At Magenta, we make it our mission to attend the events in our clients’ industries, and the first big one in the calendar this autumn was the inaugural Facilities & Estates Management Live (7–8 October) at London’s Business Design Centre. Organised by Facilities Management Journal, the show saw industry leaders come together to discuss FM’s ongoing challenges and emerging trends.
Here’s a quick roundup of our highlights from the two days.
Attracting and retaining talent
Fittingly, the event’s first panel brought together FM recruitment and development specialists to discuss what can be done to attract and retain more young talent. With an average workforce age of 50 across the industry, it’s a challenge that employers in the space cannot afford to overlook.
Mark Whittaker, outgoing IWFM chair and general manager at Thomson FM, suggested that organising more speaking opportunities in schools could kickstart change. “It’s up to all of us,” he said, “to get in front of young people and introduce them to the industry.”
DMA Group’s chief customer officer Valerie Miller then offered specific advice on enhancing female recruitment in FM, highlighting visible female role models, mentorship, scholarships and flexible working cultures as drivers of progress. Her message for women early in their FM careers: “Don’t always wait until you’re 100 per cent ready, say yes and stretch yourself.”
Overcoming ongoing industry challenges
Led by i-FM’s David Emanuel, a keynote on the industry’s current challenges and opportunities evaluated how FM could reposition itself going forward.
On the panel, senior estates and property professional Richard Wilson proposed a new professional definition. While identifying as ‘workplace managers’ may once have given FMs clarity, he said the term now limits their scope. A broader concept of ‘built environment managers’, Wilson argued, would be more fitting in 2025.
Workplace strategist and founder of Live, Love, Learn Debra Ward left the audience with two important messages: “be bold” when questioning the industry’s future, and “be curious” by taking greater interest in each organisation’s specific goals and culture.
Finally, the panel unanimously agreed that comprehensive and inclusive people- and place-driven approaches can revitalise the industry. As places are increasingly being viewed in this experiential way, myfm’s Julian Harrison urged FMs to “add value” instead of “selling services” to customers.
Championing workplace wellbeing and mental health
On to day two, where keynotes on workplace wellbeing and mental health highlighted how important these topics have become for FM professionals.
Chairing the discussion on mental health, Magenta account director Sabrina Stubbs set the scene with some insightful reminders. Deloitte, the audience heard, now estimates that poor mental health costs employers around £51 billion each year. For highly dispersed facilities and estates teams, she explained how managing mental health perhaps presents an even greater challenge.
Both Lucy Hayes, HR director at Q3 Services, and Chris Middleton, director of major accounts at Corps Security, urged for deeper collaboration between clients and providers. Middleton added that mental health provision should be “woven into the very fabric of service delivery” rather than the “tick-box exercise” it has become.
Optimising wellbeing through food was also a key theme in both keynotes. Notably, Hannah Locket, Elior UK’s head of nutrition and StarChef management, relayed just how important nutrition has become in B&I catering. Businesses are clearly beginning to understand how nutritious food provisions can boost employee productivity and welfare.
Finally, on wellbeing-driven workplace design trends, Make Architect’s Oliver Hall welcomed the shift from “shiny finishes and clean lines” towards “how spaces make people feel”. “The best workplaces,” he said, “recognise that we’re human.”
Managing multigenerational workplaces
Today’s workplaces accommodate up to five generations of employees: the Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z. While such diversity creates unique opportunities for knowledge sharing and skillset mixing, it also comes with inclusivity challenges.
Elior UK’s head of HR & people development, Lauren Stirling, led an insightful discussion on how workplace managers might effectively approach this double-edged sword. Interestingly, she questioned whether solely focusing on ‘generations’ blinds us to other workplace diversities: values, personality types and personal circumstances.
Another key discussion point was the potential alienation of more experienced staff. According to a 2024 Robert Walters survey, nearly three-quarters of employees over 50 feel overlooked for promotions, while 59 per cent believe their age limits their access to workplace training. Going forward, the panel agreed, workplace managers must not forget these employees because they play a hugely important role in the workplace – not least the support and guidance they provide younger people.
Finally, the panel proposed individualisation and flexibility as guiding principles. Rather than strictly following generational labels, it’s important to champion workplace strategies that emphasise individual personalities and circumstances.
Some final thoughts
Overall, this year’s Facilities & Estates Management Live highlighted some hard truths that FM must confront to revitalise the industry’s role in the wider built environment sector. However, the event’s open discussions on emerging workplace trends – wellbeing, mental health and flexible workplace design – showcased an industry that’s proactive, prepared and ultimately prioritising the right topics.
