As we adapt to working in a post-Covid economy, one of the key features of this new normal is going to be hybrid working.
Hybrid working combines remote working with office-based working, which brings certain challenges to Facilities Management.
What is Hybrid Working?
As the name indicates, hybrid working combines working in an office space with working from home (WFH).
There isn’t a fixed formula for this. How different businesses organise hybrid working will depend on how they work, their size and the type of workplace they occupy.
But generally, the principle is that not all of the employees will be in the workplace all of the time.
One of the implications of this is, there will be more shared spaces and breakout areas, where people can gather for catch-ups or more formal meetings.
There are likely to be fewer fixed workstations with much more mobility of the workforce. Staff will work flexibly from a range of locations. According to CIPD, pre-pandemic, only around 5% of the workforce ever worked from home. This figure has risen to over 45% at various times during 2020.
For many companies, the advantages are clear. They can reduce the rental burden if they need less permanently occupied space. Also, they can attract and retain talent with the opportunity for hybrid working. HW offers flexible benefits to employees who want to improve their work-life balance.
But to make this shift, businesses must also change how they manage their working spaces. A large part of the responsibility will lie with facilities managers to make hybrid working a success.
What Will FMs Need to Do?
Just as technology has enabled WFH to become a practical reality, so it will take centre stage in FM for hybrid workspaces.
Facilities managers will need to invest in technology to support the flexible office.
One example is the use of sensor technology to detect which rooms are occupied at any given time. This will make it easier to monitor work areas for health and safety and to introduce energy-efficient heating and lighting.
Cleaning will be another priority in the post-Covid workspace. With a shifting cast of employees on-site, FMs will need to ensure all workstations and common areas are cleaned and disinfected routinely and thoroughly.
Effective management and maintenance of the workspace require good visibility of what’s going on at any given time, and a diligent approach to workplace inspections and assessments.
This is another key area where technology can support hybrid working. The Inspection Manager is an app designed specifically to support property and facilities managers.
Digital templates allow you to record and share data with ease, automatically syncing between your smart phone, tablet, and desktop – providing real-time reports.
Removing the use of paper check lists, streamlines procedures, and processes and allows for immediate, actionable reporting.
Facilities and property managers, civil engineers and construction teams are all discovering the benefits of using the Inspection Manager app.
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Data standardisation refers to using consistent methods for collecting data, although this is a very basic and somewhat generic description of what it truly is. If we delve in deeper, data standardisation is the process used for transforming data to fit a constrained and predefined set of values – ultimately, relying on uniformity to improve efficiencies.
Data standardisation refers to using consistent methods for collecting data, although this is a very basic and somewhat generic description of what it truly is. If we delve in deeper, data standardisation is the process used for transforming data to fit a constrained and predefined set of values – ultimately, relying on uniformity to improve efficiencies.
The previous year was a roller coaster for the commercial property sector, with both landlords and tenants facing unique challenges. It looks like 2023 is also going to be a challenging year for landlords – with the higher increased rates and Section 21 changes, for instance – and for tenants as well, who are finding it to keep up with rental demands owing to the inflation and the current cost-of-living crisis.
When an economic shock or recession hits, all properties are impacted. However, commercial properties must bear most of the brunt because a lower demand in the building, sale, and letting of commercial properties means that businesses cannot function as effectively and contribute to the economy as they normally would.
There’s no escaping technology and the impact it has had on our lives, making everything from ordering something online to power up our home appliances from several miles away really easy. Technology has also fundamentally changed how landlords and letting agencies, for example, buy, manage, and operate spaces – making lives easier for tech-savvy homeowners and demanding tenants alike.
The public at large believes that housing inspections should be in the hands of local councils – at least, according to this survey. Conducted by the APSE (Association for Public Service Excellence) reported that 59% of the public are in favour of Building Inspections by local councils, while 23.4% support private inspections.
In 2021, UK commercial properties contributed on average, 20% of carbon emissions, according to a report published by the Committee on Climate Change. Furthermore, in larger cities, including London, commercial buildings were responsible for more than 70% of the city’s emissions on a whole.
The UK happens to be the most influential property technology or ‘PropTech’ hub in the world, despite Brexit-related problems and uncertainty. As well as the global pandemic, which hit the UK just as hard as some of the worst-hit countries.
The commercial property sector has an important role to play in the UK economy, not only in terms of a direct and indirect output generator, but also in terms of helping retailers, financial services and other businesses boost production.
Technology can transform facilities management (FM), helping you save on costs and drive efficiencies. For many businesses and organisations, their three main expenses are: Employees, Technology, Facilities. However, in the rush to recruit talent and keep up with new technology, organisations can end up overlooking their facilities.
