The First Facility Management Blog

The IFMA Foundation is pleased to announce the publication of the first “North American Facility Management Degree Program Guide.” The new guide provides a listing of all known facility management programs in North America.

Its purpose is to help educational institutions develop standards for facility management curricula and the details of the course of study. It also serves as a reference for students, educators, and professionals interested in facility management higher education degree programs.

“This career choice prepares students for jobs managing the built environment with consequent opportunities to have a significant impact on sustainability in buildings, which are major consumers of energy,” said IFMA Foundation Director of Academic Affairs Charles Claar, CFM, CFMJ, P.E.

For a free copy of the “North American Facility Management Degree Program Guide,” send an e-mail to tfm@groupc.com with the words “IFMA Foundation Education Guide” in the subject line of your e-mail.

Looking ahead to what 2010 might bring, a new survey conducted the first two weeks of December 2009 asked facility managers and other building professionals about water conservation, water costs, and other related issues in their facilities in the coming year. The survey was conducted by AlturaSolutions Communications for Waterless Co., manufacturers of waterless urinal systems.

E-mail invitations to take the survey were sent to about 500 facility managers and building professionals. A total of 154 people answered some of the questions; 84 people completed the entire survey. Virtually all, 89 percent, indicate that, compared to past years, concerns about water conservation will increase in 2010. Participants were also asked if they thought the cost of water would go up in the next few years and by how much. Their responses were as follows:

• Forty-three percent believe water costs will go up 15 percent or more;

• Thirty percent foresee costs going up about 10 percent;

• Twenty-three percent believe costs will go up about 5 percent; and

• Four percent do not believe water costs will go up in 2010 or in the near future.

Most of the other survey questions dealt with actual water use and fixtures in their facilities. For instance, 58 percent indicated the facility they work in has not installed water-conserving fixtures or systems. This statistic is surprising because 72 percent of the respondents indicated installing water-conserving fixtures and systems is either important or very important.

Sixty-two percent said that most of the water used in their facilities is used in restrooms; this was followed by landscaping, according to 13 percent of the respondents; the remainder selected kitchen and food service areas, cooling and heating systems, or they indicted they were “not sure.”

Finally, the participants were asked what types of water-conserving fixtures and systems their facility is considering installing to reduce water use. The following were their responses:

• High-performing toilets, 28 percent;

• Reduced-flow faucets, 23 percent;

• Reduced-flow showerheads, 15 percent;

• Waterless urinal systems: 15 percent, and

• Water-conserving landscaping systems, 19 percent.

SOURCE: VISTA, CALIF.

According to a recent survey conducted by CBSalary.com and SalaryExpert.com, facility management is among the top 20 professions anticipating sizable salary increases in 2010. The list is based on an analysis of data from the Occupational Employment Statistics provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and ongoing surveys conducted by Salary Expert.

Last year, Facility Managers (defined as professionals overseeing all things concerned with the operation, repair, maintenance, and construction of facilities, equipment, buildings, and grounds) earned $89,262. This year, they earn a salary of $94,491 placing them in the 11th position on the list with a +4.38% increase.

The top 10 professions in order are: Oral Pathologists (+6.83%), Social Medical Researchers (+6.65%), Pharmacologists (+5.35%), Toxicologists (also +5.35%), Vocational Teachers (+4.93%), Deans (+4.9%), Social Psychologists (also +4.9%), Early Childhood Teachers (+4.8%), Insurances Agents (+4.73%), and Credit Representatives (+4.53%).

Completing the top 20:
12. Software quality assurance testers (+4.23%)
13. Financial securities clerks (+4.2%)
14. Food and beverage order clerks (+4.18%)
15. Computer network analysts (+4.05%)
16. Purchasing directors (+4.03%)
17. Public accountants (+4%)
18. Accounts receivable managers (+4%)
19. Government fire marshals (+4%)
20. Retail store managers (+2.9%)

SUMMARY OF 2010 FORECAST
And while employers are still slow to hire, CareerBuilder’s 2010 Job Forecast suggests the hiring market may begin to thaw, as organizations are beginning to consider hiring strategies designed to preserve the health and growth of their businesses for the future. CareerBuilder surveyed more than 2,700 hiring managers and human resource professionals nationwide across industries.

Full time
Twenty percent of employers plan to increase their number of full-time, permanent employees in 2010, up from 14% in 2009. Nine percent say they plan to decrease headcount in 2010, down sharply from 16% in 2009. Sixty-one percent don’t plan to change staff levels, while 10% say they are unsure.

