The State of FMs is More Work, Fewer Resources, But Increased Technology

Here’s the not-so-great news for facility managers (FMs): More work, more reporting, more data, more compliance and more economic disruption. Added to this? Budget declines, fewer qualified workers and tighter margins for service providers.

But according to JLL’s recently released “The State of Facilities Management Technology 2024” report, FMs are likely to accomplish more, with help from technology boosts. The report explained that “software automation coupled with innovative technologies will be the solution for capturing gains in efficiency to compensate for understaffing.”

Furthermore, experts with JLL told Connect CRE that the role of technology and facilities management technology is changing. “We see the evolution of facilities management from manual, bespoke, labor-intensive, paper-based, complex and siloed to automated, digitized, simplified and integrated,” commented Robbie Hobbs, JLL Work Dynamics’ Chief Product Officer.

The Current Situation

Technology isn’t new to facilities management. The report said that automation exists, moving “80% of FM workflows from request assignment and dispatch through execution and invoice submission review, approval and payment.”

While this can be effective, Hobbs explained that technology tends to be used inconsistently, typically as “unintegrated point solutions,” with a lack of attention to issues like quality and data governance. Because of this, “organizations continue to face several challenges that hinder operational efficiency and decision-making,” Hobbs commented.

Additionally, building systems, networks and data tend to be siloed, making obtaining a large-level view of facility performance difficult. Hobbs said this, in turn, dampens proactive decision-making.

Finally, technology tends to be applied reactively. “This means issues are addressed only after they occur, leading to increased downtime and added repair costs,” Hobbs said.

Expansion for FM Technology

On the bright side, technology is being put to good use, leading to quantifiable ROI involving cost savings. According to Jim Whittaker, Head of Workplace Products, JLL Work Dynamics, two great examples of this use include asset and energy management.

For both these areas, “quality data—both batch processed and real-time—is a game-changer to delivering ROI and demonstrating progress against commitments,” Whittaker explained. Real-time data is ideal for immediate action, with trending data a great basis for long-term strategy planning.

“For example, looking at energy consumption trends over several months or years can help FM teams implement energy-saving measures or optimize equipment to reduce costs and environmental impact,” Whittaker said. By the same token, “FM teams can look at the performance and lifespan of equipment and assets to accurately plan maintenance,” he added.

The Takeaway

Again, here’s a good news/bad news scenario. The good news is that “Commercial real estate (CRE) stakeholders have never had more data at their disposal,” said Monique Vutla, JLL Work Dynamics’ Head of Sustainability Product. The bad news? “They’ve also never had a bigger mess to untangle,” she said. While plenty of data is available, “it’s not necessarily the right data or of high enough quality to be actionable.”

The report noted that FM teams continue to rely on software for efficiency gains and to “counteract the effects of persistent FM understaffing, increasing work order volumes, rising labor costs and concerns about a potential recession.” Meanwhile, automation will help reduce repetitive, labor-intensive tasks, while “innovative technologies that give visibility into FM operations will drive insights for greater efficiency,” the report said.

Returning to the data, Vutla observed the need to integrate information, like sustainability data, into areas including location strategy, market research, maintenance planning, design and construction. Combining real-time data sets with traditional ones can help FMs pinpoint and respond to emerging problems immediately.

As a result, managers can “adjust energy usages based on demand response, optimize equipment performance and provide comfortable workspaces for occupants while saving on energy and maintenance costs,” she added.