Skedda's Top 5 Predictions for 2026: The Year of the FM Analyst

Real estate and facilities are usually the second or third biggest expense for most organizations. And yet, many decisions about space and services are made without reliable data—or worse, with data that no one trusts.

This is starting to change. In 2026, facilities management (FM) will move from reacting to problems to having a real strategic impact. Dashboards will not be the final goal anymore; clear, actionable stories will be. 

“Facilities management is entering a data-driven era where curiosity, interpretation, and storytelling matter as much as technical expertise,” shared Dr. Matt Tucker, Director of Research at IFMA.

FM leaders who can turn data into stories that CFOs and CHROs use to make decisions will win more budgets, shape policy, and become key members of the executive team. 

Below, we share five predictions about how FM analytics will develop in 2026.

The 2026 Backdrop in Five Signals

Before we get to the predictions, let’s look at what is changing:

1. Work models are stabilizing

The question is not if flexible work will last, but how to measure it fairly. Microsoft's 2025 Work Trend Index shows that flexible work is still a competitive advantage, but many sectors are making return-to-office rules stricter. This tension makes measurement both more important and more debated.​

2. Leaders want dual outcomes

Leaders want to make operations more efficient without sacrificing workplace experience. JLL's Global Real Estate Outlook 2026 says that corporate real estate strategies are changing, focusing on things like portfolio optimization and human-centered design. FM teams need to balance saving money with keeping employees happy.

3. Increased focus on data to power AI

As AI tools become part of workplace planning, the data behind them must be reliable, consistent, and easy to check. Organizations cannot automate decisions if the basic definitions are unclear or disputed.

4. Workplace technology is becoming more integrated

Identity systems, calendars, booking tools, and occupancy sensors are becoming more connected. As Daily Business reports, “the transition to integrated systems is expected to speed up. Firms are investing in technology that brings together data and workflows into a single system.” This shift means FM teams are expected to provide better data quality and work more closely with other departments.

5. Global FM heading toward the same direction

No matter where teams are—North America, Europe, or Asia-Pacific—everyone is moving toward more integration, more analytics, and greater accountability. IFMA's research shows that while each region faces different challenges, the overall goal is the same.

Prediction 1: FM Leaders Finally Get a Seat at the Table

In 2026, the best FM teams will be able to answer, "What did we change because of this insight?" FM leaders who can translate data into narratives that drive positive ROI will finally get a seat at the table.

Why This Happens in 2026

Executives have limited time and attention. They see too many dashboards but still lack clear answers. There is growing pressure to connect workplace spending to real results, especially as strategies are shifting toward agility and cost control (JLL).

According to Facilities Dive's 2026 FM trends analysis, “Facilities teams have always collected data, but how they use it varies widely across the industry... The industry is moving from simply collecting data to actually using it to drive decisions. Teams that organize and analyze their information will be better positioned in 2026.”

FM teams that only provide spreadsheets without context will fall behind those who offer options, explain tradeoffs, and suggest next steps. FM leaders who can choose the right metrics and derive meaning from them to inform business decisions will be the star of 2026. 

“When you have pushback... being able to tie your costs to price per share and the P&L is important,” shared Larry Charlip, Director of Real Estate and Occupancy Planning at Roku.

What It Looks Like in Practice

• Instead of sending utilization dashboards on request, FM leaders establish a monthly cadence with a one-page executive summary. 
• Focus on a specific stakeholder (i.e., CFO, CHRO, or COO) and speak their language. As Charlip says: “Understanding who your audience is is the most important part.”
• Track outcomes with every change. When you recommend something, make sure you know what metrics you’re tracking.

Read more about this pivotal moment in The 2026 FM Analyst Guide.

Prediction 2: Space Strategy Gets More Flexible and Experience-Led

The workplace is no longer a fixed asset. In 2026, space will be something you adjust all the time, and FM’s role will grow to help guide these changes by making sense of the data and making decisions.

Why This Happens in 2026

Companies want workplaces that can adapt without needing constant remodeling. JLL's 2026 outlook highlights portfolio agility as a top priority, with organizations looking for flexible strategies that can respond to changing needs.

According to Deloitte's 2026 Commercial Real Estate Outlook, the market is stabilizing, but not evenly across sectors. Digital economy properties, like data centers and cell towers, continue to perform well, while demand for traditional office buildings have stagnated, prompting many organizations to take a closer look at their real estate footprints.

In 2026, not all spaces are created equal. Organizations look to create spaces that fit best use cases and support a great workplace experience. According to Work Design Magazine's 2026 trends, “purpose-led design has been shown to drive tangible organizational outcomes such as higher engagement, lower turnover and stronger productivity.” Workplace experience boosts engagement, productivity, and retention, but only if it is designed using data and user feedback (Gensler).

What It Looks Like in Practice

• Organizations will run experiments on their real estate to find the best use for it. This means designing more flexible spaces that best meet their teams’ needs.
• Both experience and efficiency metrics matter. Leading organizations will track both. Calibro Workspace's 2026 trends research emphasizes: “Companies now realize the importance of the employee experience in the workplace and understand that the office must earn the commute by providing spaces that people actually want to be in.”
• FMs continue to create more office neighborhoods categorized by intended use (focus work, collaboration, client engagement, social connection, restorative quiet space).

Prediction 3: AI Is the Co-Writer With Human-in-the-Loop

In 2026, AI will not replace FM analysts but will help shorten the time from noticing a signal to telling the story and taking action.

Why This Happens in 2026

Reporting takes a lot of time, and executives have limited attention. Teams need to turn metrics into meaning more quickly. AI is shifting “from a buzzword to something leaders expect meaningful outcomes from” (Facilities Dive). Executives are beginning to expect AI to deliver results tied to downtime, cost reduction, or energy performance.

