Facilities management is emerging as one of the biggest beneficiaries of artificial intelligence (AI), workplace analytics and automation, but industry leaders warn that a shortage of digitally skilled talent could slow the sector's transformation.
Senior corporate real estate and workplace leaders said the profession is rapidly evolving from a back-end support function into a strategic business role responsible for employee experience, operational resilience and data-driven decision-making. Yet, despite managing increasingly sophisticated workplaces, the sector continues to struggle with talent attraction and skill development.
The challenge comes as organisations deploy Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, predictive maintenance systems and AI-powered dashboards to monitor everything from occupancy levels and energy consumption to employee comfort and workplace utilisation.
According to Nitin Dhamale, Former Head, Facilities Management and Property Services, the facility manager of today bears little resemblance to the role that existed even a decade ago.
"The facility manager is no longer somebody just taking care of maintenance or support," Dhamale said, noting that workplace leaders are now expected to analyse data, influence real estate decisions and contribute to employee wellbeing strategies.
The shift is also changing the way organisations evaluate workplace investments. Industry executives said proposals for office acquisitions, refurbishments and capital expenditure are increasingly backed by analytics rather than operational judgement alone.
That evolution is pushing facilities management closer to business strategy. Once viewed largely as a cost centre, the function is becoming responsible for delivering measurable outcomes related to productivity, sustainability and employee satisfaction.
"Data literacy today is helping FM leaders to be more predictive rather than reactive," Rakesh Ojha, Head – Group Administration and Facilities, Epsilon said, citing the growing use of dashboards that allow teams to anticipate equipment failures and maintenance requirements before disruptions occur.
However, the industry's biggest challenge may be people rather than technology.
Executives at the forum highlighted a growing disconnect between the sophisticated skills required in modern facilities management and the perception many young professionals continue to hold about the sector.
While workplace leaders increasingly oversee smart buildings, sustainability programmes, digital infrastructure and employee experience platforms, facilities management is still often viewed as an administrative or maintenance-oriented profession.
That perception problem is limiting the industry's ability to attract younger talent at a time when workforce shortages are becoming more visible across operational and technical roles.
Dhamale pointed to a broader labour market shift in which service-sector opportunities and gig-economy platforms are drawing workers away from traditional facilities roles.
At the same time, organisations are demanding a new generation of professionals capable of combining operational expertise with technology skills. Facility teams are increasingly expected to interpret data, manage digital systems and optimise workplace performance rather than simply respond to service requests.
"The talent has to not only cater to facilities but should also have a good knowledge of technology," Ojha said.
For younger workers, leaders argued, the profession must be repositioned around technology, sustainability and workplace experience rather than maintenance.
"I strongly believe EX is equal to CX. Any experience that we are giving to our employees is ultimately going to become the customer experience," Bhuvan Tiwari, Head of Facilities and Premises Administration, said, adding that the future of workplace management will be closely linked to employee experience outcomes.
The emphasis on experience reflects a broader shift occurring across corporate India, where facilities teams are increasingly measured not only on cost and compliance but also on employee engagement, workplace convenience and service quality.
Industry leaders also suggested that future workplace structures could become leaner and more technology-enabled, with automation reducing routine tasks while increasing demand for supervisory and managerial roles capable of interpreting data and managing service ecosystems.
Despite rapid advances in AI, speakers maintained that human judgement, empathy and leadership would remain central to the profession.
"A software tool is just an engine. Ultimately, it is people who are the fuel for that engine," Navin Upadhyay, Executive Vice President and Head Procurement and Projects, Kotak Mahindra Bank, said at a Businessworld facilities management forum, observing that the technology can enhance workplace operations but cannot replace the people responsible for delivering outcomes. |
