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New research reveals training paradox undermining FM modernisation efforts

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  • 64% of FM leaders cite inadequate training and change management among the primary causes of technology failure, yet only 9% identified it as a critical factor when reflecting on past success
  • 97% of FM decision-makers anticipate increased technology investment in 2026, with smart sensors, digital platforms and AI-powered software emerging as top priorities
  • The underlying issue appears to be capability, not resistance: almost half (46%) identify skills gaps as a current challenge, while only 15% cite staff opposition to change

Bidvest Noonan has published new research highlighting a significant gap between technology ambition and successful adoption in the FM sector.

Bidvest Noonan surveyed 110 senior FM decision-makers with authority over technology investment, managing estates ranging from 20,000 to over 500,000 square feet across the UK and Ireland. The findings reveal that human factors, not technology itself, are key limitations to success.

While 64% of FM leaders cite inadequate training and change management as a primary cause of technology underperformance, only 9% identified it as a critical factor when reflecting on technologies that had succeeded. Bidvest Noonan describes this gap as the ‘training paradox’.

The training paradox

Phil Darcy, Head of Data & Emerging Technologies at Bidvest Noonan, said: “Our research reveals a troubling contradiction. When technologies underperform, inadequate training is among the top causes cited, yet it ranks lowest among the factors that organisations prioritise for success. Closing that gap should be a priority for any organisation investing in technology.

“The data shows something important here, almost half of FM leaders identify skills and capability gaps as a major barrier, while only one in seven cite staff resistance to change. This tells us that what looks like resistance is actually a capability issue. People lack confidence in their ability to use new technology effectively, which can result in hesitation or pushback.”

What the full report covers

The full report explores investment priorities across estate sizes, the adoption status of autonomous service robots and digital FM platforms, AI productivity expectations, what distinguishes successful implementations from those that fall short, and the challenges FM leaders currently face in turning technology ambition into operational impact.

Click Here To Read The Full Report

Award-Winning Innovation Set to Reduce Food Waste Volumes by up to 80% at UCD.

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Ireland’s largest university, University College Dublin, market-leading facilities management services company Bidvest Noonan, and Ireland’s leading waste-handling solutions company, Ancove, are proud winners of the Public Sector Magazine’s Excellence in Business Awards ‘Best Waste Handling Solution’ award, recognising innovation in on-site waste reduction and environmental performance.

Bidvest Noonan and Ancove support UCD with waste management solutions helping to improve performance and increase efficiency through practical, day-to-day improvements. Most recently, the partnership has delivered a new sustainability initiative focused on food waste: the installation of a cutting-edge, industrial grade bioprocessor designed for a large campus environment.

Positioned close to where food waste is produced, the system is expected to cut food waste volumes by up to 80%, while reducing the storage and transport typically required to manage organic waste at scale.

The bioprocessor is capable of digesting up to 1,000 litres of unavoidable food waste and other organic material each day. Operating within a sealed, controlled system, it breaks waste down aerobically using oxygen and microbes, converting organic material into a soil-enriching output. By processing waste on site, the system reduces the volume of material leaving campus and decreases the number of waste collections required.

For a campus of UCD’s scale, the operational benefits are significant. Fewer collections mean fewer vehicle movements, lower associated emissions, and less disruption to day-to-day campus activity. The system also reduces the manual handling involved in food waste management and supports a more circular approach to resource use, helping to divert organic waste away from traditional disposal routes.

The installation forms part of UCD’s broader programme to strengthen environmental performance through applied innovation. It also demonstrates how facilities management and waste-handling expertise can support large institutions in delivering practical sustainability outcomes, while improving efficiency across daily operations. As the system becomes embedded in campus routines, it is expected to contribute to UCD’s wider environmental goals over time, providing a scalable model for on-site organic waste processing.

The hidden change underway in today’s workplaces

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Peter Smyth, Director of Innovation & Technology at Bidvest Noonan, on how new technologies are changing how buildings operate.

