2026 Global Facility Management Trends, Challenges and Opportunities

Wayne Whitzell, Christa Dodoo, and Maria Gonzalez-Burgos explore key global facility management trends, challenges and opportunities influencing regions such as Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and Europe in 2026.

What will facility management look like in 2026, and how does that future differ across regions?'

In this episode of the Connected FM podcast, host Wayne Whitzell, Second Vice Chair of IFMA’s Global Board of Directors, is joined by IFMA Global Board of Directors Chair Christa Dodoo and facility management leader Maria Gonzalez-Burgos for a global conversation on the trends, challenges and opportunities shaping the profession worldwide. The conversation examines how technology adoption, workforce skills, and leadership expectations are evolving differently across regions, while reinforcing the universal importance of soft skills, data, and strategic thinking as FM professionals prepare for 2026 and beyond.

Human-centered leadership is a decisive factor not only in Facility Management, but across every professional domain. In this panel, we’ll explore how to build high-performing teams, successfully integrate emerging technologies, and foster intergenerational growth through mentorship and continuous learning. Drawing from real-world experiences, our panelists will share strategies and insights that apply both to industry advancement and personal career development—promoting innovation, belonging, and evolution within organizations.

This session equips FM professionals with actionable strategies for team building, crisis response, and adaptive leadership. Through six key focus areas—including personal growth, operational uncertainty, strategic team development, ethical leadership, and the Make It methodology—participants will gain tools to lead resilient, people-centered facilities that thrive in complexity and change.