What's inside
FM doesn't have an opportunity problem. It has a visibility and storytelling problem.
Recognition starts at home
People inside FM don't always say they work in FM, and the label undersells the work they do.
The barriers are perceived, not actual
The offer is strong: variety, autonomy, security and real progression. The perception hasn't caught up.
The sector is talking to itself
Young people look for first-person career stories on TikTok, Instagram and AI tools, and they decide early.
What the sector can do next
Practical steps for employers, leaders and communities to tell FM's story where young people are actually looking.
The context
A growing sector with a shrinking pipeline
FM keeps the UK's buildings running, yet very few young people see it as a career they could choose.
jobs in UK facilities management, around 4% of everyone working in Great Britain, with £108bn in annual turnover.
FM professionals in SFG20's industry survey had under a year in the sector, while 68% had more than ten.
of LinkedIn's users are aged 18 to 24, yet LinkedIn is where the sector does most of its talking.
Sources: IWFM Annual Review 2024 · IWFM Market Outlook 2026 · SFG20 State of FM 2025 · Kemp, Digital 2026.
Who's behind it
Made for the people shaping FM's next generation
Emerging Workplace Leaders is the peer-led community for early-career workplace and FM professionals, and runs the PFM Young Leader of the Year Award.
Zest is a marketing and communications agency for the FM and built environment sectors. Zest led the research, with interviews and analysis by Harriet Cox.
Don't wait until mid-November
Early access sign-up closes on 25 October. Grab your copy now, and share this page with anyone who cares about FM's future.
