Editor’s note: This FM Perspectives op-ed was written in honor of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day (observed March 8).

22: The percentage of women in the global FM labor force.

45: The average age of women in FM.

These two pieces of data are from IFMA’s “Women in Facility Management: A Global Salary and Compensation Supplementary Report,” published in 2023. Despite the report being a couple of years old, those two statistics tell a fascinating story about women’s place in facilities management.

First the 22%. As it turns out, women in FM have been holding steady at about 22% of the FM workforce for decades. A similar IFMA salary benchmarking study published in 2011 noted women were at 23% of the labor force. This flat percentage of women in FM is surprising to me. And even a little frustrating. My real-world experiences do not reflect this data. The makeup of the FM classes I teach at Temple University has averaged 45%-50% women for years. And I have been attending FM conferences for three decades, and it seems to me that there are more women in attendance than ever before.

My current hypothesis as to why it feels like there are more women is perhaps that more women actively seek out the knowledge, education, and networking benefits of attending FM conferences. They understand the value of showing up, collaborating, and getting engaged.

There is further data from IFMA’s global report that supports the idea that women like to learn—18% have earned their CFM, 21% their FMP, 19% have achieved their LEED AP/GA, and another 24% have their Lean Six Sigma. In addition, 46% of women in the study had their bachelor’s degrees and another 24% their master’s.

The good news is, this data suggests that while the number of women who are in the industry may still be small, we show up well educated, networked, and prepared to be successful in our work and careers.

The question that continues to vex me is the “why?” Why are women still only at 22%? Is the demand of a career in FM incompatible with the responsibilities and preferences outside of work? Are women in FM leaving the workforce or just leaving FM? Do women even know about the depth and viability of a career in FM? Do women feel they do not have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to be successful in FM, believing it is a man’s profession? There are more questions and curiosities than there are answers.

It also occurs to me that focusing on the 22% may not really be what is important. Maybe, instead, we should focus on quality over quantity.

Which leads me to the second data point. The average age of women in the FM labor force is 45 years old, and fewer women in FM are closer to retirement than their male counterparts. At age 45, these women have figured out how to build their careers in FM while managing family and home. And with more men closer to retirement, that means that over the next 5-15 years we might see a real shift in women stepping into FM leadership positions. There may be fewer women in FM, but the current cohort of women in mid-level positions today are poised for incredible senior leadership opportunities tomorrow. And that is truly exciting.

Our industry needs to continue to develop executive leadership and learning pathways specifically for women so that they can adeptly take the helm of their FM organizations in the coming years. And women need to proactively find the mentors and the resources to confidently support them in their journey to achieve positions at the most senior levels in their organizations.

In addition, I also believe there may be some operational channels of education that women may need to learn as they climb the FM ladder. Women often find their way into FM from more administrative, financial, and design-oriented careers. Their male counterparts often come from the technical engineering and trade roles. Based on my 23 years of teaching in the FM industry, women sometimes have gaps in knowledge in the operational systems of buildings while some men struggle with the softer leadership and management skills. Educational offerings that continue to strengthen these competencies will serve our entire industry well. At the same time, we can and should continue to embrace and nourish the diverse sets of skills and perspectives both men and women bring to the FM workforce every day.

Ladies, if you want to grow your career, invest in yourself and make the time to learn and connect in the industry. Associations like Women in Facility Management (WIFM) provide tremendous opportunities for mentorship, and networking and professional associations like IFMA, BOMA, ConnexFM, APPA, and CoreNet Global, to name just a few, all provide robust opportunities for learning, earning credentials, and establishing ourselves as competent, capable, and kick-ass.

Our industry also needs to step up and do a better job recruiting and retaining talent. FM organizations need to develop succession planning programs to intentionally encourage and promote the next generation of FM leaders—both women and men.

That said, women are perfectly suited for careers in FM. We are adaptable and able to pivot quickly; we are great collaborators, compromisers, and leaders; and we are intuitive, curious, empathetic, well organized, and able to juggle lots of balls in the air. All critical characteristics for a fabulous and successful career in FM.

I would love to see more women in FM. My hope is that as more women reach higher levels of senior leadership, they will become role models for the next generation, opening more doors, breaking more glass, and demonstrating what is possible and achievable.

With a 33-year career in facilities management, I am pretty north of the average 45-year-old woman in FM, but I am unbelievably proud to be in the 22%. I know that my place IS in FM.

Alana F. Dunoff, MS, ProFM, FMP, IFMA Fellow, is a strategic facility planning consultant, trainer, and speaker with AFD Professional Services LLC; an adjunct professor at Temple University in its Facility Management Program; and a qualified instructor for the IFMA FMP certification. She is a director with Women in Facility Management (WIFM) who’s passionate about FM education and the industry. Connect with her on LinkedIn here.

The post Women’s Place IS in Facilities Management appeared first on Facilities Management Advisor.