What’s Driving Change in Facility Management
The pressure to move away from manual systems has been mounting for years, but it’s become harder to ignore. Industries like manufacturing, government, and industrial enterprises are facing tighter compliance standards, growing safety demands, and greater operational complexity.
What was once considered a modernization project has become a core requirement for maintaining day-to-day operations. And yet, an OH&S report showed that over 70% of facilities still rely on tools like paper logs and spreadsheets, leaving critical processes vulnerable to human error. The same report found that nearly 30% of manufacturers plan to adopt advanced visitor management systems within the next two years, signaling a shift that goes beyond convenience. Facilities are recognizing that manual systems can’t keep pace with the demands of today’s regulatory and risk environment.
Forty-five percent reported difficulties maintaining accurate visitor records, and nearly 75% lacked systems to track evacuees during emergencies. These gaps in compliance and emergency readiness continue to drive the need for integrated digital solutions.
We sat down with Paul Khakhan, CTO of FacilityOS, to learn and explore the trends shaping the future of facility management. These shifts reflect a growing need for systems that improve visibility, accountability, and coordination across every part of a facility.
The conversation is moving well beyond digitization alone as organizations re-evaluate how they manage people, processes, and safety.
1. Cloud-Based Platforms & Automation Expands Beyond Big Enterprises
Cloud-driven automation has existed for the last twenty years, influencing various industries, enabling innovations, and streamlining repetitive tasks so organizations can focus more on growing their businesses.
Right now, we are seeing the redefinition of the boundaries of cloud computing and automation, transforming the future of all business operations.
“Automation can help alleviate talent challenges, make business processes more scalable, and free up spending to invest in growth.”
Paul Khakhan, CTO, FacilityOS
Until recently, automation was viewed solely as a solution for enterprises, while mid-market and smaller organizations mostly stuck to manual methods or on-premise software. However, advancements in cloud platforms and automation technologies have significantly lowered barriers, making digital adoption more accessible for businesses of all sizes. These advancements include:
Cost-Effective Solutions with Cloud-Based Platforms: Cloud-based software is more cost-friendly compared to on-premise infrastructure, allowing businesses of any size to scale their automation efforts based on demands.
Subscription Pricing Models for Greater Accessibility: Subscription-based pricing models offered by cloud platforms allow smaller businesses to access advanced tools without significant upfront investments that traditional software deployments would typically require.
No-Code and Low-Code Platforms for Simplicity: Innovations within cloud-based technology have opened doors to no-code and/or low-code platforms, enabling non-technical staff to configure and deploy automation tools and integrations.
Tailored Automation for Compliance and Efficiency: Automation within cloud-based platforms now offers more tailored and personalized solutions that can easily be configured in-house without using code to enable quicker adoption.
Automation is rapidly becoming the industry norm, and mid-market and smaller organizations risk falling behind without adopting these tools. It is becoming clearer that it will no longer be a luxury; automation will become an industry standard as it is a necessity to maintain a competitive advantage and remain compliant with regulation changes.
2. Emergency Preparedness: Addressing New Threats
Emergency management is set to undergo a pivotal transformation. With rising global threats and increased regulatory pressures, organizations can no longer rely on outdated manual processes to ensure safety and compliance. The shift to digital tools is no longer optional; it’s essential for building resilient and secure environments.
Just as visitor management technologies evolved from paper to digital systems nearly a decade ago, emergency management is now at a similar inflection point.
Seven years ago, the value of replacing manual visitor management processes with digital solutions became undeniable. The same logic now applies to emergency response.
The frequency of extreme weather events and other global crises continues to rise, demanding that organizations reassess their preparedness strategies. Yet, too many facilities remain reliant on outdated manual systems that hinder their ability to respond effectively when it matters most. The key challenges are clear:
Communication delays during emergencies: Without real-time updates and communications during emergencies, individuals might not receive alerts or instructions when needed leaving them vulnerable and uninformed.
Lack of real-time visibility into evacuee status: Contractors, visitors, and employees could still be inside the facility during an evacuation, and with no quick way to verify their location or status it leaves uncertainty and exposes safety risks.
