“Productivity” was the buzz word of the Summer budget and facilities managers must help boost the efficiency of the office by embracing technology, a leading workplace technology expert warns.
Facilities managers always have their hands full because they have so many different responsibilities, from ensuring the facility and grounds under your domain are safe and functional to meeting an array of regulatory standards. But technology can help lift the burden they face by streamlining processes which constantly cause headaches every day, Paul Statham CEO and Founder of Condeco Software says.
By 2025, 75% of the workforce will be millennials. In order to attract and retain this talent, businesses will need to embrace the technological tools these members of staff have grown accustomed to using. The culture of the workplace is also changing, with more people demanding flexible working than ever before so offices must be managed with that in mind.
Paul Statham, CEO and Founder of Condeco Software, comments: “ The way the office is managed can help dictate the culture of the office and make it a truly modern workplace.
“Not only can technology help with the day to day running of businesses, but it can also improve its output. The best ideas come from staff when they work together, so empowering collaborative working will increase productivity, drive growth, and in turn increase revenue.
“Creating an environment where people can seamlessly work together will also boost staff morale and make them feel more involved with their work. According to research from TowersWatson more than 60 per cent of employees are unsupported, detached or disengaged, so half of your workforce can be disengaged at any point in time – changing that could make a huge difference.
“Market leading companies are realising this and that is the reason why are working with huge global brands, including 30 of the FTSE 100.”
On some measures, Britain is now around a fifth less productive per worker than the G7 average and 40 per cent below the US. But each company can help improve this by implementing measures that allows for both collaborative and flexible working.
Paul adds: “The fixed desk is a thing of the past because staff are increasingly remote working or out at meetings. Research shows that providing workspace to an individual employee costs an organisation from $8,000 to $14,000 per year. So, it is clearly costly but having a separate desk also creates unnecessary barriers for people attempting to interact and work with each other. A more agile office means it is easier for people to communicate, which in turn makes for smoother running of the workplace.”
With that in mind Condeco Software created its range of solutions, which help businesses provide an efficient, flexible working environment and to smoothly managing meeting rooms and video conferences across global operations.
Its latest solution offered to leading businesses is Condeco Sense, a market first in sensing technology that enables business leaders to access accurate, real-time data on how their workspaces, meeting rooms and breakout spaces are used. A single Condeco Sense study with 1,000 sensors produces 22 million lines of data in one month. Within a year of deployment in 13 different countries, Sense has identified over 600,000 sq ft of wasted office space.