While IFMA has long been known for producing benchmarking reports for the facility management industry, these reports have been based on North American data. Now, as IFMA underscores its position as the most trusted global provider of benchmarking metrics for the facility management and wider built environment industries, focus has shifted to making these same high-quality reports applicable to regions around the world.

Authentic data specific to countries, business sectors and facility types is extremely important to FMs who want to take the guesswork out of decision making. As IFMA expands research efforts globally – covering more regions and exploring topics of the highest priority to those communities – acquiring facts, figures, practices and opinions of FM professionals via benchmarking and research surveys is essential.

Participating in IFMA studies helps to advance the industry, elevating FM influence in improving and optimizing the built environment. IFMA does not charge for survey participation; and executive summaries of published reports are provided free to IFMA full members. Product webinars are also provided free to full members with each launch of a benchmarking or research project. IFMA sells these reports in the online Bookstore to help recoup the investment in product development.

"Taking a survey doesn’t cost anything but time; and the payback of usable information to help forward FM objectives is inestimable.”

- Don Gilpin, IFMA President and CEO

O&M globally

Benchmarking operations and maintenance (O&M) on a broader, global scale is just the beginning of IFMA’s efforts to expand availability of this essential resource for FM and the wider built environment. A range of regional reports will be available by the end of 2022, with South and Central America being reviewed for possible future inclusion.

In March, IFMA published its first-ever Asia Operations and Maintenance Benchmarking Report focused on maintenance, janitorial, utilities and sustainability. Thanks to survey participation from IFMA members throughout Asia – including Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Vietnam – the report provides detailed performance metrics for total cost per square foot across several demographic factors. Of note, the report shows that space allocations per occupant – an important factor in evaluating worker productivity and environmental conditions – are nearly 70 percent less in Asia compared to North America.

An O&M benchmarking project is underway in the Middle East, and IFMA will soon begin a new O&M study in Africa.

A new North America O&M report is scheduled to be published in late April 2022. This report includes extensive discussion along with new FM-related metrics in response to COVID-19, including janitorial/cleaning best practices, occupancy rate changes, expectations for the future use of remote working, and facility operational changes (e.g., metrics related to MERV filter rating adjustments, UV lights, physical entry and more).

A new qualitative North America O&M report will also be published in early summer 2022. This report focuses on the processes FMs use to support their jobs. IFMA’s O&M flagship report focuses on dollars per square foot, but this qualitative report provides insights as to what peers are doing to execute critical responsibilities.

FM tools

IFMA develops FM-based tools to provide data analytics for the industry. Current and forthcoming tools will provide insight into:

  • Global FM compensation and benefits;

  • Space planning; and

  • Global operations and maintenance.

A majority of these tools use a Tableau interface with multiple dashboards. Options include:

  • Resource Advantage Platform resource tool, which is auto generated based on a customized query;

  • Power User subscription-based tool utilizing the Tableau interface; and

  • Customized queries are also supported.

Enhancements

The past two years have been challenging across multiple industries – including FM. As a result, IFMA is improving its network of international FMs and increasing participation rates in targeted benchmarking and research studies. Specific to benchmarking studies, an emphasis is needed on operational and targeted data for FMs to support their key annual efforts.

Sustainability has received significant attention throughout the past year, warranting an updated examination of how best to measure O&M efforts specific to sustainability. IFMA will explore how sustainable processes in FM are being measured and what new sustainability benchmarks will be needed in the future.

As focus expands to international O&M efforts, IFMA welcomes involvement from interested members, individuals and companies.Much has been discovered about future needs, partnerships and desired data from a practitioner’s perspective over the last two years. Diverse regions result in different models, which need to be indexed for comparison purposes to equalize collected data.

Some of the limitations encountered from international O&M projects will be addressed when initiating future efforts. Given that a majority of limitations are related to governmental control/oversight, existing contracts and assumptions of proprietary information being sought, this will require information sharing and education. The publication of international O&M reports will show the type of information that benefits the FM practitioner and market. These first reports are just a glimpse at what could be possible with increased participation and partnerships.

What’s to come?

IFMA benchmarking has evolved for more than 40 years, yet one constant has never wavered – benchmarking for operations and maintenance. Moving forward, IFMA will begin to examine FM-related benchmarking in several new areas. These areas will help the association build out supporting networks globally, which benefits the FM industry.

These new areas include:

  • FM succession planning (multi-year study);

  • Sustainability (O&M focus and non-O&M focus);

  • Life cycle; and

  • Workplace.

A new study examining an O&M approach to in the world’s 10 largest cities is also underway and will support the development of new data for targeted analysis at the city level.

IFMA’s last space planning benchmark report was completed in July 2020 soon after the onset of the pandemic. Prior to the launch of this report, IFMA developed a brief COVID-19 survey to gain detailed insights. IFMA is examining the possibility of conducting an update to this study and building a model for which this type of study is conducted on a regular basis.

Types of studies:

IFMA will continue to support O&M benchmark reports, which benefit FM practitioners, while incorporating target benchmarks from the commercial real estate industry. Some of these potential benchmarks are specific to financial indicators:

  • Lease type and costs;

  • Cost of operations;

  • Cost of providing the fixed asset;

  • Occupancy cost;

  • Total annual facility cost; and

  • SLA insights.

These benchmarks will be built into global O&M benchmark studies in future updates.

IFMA will also continue to support health care O&M updates.

Space planning continues to be a critical topic, andCOVID-19's impact within the workplace has heightened what defines the ideal hybrid workplace of the future. IFMA's targeted space planning benchmark studies will offer a glimpse into the office of the future. The use of space has been and will remain fluid, so how do FMs determine what the remote workspace will look like in five years?

IFMA is about to begin a return-to-office study incorporating a unique methodology. This study uses a quarterly engagement component with the public, resulting in the creation of quarterly briefs that will share the results. A final report will be published in a year consolidating the data. This effort will examine lessons learned from participants.

Sustainability has been elevated to a critical issue based on climate change research. IFMA is examining multiple options to support new insights for IFMA members and the open market. The output could be new reports on topics such net zero or the circular economy. Sustainability benchmarking has long been a component of IFMA O&M reports. Given the significant focus on sustainability, IFMA will evaluate what new metrics are important to FMs. Based on the most recent O&M benchmark studies, IFMA recognizes that not all parts of the world have the same sustainability interests. Also, while government support on sustainability varies, some businesses have still long been supportive. One goal is to develop each region with key products used by FMs, such as:

  • O&M

  • Compensation and benefits

  • Space planning

  • Life cycle cost

  • Credential/certificate return on investment

  • Technology

  • FM succession planning tool kit

Through these different products, FMs will have a solid foundation to support their responsibilities.

Make an impact

IFMA members have several ways to participate in applied research and benchmarking: