The facility management market is expected to reach a value of USD 2.873 billion by 2028.
Of course, this may make the future of facility management seem promising and bright, but the reality is that corporate facility management teams are in a constant state of change, along with the roles of the workplaces they manage. And this doesn’t appear to be changing anytime soon.
So, what lies ahead for corporate facility management teams in the coming year?
Here are four trends that can help them manage uncertainty, make better decisions, and drive ROI from physical spaces.
1. More Modular Spaces Mean More Maintenance Challenges
Fixed spaces are becoming outdated (somewhat), and flexible spaces are on the rise.
In 2025, 43% of businesses plan to invest in flexible and modular office spaces.
Think movable walls, modular furniture, adaptive zones, and plenty of office pods. Companies offering modular office solutions have seen revenue increases of up to 300% over the past four years.
While this is great news for anyone tired of dull cubicle layouts or fighting over meeting rooms, it introduces new challenges for facility management teams.
That’s because more moving parts mean more complex cleaning and maintenance needs—especially as these improved workspaces come with higher usage rates.
A study conducted in early 2024 revealed that 40% of FM workers in the U.S. were involved in space planning and reconfiguration—up 12% from the previous year.
However, more modular space doesn’t necessarily mean more maintenance work. Workplace data can help FM teams create targeted cleaning schedules and allocate resources more efficiently.
2. FM Teams Will Go Full Throttle on Sustainability
Buildings account for 28% of global carbon emissions. That puts facility management teams at the forefront of running and maintaining workplaces as sustainably as possible.
With the urgency to meet Net Zero building standards, regulations like the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and the global Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) are accelerating the process.
FM teams will focus on retrofitting older buildings to meet climate targets.
Globally, 85% of existing buildings need retrofitting to meet these goals—and FM teams will be the ones making it happen.
Expect widespread adoption of energy-efficient HVAC systems, solar panels, and LED lighting upgrades.
But 2025 will be different, because FM teams can no longer do this alone.
Sustainability must be integrated with corporate real estate portfolio optimization, workplace strategies, hybrid work policies, and HR processes. That means breaking down the traditional silos between Real Estate, Workplace, HR, and FM teams.
Some FM teams are already beginning to report to HR, signaling that this shift is well underway.
More than half of companies in the U.S. have created cross-functional ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) teams—signaling that 2025 will be a year of multi-stakeholder workplace decisions.
3. Data-Driven Facility Management 2.0
Workspace maintenance needs are becoming increasingly unpredictable—unless you have the data.
In the coming year, FM teams are expected to rely more on occupancy sensors, space utilization data, and digital twin technologies to bring greater clarity to cleaning and maintenance processes.
Real-time insights allow FM teams to make data-driven decisions around energy use, space optimization, and maintenance. Utilization data helps agile FM teams prioritize high-traffic areas—like increasing restroom cleaning frequency or redirecting employees away from crowded areas (like cafeterias).
AI-powered predictive maintenance systems will also drastically reduce downtime and costs by identifying issues before they occur.
However, only 17% of FM professionals believe their current systems can keep up with rapidly evolving workplace demands. That shows just how much technology needs to catch up in the year ahead.
4. Prioritizing Employee Well-being Will Reshape FM Workflows
Data shows that workplaces focused on well-being perform better.
According to a study by Lawrence Berkeley, simply improving ventilation can increase employee productivity by 11%.
As a result, investments in air purification systems, noise control measures, and ergonomic upgrades—such as more standing desks and curved monitors—are expected to rise.
But just like with modular spaces, maintaining these systems requires changes in workflows. Tasks like filter replacements, integration with smart building systems, and ensuring optimal performance will come into play. Noise control systems require regular evaluation and calibration to remain effective. Adjustable furniture and ergonomic workstations will need routine checks to monitor wear and ensure employee comfort.
And once again, data takes the lead—especially workplace occupancy data. By placing data at the heart of FM workflows, teams can operate more nimbly and focus on the well-being areas and systems that need attention the most.
