Empathy in Asset Management and FM: The Underrated Superpower

Let’s be honest—Facilities Management (FM) and Asset Management can sometimes feel like a never-ending game of “Who Actually Knows What They’re Doing?” You’ve got engineers who swear by the ‘old ways,’ project managers who throw around buzzwords like ‘digital twin’ but wouldn’t recognise one if it danced in front of them, and then there’s that one guy who always says, “Back in my day…” before proceeding to explain something last relevant in 1987.

At the heart of all this? A fundamental, often overlooked skill—empathy.

Why Empathy Matters in FM and Asset Management

Asset management isn’t just about spreadsheets, depreciation models, and maintaining a building’s soul by replacing the occasional leaky pipe. It’s about understanding people—how they interact with assets, how they respond to change, and, most importantly, how to manage a workforce that spans generations, skill levels, and technological enthusiasm (or lack thereof).

Declining Knowledge in Some Areas – The Reality Check

?? Building Engineering Expertise Is Declining

• A 2022 study by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills found a 43% decline in apprenticeships in traditional building engineering trades over the past decade.
• The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has reported that over 60% of building surveyors are expected to retire in the next 15 years, creating a serious skills gap.
• The British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) found that only 22% of FM professionals feel confident in managing ‘smart’ buildings despite them being increasingly common.

Meanwhile, the sacred ‘institutional knowledge’—the stuff stored in the heads of engineers who have been around since asbestos was a great idea—well, that’s slowly disappearing. When Brian, the engineer who can hear a faulty bearing in an AHU from across the building, retires, who’s replacing that level of expertise? (Spoiler: No one… yet.)

The Knowledge Boom – Digital and Data-Driven FM

?? Rise of Data-Driven Asset Management

• The use of IoT and sensors in asset tracking has increased by 400% in the last five years.
• A 2023 survey by IFMA found that 74% of FM leaders now rely on predictive maintenance compared to just 32% a decade ago.
• Digital twins and AI-powered maintenance software are now being adopted by over 50% of Fortune 500 companies managing large-scale assets.

The result? A workplace where the newest engineers can recite ISO 55000 but have no idea where to find the actual boiler room.

Not Everyone Knows Everything (Even If They Pretend To)

There’s a dangerous myth in FM—the idea that everyone should know everything, all the time. The reality? Even the best FM teams operate on a patchwork of knowledge, and pretending to know something can cause bigger problems than just admitting ignorance.

How Empathy Helps Bridge the Gap

??? For the Old-School Engineers:

• Empathy helps managers understand why they might resist new tech (hint: it’s not always stubbornness—it’s fear of being replaced).
• Creating mentorship programs where they train younger staff in traditional skills before they retire is a win-win.

?? For the Data-Driven Newcomers:

• Empathy ensures they don’t alienate experienced engineers with jargon and tech-heavy solutions that don’t align with on-the-ground realities.
• Encouraging cross-training helps them appreciate the realities of manual inspections and practical troubleshooting.

?? For FM Leaders:

• Listening to both camps and creating a culture of shared learning rather than ‘us vs. them’ environments keeps teams working together, not apart.
• Realising that an engineer who has worked on a site for 20 years has more valuable institutional knowledge than an AI dashboard (at least for now).

Final Thought: The ‘Empathy Asset Register’

If empathy were an asset, how would we manage it?

• Condition Rating: Often overlooked, but critical.
• Maintenance Plan: Regularly exercised through communication, listening, and patience.
• Depreciation Rate: Very high if left unmaintained, but long-term ROI is invaluable.

So, if you’re in Asset Management or FM and find yourself in a room where people are debating whether BIM will solve all their problems, take a breath and remember: Empathy is your secret weapon.

?? Need help balancing old-school expertise with new-school tech? Get in touch!