Business Insights / Facility Management

  • The world of FM is becoming much more complex, but…

    If there’s one field that’s evolving rapidly but quietly, it’s Facility Management (FM).

    However, new technologies, training developments and general professionalism are extraordinary assets that enable us to meet ever more numerous and ambitious challenges, whether in terms of customer and user requirements, legal constraints or certification programs in all fields.

    As the saying goes, “there’s no such thing as a train that arrives on time”. In this respect, the FM professions are extraordinary, but also frustrating: thousands of operations are carried out day after day without a hitch, and without the users even noticing the ins and outs; on the other hand, at the slightest breakdown or error, FM is singled out for criticism. Perhaps that’s the price of fame…

    On a more serious note, over the last 10-15 years, the world of FM has become much more sophisticated and professional in terms of quality and traceability, but it has also become much more complex with the introduction of a whole range of technologies, from IT programs such as BIS, BIM, CMMS, etc., to “intelligent” detectors and sensors, enabling us to achieve unprecedented levels of service quality.

  • Let’s be positive despite everything

    The Coué method is certainly not always the right way to motivate yourself, but it must be said that in these uncertain and turbulent times, it can be a good antidote to the prevailing gloom.

    All the information reported by the media is alarming or unlikely to make us laugh nothing seems to work anymore, whether it’s the climate and nature, geopolitics and democracy or health and the essentials of life.

    At the same time, some people are deluded by social media, finding thousands of friends and positive opinions generated by algorithms whose transparency is matched only by their perversity. Living in this artificial bubble is not a solution in the long term, even if it probably provides an escape from these anxiety-inducing times.

    So, we’re left with the good old-fashioned Coué method, which at least allows us to be positive without second thoughts or shame. The word is out: be positive.

  • When certain company choices are political

    While small organisations are generally spared political decisions, most large groups are confronted with this old demon, which takes over the operational side for obscure reasons.

    In these groups or large organisations, it is common to hear the phrase “you’re right, but politically it’s not defensible”. What can a junior manager - or worse, a member of staff - do when faced with such statements and situations? Not much, unless they want to go to war and potentially lose their job…

    While this ‘political’ approach is often detestable in ethical and professional terms, it is difficult to combat. Although the following solutions or measures may seem modest, they have the merit of existing and working according to our experience.

  • When too much detail kills the idea

    At one time or another, we’ve all had to deal with colleagues who are experts in everything and who see details as ends.

    When this remains on a “normal” scale, it is acceptable, even amusing. However, this desire to control and master everything down to the last detail can become pathological, at the risk of blocking any idea or project.

    When a complex project is approached in detail, it is almost impossible to start it, to continue it or, worse still, to finish it. Indeed, there are always very good opportunities - often very factual ones at that - to modify a project, alter it or even put it on hold: it takes incredible strength and great resilience to force fate and bring the project back to its original goal and bring it to fruition.

  • The times of democracies and dictatorships

    Even if it is not a question of adding fear to anxiety, the global geopolitical situation is worrying to say the least: what seemed to be taken for granted in a democracy is being called into question by the inconsistency, contempt, arrogance, and a form of madness of certain leaders.

    While most people aspire to tranquillity and a decent life, a few narcissistic perverts decide otherwise. Why, in the end, is it so easy for these warmongers to carry out their plans? Time takes so long!

    Whereas true democracies are, by definition, constantly adapting, changing, questioning, and holding open elections, dictatorships weave their web over years or even decades. In a nutshell, then, democracies are short-sighted, while dictatorships are long-sighted…

  • Does the right to make a mistake still exist?

    Whilst inclusion, diversity and plurality are extolled and proclaimed with force and slogans, today’s world is becoming increasingly intolerant of error, approximation, and options: look for the mistake…

    The binarity of solutions is certainly a simplification and even an opportunity for certain brains that are increasingly ‘standardised’ and not very inclined to reflection, but it is becoming detestable that this ‘yes or no, but above all nothing else’ approach is being held in high esteem.

    Tolerance begins with accepting the right to make mistakes, to approximate, to make choices. It’s hardly a question of accepting everything and anything, but rather of having a margin of appreciation that is one of the foundations of life in society.

    However, it seems that the principle of “whoever is not for me is (necessarily) against me” is becoming the rule. Current geopolitical challenges and social debates are, unfortunately, the dirtiest examples of this.

  • Mixing up responsibilities leads to chaos

    A large proportion of companies want to control their processes and the end-to-end supply and service chain. However, there are limits to this virtuous circle that far too many companies blithely cross.

    With all due respect to top management, believing that they are capable of mastering and managing everything is either delusional or, at worst, reckless.

    First, you need to know how to delegate operations and services that are not part of the company’s core business: external specialists can provide real added value in these areas, provided they are managed professionally.

  • Is design compatible with functionality?

    Can design, in its purest expression, be truly functional? To ask the question is to answer it, at least in part.

    Designers’ main mission is to express their feelings, their visions, to offer experiences through an art form. Conversely, when design becomes a concept in the functional domain, it becomes much more ‘tricky’, even if there are well-known counter-examples, notably demonstrated by our Italian friends: famous cars, boats and certain types of furniture are the best examples of this.

    Can the same principle be applied to interior design or real estate?

  • Outsourcing doesn’t mean making a pact with the devil…

    Outsourcing part of a company’s non-core business means making a pact with the devil for some managers, as the potential loss of operational control seems to represent an existential crisis.

    It’s interesting to note that these same company leaders can have certain parts or parts of installations or products produced on the other side of the world, but are incapable of trusting their neighbours…

    Let’s be clear from the outset: outsourcing services doesn’t solve all problems, but it often enables us to better anticipate, manage and channel them. And if you haven’t done the initial optimization work yourself, it won’t be the external service providers who do it for you.

  • Too much of a good thing is a bad thing or “who embraces too much, embraces poorly”

    The notion of long and short timeframes is virtually non-existent in the corporate world, where everything must be done quickly, not to say in a hurry. Why not, if it gets everyone on the same wavelength and doesn’t overtax staff unnecessarily.

