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The purpose of this study was to better understand the state of the healthcare facility management (FM) workforce and trends and how it compares to the nonhealthcare industries.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to better understand the state of the healthcare facility management (FM) workforce and trends and how it compares to the nonhealthcare industries.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey was developed, based on relevant literature, regarding respondents’ gender, race, age, educational attainment and job tenure. The survey was sent electronically via Qualtrics® system in February 2021 to members of the International Facility Management Association membership; 3,557 individuals completed the survey by April 2021, for a 29% response rate. Only data from 1,407 US respondents working in facility operations were included in this study. Of the 1,407 respondents included in this study, 89 worked in the healthcare industry. The majority of respondents not working in healthcare industry (1,318) were employed in government, education or banking and investment.
Findings
The demographics of facility managers in the healthcare industry are similar to the demographics of facility managers in other industries: the majority of the FM workforce is male, middle-aged, white, college educated and employed in-house. While healthcare and nonhealthcare facility managers have similar responsibilities across job levels, compensation for entry-level FM roles in the healthcare industry is significantly lower than for entry-level FM roles in other industries. This low pay in healthcare FM, compared to other industries, may exacerbate ongoing challenges related to talent recruitment and retention and justify pay banding increases to improve attraction of top talent into healthcare FM. Both healthcare and nonhealthcare industries hire new college graduates for entry-level FM jobs, but the healthcare industry is more likely to hire individuals who majored in liberal arts compared to other industries more likely to hire individuals who majored in subjects related to the built environment such as FM and engineering. To compensate for low entry-level pay, healthcare organizations may be focusing recruitment efforts on liberal arts students who have little to no training in the built environment because they have lower pay expectations. Older healthcare facility professionals also have shorter job tenures with their current employers than do older facility professionals in other industries; this trend appears to be recent and not be related to pay or the COVID-19 pandemic. A surge of senior-level FM retirements may be creating advancement opportunities for older entry- and mid-level FM personnel in healthcare; if this situation is a factor, research should be conducted to understand its implications for recruiting and developing healthcare FM talent.
Research limitations/implications
Only data from US respondents who were working in healthcare facility operations at the time of the study were included in the data analysis.
Originality/value
Healthcare organizations can use the study’s findings to help address FM workforce challenges unique to their industry staff recruitment, retention and succession planning.
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Liz Clark and David Rees
The authors refer to their research into the role of facilities management (FM) within the National Health Service and local government in England and Wales. They compare the…
Abstract
The authors refer to their research into the role of facilities management (FM) within the National Health Service and local government in England and Wales. They compare the levels of FM awareness within these public bodies, the ability of FM managers to influence the decision‐making process, the relationship between these factors and the delivery of effective facilities management services and the relative importance given to FM in recent Government guidelines on best value in these two public services. Based on the findings of five research projects the authors have conducted in both sectors it illustrates how FM is not just a business opportunity but a rapidly expanding function that is gaining status as an important profession that warrants a high status in the strategic make‐up of both NHS Trusts and local government authorities.
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The purpose of this paper is to give a broad review of existing facilities management (FM) market research. It aims to identify the differences and commonalities of the various…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to give a broad review of existing facilities management (FM) market research. It aims to identify the differences and commonalities of the various market research reports, especially the different market definitions used and different methodologies to calculate the size of the market.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper uses the author's collection of UK FM market publications and years of research in this field.
Findings
Surprisingly, none of the current reports use a robust market research methodology and thus this casts doubt on the estimated size of the market and other findings.
Research limitations/implications
This paper only reviews the reports that the author has collected. Therefore, these may not be the latest versions of the publications.
Practical implications
The paper calls for all FM market research agencies to collaborate, to work out a robust market research methodology that can stand up to scrutiny. It also proposes to conduct FM market research from the demand side of the market – to use completely different market segmentations.
Originality/value
This paper tries to warn general FM professionals on quoting market size – all estimates should be treated with discretion.
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Andrew Green and If Price
A project conceived as finding expert common ground on the future evolution of facilities management (FM) revealed, instead, differing perceptions of the FM role rooted in…
Abstract
A project conceived as finding expert common ground on the future evolution of facilities management (FM) revealed, instead, differing perceptions of the FM role rooted in different backgrounds, mind‐sets, and cultures, and held by the business, property, and FM disciplines. We report it in the hope of starting the change process which will allow the changing facilities needs of businesses and clients to be met.
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This paper looks at the practical opportunities for collaboration between facilities management (FM) practice and research. It provides a framework for mapping the basic origins…
Abstract
This paper looks at the practical opportunities for collaboration between facilities management (FM) practice and research. It provides a framework for mapping the basic origins for innovation in FM and the territory for collaborative research, through which futures in FM may be explored.
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Kenneth Sullivan, Stephen W. Georgoulis and Brian Lines
The purpose of this paper is to verify pre‐existing perceptions of the facilities management (FM) industry through the collection of empirical evidence that establishes the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to verify pre‐existing perceptions of the facilities management (FM) industry through the collection of empirical evidence that establishes the current state of the profession. Data collected will identify the major challenges facing the FM industry, and will be used in the development of proposed academic programs to address these challenges.
Design/methodology/approach
Two online surveys of facilities managers on the national and local scale were used to produce a quantifiable description of the profession and its deficiencies. These surveys also focused on obtaining data to aid in the development of formal academic programs to train future facilities managers and measured the willingness of industry representatives to support the proposed academic programs.
Findings
Results indicate that there is an insufficient number of facilities managers entering the field to account for the high rate of attrition that will occur in the next ten to 15 years. The main reason for the lack in new facilities managers is the severely limited number of formal academic programs that specifically educate students in FM.
