Ryan McNeil
Ryan McNeil is the Director of our facilities management business, and oversees our Consultancy service. He is an expert in the FM market, and advises our clients on latest trends.
Facilities Management recruitment is buzzing. Teams are growing. And candidates are getting snapped up in a matter of days.
If you’ve not thought about your recruitment strategy for 2022 yet, you’re already behind. If hiring staff is part of your business plan this year, you may find it more difficult than you’re expecting. The current talent shortage is far-reaching and has led to hundreds of vacancies.
For those who are looking at expanding their teams, or those who have begun the new year and are thinking of making a change, here are the facilities management recruitment trends we’ve noticed or predict for 2022.
Client facing
There’s a continued reliance on reassurance from facilities managers and the visibility of FM teams within buildings. Towards the end of last year we saw more calls for client-facing account managers. This is a fantastic shift for facilities management. Clients are seeing their FMs as a strategic partner in the smooth running of their business, and Facilities Managers are being given a seat at the table to influence strategy.
Those who are able to think strategically and innovatively about how to make workplaces safe and inviting for employees and visitors will be the most successful.
Sustainability in Facilities Management
Organisations have steep sustainability and ESG targets to meet. Many are looking to their FM providers or FM teams to help them work out how to become more sustainable. Energy managers are in demand, and building owners want to gather information about their building usage to begin planning how to make sustainable switches.
Over the coming year, we’re likely to see a rise in reliance on tech. There’s a call for facilities managers with experience of innovations that deliver reduction. There’s an increased appetite for tech that delivers a tangible output, such as cobotics, chemical-free cleaning, “smart buildings” and sensors. It’s likely we’ll begin to see growing budgets for what has until now been seen as “added extras”.
Data analytics
With more of a reliance on tech will also come a need for talented and experienced data analysts. Those with the ability to interpret findings and set the agenda for optimisation and savings. Data analysts who are able to communicate with stakeholders effectively will find themselves with the choice of job offers.
Data driven decisions will be key to helping organisations to recover and create safe, functioning spaces for their staff and visitors. Data experts who are able to present at board level and to leadership teams will no doubt be popular.
Commercial roles in facilities management
As facilities management organisations have begun to take on more project based work alongside their longer term contracts, we’ve noticed a considerable increase in FM commercial needs. There's a rising demand for Quantity Surveyors and Commercial Managers in the facilities management sector. If you're a QS or strong on commercials and looking for a change of sector, it’s a good time to look into switching to FM.
Winning the talent challenge
With more jobs on the market and far fewer people around to fill them, the fact is companies are entering a war for the best talent. But they need to be careful that it doesn’t turn into a bidding war. Over the past two years, a huge number of people have re-evaluated their priorities, and not everyone is choosing the highest salary anymore.
Facilities management companies need to take another look at their Employee Value Proposition – what kind of experience are they offering new employees? How are they helping people to feel part of the bigger picture? What will their contribution mean to the wider picture.
And alongside salary, candidates are now looking at the kind of flexibility their job offers – whether that’s around hours, days or place of work.
More than that, people are beginning to take note of the culture of their prospective workplaces, the attitudes of hiring managers, the values of the companies they’re looking to join. Empathetic and values driven leadership is going to have a considerable edge over the next 12 months.
Retention is the answer
The key to all of this is that hiring is going to become more expensive that ever. Higher salaries, signing bonuses, benefits, recruitment agency fees, counter offers etc etc etc.
The real winners in 2022 are the ones who focus on retention in a way that makes sure their staff won’t consider moving on. Reward schemes, employee recognition, loyalty bonuses – all great. But even better is taking the time to thank your staff. Having quality one to ones and personal development plans. Laying out transparent promotion criteria. Asking their opinions and listening to their answers.