    Make no mistake about it, this is not about glorifying “worker protection” against employers. Rather, it’s about deploring a new management posture in many companies: you need to know everything, immediately and in all areas: it’s a bit like social networking taken to the extreme in the workplace.

    Not knowing something as a manager has become a stigma, a failing, even incompetence. But so, what? Do we really need to master everything at every level, at every stage of a process?

  • Let’s start 2024 with enthusiasm …

    After the “Trêve des Confiseurs”, which is unfortunately increasingly theoretical in a particularly troubled world, we sincerely hope that the start of the new year is as auspicious as possible for everyone.

    It’s also said that the start of a new year is a time for wishing and often making good resolutions. To do so, we need to look beyond the usual verbiage of 2024 with enthusiasm and conviction.

    The ambient pressure and challenges are always present - it’s not a calendar change that’s going to revolutionize the world for better or worse - but we need to have the courage, the desire, and the will to put positive things in place and, why not, try out new approaches.

  • Merry Christmas – Happy New Year…

    After the many posts and short articles placed on this site during the year, it’s time to look back and project us, a little, into the future…

    We’ve tried to shed light, often in contrasting ways, on workspaces, the way we work, and facility management in general, from different angles in terms of management, generational challenges, technology and so on.

    Have we achieved our objectives? It would seem so, thanks to you - hundreds of readers on LinkedIn, a teasing platform for our “spaceonmove.swiss” website, with its full articles.

  • Tactics before knowledge…

    All too often, most large companies focus on individual technical knowledge and skills, whereas in most cases, it’s tactical skills, group management and a holistic approach that really make the difference. Why is this?

  • Workspaces: the difficulty of dialogue

    Just as in our civil societies, work environments and workspaces are undergoing extraordinary transformations linked to a whole range of social, environmental, economic, and cultural factors.

    The first difficulty lies in putting things into perspective, particularly in terms of time. The immediacy of information and the need for results, as well as ephemeral and superficial contacts, are further conditioning working environments and relationships.

  • Tactics before knowledge…

    All too often, most large companies focus on individual technical knowledge and skills, whereas in most cases, it’s tactical skills, group management and a holistic approach that really make the difference. Why is this?

  • Workplaces and technologies in symbiosis

    In most recent articles and speeches, the preservation of workspaces is very often opposed to technology, dematerialisation, and digitalisation, which are increasingly seen as “invasive”. Do we have to go to such extremes, if only to create a buzz?

    Every industrial revolution has had a major, not to say immense, impact on workplaces and their environments, on the flow of professional activities, on the skills required and on production tools. Why should things be any different today? Jobs are being lost while others are being created, old tools are becoming museum relics to be replaced by new, much more efficient ones, and the nature and location of workflows are changing.

  • Impact of hybrid working.

    Numerous studies have now been published on hybrid working and its impact or consequences.

    While some aspects are “intramural” to the company, such as

    • Changes in the way people work together, • Changes to the design of workspaces, • Management style,

    seem obvious to most people in the business world, others are less directly perceptible. Several studies by Stamford University show these other aspects, such as the impact on commuting, places of work and residence, and so on.

    One of these studies, published in March 2023, shows that the creation of start-ups has been facilitated and the number of people playing golf in the middle of the week has doubled!

  • Mood note : office etiquette

    Ah, you say, another one of those old fogies who doesn’t understand that the professional world has changed! Well, yes, I like to think of myself as an old fuddy-duddy, but that doesn’t stop me from wondering about a certain loss of civility…

    You certainly know colleagues who are in the office, certainly to work, but who don’t care about the environment in which they work if it doesn’t directly concern them.

    You can certainly see who I mean: David, who turns away from the coffee machine as soon as he sees that the water tank is empty; Marcel, who uses the latest toilet paper, but doesn’t have the sense to put a new roll in the holder when there are at least 3 in the reserve; Marie, who treats the washbasin like a swimming pool; Julie, who gets into the lift that you also want to take, but presses the button to close the door, smiling at you stupidly; and Robert, who jams the printer but ‘forgets’ to fix it or report the fault, leaving on the sly. Has this ever happened to you? Come on, come on…

  • Technology, yes; over-engineering, perhaps not …

    The field of Facility Management has undergone a revolution over the last ten years, thanks to new technologies and the introduction of new applications. Now that almost anything is possible in this field, when and where should we take things too far? There is no question here of calling into question the enormous progress made in terms of maintenance, user services and the increased efficiency achieved in buildings thanks to technological tools that enable breakdowns, shortcomings, and inefficiencies to be detected much more quickly and accurately. The question is more one of knowing when and where not to go too far in terms of engineering and technology. It’s true that many specialists are fans - or at least very happy - to have these new tools and applications that allow them to visualise the building in 3D thanks to digital twins of the buildings, to have key indicators available thanks to a single control panel, etc. and thus to respond very quickly to the demands of users, demands that have grown exponentially. The question is no longer how, but how much and at what granularity the information is and remains relevant.

  • I don’t go to the office anymore, and even less on Fridays …

    Why go to the office at all, especially on Fridays? Many question the relevance of such an approach: the solution is a little more complex…

  • The empty chair principle…

    I might as well say at the outset that we are not fans of the “empty chair”, whatever the circumstances or risks.

    During the various dossiers, mandates, and projects in which we have been involved, it has been very unpleasant to note that this practice - which is somewhat debatable - has become commonplace or has been practised by certain individuals or groups of individuals.

    After some thought and observation, we found that the people practising this “empty chair” approach were rarely doing so because of a lack of time or diary conflicts, but much more often because of tactics, politics, or even - and this is more serious - incompetence. Let’s look at the reasons one by one.

  • Professional life is a marathon, not a sprint

    Working life has changed dramatically over the last few decades, and while long careers with the same company may be the exception rather than the rule, it is still a marathon.