For many years, changes in buildings and facilities arrived in steady steps. A new piece of equipment here, an updated procedure there and gradual improvements across sites.

That picture is beginning to change. A group of technologies is influencing how buildings operate, how teams organise their work and how people use the spaces around them. Four areas in particular are shaping much of this progress: automation, IoT sensors, digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI). What’s different now is the speed and interconnectedness of these changes, driven by rising sustainability demands, cost pressures, and expectations for smarter, safer workplaces.

Automation has moved on from production lines and robotic arms. Today, some of the most interesting developments are appearing in far more familiar places: office buildings, hospitals, universities and transport hubs are beginning to use automation in practical and helpful ways, such as robotic cleaning machines.

As automation becomes more common, IoT sensors build awareness of what is happening inside a building, offering a rich and connected view of building activity.

Sensors can now track occupancy, temperature, air quality, water flow, vibration, light levels and other conditions. This allows buildings to respond based on what is happening.

Once organisations begin to collect richer information from sensors and systems, the next challenge is making sense of it all. Digitalisation helps by bringing all the data together in a way that is easy to work with.

One approach is the digital system twin, which helps people see how different components influence one another. If something begins to drift out of range, the model can reveal the knock-on effects, making it easier to pinpoint the problem and respond appropriately.

AI in this activity generates a growing amount of data, but data on its own does not create value. This is where AI is starting to play a distinct role in built environments, sitting inside other systems.

It is a layer of capability that makes other technologies more effective, for example robotic cleaners adjusting routes based on real-time conditions, or digital twins predicting how a system will respond under different loads or identifying early signs of failure.

Few organisations implement all four of these developments at once. Most begin with a single area, see the benefits and then explore the next step. Each development stands on its own and can bring clear value. At Bidvest Noonan, we’re seeing clients gain the most value when these technologies are introduced alongside strong frontline expertise and practical service design.

Together, they show how buildings and facilities are changing. Automation supports teams with routine work. Sensors help buildings sense and respond. Digitalisation gives people a clearer picture of how everything fits together. AI helps that connected environment learn, adapt and improve over time.

None of this replaces the need for experienced facilities and estates professionals. It gives them better tools and better information to manage buildings that are becoming more capable and more essential to how organisations operate. The most effective estates teams will be those who combine human judgement with data-led insight, turning buildings into partners in performance rather than passive infrastructure.

Peter Smyth, Director of Innovation & Technology

Why most workplace purpose initiatives fail

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Despite organisations’ best efforts, disengagement remains stubbornly high. Julie Mernagh explains what HR leaders must do differently to make work more meaningful

Despite our profession’s best efforts, many HR leaders would concede that a quiet disconnect still lingers in many workplaces. According to McKinsey research, 70 per cent of people seek purpose at work, yet only 15 per cent find it. Meanwhile, Gallup’s data shows 90 per cent of UK employees are disengaged, with many quietly stepping back from their roles. This is despite the fact many organisations have purpose statements prominently displayed on their office wall and town hall meetings are used to regularly reinforce the message.

So why do so many employees struggle to connect these statements to their daily work? The uncomfortable truth is that many organisational purpose initiatives are performative rather than transformative. They’re crafted to sound convincing in recruitment materials or investor presentations but rarely change how people experience work.

This isn’t simply scepticism. It’s a pattern I’ve observed across multiple sectors throughout my career. Leaders genuinely believe in their stated purpose, but they fail to translate it into the daily reality of frontline employees. As a result, purpose becomes another corporate buzzword that breeds cynicism rather than commitment.

Most purpose initiatives fail for three interconnected reasons. First, they’re developed in boardrooms, rather than through open dialogue with employees. Second, they remain abstract. Statements about ‘transforming lives’ sound inspiring but give no practical guidance to someone cleaning a hospital ward at 6am. Third, they lack accountability mechanisms. Leaders may announce the purpose but they quickly return to business as usual.

