Aleto on Workplace Innovator Podcast: IWMS and Collaboration

https://lnkd.in/ghJu2Rng Why Facilities Teams Are Now Critical to Talent Strategy As a Facility Manager, I’ve always seen my role as ensuring buildings run smoothly—HVAC, cleaning, space layout, safety. But the insights #JLL shared (link above) show that today, our job is so much bigger. 💡 Here’s what we’re up against: • Workers broadly accept hybrid policies—but only when the office experience is excellent. • Work–life balance now outranks salary in influencing retention. • Burnout is a real, measurable risk tied to attrition. What this means for facilities and real estate teams: 1. Deliver “commute-worthy” environments. High-quality amenities, social spaces, ergonomic design, and smart tech make a difference. 2. Enable flexibility in space and operations. Adaptive workspaces, accessible booking systems, and in-person support to provide trust with occupants. 3. Use data to guide decisions. Monitor occupancy, maintenance trends, usage patterns—and be ready to pivot. 4. Partner with local business leads & event leadership on culture and wellbeing. It’s not just walls and systems—your space contributes to how people feel. In a hybrid world, the office isn’t just a location—it’s a tool to attract, retain, and enable talent. And facility professionals are uniquely positioned to bring that tool to life. How are you evolving your facilities strategy to meet these new expectations? I’d love to hear your challenges and wins.

Why workplace strategy is also a talent strategy ⬇️ People don’t join a company just for the job anymore. They join for the experience and the workplace is a huge part of that. Your office sends a message, whether you want it to or not. It tells candidates what you value, how you work and whether you’re serious about wellbeing, inclusivity, and sustainability. A smart workplace strategy gives you an edge in talent: Culture is made visible → the way your space looks and feels tells people more than your careers page ever could. Flexibility by design → hybrid-ready, adaptable spaces show you trust employees to work in ways that suit them. Wellbeing is built in → natural light, quiet zones, ergonomic furniture - these are all signals that you invest in and care about your people. Sustainability is proven → the next generation of talent expects your ESG commitments to be real, not greenwash. When candidates walk into your office, they’re seeing more than desks, meeting rooms and where the microwave is. They’re deciding whether they see themselves working there. Workplace strategy isn’t just about space and aesthetic. It’s about your people and the talent you want to keep.

Your workplace booking data is lying to you. Last month, our workplace strategy team was reviewing space utilisation reports with a facilities team. On paper, their meeting rooms were at 85% capacity - they were planning on outfitting more meeting space. Then we installed occupancy sensors. Turns out, 15% of "booked" rooms sat empty. Desks hovered around 35-45% actual use. They weren't out of space - they were out of accurate data. This is increasingly common. And it's expensive. Teams make major decisions - new leases, renovations, cleaning schedules - based on ghost occupancy. What actually works: - Stop trusting booking systems alone. Layer in badge swipes and occupancy sensors to see who's actually there, not just who said they'd be there. - Set up auto-release for no-shows. If someone books a room and doesn't show in 15 minutes, free it up. - Look at patterns over weeks, not days. One quiet Tuesday doesn't mean anything. Three months of Fridays at 20% occupancy? That's a signal. The teams we support that do this well cut wasted space by 20-30%. But more importantly, they stop making decisions based on what people say they'll do, and start designing for what they actually do. Have you ever pulled back the curtain on your own workplace data and found something wildly off?

We're in the midst of a workplace revolution. Post Covid, suddenly the workplace is not somewhere you have to be, but a place both employers and employees can choose to be.   As a result, the role of the workplace has become increasingly uncertain. Occupancy has fallen, commutes have declined, and mandates to return have eroded flexibility, choice, and trust. This uncomfortable reality can lead to a worst of-both dynamic, where employees are forced to attend workplaces, they no longer value.   Despite this quantum shift, the way we evaluate our workplaces remains the same. Real estate and workplace ROI is still measured by metrics rooted in the past - primarily occupancy and cost per square metre, without any thought to the value of this investment.   In response, our evidence-based analysis framework - Return on Experience (RoX) - supports real estate and workplace decision-making at a strategic level. It goes beyond baseline metrics of ‘fit’ to holistically assess the growing influences of hybrid work, sustainability, culture, brand, and hospitality, alongside financial implications.   RoX provides a better workplace planning framework and evaluation metric where the workplace is considered holistically as an investment, not just a cost. It can inform your next workplace project or help establish how your existing workplace can perform better.   To download the report, visit: https://lnkd.in/ggddcN_B. Our workplace design experts, Tamara White (AU) and Scott Compton (NZ), would love to hear from you.