    Over and above the requirements of employees, which vary greatly with their age - the impetuousness of youth is giving way to a desired form of stability - it is important to think in terms of the medium and long term. In this respect, there is often confusion between thinking in the long term and acting according to this same model.

    Today, it is becoming difficult to project oneself into a medium- or long-term perspective, given the fast pace at which the environment, constraints, requirements, and possibilities are changing. This in no way prevents individuals from having a vision of what they want to do or achieve.

  • Praise for slowness

    Making noise for the sake of making noise, acting in haste, surfing on ‘hot’ topics without delving into them is becoming a general trend. Are these the right answers to the current challenges? Some doubts are raised by certain observations…

    Wanting to emphasise a certain slowness and time for reflection automatically generates criticism or sarcasm from partners, competitors, and even neighbouring countries. For many, taking time - being very ‘Swiss’ in a way - means being slow and boring. Is this really a flaw?

    In most major projects or initiatives, decision-makers expect results in the shortest possible time. Pushing the organisation to its limits or out of its comfort zone has many advantages. However, a sense of urgency should not be confused with haste.

    After the excitement of announcements comes the time for realism and pragmatism. This is where managerial skills and a sense of tactics are decisive for the success of a project or initiative. The manager must know how to manage the pressure of the leaders while setting a pace that is bearable for his or her teams in charge of implementation.

  • Many managers, few leaders…

    Unfortunately, the quality of a leader is not measured by the number of courses, seminars, or other training courses he or she has attended during his or her career. The same applies to the many managers who gravitate - the term is deliberately provocative - in companies.

    Most companies regularly make two major mistakes in the choice of their managers: choosing the most qualified and/or the most competent in his or her field to ‘parachute’ him or her into the position of head of an entity. This is confusing technical quality with managerial quality.

    In fact, these are completely different jobs that require different qualities and skills. Although the technical manager is essential to the workings of the company and often represents “THE reference specialist, he or she should (almost) never be entrusted with a management responsibility: this would be a recipe for disaster for the person concerned and for those around him or her.

  • Keep it simple: Is over-engineering an opportunity or a danger?

    Why do some countries and companies fare better than others economically and operationally when their fundamentals are virtually the same?

    There are, of course, a whole series of parameters and factors that play a role, but one seems particularly interesting to observe: over-engineering.

    By culture or by essence, some countries or large groups develop complex systems, processes and organisations that become almost self-supporting structures. What do we mean by this?

    In a country of SMEs such as Switzerland, efficiency, and simplicity, going to the essential in a pragmatic and flexible way are cardinal values. However, the legislative and regulatory framework must allow for this, which is often the case in international comparison. This approach could be summarised by the famous “keep it simple”.

  • Transparency and discretion: really antinomic?

    In our ultra-connected world, there is a lot of confusion when it comes to communication. Some people or companies put transparency and discretion in opposition, whereas the two can perfectly complement each other with a minimum of subtlety and tact.

    In a few years, social media have turned the world into a big playground where invective, misinformation, wild theories, putting people out to pasture and provocations are daily occurrences.

    We no longer sort - or we no longer know how to or want to sort - according to importance and urgency: everything is ‘thrown around’ as a whole. The presumption of innocence required of everyone is totally flouted, even though we know that when information is disseminated, whether it is true or false, it is the latter that will be retained…

    It will not escape anyone that companies, whether large or small, must today be perfectly transparent about their activities, their governance, and their operating methods. Conversely, it would never occur to anyone to demand that they publish manufacturing secrets or competitive advantages. Thus, a company can be transparent while acting with discretion. This is a fine balance to be struck.

  • The workplace as a whole

    In an increasingly fractured and divided world, we are even moving in this direction in the field of workspaces.

    The general political environment leans towards divisions and extremes, whereas consensus and compromise should be cardinal values. It is true that the media and the emphasis on the ‘me’ do not support the middle way, as it may seem boring to many: the show must go on…

    On closer examination, we seem to be returning to periods and principles that seemed stale and over, those inspired by Stakhanovism in the 1930s or Taylorism at the end of the 19th century, which aimed to optimise work to the extreme. When we look at the wishes of generations Y and Z, we are far from it…

    In European service companies, the technological challenges, the complexity of the business and the extreme division of responsibilities between units ignoring each other make thinking of the workspace as a whole an illusion, even a crime of lèse-majesté.

  • The rush of thought.

    The media frenzy and the unkind comments surrounding the takeover of Credit Suisse by UBS on Sunday 19 March 2023 call for a reaction.

    First, let’s note the spontaneous emergence of numerous economic and banking specialists, each with their own interpretation and judgement, whereas most people know little or nothing about this.

    Comparing the situation in 2008 with that of today is a mistake because a lot has been done in the field of governance and controls for almost 15 years. Furthermore, it is forgetting that the trigger for the latest turmoil around Credit Suisse was the failure of a regional bank in the US and the loss of investor confidence in the banking system in general. Perhaps the solutions envisaged were not the right ones at the time: one is always more intelligent afterwards… Credit Suisse’s risk-taking with its investment bank was too great, which had unfortunately been apparent for several years. It paid a high price on 19 March. It is now easy to blame UBS, FINMA, the SNB and the Federal Council, even though their room for manoeuvre and the time available were limited.

  • Let’s try to play “long term”…

    As we all know, it is becoming increasingly difficult to make predictions and establish medium and long-term plans in companies. To speak of a 10-year plan today is to run the risk of looking like a mildly enlightened person, or even a dangerous lunatic…

    Let’s leave out of consideration the major projects that take years and are the subject of 15-20 year planning: this seems to be fairly well accepted and understood by most of the interlocutors and the public: the trans-Alpine railways in Switzerland (NLFA), the planning of districts, the transformation of an airport, etc. are good examples.

  • The means of its policy

    The formula is well known, but the fact is that many companies are not prepared to put in the necessary means and resources to achieve certain objectives.