However, CBRE's FM trends report warns that trust, security, and ethics are still concerns for AI adoption. Additionally, people are hesitant to adopt this technology that they see as a threat to their jobs. The solution? Keep humans in the loop.

As ADP's research on agentic AI emphasizes: “Agentic AI unlocks new frontiers of automation... Human oversight provides purpose and guardrails, clarifying objectives, approving critical actions and reviewing impacts.” Whereas AI creates first drafts and helps with brainstorming, humans validate the work and make the final decisions.​

Dr. Matt Tucker, Director of Research at IFMA, observes: "AI is too powerful to ignore—but there's still hesitation around ethics, trust, and data security."

What It Looks Like in Practice

• Let AI write monthly summaries, point out unusual patterns, and suggest follow-up questions based on past data. Humans are responsible for the final recommendations and must check all assumptions before sharing them with executives.
• Include source citations for every AI-generated insight. Humans audit the logic so they can provide explanations when executives ask questions.
• Organizations implement starting with AI-assisted tasks like monthly recaps, anomaly detection, and FAQ/help content creation. Humans are heavily evolved in high-stakes decisions (budget cuts, site closures, headcount planning).

Prediction 4: Departments (FM + IT + HR) Agree on One Source of Data Truth

As analytics become more important for policy and investment decisions, trust becomes the main goal. In 2026, top organizations will make data confidence a shared responsibility for FM, IT, and HR, moving toward what Cisco calls “Connected Intelligence.”

Why This Happens in 2026

The workplace is shifting from multiple, fragmented solutions to integrated ecosystems. According to Cisco's workplace transformation vision, “By 2026, the workplace won't evolve through more apps or digital assistants, but through Connected Intelligence—where people, data, and digital workers work together side by side.”

This coming together of systems means data governance is now a must. When FM booking data is used in HR attendance dashboards, which then inform finance models and AI space recommendations, every department becomes responsible for data quality.

Dr. Tucker identifies the root cause: "People learn about how to manage and analyze data within FM operations on the job. It's not something that's been pre-taught—and that needs to change."

Nuvolo's 2026 FM trends report makes the stakes clear: “Many organizations are experimenting with AI, but only a small number are seeing real value. JLL's global research shows a clear divide. Companies with clean data and modern systems are making progress with their AI initiatives. Those without these foundations struggle to move beyond pilot projects.”

For organizations, this means data definitions, quality, and access policies can no longer be siloed decisions. Data governance now spans multiple departments. FM, IT, and HR must collaborate to ensure they’re working with one source of data truth they can build on that informs their business decisions.

What It Looks Like in Practice

• A Workplace Data Dictionary exists and gets used. Terms like “utilization,” “occupancy,” “attendance,” and “no-show” are defined clearly, with documented data sources.
• Monthly data-quality reviews become standard. FM, IT, and HR meet to find disagreements, solve unusual cases, and update the dictionary as systems change.
• Establish go-to channels for monthly updates and discussions that show a single “source of truth.” This way, FM, IT, and HR can work better together without obstacles.

Prediction 5: “Planned vs Actual” Data Inform Space and Service Decisions

Bookings by themselves are not enough. In 2026, leaders will want to see the difference between what was planned and what actually happened, then use this information to make better space and service decisions.

Why This Happens in 2026

There’s a huge discrepancy between booking data and actual use, made even more pronounced by flexible working schedules. Most companies want at least 65% occupancy, but they are only seeing 38% utilization (CBRE). That is a significant gap between what people think and what is real.

According to Kastle Systems, there’s a discrepancy in space use throughout the week. Mid-week office occupancy across the country is at 55.8%, but that occupancy is much lower on Mondays and Fridays with a low of 32.9%. Additionally, VergeSense found that nearly one-third of desk time is “passive occupancy”—a laptop or bag holding space while the person is elsewhere.

Being able to measure your space use and have the data to support future decisions are becoming increasingly needed. Cisco's 2025 Global Hybrid Work Study confirms that organizations are increasingly adopting data-driven insights to manage hybrid work effectively. Not only does knowing your “planned vs actual” data justify space decisions, it also makes the case for services such as cleaning, support, and amenities.

Measurement is no longer optional. Technology that provides “planned vs actual data,” that tracks your workplace’s space use accurately to help you inform future decisions on optimizing space, controlling cost, and improving your workplace experience will be non-negotiable.

What It Looks Like in Practice

• Teams adopt solutions that allow them to compare booked versus used spaces, peak versus off-peak times, “ghost bookings” (bookings that never happen), and other metrics that allow them to tell a clear story on actual space use.
• Changes to space are tested as experiments and not made permanent right away. FM leaders use relevant data to inform space and service decisions instead of gut feelings.
• Integrations that reduce duplicate work are prioritized: calendar sync, booking platforms, identity systems, and occupancy signals should flow together.

The FM Analyst Advantage Is a Cadence, Not a Tool

In the era of the FM Analyst, it’s not about having the fanciest dashboard or the most sensors. It is about deriving meaning from the data you have to tell narratives that executives understand. It is about building a repeatable cycle of trust, storytelling, and decision-making that executives can count on to drive business decisions and earn you a seat at the table.

The most successful FM teams in 2026 will not have perfect data. They will have the data to tell stories that leaders trust, delivered regularly, with clear recommendations and tradeoffs. They will earn their place by shaping the future, not just reporting the past.

As Charlip advises: “Pick the low-hanging fruit and start. The best way to begin... is to begin.”

Download the 2026 Modern FM Toolkit for detailed implementation guides, templates, and case studies: Get the Toolkit

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