by Brianna Crandall — October 12, 2015—Continuing its role of thought leadership in facilities management, the International Facility Management Association (IFMA), in partnership with global commercial real estate services firm JLL, has published a thought-provoking white paper exploring the challenges and benefits of a shift in C-suite perception of facilities management from a support-based cost center to a strategic partner. The paper, officially released at IFMA’s World Workplace 2015 Conference and Expo in Denver, Colorado, offers a compelling case for FM professionals to take a more active role in informing and achieving organizational goals, while also providing specific suggestions to achieve this elevated status.
“As the FM industry advances and transforms with the workplace, it requires new business skills, innovation and new ways of thinking,” writes IFMA second vice chair and international director of global integrated facilities management for JLL, Maureen Ehrenberg, FRICS, CRE. “New types of career opportunities hold much promise for the future of FM and its relationship to the business. The implications of the convergence of technology, workplace and facilities services will impact the business enterprise well beyond the traditional ‘comfort zone’ of FM as it has been defined in the past.”
Over its 35 years of service to the FM industry, IFMA has supported a remarkable shift in perception of the built environment from simply a box that contains the tools of productivity to a tool in its own right. The built environment, in the hands of a qualified FM, can enable any number of goals — from workplace productivity to worker well-being and safety, as well as cost savings and sustainability. Yet many social and professional barriers continue to impede the necessary elevation of the FM professional to the critical role of strategic partner.
The IFMA paper, “Redefining the Executive View of Facility Management (FM)” by Richard Kadzis, first explores the current state of the relationship between FM and the C-suite, then proposes a model for improving that relationship. Part three provides practical advice for actionable next steps, supported by case study examples. The paper is available for download from the IFMA Web site via its new Knowledge Library with free registration.
