This issue of inadequate pay isn’t just a matter of opinion. My research data shows that FM pay (specifically in healthcare) is significantly below market in entry and mid-level roles. This obviously exacerbates ongoing recruitment and retention challenges.” 

That comment, written to Gosselin/Martin Associates by Dr. Steven Call, was in reply to our Halloween podcast FM roundtable: What keeps you up at night?

Dr. Call’s comment was also the impetus for our latest High Reliability podcast: Healthcare FM pay lags behind its competitors. We speak with Dr. Call, a faculty member in the Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture at Washington State University in Pullman, WA.

Dr. Call’s applied research program focuses on hospital facility management and cost optimization. He researches and reports on topics close to the heart of HCFM professionals, including salary, education, workforce optimization, and deferred maintenance.

FM data points
  1. Data finds that tradespeople / general technicians are in their positions for about 12 years, and then they are promoted to entry-level management. They stay in that role for an additional 5 years before being promoted to higher-level management positions.  
  2. Of all the open entry-level healthcare jobs (not clinical), about 3% are filled by those coming out of college. Very few grads go into healthcare. Why is that? Dr. Call answers pay. On average healthcare entry pay is about 10 to 15% below the market.
  3. Healthcare pays facility managers significantly less than other industries pay their facility managers. Dr. Call says an FM starting in healthcare will likely never recover the lost earnings compared to FM peers working elsewhere.  
  4. Early research findings show if a hospital is in a state of “deferred maintenance” (plant operation expenses below benchmarks), it comes at a high cost (in the form of 150%+ higher annual plant/equipment capital spending). “Helpful information for healthcare facility professionals in making the case for appropriate facility opex budgets,” says Dr. Call.

Tune in to hear more Dr. Call in our podcast Healthcare FM pay lags behind its competitors. As always, thanks for listening! 

G/MA Nuggets

1) Check out the Gosselin/Martin Associates Career Hub!

2) Download and subscribe to our High Reliability podcast, the only podcast in the industry dedicated exclusively to the unique discipline of healthcare facilities management.

3) See the roles we are recruiting for here.

4) Follow us on YouTube.