    Most bosses will rightly say that they should focus on 2-3 main objectives and invest in them. This formula is naturally appealing, but it is a little too quick to forget that other aspects of the company must also be given special attention.

    It is hard to say which areas should be given priority, as each company has its own objectives, opportunities, challenges, and possibilities. Nevertheless, it is not difficult to point out that most business plans focus on the core business, leaving the non-core activities to one side, or even putting great pressure on their costs and resources.

    Is this always the right calculation? We doubt it…

  • Hello Doctor, my employees are not coming back to the office…

    Is it bad, Doctor, if my employees don’t want to come back to the office?

    This joking phrase may well conceal a slightly more difficult truth to deal with in some service sector companies.

    It is not uncommon for employers to experience an “uncontrolled desertion” of office space since the “post-COVID” recovery. Is this serious or can it be managed proactively and pragmatically?

    To ask the question is to answer it at least partially. First, there is no point in panicking at the idea that employees have found a different way of working, combining face-to-face and remote work in a way that is often effective for both the employee and the employer. However, it is important to find the right way of working so that everyone can benefit.

  • Generation Z: I am on “Tiktok” but do not know “Office”…

    Generation ‘Z’ - young people born between 1997 and 2010 - seems to be a big consumer and user of “Tiktok”. Every generation naturally has its “markers of history”, and this social media is certainly one for this generation.

    It would be totally unreasonable for the “old man” that I am to dare to take a position for or against such a tool, or to criticise its origin or its content…

    However, one thing stands out when you ask companies of all sizes employing young people who have not had business training (for the latter, it is part of the curriculum): generation Z seems to know little or nothing about spreadsheets, Word, presentation tools, in short, the “Office” world. Is this a problem, Doctor?

  • Information and power in business…

    For centuries, those who master information and communication have often held the power…

    Examples in the political field are legion. This practice has been elevated to the level of an “art” by most dictatorships or regimes that come dangerously close to it, but it is not absent in companies…

    Mastering information is essential in the professional context: anticipation, preparation and communication management are increasingly important in the face of numerous and varied challenges. External information is governed by rules and practices that are well known to communication professionals.

    Internal communication is often much more uncertain, and practices differ greatly from one company to another. In this respect, it is interesting to note that transparency is often greater at the higher levels of the company’s hierarchy than at intermediate or lower levels. What could be the reason for this?

  • 140 characters or the beginning of Manichaeism in business…

    During its use, many people have been criticised, rightly or wrongly, for expanding their thoughts too much in a presentation, an email, or a simple report. To top it all off, in 2006 Twitter introduced a new standard for brevity: 140 characters, not one more…

    Those in a hurry, the restless or the positive will point out that you can already say a lot in 140 characters. Of course, but it’s a bit short - so to speak!

    Mastering the synthesis or knowing how to summarize a statement in one phase is an art that few people master. We can only admire them when we have the pleasure of hearing or reading them, but there are slippages and some democracies, including the United States, suffer from them.

  • It is when you have nothing left that you realise what you had…

    Do we have to go through this stage of losing a lot, or even everything, to appreciate what we have or had?

    Some people have a greater propensity than others to have to lose in order to realise all that they had.

    Without getting into philosophical reflections on the level of a “café du commerce” conversation, it is nevertheless necessary to note that our Western societies and our professional environments in particular have reached - in the vast majority - a qualitative and quantitative level that other parts of the world and previous generations might envy.

  • What motivation for what work…

    Salaries, fair recognition of work and the meaning given to professional activities are difficult areas to grasp because they are very personal aspects, at least in Europe.

    Depending on the generation to which the employee belongs, he or she has different definitions and perceptions of recognition and meaning of work, all of which are linked to the activity itself, personal expectations, individual abilities, education and perhaps level of responsibility.

    Moreover, people’s expectations differ at each stage of their lives: what seems important when you are young loses its acuity at the end of your working life and vice versa.

    Nevertheless, while previous generations “lived to work”, generations Y or Z have a much more “detached” or “pragmatic” approach to the notion of work.

  • Rush, responsiveness and accuracy: eternal conflicts …

    It is difficult to reconcile excellent responsiveness with great accuracy in the field of communication. It is often a conflict because the goals of the parties involved are divergent or even antinomic.

    Crisis or high conflict situations are excellent examples. Indeed, reconciling the provision of information when it is necessarily partial, incomplete, and evolving, and knowing when and how to communicate in these situations, are certainly some of the most difficult challenges to meet. Specific training - indispensable today - often makes it possible to reduce risks, stress, or communication errors.

  • It’s the tone that makes the music …

    If we are to look like an old and decrepit man who no longer understands anything about today’s professional life, we might as well go for it cheerfully and even make the point: courtesy and empathy are no longer the order of the day: we are efficient right to the end, with all that this entails…

    Let’s start by giving a few examples: potential customers are spontaneously addressed with a “cool attitude” in certain shops; polite formulas in an e-mail are useless; under the pretext of efficiency, the structure of a message is discarded; people enter a meeting room without saying hello, etc.

    We can certainly live with these approaches, but we become worried when we see that these same people take offence at the “brutality” of certain advertising messages, judge certain companies based on mere presumptions linked to “political correctness”, no longer accept certain innocent jokes (I’m talking here about light jokes that are not serious or heavy-handed!), and act like “haters” on social media…

  • The world of work and communication…

    In a hyper-connected and hyper-mediatised world in which every image, every act, every gesture is analysed, commented on, and criticised, it is interesting, even frightening, to note how little quality of communication in the world of work is valued or taught at management level.

    How many castings errors, frustrations and failures are reported every day by employees or managers at intermediate levels because of communication errors worthy of a beginner in the field of human resources?

    Let’s be a little provocative and say that the world of work is becoming bipolar: on the one hand, it preaches integration, inclusion, and partnership, and on the other, it forgets the most basic communication codes.

