FEATURE: FACILITIES MANAGEMENT Facility for growth
The UK facilities management sector is estimated to be worth £111bn a year to the economy and is set to grow
T
he UK facilities management (FM) 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 British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) in partnership with
i-FM.net and Barclays. The FM Business Confidence Monitor, a survey of professionals from the
facilities management sector in the UK, found that 70 per cent describe the facilities management business environment as ‘positive’ or ‘very positive’ and over half (54 per cent) expect it to improve over the next 12 months, while only four per cent believe it will deteriorate. With the facilities management sector employing approximately 10 per
cent of the UK working population and estimated to be worth £111bn a year to the UK economy, it is an important bellwether for business performance as a whole. This sector confidence is translating into job creation and headcount,
with an overwhelming majority of FM service providers (87 per cent) anticipating increased turnover in their business and 65 per cent planning to increase their workforce this year.
The findings also point to greater business investment in the sector, with
54 per cent of respondents saying they will increase capital investment, compared to just 3 per cent that expects a decrease. The research also highlighted the role of the sector in promoting social
mobility and offering training and routes into employment for young people, with 47 per cent of respondents stating they are currently hiring apprentices. However, this broadly upbeat assessment is tempered by concerns about
skills shortages, with 47 per cent citing this as a worry over the coming year, which is significant given that 62 per cent of service providers cited competition in the marketplace as the biggest barrier to growth in the next 12 months. These concerns are further supported by 43 per cent of respondents who said challenges in recruiting and retaining staff are obstacles to prosperity. Gareth Tancred, chief executive of BIFM, said: “This research indicates an
encouraging positive sentiment in the facilities management sector which is good news, not just for our industry, but for the economy as a whole given the important contribution facilities management makes to the UK economy and wider society.”
JULY/AUGUST 2015 CHAMBERLINK 37
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