvements, or both. The term 'more for less' is ubiquitous across the outsourcing industry.
Nigel Thacker writes: The first part of this article outlined ways to enhance communication with your customer during the contract to help build better relationships.
Nigel Thacker writes: For contract leads, communicating with the customer is a day-to-day activity. You will have formal reports to deliver, regular set meetings and probably daily informal chats.
i-FM caught up with Global FM Chairman Duncan Waddell in Australia last week to hear how 'the association for associations' has re-built itself with a clearer focus on goals and outcomes.
Peter Forshaw explores the case for training and qualifications in the context of job finding and career building within the FM industry.
Since 2010, qualifications in facilities management have been a hot topic. Visit any FM event and you’ll be lucky to get away without hearing someone talking about FM qualifications.
John Lambert discusses the importance of training and what aspects need to be considered to ensure a thorough programme is in place.
In tough financial times, it is expected that most organisations will make cutbacks in order to become more sustainable.
Talk to any accountant, doctor or lawyer and you will find that qualifications formed an integral part of the early stage of their careers, and continuing professional development has been a constant throughout.
Martin Pickard, Conference Chair at Workplace Futures 2013, looks back at a long list of challenging issues facing FM but concludes the overall message is a positive one.
Barry Varcoe and John Hinks explore a future that offers greater recognition, integration and value for FM.
The news at the Facilities Management Association these days is all about the launch of FMA@Uni, the MBA programme being hosted by Sheffield Hallam and open only to FMA members.
The BIFM has been a busy place in recent months, dealing with a whole range of big issues, some planned and some not.
Steve Silen, of business advisors KPMG, looks at some of the key actions needed both before and after implementing an integrated FM contract.
One approach that is becoming a key weapon in the facilities management armoury in dealing with inefficiency and waste is 'lean thinking'.
That's a punchy title, full of promise. But is there really a change on the horizon that could reshape this large and dynamic sector? Yes, argues David Emanuel.
Sometimes we seem to be an industry that knows the cost of everything and the value of nothing.
Can guiding managers to consider the link between their use of resources and the achievement of corporate objectives help them to identify new routes to improving the business?
There are more than 250 British Standards applicable to facilities management. How many of those can you name? How many do you actually use?
This year's BIFM FM of the Year started in construction and migrated into facilities management, ideal for someone who simply loves making buildings work.
We've learned something recently: the newcomer venturing into the realm of FM qualifications delivery needs to be prepared to meet a baffling mix of jargon, confusion, delay and obstruction.
This year's conference tackled some big issues in facilities management and raised some fundamental questions the industry needs to resolve.
New FM qualifications will be an important factor in making facilities management a recognisable, and desirable, career.
Geoff Prudence looks at the key aspects of a service ethos in building operation and management.
I have resigned from the BIFM, both as a member and as the individual members’ representative on the Members Council. I want to explain why.
FM in the UK is mature, but is it integrated and contributing to business productivity?
Facilities management is in that sometimes awkward, still-growing phase. How is it doing and what can we hope for as it continues to grow up?
The cancellation of the IWFM’s Saudi tie-up hints at bigger issues.
The past couple of decades have seen the steady evolution of the facilities management landscape. Some FM organisations have changed quite a lot, too.
Legislation, regulation and contract compliance; KPIs, SLAs and QSHE; governance groups, industry bodies and those blasted consultants…
Organisations are placing increasing importance on their environmental, social and governance strategies. How should FM react?
For any company that has been around for a long time, change can be difficult to accept. After all, why change the core of a business which has stood the test of time?
Simon Ball reflects on 20 years in facilities management: what’s changed, what hasn’t and what needs to.
The IWFM awards dinner took place Monday evening at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London, and how nice it was to be back.
There are a number of big issues facing the Institute that suggest the answer may well be no. Certainly the pressure is increasingly on to prove otherwise.
Jason Pope turns the World FM Day focus onto security services to show how Covid-19 has been the catalyst the industry needed.
On World FM Day, Alistair Scott argues that in order to break this cycle we need to first consider the causes behind it.
To mark World FM Day, Debi Rowland offers some insights on skilling up for a career in FM.
In celebration of World FM Day, Ann Gent outlines the career prospects in what might fairly be called a neglected sector.
Jeff Dewing argues the industry has a watershed moment to address its issues and shares his manifesto for change.
The role of the facilities manager is evolving. The coronavirus pandemic has changed the workplace experience for companies in all industries, finance, retail and tech among them.
Despite the concerns about the economy due to the type of Brexit we ultimately get and more recently Covid-19, one of the constants is that the facilities management sector remains positive.
Recent research looking at women in facilities management relayed the disappointing finding that half of FM businesses in the UK have no female representation at board level.
The facilities management industry has been a place that's good for everyone. The slow and steady growth seemed guaranteed, and there was a well-known operating model for how to win. But the good times are over.
For the FM industry to drive innovation and deliver the superior performance customers demand, we must lead a radical overhaul of FM service supply chains, says Andrew Wood.
And that is what's stopping our future talent from joining what one student called a 'hidden industry'. Sienna Emanuel asked a group of students what we need to do.
