| The ‘Workplace of the future’ impact on today’s CRE strategy Posted: 02 Sep 2010 03:30 AM PDT 
Today we have a guest post of Larry Simpson with CRE3. He discusses the Workplace of the Future and its’ impact on the CRE strategy today.
What is your organization spending on corporate real estate occupancy costs per employee? $1,000? $5,000? According to discussions at a recent meeting of the Carolinas CoreNet Global Chapter the 300 participants cited their companies were spending $8,000 to $12,000 per employee. Chances are it's higher than that when you include all of the 250+ categories that comprise the total cost of occupancy (TCO). Given the cost's impact on your organization there are a number of evolving dynamics of the "workplace of the future" that will impact worker productivity, affect CRE strategy and can reduce your TCO today.
Some of the steps you could take now to anticipate the new "workplace of the future" include: - The standard 250 SF/employee cubicle may be no longer viable given the cost of new construction against a growing workforce
- Replace the rows of individual cubicles with better lit yet smaller (110 SF) cubes with more open work areas for team members to interact with one another and feel more productive
- Expand the use of WiFi networks throughout the office environment so workers can collaborate and share anywhere in your office. A more mobile workforce stimulates creativity and increase team member morale
- Design 'Starbucks style' spaces with pleasing colors and curved lines, soft music, multiple seating options (inside, outside, small table, large table, cushion chair, firm chair, sit down table, bar stool table, etc.) that create a heightened "sense" about the employee
 - Create areas with high chairs at raised tables which generally create a more engaged person and can dramatically reduce the length of a meeting and get people back to work faster by avoiding the conventional "one hour meeting" that shouldn't take longer than 15 minutes
- Build your brand through designs that incorporate your company's logo, mission, quotes on walls to create ambassadors and evangelists for the company – when employees embrace its core mission and values, as well as brand the organization quickly and seamlessly, employees from around the corner and across the globe and engage more quickly
- Reconfigure executive offices that typically block all the light and move them to the core of the building to open up larger windows to make better us of natural light
- Enhance worker's work-life balance by creating a workplace that extends employees' time with amenities like a gym, rooms for nursing mothers, a variety of on-site cafes offering healthy foods. Organizations that embrace amenities that give employees options to help them balance their lives will be demonstrating that the health of their workers is a key value. This will become increasingly important when considering rising insurance premiums and proactive health care, as well as when thinking about employee retention and hiring.
- Move your portfolio of future workplaces toward sustainability by conserving energy – both of the employees within an office and for the physical building systems themselves. Incorporate window shading technologies that manage heat gain and loss for an office building, as well as cutting glare on computer screens that can cause headaches and eyestrain for employees.
- Replace traditional HVAC systems with individual under floor air units that can be manipulated by employees and give them more control over their own temperature and comfort, while also help lower an office's overall power consumption.
- Go green with paints, fabrics, carpeting and all manner of office furnishings and finishes designed to be biodegradable and made with low- or no-VOCs. In addition, technological advancements will allow workers to store paper files on-line, mitigating the need for extensive file storage
In its Office of the Future: 2020 Survey and Report, staffing agency OfficeTeam identified several technologies that stand to alter the workplace of the future, including: - Sensory-recognition software
Computers in the future will increasingly be able to respond to voice, handwriting, fingerprint and optical input. - "Knowbots"
These future programs scan databases to filter and retrieve information for users. For example, the program could summarize key points of a report, and deliver an e-mail and voice mail to the device a user is working on. - Smart devices
Computers will use algorithm-based programs to learn the relationships between words and phrases, creating a smoother interface and enabling users to conduct more effective information searches. - Miniature wireless communication tools
These future devices will combine the personal computer, phone, fax, scanner, electronic organizer and camera all in one. - Wireless everywhere
Users can connect to the office in taxis, in buses, on planes, in parks, in building lobbies or even on beaches. - Interactive office spaces
By 2020, offices will be embedded with sensors that monitor and maintain the environment, including temperature, humidity and lighting. For example, a sensor in a desk chair could detect back tension and signal the chair to give a massage. - Virtual conferencing technology
Offices may be equipped with walk-in facilities outfitted with wall-sized screens that project 360-degree views of videoconference participants. - Automated business process management
Collaborative software will streamline the process by which teams work together on documents, eliminating the need for email as the means of document transmission and sharing. By factoring in the many dynamics of the 'workplace of the future' as part of your current CRE strategy you and your department can create office environments that will promote greater worker productivity, enhance recruitment of top talent, and, most importantly, reduce your total cost of occupancy through more energy efficient facilities. Larry Simpson
CRE3 Consulting
larrysimpson@CRE3.net
www.CRE3.net
For more blog posts please visit http://CRE3.wordpress.com Related Posts - Are You Ready? The Role of Information Systems to Develop a CRE Strategy and Support Your Organization
- Larry Simpson
- 9 Benefits of Space Management That Will Impact Your Bottom Line Big Time
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