Question of the Week: Which Trends Will Impact The Workplace In 2016?

workforce-trends-2016As businesses plan for workplace changes in 2016, five trends seem to be dominating the conversation, according to recent research conducted by Planon, the Boston-based IWMS (integrated workplace management systems) and CAFM (computer aided facility management) software company.

Here are the top five real estate and facility management trends that are expected to have far-reaching effects in 2016, according to Planon’s research:

  1. The Internet of Things will be applied: Going well beyond consumer functionality, the Internet of Things will help companies improve their bottom line. Affordable sensors are now available that can measure the occupancy of a workplace or meeting room minute-by-minute, providing Big Data for analysis with the right software. Employees will find workspaces via screens with availability on the buildings’ floor plan. Additional functionality in apps can help users to check the availability of workspaces by scanning a QR code on a desk or swiping an RFID tag.
  2. The need to create a mobile culture: One of the most significant drivers of change is the rise of mobility. Work today is being done everywhere – at the office, at home, and on the road. The average workplace occupancy rate is dropping and a large portion of the workforce have private commitments that require flexibility. Organizations that recognize the need for mobility are better placed to attract the right talent. Businesses are striving to become creative, flexible environments where people thrive.
  3. Embracing the alternative workplace: Work today is more about the output than the space. Organizations are embracing new ways of working to foster more efficient collaboration, knowledge-sharing, flexibility, speed, innovation, and productivity. More than 90% of respondents in Planon’s research agreed that new workplace concepts will improve employee productivity.
  4. BIM adoption increases: BIM (Building Information Modeling) holds great promise for facilities management and real estate. Applying BIM and BIM methodologies to manage and operate buildings over their life cycle can deliver tangible value and enable efficiencies for facility managers. They are not merely producing a model of a building, but providing a platform for real-time collaboration, logistics, and quality management.
  5. Cloud delivery models continue to transform the workplace: Cloud services have become firmly established primarily in business-to-consumer markets with millions using sophisticated cloud services. Cloud provisioning not only simplifies the management of applications and their infrastructure, it also enables significant IT related cost savings. Cloud adoption in the workplace management space is still in its early stage. As momentum builds, we will see more projects using cloud services in years to come.
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Credit: Goodshoot

“Many of the trends that will come into focus in 2016 already exist today, but their significance is expected to grow and become mainstream in the near future,” said David Karpook, Strategic Business Consultant at Planon. “Today’s facilities management and real estate managers face an increasing need to respond to the evolution of technology and sustainability, ensure compliance, and increase cost efficiency.”

Looking forward to 2016 and beyond, access to smart assets and facilities will remake offices, hospitals, and universities in ways never seen before, creating better user experiences and improved efficiencies at the same time.

Question of the Week: Which trends do you predict will have the most impact on your facility in 2016? Share your thoughts in the Comments section below.