Originality/value
Results of this paper are valuable in that they quantified the main challenges facing the profession as well as the willingness of the US FM industry to support and recruit from proposed undergraduate programs. Collected data are also used to develop a specific undergraduate curriculum to educate students in the core skills needed to become successful facilities managers.
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Thomas Madritsch and Matthias Ebinger
The purpose of this paper is to present a process capability assessment tool to identify process maturity levels in the “built environment management” disciplines in various…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present a process capability assessment tool to identify process maturity levels in the “built environment management” disciplines in various industries.
Design/methodology/approach
The researchers investigated and evaluated current FM/RE management models and analysis tools and developed an assessment tool to measure Facility Management (FM) capability of an organization. The “Built Environment Management Model” (BEM2) is a process framework for FM/RE, which is extended into the “Built Environment Management Maturity Model” (BEM3) to measure FM/RE maturity. Using the tool, the research team analyzed the FM capability of more than 50 organizations with major real estate portfolios in the USA and Europe (primarily Austria).
Findings
BEM2 and BEM3 provide a simple, yet comprehensive tool set for the FM/RE industries. The resulting capability profiles provide a high‐level overview of current practices in FM. Further, the capability profiles allow organizations to benchmark their FM capability against peer groups and industry leaders.
Research limitations/implications
The two models are currently limited to a description of processes and are as such explaining the sequence and maturity of FM/RE business processes. The do not yet address the skill sets and capabilities required to effectively perform these functions. The integration with existing models in organisational and project management can also be further explored.
Practical implications
The capability profiles allow organizations to benchmark their FM capability against peer groups and industry leaders. The findings will help to further professionalize FM functions to raise the efficiency of organizational processes.
Originality/value
The proposed contributes to the discussion on standardization and taxonomy development in the FM/RE discipline. It draws principles from related management models and applies them successfully in FM and real estate management.
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Sarich Chotipanich and Bev Nutt
The purpose of this paper is to address a fundamental question that all facility directors and senior managers face. How should facility management support arrangements be…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to address a fundamental question that all facility directors and senior managers face. How should facility management support arrangements be positioned and repositioned to meet the needs and expectations of an organisation, its staff and customers, as priorities shift and business circumstances change?
Design/methodology/approach
Case studies were undertaken to investigate the precise nature and reasons for change to FM support arrangements, across a variety of organisational types and sectors. Data were collected through document searches, semi‐structured interviews, direct observations and supplementary questionnaires and follow‐up discussions. Field trials of this prototype framework were conducted to obtain expert opinions, comments, criticisms and suggestions for improvement, employing a methodology similar to that used in clinical trials for new medical procedures.
Findings
The main findings from the investigations cover the nature and purpose of change in FM and the key factors that were involved. A number of major opportunities for innovative developments in the facility management field were uncovered, together with five key areas for further research, through which to advance the role and remit of facility management generally.
Originality/value
The research here has produced a generic decision framework for positioning and repositioning FM support arrangements. This framework will enable facility managers to adopt a more secure approach for collecting essential information, identifying key issues and options, and should encourage a more rigorous and critical examination of alternative FM arrangements prior to implementation.
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Despite its rapid development in the last decade, facilities management (FM) stills suffers from an identity crisis as the definition and scope of FM remains a contentious issue…
Abstract
Despite its rapid development in the last decade, facilities management (FM) stills suffers from an identity crisis as the definition and scope of FM remains a contentious issue. To this end, three fundamental issues are re‐examined in this paper: what FM constitutes; what a facility manager is; and how the FM profession can be enhanced. These issues remain critical as they represent the building blocks of the FM discipline. Without a common platform, the development of FM is likely to be fragmented. An evaluation of the definitions of FM provided in the past suggests that the focus of FM is clearly on the workplace. The key issues confronting FM are the location, type, quantity, quality, content and allocation of the workspace. A professional facilities manager is one who is formally trained and whose main responsibility is the strategic management of the workplace. Three factors are suggested to be important for the development of FM as a professional discipline. They include a clear role and scope of FM in the industry and firm, contribution to the bottom‐line of the firm, and development of specialist knowledge and toolbox for addressing the problems of strategic workplace management. Some potential areas for theoretical developments have been suggested in this paper.
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Mala Ali Modu, Maimunah Sapri and Zafirah Ab Muin
The provision of facilities management (FM) services, facilitated by a well-suited sourcing strategy, significantly influences the optimization of dwelling unit performance…
Abstract
Purpose
The provision of facilities management (FM) services, facilitated by a well-suited sourcing strategy, significantly influences the optimization of dwelling unit performance, augmentation of occupants’ living experiences and the establishment of a secure and comfortable environment. Consequently, this study aims to examine the sourcing approach used for delivering FM services in social housing within Nigeria’s semi-arid climate and to assess the effectiveness of the chosen sourcing approach in the provision of FM services.
Design/methodology/approach
Data collection involved one-on-one interviews conducted with five principal/senior staff members of the Borno State Housing Corporation in Maiduguri, Northern Nigeria. For data analysis, the NVivo R1 software package and Stata 13.0 were used. Thematic analysis was applied to the data, and the findings were presented through narrations and direct quotes from participants. Logistic regression analysis was subsequently used to assess the effectiveness of the adopted in-house approach in providing FM services in the context of social housing.
Findings
Administrators of social housing in the semi-arid climate of Nigeria exclusively adopted an in-house sourcing approach for providing FM services. Nevertheless, the in-house approach was conclusively determined to be ineffective in delivering FM services within the specific context of social housing in the semi-arid climate of Nigeria.
Originality/value
This investigation centred on examining the sourcing strategy used by social housing administrators for delivering FM services in social housing within a semi-arid climate of Nigeria. Additionally, the study delved into evaluating the efficacy of the chosen sourcing approach in the actual provision of FM services.
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