IFMA Offers "Facilities Snapshot" Quarterly FM Poll

The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) has introduced a quarterly survey entitled “Facilities Snapshot.” The new survey features input from a broad cross section of IFMA members from around the globe and highlights the latest trends and developments impacting the facility management (FM) profession. The survey is designed to be a barometer of FM activity worldwide.

“Facilities Snapshot” asks a sample of facility professionals an identical series of questions every three months with the intent of monitoring what changes in activity occur over time. These questions address topics such as staffing and service provision, spending, facility planning, and sustainability initiatives.

Additionally, each survey includes a few questions relating to current events affecting the present and future of the industry. Questions posed in the first survey asked facility professionals what they think the impact of recent healthcare legislation will be on both healthcare facilities and their own facility operations.

This installation of “Facilities Snapshot” looks at the second quarter of 2010. Facility managers largely see space, staffing, and spending levels remaining the same over the next six months. The majority of fms (59%) are implementing a variety of sustainability initiatives, though they’re not spending a great deal on them. Sustainability efforts that don’t require a large financial outlay—such as energy conservation, recycling, waste reduction, and employee education—are the ones most likely to be implemented first.

With regard to recent healthcare legislation, opinion is mixed. Most fms are not sure what impact the legislation will have on healthcare facilities (38%), while several have a negative view of the legislation’s impact (30%); notably, fewer think it will have a positive effect (14%). When it comes to their own operations, facility professionals largely believe it will have no appreciable effect (27%), while others say it will lead to fewer capital for improvements (15%) or will place a greater demand on facility operations (7%).

“When comparing the facilities sector by industry, we see continued growth in the healthcare and educational sectors,” said Shari Epstein, IFMA’s director of research. “Other areas poised for growth include manufacturing, insurance, and banking—specifically bank branches. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provided millions of dollars to federal entities for upgrades, and many federal fms have been able to use these funds to make needed improvements.”

This bonus FM Alert is posted in honor of World FM Day.

HAPPY WORLD FM DAY!