Creating authentic purpose demands a different approach – one that can feel uncomfortable because it requires ceding control and accepting vulnerability. Purpose cannot be imposed from above. It must be uncovered through honest conversations about what gives work meaning. These conversations often reveal a purpose that is grounded and specific. A facilities management company, for example, may discover that its purpose is less about ‘service excellence’ and more about creating spaces where communities feel safe and cared for.

Abstract statements fail because they do not guide behaviour. Purpose must be translated into concrete actions. Without this, it remains aspirational rather than operational.

The most critical factor is leadership accountability. Leaders must consistently ask themselves whether their decisions reflect the organisation’s purpose. This can require challenging initiatives that make commercial sense but contradict stated values. Without this accountability, employees quickly see purpose as performance rather than principle.

Purpose comes alive through stories of employees demonstrating it in everyday work. These stories must be authentic. Manufactured stories can breed cynicism. Instead, create simple ways for employees to share moments when they see purpose in action. These examples should be routine, illustrating the meaningful impact of everyday work.

Purpose also needs to be reflected in organisational systems. If purpose emphasises people and communities but HR functions remain transactional, the contradiction undermines credibility.

Embedding purpose into daily operations may require some restructuring. The traditional HR model may be replaced with a people and culture set up, centralised control might need to be ceded to distributed decision making and periodic surveys replaced with continuous listening.

Research shows that purpose-driven organisations tend to perform better in engagement, retention, safety, customer loyalty and even profitability. However, pursuing purpose primarily for these outcomes is itself a form of ‘purpose washing’. Employees can tell when purpose is instrumentalised, when it is more about metrics than genuinely valuing their contribution. The paradox is that business benefits follow only from authentic purpose, not from statements or campaigns alone.

Most organisations aren’t ready for genuine purpose. They want engagement, culture and performance benefits without the fundamental changes required to achieve them. Authentic purpose demands vulnerability, challenges power structures and requires sustained commitment without guaranteed returns.

But in a context where disengagement is high and talent scarce, the cost of purpose washing may now exceed the cost of transformation. The question for HR leaders isn’t whether purpose matters, it’s whether organisations are prepared to do what actually works, rather than what looks good in a presentation.

Julie Mernagh is chief people officer at facilities management company Bidvest Noonan

Nick O’Connor: How integrated FM services are driving success at a Dublin Shopping Centre

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The retail environment is evolving rapidly, and shopping centres are increasingly recognising the value of an integrated service model that brings together facilities management (FM) services to enhance operational efficiency and improve the overall experience for customers, retailers, and service teams alike. At Bidvest Noonan, we have long believed that bundling FM services improves efficiency and delivers long-term benefits for a growing number of clients. One exemplary site where this approach has proven successful is Liffey Valley Shopping Centre in Dublin.

Liffey Valley Shopping Centre has enjoyed a long-standing relationship with Bidvest Noonan, beginning with cleaning services and expanding over time to include security and technical services. This comprehensive service model has enabled greater operational efficiency and an improved experience for both customers and retailers. By consolidating these key services under one provider, the centre benefits from a seamless approach to facility management, where cleaning, security, and technical operations are closely integrated.

The integration of FM services has led to improved communication and collaboration among teams. Whether during a security patrol or a cleaning cycle, teams work together to identify and address issues promptly, ensuring the site is always operating at its best. This coordination reduces response times and minimises disruptions, enhancing the overall experience for shoppers and tenants.

Having a single provider for all FM services also simplifies communication for the management team at Liffey Valley. Issues can be escalated quickly, with solutions implemented efficiently, without the need for complex coordination between multiple service providers.

Issues can be escalated swiftly, with solutions implemented efficiently, without the need for complex coordination between multiple service providers. This streamlined structure supports a more responsive and flexible approach to facility management, ensuring all areas of the shopping centre are well maintained and secure.

For Liffey Valley, the results of this model have been impressive. The centre’s operations have become more efficient, with reduced overheads and increased service quality. For example, the security team not only performs its standard duties but also collaborates with the cleaning and technical teams to proactively address issues before they escalate. This integrated approach ensures the centre remains in top condition, supporting a positive shopping experience.

