5 Key Takeaways from IFMA World Workplace 2023

Our team came back invigorated and enlightened after attending IFMA #WorldWorkplace earlier this month, thanks to the many speakers and leaders in the space providing insights on their experience and findings across the workplace. While there was a lot of thought-provoking content at this year’s conference, we’re sharing our 5 key takeaways:

1.     Many companies are making sustainability their priority, especially energy consumption. With the climate and global energy crises converging, creating and implementing plans to achieve net zero is urgent. Being a net zero building is a driving force and becoming a standard in companies’ ESG policy. 

2.     Workplace technology is evolving and a necessity for facility managers to further optimize their operations, with technology ranging from occupancy sensors to identify inefficiencies in offices and conference rooms to integrated workplace management systems (IWMS) that encompass the entirety of your floor plans, lease management tools and reservation systems. Facility professionals are also looking to sensor technology to measure CO2 levels and temperature control. These implementations help companies achieve the desired ‘smart building’ status, leveraging AI to interpret utilization data from these different technologies and in turn adapting automated or predictive settings to achieve sustainability and optimization.

3.     Navigating an appropriate return-to-office policy that is conducive to your employees’ best work habits is a balancing act but is more important than ever. Promoting a strong company culture and developing a healthy internal dynamic is crucial; working closely with department leads to discovering the optimal work environment for different teams can you help accomplish this.

4.     With fewer employees coming into the office since the pandemic, right-sizing the real estate portfolio is a business decision that can free up millions in overhead expenses and boost operational revenue through increased productivity. It is imperative to have technology that provides a bird’s eye view of the entire real estate portfolio. The real estate portfolio strategy should support long-term business needs and goals, whether growing or contracting, and prepare the office for the future of work.

5.     Collaboration is key, both internally and externally. Internally, delegate direct underlines to operate and direct corresponding teams and create a healthy, collaborative atmosphere where all roles and functions offer solutions and insights to over-arching initiatives. Externally, IFMA is a prime example of leaders from different industries and company sizes coming together to share experiences and different perspectives and methods of approach to combat common pain points. There are also advisors and consultants who have technology and tools available to help realize and actualize workplace goals.

If you attended #WorldWorkplace this year, or even if you didn’t, we would love to get your feedback. What are your thoughts?