Part time
Eleven percent of employers plan say they plan to add part-time employees in 2010, up slightly from 9% in 2009. Eight percent say they plan to decrease their part-time help in 2010, down from 14% in 2009. Sixty-nine percent plan no change in headcount, while 13% are unsure.

Hiring by region
Employers in the West are planning to increase their headcounts more in 2010 than the other regions of the country. Nearly one-quarter of employers (24%) in the West say they plan to add full-time workers in 2010, compared to 21% in the Northeast, 20% in the South, and 16% in the Midwest.

While plans to decrease headcounts in 2010 are down sharply across all regions, employers in the Northeast still plan to trim headcounts by 10%, followed by an 8% decrease in the South, Midwest and West.

Hiring by industry
Comparing selected industries, hiring is expected to increase in information technology, manufacturing, financial services, professional and business services, and sales in the coming year. Thirty-two percent of IT, 27% of manufacturing, and 23% of financial services employers plan to add full-time, permanent employees in 2010, followed by 22% of employers in professional and business services and 21% in sales. Health care employers are also planning to expand staffs at 21% followed by 18% of transportation employers and 15% of retail.

Hiring by job type
When asked which areas employers plan to hire for in 2010, one-third pointed to technology followed by 28% in customer service. Nearly one-quarter (23%) plan to add sales people, 18% will add research/development, 17% in business development, 15% in accounting/finance, and 14% in marketing.

Compensation
Even as companies continue to watch their spending, they still plan slight increases to salaries in the coming year. Fifty-seven percent of employers report their companies will increase salaries for existing employees in 2010, down from 65% in 2009. Thirty-six percent expect to raise salaries of existing employees by 3% or more, while 11% anticipate increases of 5% or more.

Twenty-nine of employers plan to increase salaries on initial offers to new employees, down from 33% in 2009. Nearly one-in-five (18%) employers will raise salaries on initial offers by 3% or more, while 7% anticipate increases of 5% or more.

HOW EMPLOYERS PLAN TO MOVE FORWARD IN THE NEW YEAR
Companies are looking to the future and making up for lost ground caused by the recession. The following are 10 trends for 2010:

1. Replacing Lower Performing Employees
Employers are taking advantage of the large number of top talent in the current labor pool to strengthen their work force. Thirty-seven percent of employers say they plan to replace lower-performing employees with higher performers in 2010. When asked to grade their current work force, 25% rated them an “A,” 60% a “B,” 15% a “C,” and 1% a “D.” Less than one-half of a percent felt their current staff was a failure.

2. Emphasis on Social Media to Strengthen Brand
The economy required companies to make some tough decisions about their businesses, which had a negative impact on their brands. Close to four-in-ten employers (37%) plan to put a greater emphasis on social media in 2010 to create a more positive brand for their organization. One-in-five employers plan to add social media responsibilities to a current employee, while close to one-in-12 (8%) plan to hire someone new to focus or partially focus on social media.

3. Rehiring Laid-off Workers
Companies needed to scale their businesses to market last year and four-in-10 employers say they were forced to lay off workers. Among those who had lay-offs in 2009, 32% of employers now say they plan to bring back workers with three-in-10 either doing it now or plan to do so in the first six months of 2010.

4. Flexible Work Arrangements
Companies plan to continue providing employees with greater flexibility in hopes of maintaining a better work-life balance. Thirty-five percent of employers say they plan to provide more flexible work arrangements in 2010, compared to 31% last year. These arrangements include:

• Alternate schedules - come in early and leave early or come in later and leave later - 73%
• Telecommuting options - 41%
• Compressed workweeks - work the same hours, but in fewer days - 32%
• Summer hours - 18%
• Job sharing - 13%
• Sabbaticals - 6%

5. Cutting Perks and Benefits
Even as companies look to the new year and toward growth opportunities for their businesses, many are still choosing to trim perks and benefits. Thirty-seven percent of employers say they will cut perks and benefits in 2010, up from 32% who said they trimmed in 2009. Perks and benefits employers plan to trim in the new year include bonuses, medical coverage, suspended 401k matching and office perks such as coffee, tea, and condiments.

6. Rehiring Retirees and Postponing Retirement
Companies understand the intellectual capital mature workers bring to their organization, and 27% say they are open to retaining their workers who are approaching retirement. Sixteen percent say they are likely to rehire retirees from other companies in 2010. Additionally, one-in-10 are likely to provide incentives for workers at or approaching retirement age to stay on with the company longer.

At the same time, workers have expressed interest in postponing retirement. Thirty percent of employers report they have received requests from workers approaching retirement age to stay on with their company, up from 22% last year.