Nick shared, “Liffey Valley Shopping Centre has enjoyed a long-standing relationship with Bidvest Noonan, beginning with cleaning services and expanding over time to include security and technical services.”

Recognition of the operational excellence achieved through this model has come in the form of industry accolades, including the ICCA Award for shopping centre operations.

At Bidvest Noonan, we are proud of our partnership with Liffey Valley Shopping Centre. Our integrated FM services have played a key role in ensuring the centre’s continued success, demonstrating that when services are effectively bundled, they can drive operational efficiency, enhance customer satisfaction, and support the overall success of the retail sector.

The human touch behind robotic cleaning

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The cleaning robotics market has experienced a remarkable 34% increase in installations over the past year, according to the International Federation of Robotics’ newly released 2025 report.

Recent advances have transformed what cleaning robots can achieve. Modern robots can sense their surroundings and adapt to unpredictable environments in a way that simply wasn’t possible just a few years ago. This adaptability is driving adoption across diverse settings. Shopping centres and university campuses use them for frequent cleaning of vast floor areas. Compact office machines support day-to-day operations; and robotic lawnmowers work alongside teams at outdoor areas of manufacturing facilities.

But technology is only half the story. The real challenge is getting people and machines to work well together.

Creating new opportunities 
The rise of cobotics in FM is creating new roles and opportunities. New positions such as robot supervisors and operators are emerging. These roles ensure machines operate efficiently and human judgement and expertise are regularly provided.

The success of any robotics implementation depends on the skill and training of the cleaning teams. Cobots handle repetitive and physically demanding tasks, freeing human teams to focus on higher-value work. This isn’t about replacement. It’s about supporting people, improving workplace safety and delivering better outcomes for customers.

The benefits extend beyond operational efficiency. Modern cleaning machines can reduce environmental impact by up to 90% compared with manual methods, cutting carbon emissions, water, chemical and energy use. Meanwhile, the data these machines generate provides performance auditing capabilities, tracking metrics such as task duration and resource consumption to support continuous improvement.

Organisations are also reporting improvements in staff wellbeing, higher retention rates and stronger team performance. By removing the most physically taxing elements of cleaning work, companies are making these roles more sustainable and attractive to talented individuals.

Cobotics: collaboration at the core 
What distinguishes successful robotics programmes from failed experiments? It comes down to how well organisations manage the human side of technological change. 

Training is critical. Teams need to understand how to work alongside these machines effectively. When done right, cobots provide consistency in repetitive tasks while human teams bring judgement, adaptability and service quality that machines can’t replicate.

This collaborative approach addresses one of the industry’s most persistent challenges: workforce retention. By enhancing rather than threatening jobs, robotics can make FM careers more appealing to both existing staff and potential new recruits.

Where this is going
Despite the impressive growth figures, the FM industry remains in the early stages of robotics adoption. Cleaning leads the way, followed by grounds maintenance and security applications, though many companies in our industry are not yet embracing this technology.

But we’re beginning to see truly connected buildings – buildings that use sensors to calculate how much use spaces have had and then deploy robots as needed. Facilities managers will monitor and control machines through digital twins. Occupancy sensors will trigger robotic cleaners to adjust schedules when spaces aren’t in use.

This integration between robotics and building digitalisation will transform how we manage facilities. But success requires a holistic approach that considers people, processes and technology together. The organisations that thrive will be those that invest as much in their teams as they do in their machines.

Looking ahead
As the robotics market continues its rapid expansion, the FM sector faces a choice about how to integrate these tools. Organisations that take a collaborative approach, investing in training and focusing on workforce development alongside technological adoption, are seeing the strongest results.

The 34% growth in cleaning robotics has not resulted in reduced job opportunities in the sector. Rather than automation replacing human workers, the future appears to be one where people and machines work together, each contributing their unique strengths to deliver better outcomes.

For an industry facing ongoing workforce challenges, this human-centred approach to robotics adoption may prove to be the most significant innovation of all.

Peter Smyth, director of innovation & technology