Ahead of this week’s UK election, we’ve highlighted four key areas the next Government needs to act on to ‘stimulate and sustain’ the national workplace and facilities management (WFM) profession and sector.  

The ‘Priorities for the next Government: 2024 general election manifesto’ publication highlights the challenges faced by the next Government, including economic malaise, decarbonising the country’s infrastructure and habits, investing in education and health, all in a challenging and persistent negative fiscal environment. 

The publication also details how WFM is a major contributor to the UK economy; for instance, outsourced sector/service providers represent about 5% of all UK enterprises, of which 250 key WFM enterprises had a turnover of £50 million or more each. Drawing on recent research, IWFM’s Market Outlook Survey 2024 report, five major priorities emerged for our members:  

1. Focus on growing the economy  

2. Develop a coherent plan to achieve net zero  

3. Reduce uncertainly around government policy  

4. Provide support to people to help with the cost of living  

5. Develop an overarching skills strategy / make it easier to recruit talent from outside the UK / encourage staff back to offices in town centres / reduce business taxes. 

We identified four key areas to realise these priorities, all of which are cross cutting to a degree: skills; sustainability; building safety; information management, data and technology. 

Our Head of Policy & Research, Sofie Hooper, said, ‘Along with the UK at large, WFM as a profession and sector are facing seismic challenges which threaten their prospects. However, their contribution represents a huge source of value across broad areas: increasing organisational productivity and providing workplace wellbeing, delivering net zero and mitigating climate change across our buildings, delivering safe homes and providing the right information to the right people at the right time.  

‘Fortunately, actionable steps can be taken to address immediate issues and get match fit for future conditions. IWFM calls on the next UK Government to act on this publication and the many resources we’ve created to enhance our sector and profession.’   

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