Facilities management is often defined by systems, compliance, and processes — but behind every successful operation is the team that brings it all together. In this article for Facilities Management Journal, Matt Garner explores why the industry’s true performance driver isn’t infrastructure or metrics, but the people who manage them. He highlights the overlooked gap in FM leadership, the power of a coaching mindset, and the transformative impact of engaged, purpose‑driven teams.

In facilities management, we are rightly focused on systems. Compliance frameworks, asset registers, performance dashboards, KPIs and audit trails dominate our conversations - and for good reason. Buildings must be safe, resilient and efficient. However, in focusing so heavily on infrastructure and metrics, it can become easy to overlook the single biggest determinant of FM success: the people managing it all.

We visit both public and private sector organisations across the UK on a monthly basis. In every case, the spotlight naturally falls on frontline delivery – whether that’s teachers, clinicians,care staff or manufacturing teams. Yet the facilities management teams supporting those environments often operate quietly in the background - rarely invested in or strategically developed.

That’s a missed opportunity. Because FM is not just a technical discipline - it’s a people-driven one.

The hidden gap in FM leadership

As both a FM professional and a businesscoach, I’ve seen first-hand that when FM teams underperform, it’s rarely because systems or processes are broken. More often, the issue is dis engagement, misalignment, or a lack of confidence and clarity. Processes maybe sound, but if the people responsible for delivering them feel disconnected from the wider mission, performance will plateau.

Senior leadership teams routinely receive coaching, facilitated personal development sessions and time to reflect on how they work together. FM service delivery teams, by contrast, are often overlooked for similar investment.

This creates a gap. Facilities managers are highly skilled professionals, often juggling complex compliance demands, budget pressures and stakeholder expectations. FM leaders can be technically excellent but stretched thin, firefighting daily issues while struggling to bring their teams with them. Many are promoted into leadership roles with limited support around people management - how to motivate teams, manage conflict, build trustor lead through change. They’re not short on competence; they’re short on space to develop as leaders.

When systems aren’t the problem

One of the most common misconceptions we encounter is that underperformance must mean something is wrong with the system. The instinctive response is to restructure, reprocure or introduce another layer of process.

But when we pause and really listen, the challenges often come back to people. Teams unclear on priorities. Individuals who don’t feel heard. A lack of shared understanding about how FM contributes to the organisation’s success.

Facilities management is inherently collaborative - spanning health and safety, sustainability, finance, HR and operations. If FM teams aren’t aligned internally, or confident in their role externally, that collaboration breaks down.

At its simplest, whether the service is contracted out or in-house, FM is about people providing a service to other people.

Adopting a coaching mindset

This is where FM leaders can learn from coaching principles. A coaching mindset shifts the focus from control to clarity, from instruction to empowerment.

Rather than asking, ‘Why isn’t this being done?”’ we ask, “What’s getting in the way?”
Rather than assuming resistance, we explore understanding.
Rather than driving compliance alone, we build commitment.

When FM leaders invest time in uncovering the‘why’ with their teams, through regular check-ins, shared goal-setting and honest dialogue, people start to see how their work connects to the bigger picture and why it’s important. Confidence grows. Accountability becomes collective rather than imposed.

Engagement as a performance driver

People need a sense of purpose to perform at their best. FM teams are no different. A team that feels connected to the outcomes of the organisation it supports, and recognised for those contributions is far more likely to be engaged. For example, a cleaner in a healthcare environment who identifies themselves as 'just a cleaner’ is likely to feel less engaged that a cleaner who understands they provide a critical function in providing a clean environment. A function that reduces the chance of the patient acquiring further infection and therefore helps them recover and be discharged quickly.

Why is engagement important? Other than creating a great place to work where people take accountability for their own -and their team’s performance – it improves retention. The resourcing challenges in FM are well documented. What we’ve found is that it’s often not recruitment that is the issue; it’s retention. This is where we have observed opportunities for efficiency - a stable team is far more effective than one where there is constant churn.

The impact can also be seen within the facilities too.  Instead of just maintaining buildings, engaged FM teams enhance environments. They communicate proactively and collaborate more effectively with service users. They understand that compliance isn’t a tick-box exercise - it’s about protecting people and enabling performance.

A call for a shift in perspective

It’s time for a mindset shift. Facilities management should no longer be seen as a background function focused solely on assets and assurance. It is a strategic, people-led discipline that underpins organisational success. Those that perform at their best recognise that leadership, communication and culture are just as critical as compliance schedules and condition surveys.

To connect with Matt, or for more information, please contact us.‍

The Litmus FM Team