Time-consuming, error-prone post-incident reporting: Tracking who is on-site using handwritten records delays evacuations and hinders efforts to locate missing employees and guests, with potentially life-threatening consequences. A lack of real-time updates can leave facility managers in the dark about evacuee status or those needing assistance.
Inadequate training and review processes: When teams are unprepared, even the best emergency plans can fall apart. Digital tools help support and audit training so that when a real emergency hits, everyone knows what to do and where to go. Regular reviews of these training scenarios also help improve evacuation procedures and identify bottlenecks before they become risks.
One of the biggest barriers to progress is a lack of awareness. Many organizations don’t realize how much more effective and efficient emergency preparedness can be with the right tools.
Organizations often aren’t aware of the potential modern tools have for emergency preparedness until they see the benefits firsthand. That’s why education is critical, not just to highlight the limitations of manual systems but to showcase the tangible improvements digital solutions offer.
The Role of Regulations in Driving Change
As the need for safety grows, so do the regulations designed to enforce it. Government mandates are increasing, and organizations must adapt to remain compliant—or risk falling behind.
The good news is that tools like FacilityOS’s EmergencyOS can help organizations meet and exceed these requirements. EmergencyOS is a powerful emergency and evacuation management solution designed to digitize all emergency and evacuation management stages. From notifications and evacuations, to returning on-site, post-event reporting and analytics, it goes beyond point solutions to help organizations be proactive about the safety and security of everyone in a facility.
Additionally, using automation for post-incident reporting to streamline compliance can simplify insurance claims and provide audit-ready reporting during inspections.
Organizations that embrace digital transformation in emergency preparedness will be better positioned to tackle emerging risks while creating safer environments for everyone. The tools are here, the need is urgent, and the time to act is now.
3. Aligning Global Regulations with Local Practices
With digital transformation accelerating, companies must ensure they not only comply with an expanding set of global data privacy and cybersecurity laws but also adapt to local requirements. The convergence of these needs will require a seamless, integrated approach to facility management and security.
Compliance with data privacy laws like the GDPR are no longer limited to Europe, it’s becoming a global priority. North America, for instance, has increasingly adopted GDPR-like standards, pushing organizations to rethink how they manage and protect sensitive data.
“Organizations must ask themselves if their tools support the privacy requirements of today’s world, this is non-negotiable.”
Paul Khakhan, CTO, FacilityOS
Data privacy is not just a regulatory box to check; it’s a fundamental expectation from customers, employees, and partners alike.
For multinational enterprises, balancing compliance across regions is a growing challenge. While global regulations like GDPR and CCPA set overarching standards, local laws often come with nuanced requirements that cannot be ignored.
Enterprises need consistency across sites, especially in how they store and protect sensitive data. This consistency is critical to ensuring compliance across borders while maintaining operational efficiency.
Cybersecurity: Integral to Compliance and Protection
As facilities digitize, the risk of cyber threats grows exponentially. Cybersecurity is no longer a standalone function; it’s woven into every aspect of modern facility management. It is important to consider solutions that offer security-first architecture, ensuring that sensitive data is encrypted, operational integrity is protected, and compliance with regulations is upheld.
By aligning global regulations with local practices and embedding cybersecurity into every facet of facility management, businesses will be better positioned to navigate the evolving regulatory landscape and safeguard their future.
4. Consolidation and Integration: The Way Forward
The need for integration and consolidation in facility management systems will become a key focus for enterprises. Businesses are increasingly looking to streamline operations, reduce complexity, and unlock more value from their technology investments. Unified platforms that connect visitor management, emergency protocols, and compliance systems will play a critical role in driving efficiency and effectiveness.
Increasingly, we’re seeing a shift where modern enterprises are moving away from fragmented, siloed systems and seeking unified platforms that can consolidate multiple functions under one umbrella.
The goal is to connect various operational areas—such as visitor management, emergency response, compliance tracking, and asset and logistics management—into a cohesive system that enhances collaboration and decision-making.
“Modern enterprises need tools that talk to each other. Seamless integration drives the most value from existing investments.”
Paul Khakhan, CTO, FacilityOS
With technology becoming more complex, the ability to integrate various systems ensures smoother operations and a more agile response to business needs.
