As BIFM Becomes IWFM, Will Nigeria Accept SWM Title?

The International Facility Management Association and the British Institute of Facilities Managements are the two global organisations grooming professionals and nurturing corporate organisations towards best practices in the Facility Management industry. IFMA is situated in Texas, the United States, while BIFM is located in London, the United Kingdom.

Since the establishment of the organisations in 1980 (IFMA) and 1993 (BIFM), FM industry has witnessed unprecedented changes and still being shaped by the quality course contents and information.  After 25 years of its existence, the BIFM has seen reasons for becoming the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM), starting from November 19, 2018.

The existing relationship between the workplace and FM, and the impact of emerging technologies on the workplace and FM are a few of the reasons for the transition, Infoprations’ check reveals.  "Workplace is being added to the Institute’s name because it embraces a wider range of key functions than Facilities Management, recognising the joint responsibility of FM, IT and Human Resources to achieving optimal performance between people, technology and the workplace. There is a manifest need for skilled individuals who can interconnect between these specialisms. At present none of the individual professions has taken responsibility for meeting the need to develop a cadre of interconnection specialists. The Institute intends to work with other organisations to develop the range of tools and qualifications that members will need to rise to this challenge," the Institute pointed out.

As part of the transformation, the Institute has changed ABIFM, MBIFM, CBIFM and FBIFM to AIWFM, MIWFM, CIWFM and FIWFM. By March 2019, all educational products and services of the Institute will be transitioned to the IWFM brand.  The Institute’s position on workplace addition aligns with the Infoprations’ previous analysis, which indicates that “Facilities Managers” being used as the core title in the industry is not aligned with the strategic place and roles of FM. The rebranding has further indicated that stakeholders understand the strategic roles of FM in quality living in the workplace and homes.  Will Nigeria use Supportive Workplace Managers as the new title? This question needs inclusive answers from the professionals, businesses and other stakeholders in the industry.