Insights from RICS UK Facilities Management Survey

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30 October 2023

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has published its latest quarterly FM survey, which collects data from facilities managers, service providers and FM consultancies in the UK.

The survey details sentiment across different sectors within FM, the experience of businesses and professionals, and expectations of which services will be most in demand.

 

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Here are some of the insights from the Q3 2023 survey:

 

1. Demand for Education and Healthcare FM Services Are Up

 

Education and healthcare displayed positive demand trends for FM services over the latest survey period. Demand for serviced business space also picked up.

At the other end of the scale, manufacturing was the only sector in which demand for FM services did not increase.

 

2. Sustainability Management and Maintenance are Growth Areas

 

Over the coming year, sustainability management is still anticipated to see the strongest growth relative to all other areas of FM. Meanwhile, maintenance management moved up to second spot in the expected growth rankings, overtaking strategic planning and project management for the first time since the survey was formed back in 2020. 

Catering and cleaning remain near the bottom of the expected growth rankings.

 

3. 46% of Survey Participants Noted an Increase in Headcounts in Q3

 

In terms of employment trends across the industry, a net balance of +46 per cent of survey participants noted an increase in headcounts during Q3. Looking ahead, a net balance of +38 per cent of contributors anticipate employment levels rising over the next twelve months. This is up from a reading of +24 per cent last time and represents the strongest figure for the employment expectations series since the last quarter of 2021.

 

4. Difficulties in Recruitment Remain

 

Respondents continue to cite difficulties in the recruitment of suitable talent. 86 per cent of contributors highlighted troubles filling building and maintenance roles (up from 70 per cent in the previous quarter).

Around two-thirds of respondents report encountering recruitment difficulties in support services. 52 per cent point to a shortfall in candidates for property management positions.

A net balance of +42 per cent of respondents cited an increase in the number of apprenticeships in Q3 (up from just +13 per cent last time). Likewise, a net balance of +42 per cent also reported an increase in resources dedicated to training.

For overall workloads across the FM sector, a net balance of +55 per cent of survey participants foresee continued growth over the next twelve months. That said, this reading is lower in comparison to the figure of +88 per cent returned in the previous version of the survey.

You can view the report in full here.

Editor’s note: Net balance data is opinion-based; it does not quantify actual changes in an underlying variable.

Picture: a photograph of a person sitting at a desk. The image is taken from behind and the desk faces a floor-to-ceiling window and the sun is shining through. Image Credit: Unsplash

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 30 October 2023

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