7. Freelance or Contract Hiring
While employers still plan to be cautious regarding the number of full-time employees they add in the new year, many will turn to freelance or contract employees to help keep their businesses moving forward. Three-in-10 employers anticipate hiring freelancers or contractors in 2010, up slightly from 28% in 2009. Six percent expect to employ more freelance workers or contractors than last year, while 15% expect to hire the same amount and 10% plan to hire fewer.

8. Green Jobs
Employers will continue to turn some of their focus to the environment in the new year. Eleven percent of employers say they plan to add “green jobs” in 2010, the same amount who said they added them in 2009. “Green jobs” are positions that implement environmentally conscious design, policy, and technology to improve conservation and sustainability.

9. Bilingual Recruitment
Employers have identified having a diverse work force as an important measure of success as they begin to rebuild their businesses after the economic downturn. One area they plan to focus on is building a bilingual team. Nearly four-in-10 employers (39%) said they plan to hire bilingual candidates in 2010 and half said that if they had two equally qualified candidates, they would be more inclined to hire the bilingual candidate.

10. Business Travel
While employers are inching away from cost containment and more into growth, one area they still plan to save money on is business travel. Forty-three percent of employers say that in their organizations there will be less business travel in 2010 than in 2009.

The City & Country Clubs Council of the International Facility Management Association is pleased to announce its partnership with the Club Managers Association of America, a professional association of nearly 7,000 managers of city, country, golf, yacht and athletic clubs. The partnership strengthens an established relationship between the organizations in which IFMA provides educational resources and certification to CMAA members responsible for overall operational maintenance and the implementation of capital requirements at their clubs.

As part of this partnership, CMAA will recognize all IFMA facility management educational courses that fulfill the related requirements of its own Certified Club Manager credential. Additionally, the organizations plan to confront shared issues facing the club management industry through joint webinars, research collaborations, networking and outreach opportunities, and presentations at each organization’s respective conferences.

“With support from CMAA’s members, there’s no doubt that the City & Country Clubs Council of IFMA can improve the performance of the professionals who oversee each club’s facilities, ultimately enhancing each club member’s experience,” said Steven G. Ballard, project manager at The Country Club in Massachusetts and president of the City & Country Clubs Council of IFMA. “No matter who is responsible for the operation and maintenance of facilities, there’s a great deal to be gained by utilizing the proper information in order to make the best decision on behalf of the club and its membership.”

For more information about the City & Country Clubs Council of IFMA, contact Council Development Specialist Kari Stein at 713-623-4362 or kari.stein@ifma.org, or visit www.ifma-clubs.org. To learn more about CMAA, go to www.cmaa.org.

IFMA is the world’s largest and most widely recognized international association for professional facility managers, supporting more than 19,000 members in 60 countries. The association’s members, represented in 125 chapters and 16 councils worldwide, manage more than 37 billion square feet of property and annually purchase more than US$100 billion in products and services. Formed in 1980, IFMA certifies facility managers, conducts research, provides educational programs, recognizes facility management certificate programs and produces World Workplace, the world’s largest facility management conference and exposition. To join and follow IFMA’s social media outlets online, visit the association’s LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter pages. For more information, visit the IFMA press room or www.ifma.org.

Each year, Today’s Facility Manager sponsors the annual Facility Executive of the Year competition. This honor recognizes the achievements of an individual involved in a recent, single construction or renovation project (preferably completed between January 2007 and December 2008).

As the industry’s most prestigious form of recognition, Today’s Facility Manager’s Facility Executive of the Year award includes featured coverage in Today’s Facility Manager’s January 2010 issue. Winners will also be invited to participate in The TFM Forum in 2010 (details to be finalized at a later date).

Individuals may nominate themselves or be nominated by a person, agency, or member of Today’s Facility Manager’s Editorial Advisory Board or staff. Clients can be nominated, as long as the nominee is a qualified facility manager from an owner occupied building. Unfortunately, property managers from third party firms are not eligible. Nominee must approve his/her nomination and must currently be employed by the company where the project took place.

Nomination forms must be complete and magazine quality photos* of the nominee and project must be submitted in order for the judges to consider this entry.

Send to: Today’s Facility Manager
44 Apple Street, Suite 3
Tinton Falls, NJ 07724
Attn: Facility Executive of the Year

Send photos* to tfm@groupc.com. Please include the phrase “FEY Nomination” in the subject line of the e-mail.

ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED BY TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2009

*Four-color slides or transparencies can be submitted in the entry package, but electronic images are acceptable as long as they meet the following requirements: JPG, TIFF, or EPS format, 300 DPI (dots per inch) at a minimum 3″ x 5″ (If smaller than 3″ x 5″, DPI must be higher).

