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Facility Manager Workloads Are Spiraling, New Industry Index Shows
The inaugural Facility Management Pulse Report reveals a new index rating of +43, signaling a sharp increase in workloads for facility managers.
Key Points
- The inaugural Facility Management Pulse Report reveals a new index rating of +43, signaling a sharp increase in workloads for facility managers.
- The report highlights a significant gap between rising workloads and the modest budgets and constrained staffing available to manage them.
- Operational strain is already apparent, with only 10% of facility managers reporting their projects are running on schedule.
The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) and the Simplar Foundation have released their inaugural Facility Management Pulse Report, debuting a new index that confirms what many in the industry already felt: workloads are rising sharply, but budgets and staffing aren't keeping up.
Putting a number on the pain: The report’s core is the new FM Workload Index (FMWI), which registered a +43 on a scale of -100 to +100, signaling a strong expectation of increased work ahead. That number is based on a global survey of over 1,400 professionals who collectively manage more than three billion square feet of property.
A classic clash: The finding highlights a fundamental tension between expectations and resources. "FM leaders face steady workload growth supported by modest budgets and constrained staffing," said Nickalos Rocha, IFMA’s director of benchmarking. It’s a polite way of saying managers are being asked to do much more with much less, forcing more teams to rely on contractors just to keep the lights on.
The strain is showing: The need for more resources is clear, as the operational strain is already apparent. According to one report on the findings, a mere 10% of facility managers say their projects are actually running on schedule.
IFMA is positioning the new index as a strategic tool FMs can take to the C-suite to make a data-backed case for more resources, moving the profession from a reactive to a more data-driven function.