"May you live in interesting times" is a Chinese curse that we would do well to consider long and hard right now.
Today is World Values Day, an opportunity to think about the principles that are important to us and to act on them.
The Public Service Act (Social Value) 2012 puts social value at the heart of commissioning, ensuring that authorities consider the wider economic and environmental benefit that they can achieve when buying goods and services. The Act became law in 2013.
Collaborations between facilities management membership bodies have happened before. So, what makes the partnership between RICS and IFMA any different?
The future is equal parts exciting and terrifying. New technologies are opening up a world of possibilities; but they are also raising real-world concerns, like who will use, manage and ultimately own the abundance of new data that is produced.
If technology is going to become an increasingly necessary and perhaps even an enhancing part of FM going forward, how do we ensure that this promise is delivered? Mark Hazelwood looks at some of the issues.
Who is really responsible for compliance in an organisation? This was just one of many questions recently posed at the latest BIFM Leaders' Forum panel debate hosted by Churchill Service Solutions in London.
I think it’s very easy to talk down the FM industry right now; but more than ever I am seeing a real movement behind positive change and some urgency in creating a conversation that elevates the perception of the value of what FM does.
It has become an industry adage that FM needs to move up the value chain, developing stronger, smarter working relationships with its customers. This is vital to the health of not just the industry but of customers' businesses too, says Jeff Flanagan.
That memorable line from A Few Good Men, a drama about two US Marines accused of murder, resonates with me every time I hear politicians speaking about the 'truth'.
In these uncertain times, how can CEOs and managing directors hope to deliver shareholder value, drive long-term profitability and create stability for their businesses?
With the world changing fast this is an important time to position facilities management as the lead enabling function for positive progress in multiple aspects of our lives, from the workplace through to cities. Geoff Prudence argues for greater focus.
Even before there was a Carillion, stretching back into the days of its Tarmac predecessors, this business was a pioneer of the facilities management industry. Now that it has crashed so spectacularly what should we take away from this sorry situation?
Could we be on the road to a completely new approach to buying and selling FM, something which might end the price-based tendering that has dragged the industry so much downhill?
The relationship between facilities management and the emerging discipline of Workplace has always been slightly awkward.
Considering how an environment makes employees feel and interact is key to creating business-supporting workspaces, says Jeff Flanagan.
There has been talk of a skills shortage and recruitment crisis in the FM sector for some years. Guy Pakenham looks at how the emerging political situation changes the discussion.
David Emanuel reports from Thursday's Annual General Meeting of the British Institute of Facilities Management.
Simon Iatrou looks back at some of the highlights from this year’s RICS FM Conference.
As human consumption nears a pivotal moment, George Adams explains why the built environment has a huge part to play in the fight against social and ecological disaster.
Embracing the age of big data and all its associated ground-breaking technology is crucial for the FM sector, but there is a risk that partnership working and collaborative cultures could be lost to the detriment of the client relationship.
I've wanted to write this piece for a while. I suspect it'll annoy a few people. But I need to get it off my chest.
Colin Kenton explains why the FM discipline needs to scenario plan for the future of work and create the flexibility to deliver services in uncertain times.
Disruption of traditional industry has been a buzz-phrase for a while now. Is FM ripe for disruption? Dave Wilson looks at some of the possibilities.
With reference to David Emanuel's pertinent article 'Where next for the BIFM', I have a couple of observations from my own experience, writes Lionel Prodgers.
Granted it is not the font of all knowledge; however, Wikipedia is a useful reference for definitions.
I asked my colleagues in our employment relations team whether they would like to step up to defend the boss of the company that had very publicly been admonished for sending home an employee, without pay, who refused to wear high heels at work.
I enjoyed Andrew Brown's critical appraisal of the facilities service industry's failed love affair with trade associations, but I want to offer a few words of warning to anyone thinking of jumping into the empty seat left by the demise of the BFG.
With sad predictability, the response from the UK to Tuesday's announcement of the IFMA/RICS collaboration has been, at best, inward looking.
Does the UK facilities management sector deserve to have a representative body? Does it need one? Does it care enough to deserve one?
In a recent article on i-FM, Nigel Thacker highlighted what he called a 'sub trend' for some organisations to take their facilities management and other services back in-house.
Ana Canabarro asks whether you can afford not to have a professional front of house service.
On World FM Day, Simon Iatrou explores just how globalisation is shaping the facilities management profession.
Our staff work hard to help maintain our clients' facilities and provide key services. Every one of them deserves to receive a salary that not only recognises their skills and hard work, but also reflects the real cost of living in the UK.
At times, facilities management can seem to be its own worst enemy. Andrew Brown shares his views on progress and limitations, spurred by discussions at the recent Workplace Futures conference.
The temptation to buy the latest must-have gizmo can often be too hard to resist. In the workplace, this impulse negates the practical needs of staff and leads to poorly performing spaces.
Another year has gone and we're within a short hop of this year's Workplace Week Convention, entitled 'The work/place revolution… taking human performance to new levels'.