  • Ego and counter-power don’t mix…

    It has been known for a long time that (over)developed egos do not mix well with contestation. This also applies in the professional world, of course.

    Running a company requires a whole series of quite exceptional abilities, of which enthusiasm and even fervour is part. But beyond the necessary passion for these activities, the exercise of power often leads to a disproportionate development of the ego in some leaders.

    Is the leader in question solely responsible for these ‘slip-ups’? On closer inspection, the answer is of course no. Indeed, circumstances, governance and, above all, the direct environment contribute to reinforcing an already pre-existing tendency to egocentricity

  • Funnels and corridor widths…

    The title is deliberately appealing, but it hides two subjects that seem to be increasingly recurrent and even divisive in the professional world: the narrowing of minds and skills. There was a time when the margin of tolerance in business was very - too - wide and a form of generalized laxity existed in the professional landscape. Oral rules were rife, the application of principles was somewhat haphazard, while trust and a ‘clannish’ spirit were the rule. It is not a question of denigrating those times or wanting to go back in time, but rather of knowing how these practices have evolved. Is it for the better or for the worse? Both, in fact…

  • Change of model

    The world of work is undergoing a gentle revolution, but a revolution, nonetheless.

    The advent of the hybrid model (face-to-face and remote), the fact that many employees want to reduce their working hours or change direction after the pandemic, and the fact that the younger generation wants to give much more meaning to its activities by putting salary in 4th or 5th place of the requirements for example, show that companies must reinvent themselves quickly.

    Are they able to meet all these demands and do they really want to?

    The power of innovation, adaptation and anticipation is often the DNA of successful companies, and it often doesn’t take much money: the key is management’s ability to develop pragmatic solutions in an employee-friendly environment.

    Make no mistake, it takes more than that to get the right chemistry, but it is a fact that most companies do not have the right governance and/or do not allow employees and their managers to act with speed and common sense.

  • Listening to them

    Most companies talk about generational change with varying degrees of passion and understanding. Do they do it because it is ” trendy ” or do they have a real concern for the generations of today and tomorrow?

    The way in which decisions are taken, the lack of anticipation and inclusion in the face of the wishes, demands or other questions of the younger generations, makes it easy to doubt this.

    The fact that the subject is not easy to deal with is certainly part of the game, and no one certainly has “the” right solution to consider the generational gaps that are widening in the professional world. Denying the evidence that the pandemic has fundamentally accelerated the transformation to a hybrid world of work is just one example…

  • Not everyone can grow up well…

    It’s interesting to note that the professional world sometimes presents the same challenges as those we face as individuals: knowing how to grow and evolve. How many companies - especially small and medium-sized ones - experience major problems when they grow organically or when they merge? There are certainly no official figures on this subject, but this theme comes up in informal discussions in various economic circles.

    (…)

    It is noted that with the change of scale of the company, the form often takes precedence over the substance. This can be particularly perverse and divert actions from the primary objective if it is not controlled. The change in size naturally requires changes in communication and certain processes, but it is important that the content remains in sync with the strategy.

  • The courage to make decisions

    Deciding means exposing oneself, showing a side of oneself that is perhaps not in phase with what one wants to project, and finally accepting to displease a little or a lot…

    Certain theories of modern ‘managerial marketing’ seem to indicate that one must be inclusive, tolerant, conciliatory, not to say soft, to please the greatest number of people and, above all, not to offend anyone. This would have been applied ages ago in most companies if the recipe were so simple to implement…

    Let there be no mistake about it: it is of course necessary to include, to accept mistakes, to consider contrary or even opposing opinions: it is thanks to this that a form of humanity can endure in companies and that the development of everyone is possible.

  • Anticipating changes: not very glamorous, but so necessary…

    Emile de Girardin’s (1802-1881) sentence “To govern is to plan ahead. Not to foresee anything is not to govern, it is to run to one’s ruin” is very well known and remains very topical in the working world.

    It is interesting - not to say surprising - to note that some business leaders have not yet understood that it is necessary to anticipate and imagine the unimaginable not for the next three months but for the next few years.

    This is more striking after having gone through a pandemic, witnessed increasingly frequent cyber-attacks, and seen, with horror, a war taking place in Europe.

  • The most beautiful office in the world is nothing without…

    Large companies often opt for architecturally distinctive buildings in representative locations for their headquarters or key branches.

    In addition to the image and message to customers and the market, managers often state that “the best should be offered to employees” in this area. It is hard not to agree with such an approach, even if it is not the whole story…

    With the pandemic, the ‘hybrid’ (face-to-face and remote) world of work has become a ‘standard’ for many companies: workspaces have suddenly taken on unprecedented importance.

  • Empathy and business

    It has long been known that empathy and the business world often do not mix well, but today it seems to be leading more and more often to divorce…

    The world of business has never been a world of ‘carefree’ people, and it often takes a strong character or a conqueror to succeed in positioning your company in a market that has become increasingly competitive. One might retort that “that’s life, my good man”, although it has never been forbidden to have a minimum of empathy or a sense of proportion when dealing with one’s customers, suppliers, or competitors.

  • FM and workspaces: ‘Welcome’ to the metaverse

    The time when a piece of fruit was still just a piece of fruit and a company was still a real company seems to be slipping away: thanks to - or because of - the metaverse, all this will soon be a thing of the past: we will all be living in a parallel world.

    What luck some would say, as their real worlds are so sad, poor, or desolate, but many of us will still prefer the real world, despite all the constraints and challenges, because it is so captivating and beautiful!

    The idea here is not to confront the two worlds: it is simply to assess the advantages and constraints of a more “virtual” approach. This “new world” will perhaps allow us to study certain paths, certain behaviours, certain solutions without having to “play them for real” with all the consequences that this may have.

  • FM must remain a human adventure

    The days of an empirical approach to Facility Management (FM) activities are long gone. Numerous training courses, including those offered by IFMA and other regional organisations, have been providing a solid foundation for specialists in this field for many years.