The way we think about the workplace has changed dramatically, but the way we measure its value hasn’t kept up. I found this take on Return on Experience (RoX) really insightful, it offers a smarter, more holistic framework for evaluating workplace impact beyond just cost and occupancy. Worth a read if you're rethinking your workplace strategy. 👉 https://lnkd.in/ggddcN_B

Our new Alerts feature helps workplace teams take action the moment it’s needed. With XY Sense Alerts, you can: 🏢 Workplace & Facilities: Prevent overcrowding and ensure compliance with smart occupancy thresholds. 🧼 Cleaning & Hospitality: Move from fixed rosters to usage-based cleaning for healthier, more efficient workplaces. 🔒 Building Security: Respond instantly when compliance limits are exceeded and proactively monitor sensitive areas. 🌿 Employee Experience: Keep spaces comfortable, reduce wait times, and service shared areas exactly when they’re needed. Because XY Sense continuously monitors occupancy in real time (every 2 seconds!), your teams receive instant email or SMS notifications whenever thresholds are reached—so you can act faster, keep employees happy, and ensure facilities operations run smoothly. Truly real-time occupancy management has arrived: https://lnkd.in/gSZqGn4M

Workplace efficiency is often disrupted by a combination of preventable issues such as frequent interruptions, unclear room schedules, and the absence of an intelligent system for managing shared spaces. In modern organizations, where collaboration and focused work must coexist, these inefficiencies can have a serious impact on both productivity and employee morale. Managers, in particular, find it difficult to maintain concentration when colleagues or team members drop by unexpectedly, seeking clarification, space, or resources. These untimely visits break focus and momentum, forcing individuals to repeatedly shift between tasks—a costly process that diminishes deep work and overall output. Meanwhile, employees who depend on meeting rooms or collaborative spaces often experience anxiety and frustration when schedules are unclear or double bookings occur. The uncertainty about whether a space is available, or the inconvenience of having to relocate at the last minute, creates unnecessary stress and wastes valuable time. The lack of a well-structured, technology-driven space management system also means that available resources are used inefficiently. Large conference rooms may sit nearly empty while small teams occupy them, leaving larger groups to scramble for space. Such imbalance not only causes operational inefficiencies but also fosters tension among staff competing for limited resources. Additionally, the absence of private or properly designated meeting areas compromises confidentiality and focus, particularly during discussions involving sensitive information. All these challenges combine to create a noisy, chaotic, and stressful environment where employees struggle to perform at their best. Over time, these inefficiencies erode organizational performance, weaken team cohesion, and reduce overall job satisfaction. Implementing a smart, transparent, and automated scheduling system can eliminate these problems, ensuring that space utilization is optimized, interruptions are minimized, and employees can work and collaborate with confidence and clarity.

A well-maintained workplace isn't just about aesthetics; it's about productivity, employee well-being, and operational efficiency! In today's corporate offices, a robust Facilities Management (FM) strategy is absolutely crucial. From ensuring optimal FM systems and pristine common areas to proactive maintenance of essential equipment, effective FM creates an environment where teams can thrive without distraction. It minimizes downtime, reduces costs in the long run, and significantly boosts employee morale and comfort. Investing in top-tier facilities management is an investment in your people and your business's success. What aspects of FM do you find most impactful in your workplace? Share your thoughts below! #FacilitiesManagement #WorkplaceWellbeing #CorporateOffice #Productivity #EmployeeExperience #FM

10 Workplace Trends for 2025: What’s In and What’s Out? High performing companies are dedicated to helping employees grow, evolve, and achieve their fullest potential — making work not just a place to earn a living, but a place to transform personally and professionally.

10 Workplace Trends for 2025: What’s In and What’s Out? High performing companies are dedicated to helping employees grow, evolve, and achieve their fullest potential — making work not just a place to earn a living, but a place to transform personally and professionally.