Business Insights

Articles, news and upcoming events

The Worlds of Facility Management and Workplace are, by definition, highly mobile and evolutive.

On these pages, you will find technical articles, news, reports on congresses and conferences in which Spaceonmove took part as well as positions or “mood tickets” which should give you a particular insight into these two fields. Nice readings.

BIM, GMAO, IA & Co - The urgent need for technological integration

Posted on by Christian Hadorn | Article

The urgent need for technological integration

The technology incorporated into large-scale commercial buildings is no longer a secret; examples of ‘futuristic’ installations abound.

One crucial question remains: how are we making use of this mass of data? The integration of BIM, CMMS, digital twins and the use of artificial intelligence to detect anomalies and optimise performance are undeniably major advances.

Yet a paradox persists: only a handful of ultra-specialists or tech enthusiasts grasp its full value, whilst senior management—despite being the most directly affected—remains conspicuously absent from the debate.

Optimists will say that senior management is focusing on its core business, out of a concern for efficiency and expediency. Realists, of whom I am one, see a very different reality: these topics simply do not interest executives, as they seem to lie outside their sphere of expertise.

One need only observe the conferences, seminars and meetings dedicated to property or Facility Management (FM) to notice a worrying insularity. Time and again, we see the same faces, the same technical consultants, the same BIM and CMMS gurus. Who is to blame?

A FM sector incapable of selling itself beyond its own circle of influence? Or executives who have not yet grasped that back-office activities have a direct impact on their profit and loss (P&L) statement?

The truth is that everyone shares the blame. On the one hand, the worlds of property and FM are content to rest on their certainties, with no outward openness. On the other, executives remain focused on sales, communication, short-term returns and relationships.

It is high time these two worlds converged. The intensive use of new technologies, and AI in particular, in the infrastructure sector has become a strategic issue. Poorly managed investments in these areas are veritable time bombs, both financially and in human terms.

All too often, during projects, executives ‘swallow their pride’, enduring the rhetoric of architects, engineers and solution providers without understanding the real implications or the long-term commitments involved. Reacting after the event is pointless; it merely confirms the yawning chasm that still separates these two spheres.

It is urgent that business schools incorporate the holistic management of the enterprise, including its technical operations and back-office functions, which are all too often deemed unglamorous and unremarkable.

Whilst Swiss programmes are often cited as a model for fostering interdisciplinary bridges, the reality on the ground shows that such bridges are sorely lacking. This is detrimental to the economy: beyond the technical aspects, optimal infrastructure management is a powerful lever for sustainable development and economies of scale.

This post won’t change the situation overnight. It does, however, have the merit of putting a spanner in the works for certain high-flying experts, who are all too often locked away in their ivory towers.

Food for thought, happy reading, and see you soon.

Recent posts

  • The law and decency

    In a world where rights have become a shield, a free pass, an excuse — decency has become an option… even a luxury. Yet it is decency that makes the difference. Not in grand speeches, but in small gestures: • The person who, in business class, does not plunder the buffet but enjoys it with restraint. • The person who, well paid, leaves discounted items to colleagues who really need them. • The person who, even if they hate opera, declines tickets — to leave them to someone who has been waiting for them for months. • The person who gives up their parking space — because they are only there one day a week, and someone else needs it every day. These situations seem trivial. They are not. They reveal a lack of consideration, of good manners… and sometimes, a quiet indecency, masked behind a ‘I have the right’. Yes, you have the right. But decency invites you to ask yourself: Do I really need it? Is my action depriving someone else? Am I a better person after doing this? An adage says: ‘A bad settlement is better than a good lawsuit.’ Today, we could rephrase it as: ‘A small concession is better than a big right.’ Being part of society isn’t just about following the rules — it’s about going beyond them with kindness. It’s choosing not to take everything, even when you can have it all. It’s leaving space, time and attention for those who need it. It takes a little courage. And above all… a little humility. Because true luxury is not having everything but knowing how to do without it — to give others a chance to live better.

  • AI: A Silent Revolution with Profound Consequence

    AI doesn’t make any noise… but it transforms everything. It is becoming part of our societies, our businesses, our lives — often without us even realising it. And yet its effects will be profound: • Individuals & society: it is redefining our interactions, replacing tasks and changing expectations. • Businesses (secondary and tertiary sectors): production lines, logistics, jobs — everything is changing. • Education: education systems must anticipate the needs of tomorrow — or risk leaving generations behind. • Transport & territories: automation, teleworking, urban reconfiguration — travel will no longer have the same meaning. Switzerland, dependent on research, education and added value, cannot afford to wait. We need: • A pragmatic roadmap • Massive investment in continuing education • Inclusive support — because not everyone can retrain in the same way AI is not a threat. It is a transformation. And like any transformation, it requires preparation, vision… and solidarity.

  • Pragmatism in the face of inflexible standardised processes

    We live in an era where industrialization, standardization, and algorithms dominate our organizations. The benefits are undeniable: productivity gains, security, and transparency. In 95% of cases, these rigid processes work perfectly. But what happens in the remaining 5%?

    It is often within this tiny margin that the difference between a “good” service and an “excellent” one is made. Yet, when facing these specific cases, we too often witness bureaucratic inflexibility where employees hide behind the excuse: “It’s the system.”

    The result? Customer frustration, a loss of purpose for teams, and avoidable errors.