    Like other sectors, FM is adapting to the many technological and technical revolutions as well as to new working and organisational methods.

    However, one point remains central to FM activities: the human factor, the ins, and outs of which can be quite adventurous…

  • Remote working: the problem of management

    Since COVID 19, hybrid working seems to be well established in most companies that can practice it. But what about its management and the skills of management in this area? “Don’t throw away anymore”. If these are the options experienced by the company, it will never work.

  • Facility Management: the change of scale

    We rarely talk about trains arriving on time, even though this is most cases - at least in Switzerland. This is also true for companies: most of them are experiencing constant or even strong growth in turnover and volumes…

    This growth in orders, volumes and/or personnel is often accompanied by underestimated challenges:

    • How to increase staffing levels without destabilising the financial balance: with permanent staff, temporary staff, or both? • How to increase activity or storage space while maintaining the right balance between fixed costs and potentially variable revenues? • Can the organisational structure and division of labour be maintained during strong growth? • Can the real estate, workspace, and facility management (FM) approach be maintained with a change in company size?

  • Generations Y and Z and their relationships at work

    This is certainly a question linked to what some people call “advanced age”, but generations Y and Z never cease to surprise us…

    Their relationship to society, to the family, to work and to money in particular is often surprising: you have to show solidarity but only with your community, you put your family back together according to new codes and too bad if grandma is not part of it, work is only important if it allows you to learn, finally, you think that money is dirty, but you are happy to have it to buy what you want…

  • Workspace and FM: Maximum flexibility required

    In many ways, the pandemic has forced authorities, citizens, companies, employees and customers to reinvent themselves and to find more or less successful ways to get through this particularly unique period…

    For companies, the sometimes-forced choice to introduce homeworking, the hybrid model or any other solution has not been easy. Between the technical, human and organisational requirements and the disrupted deadlines, the bosses had to play the “crisis management” card to the full. Employees and customers, in most cases very resilient, followed suit.

    Now it is time to plan a return to the new normal for 2022 by playing the FLEXIBILITY card.

  • Start the year in face-to-face or in remote

    2021 has been a constant challenge in terms of workspaces: face-to-face, remote, re-face, remote a little, a lot, not at all. In short, HR and logisticians have had to use the calculator to find ‘the right’ solution. Let’s hope that 2022 can spare us these clever dosages…

    But beyond the pandemic, many companies have reinvented their workspaces. The solutions are as diverse as the industries, but each manager has tried to find the right formula. What will happen in 2022?

    To ask the question is almost to answer it! While some bosses aspire to return to “the world before”, most managers have opted for a compromise solution. According to several experts in Switzerland and Europe at least, the solution of “3 days face-to-face and 2 days in remote” seems to hold sway.

  • Controlled ethical growth: workplaces and FM

    Many experts agree that the consequences of degrowth would be catastrophic in many respects, as it would lead to even greater disparities between people and nations.

    On the other hand, the current growth desired by most political and economic leaders, investors and shareholders has become totally unreasonable in many ways. So, what can be done? Perhaps a middle way such as controlled ethical growth will be the solution. This is certainly a new term - some would say another one - for new objectives.

  • New normal : all winners

    We are not yet at the end of the pandemic and unfortunately there will be some surprises. So, it’s best to be prepared for the long haul.

    And what if the new normality of work modes and spaces could only lead to winners?

    Crises often allow us to question certain dogmas and practices and force us to ask the right questions. The objective of everyone, companies and employees alike, is to be effective and efficient, to reduce risks and optimise ‘wasted time’. The “hybrid” work model (face-to-face / remote) - at least for companies in the service sector and administrative services - ticks all the boxes.

  • Workspaces and management presence

    Workplaces, whether face-to-face or remote, are not spaces of freedom as everyone knows, but intended to produce value for the company in return for a salary: this is the very basis of the employment contract…

    Many managers seem to have forgotten their roles: training, leading, stimulating, encouraging, supporting and deciding, in particular, is not the primary mission of a leader? These “oversights” seem to have become more visible since the pandemic and the often-forced introduction of remote working.

  • FM & Workplace: After the show, the constructive reality

    COP26 over, long live COP27…

    After the large-scale “show” and in anticipation of the next one, let us return to the real world.

    This is not about playing politics, but about trying to make a small contribution to the changes that need to take place in companies, and more specifically in the fields of facility management and workspaces.

  • Hybrid work: is management ready?

    The COVID 19 pandemic has revealed at least one positive side: hybrid working - face-to-face and remote - is possible and even opportune for many economic sectors.

    Most companies in the tertiary and other administrative sectors were thus able to maintain their activities, albeit with constraints, and even increase efficiency and effectiveness.

  • Keep it simple, if possible…

    The world is paved with good intentions: the majority of professionals are seeking to enhance the value of their professions and to bring real added value to the company and their clients.

    But this same world tends to become extremely complex, not only on the technical level, but much more often on the administrative and legal level. Everyone is to blame: from consumers to competitors, from government agencies to… lawyers.

    All this would be of no consequence if productivity, efficiency and the core business were not under direct attack.

  • Sustainability: Workspace & FM as contributors

    Sustainability is becoming a major development factor and a crucial criterion for corporate customers and investors…

    Beyond the hype and greenwashing that sometimes occurs, two areas can have a lasting and effective impact on sustainability: workspace concepts and infrastructure management (FM).

  • Integrated versus outsourced FM

    When talking about Facility Management (or FM or infrastructure and service management for the purists), many people confuse integration and outsourcing, although these are two different notions.

    While the outsourcing of FM services is easily understood, the notion of integration seems to pose a few problems for several company managers, who go so far as to say that an integrated FM is automatically outsourced, which may be the case naturally, but not necessarily…

  • Workspaces and cultural differences

    If there is one area where “copy and paste” does not work, it is in the design of workspaces. While the broad design standards are often similar, the devil is in the detail, and one of the details is cultural differences.

