FM has spent years buying technology – now it needs to make it work

Linaker is a Business Reporter client

The UK facilities management sector is changing quickly. Regulatory complexity is increasing, sustainability expectations are rising, skilled engineers remain difficult to recruit and technology is developing at pace.

At the same time, clients still expect the fundamentals to be delivered exceptionally well: safe and compliant buildings, reliable service, clear information, cost control and a partner they can trust.

For Linaker, the answer is not to treat each of those challenges separately. It is to build an operating model where people, data and technology work together more effectively. That approach has underpinned Linaker’s continued growth and is now shaping the next phase of the business, as the company invests in connected systems, automation and digital transformation alongside its manpower and technical capabilities.

The objective is straightforward: make it easier to see what is happening, reduce unnecessary administration and give both teams and customers better information on where to act.

Making skilled people more productive

One of the biggest challenges facing FM remains the shortage of skilled people. Demand for experienced engineers continues to outstrip supply, while an ageing workforce means valuable knowledge is gradually leaving the sector. Recruitment therefore remains important, but the industry cannot simply hire its way out of the problem.

Businesses also need to make better use of the capabilities they already have. At Linaker, that means investing in development while also removing low-value work wherever technology can do it better. Around 35 per cent of roles at Linaker are filled internally, supporting career progression while retaining operational knowledge within the business. Developing people from within also creates a stronger pipeline of future leaders who understand the realities of service delivery. But development is only part of the answer.

An experienced engineer should not lose productive time searching for information that should already be available. Managers should not need to manually combine information from multiple systems simply to understand performance. And skilled people should not have to compensate for fragmented processes with additional administration. Technology should create more capacity for human judgement, technical expertise and customer relationships.

That is the principle behind Linaker’s approach: combine capable people with an operating environment that allows them to perform at their best.

Turning compliance data into better decisions

Compliance is fundamental to facilities management, and the demands placed on customers and service providers continue to increase. Health and safety requirements, statutory maintenance, environmental standards, cyber-security and data obligations all need to be understood and controlled consistently. For Linaker, good compliance goes beyond demonstrating that a task has been completed. The greater opportunity is to give customers clearer visibility of their estate and a better understanding of where risk sits.

When asset information, maintenance history, statutory requirements and operational performance are connected, teams can start to identify patterns and priorities more effectively. That creates the potential to move from simply recording compliance activity towards making more informed decisions about intervention, risk and investment. It is an important distinction: a dashboard is only useful if the information behind it can be trusted. Technology therefore must sit alongside strong governance, technical expertise and clear accountability.

The objective is not more data. It is better decisions.

Connecting technology rather than simply adding more of it

The FM sector has invested significantly in digital technology. CAFM systems, scheduling tools, finance platforms, HR technology, compliance systems, sensors and analytics can all add considerable value. But the challenge comes when each system operates independently. The result can be people manually transferring information between platforms, reconciling different data sets or creating workarounds to bridge gaps between systems.

Linaker is taking a different approach. Its digital transformation programme, Paperboy, is designed to connect specialist systems and data across the business, including operational activity, scheduling, finance and compliance. Rather than attempting to replace every specialist platform with one enormous system, the focus is on making the right systems communicate properly and creating a more connected flow of information.

For customers, the benefit should be greater transparency and consistency. For operational teams, it means reducing duplication and administrative effort. And for the business, it creates a stronger foundation for automation, analytics and artificial intelligence. AI is already beginning to change how administrative processes can be managed, how information is retrieved and how patterns are identified.

Linaker sees significant opportunity in that technology, but not because it removes the need for people. The real value is in allowing technology to undertake repetitive work while experienced people concentrate on the areas where human capability matters most: judgement, problem-solving, leadership and customer relationships.

Making sustainability practical

Sustainability is now a core consideration for FM customers and providers. Clients increasingly expect their supply chain partners to contribute to environmental objectives and demonstrate meaningful social value. For Linaker, some of the most valuable sustainability improvements come from operational efficiency.

Smarter scheduling can reduce unnecessary travel. Better information can support improved first-time fix performance and reduce repeat visits. More informed maintenance and lifecycle decisions can help customers extend asset life and make better choices about repair and replacement.

Technology therefore has an environmental impact as well as an operational one. The same principle extends into the supply chain. Responsible procurement, waste reduction, fleet strategy and supplier standards all contribute to the overall impact of a maintenance service. And sustainability is not limited to carbon. Developing people, creating meaningful careers and supporting progression are also important parts of building a resilient and responsible business.

For Linaker, environmental and social value sit within the operating model rather than alongside it.

Starting partnerships properly

Winning a contract is only the beginning. The quality of mobilisation often determines the quality of the relationship that follows. Complex, multi-site estates require much more than a standard handover process. Linaker’s mobilisation approach focuses on understanding the client’s estate, validating information, identifying operational risk, establishing governance and agreeing how performance will be measured from the outset.

Technology plays an important role by improving visibility and helping information move between teams and systems. But mobilisation is also highly dependent on communication. Customers need clear points of contact, transparent decision-making and confidence that issues identified during transition are being actively managed. The aim should not simply be to reach day one. It should be to create an operating model capable of succeeding on day 100 and beyond. That means building the right data, relationships and controls from the beginning.

Building a more connected model of FM

The future of facilities management will not be shaped by one piece of software, one sustainability initiative or one workforce programme. The real opportunity comes from connecting them. People development strengthens capability. Better data improves compliance and decision-making. Technology increases productivity. Operational efficiency supports sustainability. Strong mobilisation creates better long-term partnerships.

Linaker is bringing those elements together as it builds the next stage of its business. The FM industry has spent years buying technology. The challenge now is making that technology genuinely work for the people using it and the customers relying on it. The businesses that lead the next phase of the sector will not necessarily be those with the greatest number of platforms or the loudest claims about AI. They will be those that can connect people, systems and information well enough to deliver safer buildings, stronger performance and better customer outcomes. That is the model Linaker is building.

Ready to rethink what facilities management can achieve? Discover how Linaker combines technical expertise, connected technology and a people-led approach to support complex estates across the UK and Ireland.

Visit Linaker.com to explore our services, approach and customer success stories.