The FM Business Confidence Index survey, produced by i-FM in association with Barclays, is designed to test frontline market views across this complex and sometimes confusing sector. Conducted in 2021, this survey extends a research series that launched nearly 10 years ago.
Since 2016, these annual reports have noted the impact of uncertainty on market confidence in recent years. But all that was pushed into the shadows by the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 which brought its own particular uncertainties – as well as some new opportunities.
In the 24 months since our last survey was published we have seen a sizable shift, particularly in the office environment, in how FM will operate in the future and the results and responses below clearly reflect this. In addition, we have seen the trade and cooperation agreement signed between the UK and the EU, rising demand for innovation by service users and the continued growth in importance of the workplace and wellbeing agenda, all of which are also key themes in the sentiments of our respondents.
As with many sectors, the next 12 months promise to continue to provide significant opportunities and challenges for the FM sector, and it is our expectation its resilience and adaptability will continue to be essential to support UK PLC.
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