Facility Management Journal Article Recap
The facility management industry is facing a major challenge – the lack of qualified talent. Available positions in trades such as HVAC, electrical, and plumbing outnumber the quantity of skilled people who can fill them. Not only are candidates hard to find, but those who do fill these roles might not meet the high standards that facility management requires.
In a recent article with Facility Management Journal, UG2’s Senior Vice President of Operations & Maintenance, Jim Lane, addresses the reasons for this large talent gap that is troubling facility management as well as how companies can attract and retain the right talent.
It is predicted that by 2025, the facility management industry might face a shortage of 53% of open jobs. Approximately 20,000 people leave the trades every year due to a career change or retirement. In reality, 39% of HVAC technician jobs are currently unfilled. On top of the excessive number of open positions, many organizations are finding that the few who do apply to these positions don’t meet the necessary qualifications.
Jim explains that to combat this gap in talent, organizations need to first establish what characteristics make a strong FM worker and understand that we are facing a generational talent gap. They also need to implement steps to attract people to the trades and improve training on the job.
Risk in the Talent Pool
Successful tradespeople possess a set of fundamental qualities that allow them to flourish in the industry. Jim stresses the importance of screening applicants for these qualities in order to prevent disrupting a good relationship with the customer by hiring the wrong person for a role.
Employers should look for candidates with the following characteristics:
- Passion for the Industry: Individuals who demonstrate a genuine commitment to their profession and hold a strong belief in the significance of their work are more likely to succeed and stay motivated.
- Strong Work Ethic: Trade work isn’t easy, and it requires collaboration and attention to detail. Having a strong work ethic means being persistent, tenacious, and honest.
- Problem Solvers: A good tradesperson is a skilled problem solver. They should be able to determine how systems work, why/if they are not performing correctly, and how to fix the problem.
- Technology Savvy: The trades are becoming more dependent on technology every day which allows for quicker troubleshooting, automation, and data-driven analytics needed for decision-making. Embracing this ever-changing technological scene is crucial.
- People skills: The trades are a customer service function. Interacting with different people is a daily function and good interpersonal communication skills are mandatory if you want to succeed.
Risk in the Generation Gap
There is a noticeable gap in the skills and attitudes of employees who are new to the trades and those with 20+ years of experience. Those who have been in their career for multiple decades have built their own knowledge, instincts, and techniques to solve problems. They know what methods to rely on but may be hesitant to use different approaches and might refrain from using new technological advancements.
Millennials and GenZers have less experience but are tech-savvy and look for organizations that use the latest innovations. They often don’t have access to the extensive education and apprenticeship opportunities that prior generations had. These younger workers also may have different work ethics or expectations than other generations.
There are two main issues:
- We need to bridge the skills and work ethic gap between generations;
- A large number of workers are on the brink of retirement, and not as many workers are looking to enter the workforce.
Risk in Cultural Stereotypes
Especially in today’s day and age, there is a misconception that getting a traditional college degree is the best choice for anyone entering the workforce. Less than 16% of graduates enroll in vocational or trade schools. Jim calls attention to the importance of educating young people on the benefits of entering a trade. For one, it’s more affordable than paying for college tuition and it’s a reliable career path with opportunities for growth and leadership.
Jim explains that one way to attract young people to the trades is to work in tandem with local vocational and technical high schools to recruit students as paid interns during school breaks as part of co-op programs. It’s also important to provide students with mentors who lead by example.
Closing the Gaps: Improving On-The-Job Training
There are two goals facility management should focus on:
- Ensuring veterans feel comfortable using technology;
- Building successorship plans by growing the next generation of skilled tradespeople.
It’s highly important that all employees, regardless of age or position, are thoroughly trained in the latest technologies and advancements. Training should be tailored to each individual employee’s needs. It’s possible that older employees might require additional help to get up to speed.
Training should also be customized to encompass what each employee will encounter in their role. Communication skills training is a highly valuable asset that should be included in each program. As mentioned earlier, interpersonal communication skills are extremely crucial in the field.
It Takes a Village
The talent gap in facility management isn’t disappearing anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t things organizations can do to combat the issue. It requires an all-hands effort and for everyone in the industry to implement a recruiter mindset. By providing workers with the right tools and training, they can exceed in the industry.
Check out the full article here:
http://fmj.ifma.org/publication/?m=30261&i=790476&p=34&ver=html5
Additional Sources:
https://www.tws.edu/blog/skilled-trades/how-many-high-school-students-know-about-trades-careers/