Midlands Facilities Management: People-first planning for a changing sector

Facilities management has always been a steady hand behind the scenes of the Midlands’ commercial landscape. From keeping public estates running to managing logistics hubs and modern office spaces, it’s a sector that rarely stops. But over the last few years, it has been the people challenges beginning to shape the future of the industry just as much as buildings and systems do.

The state of play

Across the UK, the facilities management (FM) market is on an upward track again. According to Frost & Sullivan, the outsourced FM market was valued at more than £35 billion in 2024, and steady growth is expected over the next few years. That recovery is reflected in the Midlands, where investment in logistics, retrofit projects and public-sector estates continues to create work for occupier-services and facilities specialists.

The sector has modernised too. Digital tools and energy-efficiency systems are changing how buildings are run and how services are delivered. While technology is an enabler, the real story is the shift in skills, expectations and working patterns that comes with it.

However, the sector continues to lag behind and has a persistent skills gap, according to our specialist People Director, Nicola Harris who comments, “As with many other sectors, facilities management has an ageing workforce and increasing demand for new competencies.  Alongside the limited supply of labour, this has created a skills gap that is expected to persist beyond 2026.”

The new shape of work

Facilities management in the Midlands is growing, but the shape of that growth is different. There’s still strong demand for hands-on roles, engineers, technicians, cleaners and security operatives, yet many of these jobs now require a higher degree of digital awareness and compliance knowledge. Alongside them, new roles are emerging energy managers, sustainability leads, and commercial contract specialists.

This brings opportunity, but also pressure. Employers are competing hard for skilled people. The 2024 Employer Skills Survey found that more than a quarter of all vacancies are now classed as skill-shortage vacancies, a challenge felt acutely across FM.

The top four people pressures for the sector

1. Recruitment challenges – Filling core operational and technical roles has become tougher. Pay expectations have risen, and competition from construction and logistics is strong.
2. Upskilling the existing workforce – Digital tools, data dashboards and sustainability targets mean today’s site teams need broader skills than before. For many employers, the quickest win is developing the talent they already have.
3. Cost and contract pressures – With inflation still biting, clients are demanding more value from FM providers. That means leaner teams and smarter use of flexible or project-based resource models.
4. Attracting and keeping the right people – The perception of FM careers hasn’t always matched the reality. There’s a growing need for stronger employer branding, clear progression routes and apprenticeship pipelines linked to local colleges.

What HR and business leaders should be doing now

A few practical steps can make a big difference:

• Run a short workforce diagnostic — where are your biggest vacancy and turnover risks?
• Review agency vs direct hiring and map the true cost of churn.
• Build partnerships with local colleges for FM and engineering apprenticeships.
• Update role profiles to reflect digital and sustainability competencies.
• Refresh training plans around compliance, safety, and new technologies.
• Audit your subcontractor relationships for people standards and training.
• Create internal career ladders and recognition schemes to improve retention.
• Align workforce planning with your client pipeline for the next 12–18 months.

These actions not only support recruitment and retention but also strengthen service delivery and client confidence.

Why fractional people leadership makes sense

For many FM businesses, the challenge isn’t knowing what to do — it’s finding the time and expertise to do it consistently. That’s where a fractional People Director can add real value. With deep sector understanding and immediate availability, they can set up the right frameworks for workforce planning, training, and engagement without the cost of a full-time senior hire.

Through People’s Puzzles, SMEs can access this expertise flexibly. They gain a strategic HR partner who understands both the commercial and operational realities of facilities management. From diagnosing workforce risks to designing 90-day action plans, a fractional approach helps FM firms build the people foundations needed for sustainable growth.

Sustainable growth in facilities management will be driven by organisations that treat people strategy as a core commercial discipline, not a support function.  As Nicola observes,

 “Future-focused FM businesses can no longer depend on external recruitment or experienced hires alone.  The winners will be those that build talent from within through apprenticeships, structured upskilling and deliberate succession planning to create a resilient, future-ready workforce. 

When combined with a strategically deployed and flexible talent pool, this approach delivers both operational sustainability and competitive advantage.  Having a level of intent and integration into operational planning is precisely where a fractional people director adds critical value and positive impact on commercial results”. 

 

If future-proofing your business is something on your to-do list for 2026, book a call with a people expert near you to get started.