    The real challenge is not to reject standards, but to integrate pragmatism from the design phase: • Plan for controlled workarounds to handle the unexpected without blocking everything. • Bring together technical experts and field practitioners to anticipate flaws. • Accept that total rigidity is the enemy of customer satisfaction.

    Tools must remain at the service of humans, not the other way around. To achieve excellence, leaders must demonstrate the intellectual flexibility required to give their teams some room to manoeuvre.

  • Putting an end to complexity: quite a challenge

    Has complexity become an end within our organisations?

    In a frantic race towards sophistication, we often confuse the means with the ends.

    Here are a few examples to avoid: • Creating multiple versions of a presentation just for the sake of it. • Adding technical metrics that nobody uses. • Creating cumbersome processes that cause us to lose sight of the goal.

    The result? A colossal waste of time and skyrocketing costs.

    It is not a question of going back to the Stone Age, but of applying a common-sense principle that is all too often forgotten: the KISS principle (Keep It Simple and Smart). Before adding another layer of complexity, let us ask ourselves the only question that matters: ‘What are we really talking about?” True performance lies not in accumulation, but in clarity of purpose. Whether for a pianist, a watchmaker or a manager, it is the result that gives meaning to the technique, not the other way round.

    And you, what is the unnecessarily complex process you’d like to simplify tomorrow?

  • Work: between social devaluation and source of meaning

    Work is not just a contract. It’s a space of meaning, identity, recognition — and sometimes, genuine passion.

    Yet, in public discourse and everyday conversation, it is too often reduced to a chore, a necessary evil, or even a source of alienation. This gap between lived experience and social perception deserves closer scrutiny.

    When working conditions are fair, human relationships respectful, and goals genuinely shared, work becomes a source of motivation — even in the most practical or socially undervalued roles.

    SMEs, particularly in manufacturing, often benefit from this naturally: every action has visible impact. But in large corporations or service sectors, this connection must be actively built — through transparency, recognition, and celebrating small, daily wins.

    The challenge is not to make work “perfect” — but to restore its dignity, and its human value.

  • There are consultants and consultants…

    In a world where the word ‘consultant’ often makes people cringe — especially in business — it’s time to take a more nuanced view. Yes, consultants can bring real value. But on one condition: you have to know how to choose them, define them and, above all, know why you’re calling on them. There is no such thing as a consultant, but rather consultants. And each profile has its place — strategic, tactical, operational. But be careful: on an operational level, a consultant is often ill-suited. Here, we need specialists who do, not those who get things done

    Before calling in a consultant, ask yourself five essential questions:

    1. Does their DNA match my needs? Many claim to do everything. Few do it well. Check their actual expertise — not their marketing CV.
    2. Am I prepared to act on their recommendations? If the answer is no, there’s no point in hiring them. A consultant is not a strategy decorator.
    3. Is my organisation ready to welcome an ‘inquisitor’? A consultant is also a mirror. And sometimes, we don’t like what we see in it.
    4. Are they able to adapt to my context — or do they come with their ‘ready-made recipes’? ‘Copy-pasting’ between clients is the beginning of failure.
    5. Is there human chemistry? A power struggle from the outset = a doomed project.

    For large companies: The consultant is often a ‘seal of legitimacy’ — legal, strategic, political. Their client is not always the one working in the field, but the one who signs the cheque. For SMEs: It’s different. Here, we are looking for pragmatism, proximity, and real-life experience. Not theories promising 20% miracle savings, but solutions that are adapted to the field, co-constructed, and above all, applicable.

    My observation, after more than seven years of supporting SMEs and start-ups: what made the difference was not my ‘programme’. It was my background, my concrete experiences, my ability to understand the real issues — and to find compromises between ambition and reality.

    Three strong convictions:

    1. There is room for everyone in consulting — as long as you position yourself with clarity and authenticity.
    2. The client must know themselves in order to know what type of consultant they need.
    3. SMEs deserve turnkey solutions, far removed from grand theoretical discourse and standardised models. To disparage consulting is to overlook a powerful tool — sometimes misused, but rarely useless. The real challenge? Choose wisely, engage with humility, and act with determination.

  • Succession planning: an often-overlooked pillar

    In many companies — even medium to large ones — succession planning is still treated as a ‘management exercise’ rather than a lever for governance and resilience.

    Yet anticipating transitions, training future leaders, and communicating clearly about potential is good managerial sense. And it’s not a question of ‘glamour’ — it’s a question of trust, transparency, and sustainable performance.

    Many leaders say that this is done ‘intuitively’. But without formalisation and communication, it becomes a breeding ground for rumours, frustrations… and sometimes passive resignations.

    I have been involved in succession discussions for years — and I have always found them rich in strategic debate: objectives, skills, mobility, training, positioning… and above all, alignment of expectations.

    Since 2019, I have seen too many companies avoiding the subject, at the risk of seeing their operational efficiency erode. Secrets, unspoken words, rumours about promotions: this is not management, it is disengagement in progress.

    ‘Plans change all the time’? It doesn’t matter. Having one—even if it’s flexible—is a sign of seriousness. For teams, it’s also a sign of stability: choices aren’t made at random or based on affinity.

    Yes, it takes time. But it’s a strategic insurance policy: you don’t take out fire insurance hoping your house will burn down. You do it to be prepared if the worst happens.

    What about you? Does your company have a succession plan — one that is clear, shared and dynamic?

Archives

Contact us

Contact from
☛ Don't forget to include an email address or a phone number if you wish to be contacted.