Your opinion about the soft FM landscape today.

FM has certain unique challenges in terms of recruitment of staff, but the commitment to service and performance has never been greater. The increase in use of technology AI and robots will impact the soft FM industry positively one hopes.

Soft FM professionals will be able to resolve some of the most complex challenges that have ever been faced. Measuring those outcomes is essential in 2023. 

The challenges in soft FM. 

There is no doubt that 2023 has been a year of challenges. Soft FM is at the heart of the issues like never before.  If you’re in the Soft services sector, these are the challenges you would be facing:

• Dealing with pandemic with increased workload
• Controlling costs
• Staff shortages vs high demand
• Staff competence
• Training of staff
• Increasing labour cost
• Increased legislation
• Environmental and sustainability concerns
• Increasing material costs
• Language barriers
• Coordinating rotas to meet business needs and others
• Improving Reputation

Your advice to young soft FM professionals.

For budding soft FM professionals, I would like to give the follow advice:

• Prepare yourself
• It's more about the person than the position
• Make yourself attractive to potential mentors
• Open yourself up to all the possibilities
• Don’t always look for someone like you
• Learn and educate the new technologies and techniques