The Staffing Cliff | Facilities Unfiltered | Episode 15

Facilities teams everywhere are approaching “the staffing cliff", and it’s not just about hiring more people. In Episode 15, Josh and Nic unpack why staffing shortages, turnover, and an aging workforce are colliding with the reality that most professionals don’t choose facilities as a career path—they stumble into it. With too few accredited FM degree programs and long hiring cycles for leadership roles, the gap isn’t closing anytime soon, which raises a tougher question: what can leaders do right now? The conversation dives into pragmatic strategies facilities leaders can use to stabilize operations and make the case for support—without sounding like “another squeaky wheel.” From in-house vs. outsourced models (and when service providers become the “easy button”) to the hidden cost of institutional knowledge living only in people’s heads, Josh and Nic explore how process, metrics, and the right tools can help teams onboard faster, retain talent, and tell a clearer story to CFOs and boards. If you’re trying to do more with less—and prove what it really takes to run the built environment—this episode is for you. Chapters (00:00:00) - Facilities Unfiltered: Staffing Issues(00:06:23) - Facility Management: Understaffing(00:09:42) - Are You Ready for a Healthcare Crossover?(00:11:58) - In-House vs Outsourced: The Value of Service Providers(00:13:39) - Service Provider vs In-House Contractor(00:17:29) - Facility Staffing Crisis(00:23:46) - CFO Forum: The Need for Metrics