  • Hybrid work: first and foremost a management issue

    The so-called “hybrid” work model with alternating presence between the workplace and the home seems to be taking root in many companies in the secondary (for the administrative part) and tertiary sectors.

    Beyond the technical solutions and the successful new workspace arrangements, the main difficulty consists in finding a management model, a business model that is adapted and efficient.

  • How the FM might evolve after the COVID pandemic

    Let’s be crazy and imagine a new approach to facility management, or at least its evolution in the coming years.

    At a time when we are just emerging from a serious health crisis with COVID-19, certain economic sectors must reinvent themselves to survive or better still to recover the fundamentals that have made them successful.

    The field of facility management is oriented, almost by definition and apart from a few exceptions, towards daily execution and operational routines, which is essential for all companies of course.

  • Those consultants we love to hate

    I might as well say it straight away, consultants are generally not liked, and it is one of them who writes it.

    Indeed, as soon as the word ‘consultant’ is mentioned, many people come up with the most diverse and varied arguments to say all the bad things they think of these ‘preventers of going round in circles’.

    It is true that before becoming a consultant, I had the pleasure of being their clients and guinea pigs: I had to deal with the most talented as well as the worst. Moreover, some of them were more comfortable using a calculator to let pay their fees than using their ability to provide real added value for the client.

  • BIM: much talked about, little doubted…

    BIM (Building Information Modelling) is increasingly used by architects in construction. This tool is also tending to be used in operations… Beyond the “wow” effect when discovering the possibilities of this tool and in particular its 3D representations, it is important to realise what it represents for a (user) company. Let us say at the outset, at the risk of upsetting the developers and sellers of these products, that in its current state, BIM is not aimed at small SMEs and is not intended for small constructions. Indeed, the cost/benefit ratio is not (yet) favourable.

  • HR, Real Estate and FM: the trio for workspaces

    There is an adage that there is strength in numbers. This seems obvious to many, even though many companies, large and small, do not seem to have fully grasped the concept…

    The new norm for “post COVID” workspaces is to combine face-to-face with remote work: but employees must want to come back to their place of work. So how can this be done?

  • “Never complain, never explain”: really?

    “Never complain, never explain”: the formula is famous, but is it really adapted to the business world, that is the question…

    If Queen Victoria’s advice to the future King Edward VII in 1851 is well known, it is not certain that the current business world still allows for a strict and concrete application.

  • Real estate, mobility, management, and HR after COVID

    COVID 19” has not only called into question some of our certainties, but it has also upset the real estate, mobility, and managerial capacity of certain leaders.

    Let’s forget about the health consequences - too many experts or pseudo-experts have spoken on this subject - and let’s concentrate on a few questions related to the world of work, particularly in the service sector, even if we must not forget the many workers whose activities require face-to-face contact.

  • Business units and FM: different deadlines

    While business sectors often must act or react in the short term, the world of real estate and facility management works on the medium and long term. This is where potential conflicts can arise.

    To put it another way, stopping selling or changing a product or service can be done in a relatively short time, stopping paying a 10-year commercial lease or changing a back-up unit takes a bit longer…

  • Companies and risk appetite

    A paradigm shift has been affecting our highly industrialised Western societies for the past fifteen years: the loss of all appetite for risk and the desire to insure everything.

    Risk has become “the” sensitive issue, and we no longer hear “taking risks” but “managing risks”. But isn’t entrepreneurship linked to the ability and acceptance to take risks?

    Of course, risk must be calculated and limited as much as possible, but it seems that we approach it from a false angle: we look at what risks exist and then imagine that we are undertaking, whereas we should first think about development, services and then evaluate the risks. Let’s try a few theses on this subject.

  • Real estate will have to reinvent itself

    The pandemic has upset the short-term plans of most companies in the field of office space and property planning. Will it be a sustainable movement or not? It is hard to say exactly, as the parameters have changed so much:

    • Will remote working continue to have the same influence on the use of office space as it does at present?

    • Do we really need to reduce surface areas, or should we rethink them with other spaces?

    • Will coworking really have an impact on medium and large companies or will it remain a niche market for start-ups and micro-businesses?

    • What will be the managerial decisions regarding conduct and presence in the ‘new normal’?

  • And if collaboration were to take place on several levels

    Transparency, trust, and collaboration are the first pillars of any successful business. It does not take a lot of study to come to this conclusion, but it is not clear that this is a cardinal value for everyone after more than 12 months of the COVID pandemic

  • The great illusion of free everything

    Who can decently believe that one can consume for free? Generations Y and Z because of a lack of economic education, but not beyond that circle.

    We must assume that in the business world at least, everything has a cost and that this cost must be paid by someone: the customer, a sponsor, a patron, advertising or… the taxpayer!

  • CEO: some consistency about charges, please

    Who has never been confronted with a CEO’s inconsistencies in investments and expenses? In our experience, few have.

    Most CEOs have only a vague idea of the financial consequences of their logistical investment and expense choices when they can put their stamp on the company.

  • How to contain the post-COVID brouhaha

    The COVID pandemic has stopped the business world in its tracks, but it has also generated a lot of questions about the future of the company and the workspaces. Of course, it all depends on the business model, the size of the company, its current location, its customer base, etc. However, one thing is certain: “copy and paste” does not work. Furthermore, one should start “at the beginning”.

  • The re-emergence of ‘who is not for me is against me’.

    It was thought that certain Manicheism’s no longer had a place in our so-called “modern” world. Not so. Current geopolitics is bringing back to life the principle of “whoever is not for me is necessarily against me”: the business world, the mirror of an ever more fragmented society, is also crystallising.

  • Back to normal, really

    We see the end of the tunnel and the end of the COVID pandemic, at least in Europe. Are we going to see a return to normal work? Many say so: it will not be like before! So, what will change?

    The pandemic has allowed many companies to question their workspaces, processes, management, and technology. Have these reflections been carried out in depth and seriously or in the light of circumstances as a stopgap measure?