On Friday, Aug. 28, organizations throughout the world celebrated World FM Day by holding public events on five different continents to bring attention to the important role facility management plays in the business world and in promoting sustainability.

There were three specific questions that each organization asked participants during World FM Day. If you didn’t have a chance to answer these questions, please take a moment to provide your answers and insight in this brief survey. Please complete the form by Friday, Sept. 18. All answers will be collated and posted on the Global FM Web site.

Thank you for your participation.

This past March, The Global Facility Management Association (Global FM) announced the first ever World FM Day, to take place today, August 28, 2009.

Global FM member organizations on five different continents—Africa, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America—are celebrating World FM Day by organizing luncheons, seminars, and workshops, or by undertaking other activities to celebrate and promote facilities management. In designating today as the first World FM Day, Global FM, which is based in Brussels, Belgium hopes to:

• draw attention to the aims, objectives, and progress of the facilities management profession around the world
• highlight the valuable contribution good facilities management has made and is making to sustainable global communities; productive, safe, healthy and secure work environments; and local and global economies
• give worldwide coverage to the ideals of facilities management, not only within the profession and industry, but also to governments and the general public.

When the event was announced in the spring, Global FM Chairman Steve Gladwin, said, “I am very proud that we will celebrate the first World FM Day this August with our friends across the globe, and it is a great sign of how Global FM contributes to advancing facilities management. It will be an exciting day for Global FM and the FM community, because we have the opportunity to showcase in various locations that facilities management is a critical, strategic business discipline, making a real contribution to the success of organizations.”

Individual Events, Common Goals
International associations including the Associação Brasileira de Facilities (ABRAFAC), the Association des Directeurs et Responsables de Services Généraux (ARSEG), the Association for Facilities Engineering (AFE), the British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM), the Facility Management Association of Australia (FMA Australia), FM-ARENA, the Hungarian Facility Management Society (HFMS), the International Facility Management Association (IFMA), and the South African Facilities Management Association (SAFMA) have planned public events to mark this first World FM Day.

In the U.S., IFMA invites its members and facility professionals in the international community to log into the IFMA Twitter site to share unique aspects of FM in their country and discuss global FM topics in IFMA’s first TweetWorldFMDay event. Follow the questions at http://twitter.com/IFMA or #worldfmday.

ABRAFAC in Brazil is holding a Happy Hour for its members, which will include the presentation of lifetime achievement awards to individuals considered the forerunners and “founding fathers” of the FM movement and community in Brazil.

In Hungary, HFMS is hosting a press breakfast in Budapest, which will include announcement of the Governmental Strategy for the Advancement of the Hungarian FM Industry 2009-2013, a members’ meeting, and video conferencing with BIFM in Britain.

More events can be viewed on the Global FM site.

The International Facility Management Association is pleased to announce the formation of the Religious Facilities Community, a new community of practice devoted to those who work as full-time, part-time or volunteer facility managers in their houses of worship. IFMA’s communities of practice are organized special interest groups that unite members of specific industries not represented by the association’s councils.

The new community will provide a network for religious-facility professionals of all faiths to connect with one another and share resources through webinars, roundtables, benchmarking studies and other continuing education opportunities.

“Religious facility professionals around the world will find a wealth of knowledge and opportunities for support at their fingertips in the Religious Facilities Community,” said Timothy O’Malley, CFM, CFMJ, president of The O’Malley Group and clerk of the works for the Episcopal Diocese of Arizona. “We have unique requirements ranging from facility maintenance and presentation to funerals that must be scheduled on short notice, and this community will help address our special needs.”

The new community will hold an introductory webinar focusing on religious facility preventative maintenance; stewardship; heating, ventilating and air conditioning controls; and other topics on Tuesday, Aug. 25, at 3 p.m. EDT. S. Steve Lealos, CFM, senior facilities manager for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Great Falls, Mo., will moderate the discussion. Participation is free and open to anyone, regardless of IFMA membership.

To learn more about joining the Religious Facilities Community or to participate in the webinar, contact Kari Stein, IFMA council development specialist, at 713-623-4362 or kari.stein@ifma.org.

IFMA is the world’s largest and most widely recognized international association for professional facility managers, supporting more than 19,500 members in 60 countries. The association’s members, represented in 125 chapters and 16 councils worldwide, manage more than 37 billion square feet of property and annually purchase more than US$100 billion in products and services. Formed in 1980, IFMA certifies facility managers, conducts research, provides educational programs, recognizes facility management certificate programs and produces World Workplace, the world’s largest facility management conference and exposition. To join and follow IFMA’s social media outlets online, visit the association’s LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter pages. For more information, visit the IFMA press room or www.ifma.org.