Walk This Way

collage with pictures an event

The Purposeful Intent “Walk this Way” event in New York City brought together leaders in corporate real estate across industries to discuss the future of work. The event featured roundtable discussions and special guests such as DMC and Innovation and Creativity Consultant Duncan Wardle. 

What can we learn from performers and magic makers designing Disney experience about the future of work? Well, a lot as it turns out. As the value of human experiences skyrockets, CRE leaders look to tear down the traditional office walls and draw workers back to the office for the experience. 

The event ​​curated valuable conversations with workplace & corporate real estate leaders while galvanizing attendees to continue their innovation efforts and become change agents in their communities and workplaces. 

While there are a number of priorities space planners are tackling, here are the main takeaways from the event according to leaders in the industry. 


OUT WITH HIGH-TOUCH, IN WITH HIGH-TECH FOR CRE


What was once a world of clicker-studies and spreadsheets is now–like many other things–tech-enabled. Sprawling CRE portfolios were managed through manual processes, requiring time and labor from resource-strapped teams. But even before the pandemic’s disruption, the emergence of prop-tech companies has started to alleviate manual workflows, freeing CRE leaders and their teams up to drive more creative, impactful decisions. 

Many corporate real estate leaders are using technology to foster cross-functional collaboration which is essential for a distributed workforce. To do this, they need the full force of their team’s capabilities. Technology allows them to share reporting, validate decisions, and project impact.


WORKPLACE PROFESSIONALS CURATING EXPERIENCES 


You can’t talk about the future of work without acknowledging the employee experience.  Companies both big and small will continue to navigate this changing landscape for some time. During the conference, three distinct camps emerged with some brands seeing office attendance as an essential part of their corporate DNA and other brands seeing the need to earn employee attendance with increased office benefits. A third group is suffering pandemic paralysis, rolling (and rolling back) shybrid policies. 


EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN REQUIRES PURPOSE 


One way executives are making the office experience worth the commute is by redesigning spaces to become more efficient and collaborative. But while office redesigns tend to delight and dazzle employees upon roll-out, best-in-class corporate campuses follow a tried and true formula for success. Here are the top three things all successful redesigns require: 

  1. Support from company executives
  2. Business goals that tie directly to redesign decisions
  3. The ability to deliver space utilization metrics and analytics  

Armored Things was a proud sponsor of this month’s Purposeful Intent event which gave leaders across the industry a seat at the table to foster meaningful conversations to improve the future of work. 

In order to curate the best workplace environment and experience, facilities leaders need data. Data enables them to predict future utilization patterns to accommodate a workforce that will not return to a 5-day office presence. Powerful AI software like Armored Things has helped major employers encourage workers to return to the office in a safe manner. 

​​To learn more about how Armored Things helps facilities management teams, schedule time with one of our experts today.

Hybrid, Shybrid – And Now It’s Summer

Everyone’s heard of remote and hybrid work models, but what about the “shybrid” approach? The term “shybrid” was first coined by Paul McKinlay, vice president of communications and remote working at printing company Cimpress, in a Bloomberg article in December. McKinlay described it as “the failure of companies to accept that they have, in many cases, lost the right to demand in-person attendance at a piece of real estate on any kind of regular basis. It’s about continually pushing back return dates without declaring on a future model and leaving people in this limbo.” 

This shybrid approach is the result of a big gap between what employers want and what their employees want. An August survey from accounting and advisory organization, Grant Thorton, showed that 89% of executives plan to return to the office full time while 17% of non-executive workers want to fully return to the office. 

This reluctance to commit to a single return to office date or strategy causes valuable talent to walk out the door–every departure costing companies money, resources, and time to rehire. 


WHY DON’T EMPLOYEES WANT TO RETURN TO THE OFFICE?


Employees enjoy the flexibility that hybrid work offers them. They can decide when and where they work instead of being confined to a cubicle from 9 to 5. Hybrid work settings also allow employees to have a better work-life balance. Flexibility makes it easier in some cases to work around strict childcare hours and have more opportunities to participate in hobbies outside of work. Remote work also eliminates expenses for employees whether it’s wardrobe or commuting costs.  

The pandemic has introduced the benefits of working from home, and many people aren’t willing to give up the freedom that a hybrid or remote work model provides them. A January poll from Bloomberg Morning Consult showed that 55 percent of remote workers would consider leaving their job if they were asked back to the office. 


WHY IS SHYBRID STILL HAPPENING A YEAR LATER?


Some suspect that this stubbornness from employers comes from their refusal to relinquish a sense of control. Others believe it may be due to fear of losing the company culture and difficulty collaborating and communicating virtually. 

Despite employers’ efforts to get people back in the office, many employees are reluctant to comply. Since many companies adhere to a hybrid or remote approach, organizations that continue to push in-person attendance suffer to retain talent, costing them money. 


Since many companies adhere to a hybrid or remote approach, organizations that continue to push in-person attendance suffer to retain talent, costing them money.


Robert Teed, an Armored Things advisor, and Founder and Chief Coaching Officer at Integri Group, acknowledged the battle between executives’ desire for a full office and employees’ preference for remote work at a recent fireside chat. Workers have said, ‘Hey, we want more flexibility,’ Teed remarked. “I tend to sort of wrap that [together] as being choice and flexibility, but the concept is exactly the same: it’s that they want to control that part of their lives.” 


SO, WHAT’S NEXT FOR RETURN TO OFFICE? 


Well, the summer months and typical vacation schedules might not help. The Pew Institute conducted a survey that showed that 64 percent of workers felt that it was easier to balance work and personal life after switching to telework. This includes the ability to vacation and spend time with family. 

