Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
Despite anxiety over the current war in Iran and economic uncertainty at home, U.S. office demand posted sizable quarterly and annual gains in the first quarter, according to the latest VTS Office Demand Index (VODI) report. The increased growth in Q1 was primarily driven by finance, legal, and technology tenants—with quarterly and annual demand for office […]
Facilities teams have invested heavily in booking platforms, occupancy sensors, and space-planning tools. Yet many organizations still face a common problem: empty desks reserved but never used, crowded collaboration areas midweek, and employees who bypass the system altogether. According to JLL’s Global State of Facilities Management Report, 38% of facilities leaders rank space utilization and […]
Four out of five commercial real estate (CRE), workplace, building management, and facilities professionals lack the data they need to make confident space-planning decisions, according to a new report. The survey, conducted by Wakefield Research, interviewed 400 decision-makers in the U.S. for Butlr’s “Beyond Occupancy: The State of Office Space 2026” report. The results show […]
For many years, shared commercial spaces such as offices, lounges, and lobbies followed stark and simplistic design templates. Elements such as white walls, rigid layouts, and lackluster furniture were standard. As consumers and workers continue to gravitate toward spaces they find aesthetically pleasing, thoughtful and personalized interior design has become essential. It is now a […]
Five years into the remote work era, the push to bring employees back to the office continues. But the modern workplace can’t simply revert to its pre-pandemic state. With 14% of U.S. office space still vacant, return-to-office mandates remain a tough sell. In fact, 46% of employees have said they would consider leaving their job […]
The U.S. office vacancy rate reached another all-time high in the second quarter of 2025 at 20.7%, as Moody’s recently reported. That’s the highest vacancy rate in three decades, ABC News reported, with more than 900 million square feet of empty office space—enough to fill New York City’s One World Trade Center 300 times. U.S. […]
‘Tis the season for “best-of” lists! As 2025 comes to a close, we at Facilities Management Advisor take a look back at some of our most-read (and -watched) content of the year. The top 10 list covers key industry trends ranging from office space and security to tech and workforce issues. 1. Preparing for Gen […]
As hybrid work becomes more permanent, employee perception of the office is shifting, with 72% of the global workforce now viewing return-to-office (RTO) policies positively. However, according to new research from JLL, this comes with a growing expectation for improved workplace experience, flexibility, and employee well-being. JLL’s 2025 Workforce Preference Barometer gathers insights from 8,700 office […]
As the workplace continues to evolve, the hybrid work model has proven it’s here to stay. In 2025, more companies are embracing flexible schedules, rotating in-office days and remote work options. While this model may provide benefits for both employers and employees, it presents new cleaning challenges for facilities management professionals. The Shift Towards Flexibility […]
Office properties in vibrant mixed-use districts are dramatically outperforming the rest of the U.S. office market, thanks to post-pandemic demographic shifts and growing preferences for “live-work-play” environments, according to JLL’s Lifestyle Office Markets research report. The report identifies “lifestyle office markets” as mixed-use regions that combine urban amenities with suburban accessibility, featuring moderate density, convenient […]