While helpdesks may get a bad rap, changing hats is not the solution, says Ian Robertson.
Yes, you have read it right; it really does say 'The customer comes second'. Frazer Rendell, an expert on employee engagement, explains.
Tony Raikes argues that social value will become central to all support services providers and will no longer just be a tick in a box on a tender document.
It is a belief in the abilities of our people that will create the disruptive innovation and dynamic customer relationships needed for FM & CRE to deliver strategic value.
It’s been a hobby horse of many people in the industry since I first got involved three years ago, and those of my associates who are a little longer in the tooth tell me it's been going on for much longer than that.
Facilities managers want to be taken seriously. Indeed, it can sometimes feel as if we spend a lot of our time saying: “Look at me, I’m a professional, just like the architects, engineers and accountants, take me seriously”.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development and the British Institute of Facilities Management recently announced the intention of coming together in a partnership to drive a number of research and insight projects.
Bernard Crouch thinks the problem lies with terminology. It's time we moved past this, he argues.
Or is it the end of a 30-year project? Paul Carder argues that FM might be headed in the direction of becoming a profession, but there is much more work needed if that is really to be the case.
Reading your recent article, 'The Informed Observer's View of FM', the resounding message for me was the passion for both the sector and the profession; two very separate elements in my eyes.
With the workplace being the main facilitator of organisational success, senior management should view facilities management as a key function and, as such, consider it strategically.
Advances in technology increasingly mean facilities can be managed from anywhere, often without the need for human intervention. Lionel Prodgers makes the case for embracing the trend now.
A recent survey conducted by the BIFM and the National Energy Foundation shows that facilities managers must improve their approach to energy efficiency. But it is not their responsibility alone, argues Phil Shepley.
Collaborative contracting helps build lasting, successful relationships with clients which results in improved service delivery. It should therefore be a fundamental way of doing business.
Innovation is one of those buzzwords. It makes everything sound a little bit sexier and a whole lot more impressive. But what is it, and can it actually be applied to the often-fluffy world of FM services?
Should FM providers aspire to deliver excellent service at all times? The answer may not be as obvious as it might seem, according to new research commissioned by ISS.
Social, or 'new', media is everywhere and, as evidenced by Facebook's $104bn 2012 market capitalisation, it's big business.
Until the facilities management industry can agree on a clear definition of TFM, the service model will never truly deliver the value it promises.
For years people in the wider facilities services industry have complained about the commoditisation of contract services.
The build up of knowledge, skills and certifications is quickly moving the cleaning industry away from its roots as an unskilled job for uneducated people.
Mark Purnell wonders if his company should join the Facilities Management Association, and decides the answer is no.
With over a million young people not in employment, education or training, there is no doubt this issue needs to be addressed urgently; and FM is part of the answer.
Facilities are, or should be, a concern of organisational managers. They are a managerial lever to enable an organisation to deliver its defined purpose.
A hard-headed approach to outsourcing facilities management is delivering value, but could it be squeezing out innovation at the same time?
What's the future of this industry? Could it be a bigger, more critical role at the heart of client organisations?
There is regular discussion in the FM community which encourages debate and consideration about the role of FM in business and how it can evolve and mature.
No matter what the economic circumstances, the successful teams, the successful businesses and the successful people all have one thing in common: a sense of purpose provided by strong leadership.
Monday night's debate hosted by RICS achieved the seemingly impossible task of putting a number of FM interests together in one room and no fight ensued.
Public image is an elusive thing. Just ask politicians, celebrities and major brand names.
We might as well address the elephant in the room, because if you are not saying it, you are thinking it. What is the ROI on social media?
Facilities management has, in my view, reached a crisis point in its evolutionary path.
In the 10 seconds or so that it takes you to read this sentence, it is a fact that the public sector will be spending in the region of £100,000 on outsourcing.
Unless you've been asleep in a cave somewhere, you will probably have noticed that RICS has launched a consultation 'to help shape global facilities management standards'.
The origin of that 'ancient Chinese curse', may you live in interesting times, is disputed; but it's wonderfully apt to our situation these days.
David Emanuel is the subject of the feature interview in this month's FMX magazine. An interesting experience for both sides.
Did you ever have cause to wonder why you do what you do? Has your time at work been well spent? Do you think FM is well recognised, and that you are too?
Dave Wilson writes: It is, in many ways, quite odd that so many people should feel so passionate about facilities management.
With unemployment rising and more poor news from the economy, the facilities management industry recently fought back with the first FM careers event.
Pitifully predictably, BIFM has again opened the Pandora's box of the possibility of chartered status for FMs.
'Organisational culture' is a hard-to-define concept that many facilities managers see as outside their remit.
"Don’t tell me words don’t matter." There were many reasons Barak Obama became President of the United States; not least is his ability to get a crowd on his side.
Facilities management as an industry still remains an unfamiliar arena to those outside of it. Do we need to do something about that?
As the debate about industry qualifications rumbles along, it becomes increasingly difficult to discern what it is we are arguing about.
There has been considerable debate recently about FM contract structure and the best way of organising FM service delivery.