Not being constrained to the office, remote employees are able to work from wherever they choose which allows them to travel during the summer months. 


WHAT CAN EMPLOYERS DO?


If employers are going to continue to pressure workers to come back into the office, then they need to redesign their spaces to enhance the in-person experience. Consequently, space planning teams have been tasked to plan the smartest spaces possible. For example, Space and Occupancy Planners at Wells Fargo, Inc. in Minneapolis are expected to understand shared and flexible seating and workplace strategies as well as concepts such as desk sharing. 

Space planning teams are also reducing costs with better space management. Corporations need to reduce or restructure their office space in order to accommodate a workforce that will not return to a 5-day office presence. 

Space planners need data they can easily visualize and the ability to predict future utilization patterns. They can get some information from badging but it lacks sophistication and the ability to predict future trends. Powerful AI software like Armored Things has helped major employers bring workers back to the office safely. 

To learn more about how Armored Things is helping CRE leaders make the most of their spaces, check out our CRE Guide or reach out directly to sales@armoredthings.com for a quick demo.

Alex Trotto contributes to the Blog and Social Media channels for Armored Things. She is currently a Northeastern University student in her sophomore year.

NFMT Women In Facilities Management 2022 Coverage

The May Women in FM annual (virtual) event, hosted by NFMT and sponsored by Armored Things, brought together leading female voices in the field of Facilities Management for a panel discussion on their experience coming up in the industry, their strategies for success, and the ways they bring their whole selves to bear on the profession. 

 The event attracted more than 200 attendees.

Today’s FM career track draws on a much wider breadth of experience than it once did – that’s everyone from property managers to sustainability experts and specialists in urban informatics – and yes, the people who deal with burst pipes. 

“If a pipe burst – like it did yesterday – I’m the one that is going to be on hand,” explains Nicole Sherry, Director of Field Operations for the Orioles and one of only two women in MLB history to hold that title. 

To Sherry, the legendary field at Camden Yards is like her other child. “It’s like I have two children that really need a lot of attention and I try my best to teach my crew everything that I do so that if I need to be out for whatever reason, they can step right in without any harm to the field.”

The 24/7, 9-1-1 nature of FM jobs may not have changed much since Facilities Management titles were introduced 50 years ago– but Sherry is among the many women who are transforming the industry.


“So, it’s loving problem-solving, loving buildings, loving people, loving dynamic environments and challenges.”

DIANA ORTIZ BURNS, DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES AT MERIDIAN INTERNATIONAL CENTER

DIVERSE SKILLS AND SPECIALTIES



Director of Facilities Diana Ortiz Burns brings more than a decade of experience in operations management and environmental sustainability to the Meridian International Center, a Washington, D.C. – based nonprofit. 

“We’re always going to be different in this industry, and I think I’ve realized personally – that’s a thing I’m really embracing – how I’m different, and why that’s awesome.”

As the field grows more diverse – in terms of skill sets, backgrounds, personalities, race, gender, and all the ways diversity can be represented – the greater the opportunity for the career and the titles associated with it to have the greatest impact, says Ortiz Burns.

“So, it’s loving problem-solving, loving buildings, loving people, loving dynamic environments and challenges.”


“It’s not just all about building operations or events or moves or project management. There’s just something new every single day.”

WENDY LIBERT, SENIOR FACILITIES MANAGER AT THE AMERICAN INSTITUTES FOR RESEARCH

DREAM JOBS, MENTORS, AND ADVICE



“I never thought that facilities were my dream career going into it,” said Wendy Libert, Senior Facilities Manager at the American Institutes for Research. 

“It has turned into a dream career because [it has changed] and I’ve never been bored with it. There’re so many different directions you can go.

It’s not just all about building operations or events or moves or project management. There’s just something new every single day.”

Ericka Westgard, Vice President of Operations at C&W Services, a facility services company with more than 600 customers, set her sights on her career path early, earning a B.S. in Facilities Management. 

As a student, she says, “I probably didn’t really get the full understanding that as a facility manager you’re the one that’s going to be running towards the fire when everybody else is running outside.”

Westgard’s career remains exciting in part due to new challenges, and new technologies.

 “At one point, it [FM] was probably viewed as more of a support-type role – or more of a functional role.” Today, she says high-performing FM leaders are viewed as an “innovative, core competency.”


WHOLE SELVES, REAL WORK


The importance of mentorship was central to the NFMT panel discussion. Not just for networking, but for honest feedback, and a confidant when workplace dynamics are challenging.

“It’s definitely helped me personally,” says Ortiz Burns. “I had men and women who really took me under their wing, and I wouldn’t be here without them.”

What’s some advice they’d give their younger selves, or anyone following in their footsteps? For starters, take care of your own mental and physical health before attending to the physical properties and spaces you’re responsible for maintaining and improving. 

Develop a global awareness – whether it’s learning a second language, or developing a new understanding of ways to increase DE&I on the teams you manage. Learn new technologies by asking for training and support so some work can be automated or completed remotely. And bring your whole self to work, even if it means saying you need a break. Vulnerability during intense times can help facilities management teams know they are part of a team that prioritizes employee work-life balance. Also:

  • Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
  • Trust your instincts, even early on.
  • Train your team to feel empowered.
  • Find a mentor – be a mentor.
  • Search out supportive leaders and organizations.

And, from Armored Things Roberts’ (no surprise) a plug for data as a way to level the playing field.

“It’s not just women’s voices that could be discounted. It could be a more junior employee could be someone new to the team – who might have a great perspective. We want to give people data so that they will be the most informed people at the table when it comes to planning our smart spaces.”

To learn more about how Armored Things helps facilities management teams, schedule time with one of our experts today.