Vendor Relationships Matter
As organizations look to simplify operations, there is a clear trend towards consolidating vendor relationships. Enterprises are moving away from managing multiple vendors and instead seeking trusted partners who can provide comprehensive solutions.
Smaller players may struggle to compete in this market as enterprises look for partners who offer a broad range of integrated services. The ability to work with fewer, but more capable, vendors to streamline procurement, reduces overhead, and allows businesses to focus on strategic goals rather than managing disparate systems.
AI and Data-Driven Decision Making
The role of AI and data analytics in facility management is set to expand rapidly. In 2025, organizations will increasingly rely on data-driven insights to make more informed decisions. Real-time data collection and analytics will help facility managers optimize resource allocation, enhance transparency for stakeholders, and benchmark across multiple locations to identify best practices.
The next major disruptor is AI, but it needs time to deliver real value beyond gimmicks. By 2026, we’ll see AI-driven platforms truly move the needle, Paul predicts. By integrating AI tools to interpret complex datasets, organizations will be better positioned to extract actionable insights and drive continuous improvement across their facilities.
Businesses will seek platforms that provide end-to-end solutions, enabling them to manage multiple aspects of their operations from one central system. This shift will be driven by the need for data-driven decision-making and the growing importance of AI in extracting value from integrated systems.
By embracing this integrated approach, enterprises will not only streamline their operations but also position themselves for long-term success in an increasingly data-driven world.
5. Transparency, Benchmarking, and Reporting
The demand for transparency, benchmarking, and robust reporting in facility management will continue to grow. With stakeholders prioritizing accountability and trust, organizations are under pressure to deliver more insightful and actionable data across their operations.
Transparency has become a cornerstone of trust for organizations. Stakeholders, whether internal leadership, customers, or regulators, are demanding clearer insights into safety and compliance performance. However, many organizations are still struggling to implement effective frameworks that meet these expectations.
Transparency fosters trust, but many organizations lack the frameworks to implement effective compliance processes. Organizations that invest in systems capable of producing reliable, real-time reporting will not only strengthen stakeholder confidence but also gain a competitive edge.
Benchmarking Across Facilities
The digitization of facility management systems is unlocking new opportunities for benchmarking across sites. With data-driven insights, enterprises can identify strengths and weaknesses within their operations, ensuring consistency in safety and compliance across multiple locations.
Without digitized tools, it’s hard to know if one site is excelling while another lags—even within the same organization. Centralized dashboards and analytics platforms will enable leaders to make informed decisions, driving improvements across the board.
Sharing Best Practices Across Industries
Cross-industry collaboration will play a critical role in shaping safety and compliance standards. Conferences, industry roundtables, and partnerships will create opportunities for organizations to learn from one another and refine their own practices.
There’s immense value in sharing knowledge. Organizations often don’t know how they compare to peers or even between their own locations. By participating in these conversations, enterprises can benchmark their performance against industry standards and adopt proven strategies for success.
OH&S Magazine’s report found that 41% of facilities identified improved reporting and analytics capabilities as a critical need in their emergency management systems. Benchmarking and cross-facility visibility emerged as priorities, as organizations sought to ensure consistency in safety and compliance.
Looking ahead to the coming years, these trends will intensify. The ability to deliver transparent, actionable data and share insights across industries will define leaders in the facility management space. Organizations that embrace this shift will not only meet rising stakeholder expectations but also position themselves for long-term success in an increasingly data-driven world.
Embracing Change for a Smarter Future
Facility management stands at a turning point, driven by rapid advancements in technology and increasing demands for integration, efficiency, and transparency. To navigate these changes, organizations must adopt smarter, digitized tools that not only meet current operational needs but also adapt to future challenges.
“By digitizing and adopting smarter tools today, enterprises can stay ahead of trends and create safer, more efficient environments.”
Paul Khakhan, CTO, FacilityOS
Leaders who embrace innovation and interconnected systems will unlock efficiencies, foster trust with stakeholders, and create environments that thrive under regulatory scrutiny.
The time to act is now. Transformative technologies will redefine the industry, but organizations that prepare today will lead the way in the years ahead.
“The future belongs to those who see opportunity in change and act decisively.”
Paul Khakhan, CTO, FacilityOS
