IFMA & Simplar Foundation Release FM Pulse Report

IFMA GLOBAL HQ – (20 January 2026) – Today, the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) and the Simplar Foundation released the Facility Management Pulse Report. This first-of-its-kind report delivers a global, data-driven snapshot of the facility management (FM) market, anchored by IFMA’s new FM Workload Index (FMWI), which captures how workload, budgets, staffing and projects are expected to shift over the next year.

Based on more than 1,400 global responses to IFMA’s Q3 2025 Facility Management Index and Economic Pulse Survey, the FMWI estimates workload expectations on a scale from −100 to +100. Scores above zero indicate expected increases; the farther from zero, the stronger the lean. The inaugural FMWI reading is +43, which means more facility professionals expect their overall workload to rise.

The survey asked facility professionals worldwide whether they expected their overall workload to increase, decrease or stay about the same. Respondents included facility practitioners across 80 countries, managing 3.2 billion square feet (300 million square meters) and representing a wide range of industry sectors. Consequently, the FMWI provides a consistent barometer across sectors, regions and future survey waves, providing FM leaders with a simple way to compare conditions and track change over time.

“FM leaders face steady workload growth supported by modest budgets and constrained staffing,” said Nickalos Rocha, IFMA’s director of benchmarking. “Organizations that align planning, sourcing and risk management early will be best positioned to sustain momentum, meet demand and deliver consistent results.”

The Facility Management Pulse Report is based on more than 1,400 survey responses, including nearly 1,200 facility practitioners, 200 vendors or service partners, and a small group of professionals in other roles. Results presented in this report focus primarily on FM respondents, representing countries across North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia‑Pacific, as well as sectors such as professional, scientific and technical services; public administration; finance and insurance; health care; education; manufacturing and utilities.

“Thanks to the participation of our respondents, we’re able to provide facility professionals the strategic foresight to skillfully navigate and capitalize on evolving risks and demands,” said Michael V. Geary, CAE, IFMA’s president and CEO. “The findings, and specifically the FMWI, are of immense value in understanding industry drivers, challenges and expectations across regions and sectors. It helps ensure that FMs and their organizations are not caught off guard by factors influencing market dynamics but are better prepared to respond to supply and staffing issues, scope changes, economic conditions, regulatory impacts, and other risks and opportunities.”

IFMA’s industry-leading research and benchmarking provides insights, analysis and deep dives from the best in the FM industry to help professionals stay one step ahead of tomorrow's challenges.

To access the Facility Management Pulse Report, click here.

About IFMA
Founded in 1980, the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) is the world’s largest, most widely recognized association for facility management (FM) professionals. Supporting more than 25,000 members in over 140 countries, IFMA is a key contributor to the development of international FM standards and works with decision-makers to inform FM-related policy. IFMA provides career resources and continuing education, offers three industry-respected credentials, maintains the largest repository of FM-related content on the web and hosts year-round global events. With a vision to lead the future of the built environment to make the world a better place, IFMA believes in the benefit of global diversity, inclusion and social equity, and recognizes that sustainability, resilience and responsible environmental stewardship are paramount. For more information, visit ifma.org and our LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, X and Flickr pages. Follow IFMA’s Connected FM podcast and blog for expert insights on trending industry topic

About the Simplar Foundation
The Simplar Foundation is a collaborative team of faculty and researchers who specialize in facility organizational assessment, performance measurement and analytics, process improvement and advanced procurement delivery systems.