  • Getting to the end of the process

    How many projects are stopped early and why?

    The first problem is often at the very beginning of the process: the project framework and mandate are unclear; the objectives are approximate, and the means are not defined. Rarely can it end well with such initial uncertainties…

  • Our doubts are sometimes more inspiring than our certainties

    In a world of certainties, it is sometimes good to have doubts or at least a precautionary reflex. It is customary these days to be assertive, even arrogant, so as not to be seen as a has-been or a loser.

    What can we do?

  • Management indicators: supports or delusion

    A question to start with: how many management indicators should you use to manage your company or department? One is tempted to answer with a quip: it depends on a lot!

    Management indicators are generally especially useful to indicate trends, confirm them or correct certain practices. However, it is important to be sensible about this…

  • Do architects think about the operational

    Let us face it, many of us have been thrilled by a piece of architecture designed by a big name in the field, be it Hadid, Gehry, Nouvel, Forster, Piano, Chipperfield or Herzog & De Meuron or others.

    They are masters at selling a beautiful story, a dream, a concept, and it is naturally beautiful compared to most of the bland or sadly banal buildings. Whose fault is it: there is no need to pass the quid because we are all a bit complicit.

  • The inertia and then the exponential curve

    Have you ever noticed that most major changes in this world are met with resistance, then great inertia during the first phase of implementation and then a rapid and massive wave of acceptance when about 40-50% of people have validated the change? Nothing more normal you might say. And yet…

  • Focus on your business model

    Many companies focus on their business models and delegate non-core activities to others.

    Most large groups have long since opted for this approach, whereas smaller companies find it more difficult to “lose control” of operations.

  • FM & Workplace: New generation, new opportunities

    Generation “Z” is entering the labour market, including the facility management and workspace sectors, with new ideas and opportunities. This is good news because these sectors seem to be stagnating a bit in terms of ideas, creativity, and execution. Is it the pandemic, the economy or simply training that is holding back new ways of thinking in these areas?

  • 20% reduction in office space requirements. What if it were true

    Reducing office space is possible. We can make a quite simple calculation:

    • By introducing space sharing with a ratio of 1.2 (120 people per 100 spaces, or approx. 20%), we can fit more people in the same space (we are not talking about “dry” space reduction at this stage). • By keeping teleworking to one day/week per employee, we reduce the theoretical need by 20% (for full-timers).

  • But what are the ‘happiness managers’ doing here

    The designation of “happiness managers” seems to be fashionable in large companies …

    Everything can be explained by science, neuroscience, and the very advanced studies conducted by such and such institutes or universities. Despite everything, the old fox that I am, certainly outdated, remains very circumspect with this idea or this concept, because it is obviously a concept

  • But why do companies « divide » their projects??

    But what can push companies to “divide” their projects instead of thinking globally? Because of a lack of ambition, a lack of experience, of courage, because of financial issues? We can answer without too much hesitation that it is a bit of all these things at once, even if this is neither gratifying nor satisfactory…

  • When it comes to teleworking, we’ve really seen it all!

    As far as telework is concerned, we have read, seen, and heard everything during the pandemic: the worst and the best, but above all, we have noticed that the subject was often treated in a “polemical” way, even though it requires a calm and adapted approach for each and everyone.

    While certain sectors of activity have been experiencing “non-presential” workspaces for a long time, whole sections of the economy have had to change their habits with the teleworking imposed by the pandemic

  • FM & Workplace: suppliers must reinvent themselves.

    The professional world is changing fast, thanks to or because of exogenous events such as market demands or a pandemic. Will service providers be able to reinvent themselves and no longer live off the top of their heads? All bets are off and the challenges are many.

  • Democracy is not a fact but deeds: same thing for the company!

    If democracy is built and lived by actions and not by established facts, the modern and successful companies are characterised by actions.

    The times when it was enough to have good communication to seduce people are long gone today, it is necessary to prove and demonstrate what one does, show where it comes from, how one produces, with whom, etc.

  • Opting for the right tactical approach

    International organisational standards often define three levels of approach: strategic, tactical, and operational. While the strategy is often clear and correctly set, the tactical approach is often subject to numerous gaps or approximations. As for the operational level…

  • It is so easy to shoot the ambulance…

    In these uncertain times, it would be more than opportune to get to the essentials and maintain coherent thinking; stay in action, when some people are very inclined to “shoot the ambulance”. Why not do a little introspection on one’s weaknesses and doubts to draw out the best that is yet to come?

  • How to bring employees back into the company

    The pandemic has shown that most staff appreciate being able to work from home or other ‘exotic’ locations. This is perfectly understandable, even if a balance must be struck between face-to-face and virtual work.

  • Teleworking: a good opportunity to digitise documents

    Even if teleworking is certainly not “THE” solution for everyone, this new organisation of work can be a good opportunity to rethink the management of documents in and for the company

  • Happy New Year and good resolutions!

    The beginning of the year is often an opportunity to make good resolutions. Why not also do it for business? A few proposals relating to workspaces and contracts are included in the full text.

  • When Christmas with COVID you will celebrate

  • When neuroscience explains the fear of change

    When neuroscience explains the fear of change

  • COVID, Facility Management and workspaces: what if?

    COVID, Facility Management and workspaces: what if?

  • Facility Management: optimisation does not necessarily mean reduction…

    Facility Management: optimisation does not necessarily mean reduction…

  • Let us not get the FM strategy wrong

    Let us not get the FM strategy wrong

  • Binary thinking in the world of work: the fault of social networks?

    Binary thinking in the world of work: the fault of social networks?

  • The first challenge is us!

    The first challenge is us!

  • Future of workplaces and the property market

    Future of workplaces and the property market

  • Cheese or dessert?

    Cheese or dessert?

  • Crisis management: a new way of operating?

    Crisis management: a new way of operating?

  • COVID and Real Estate: the infernal couple?

    COVID and Real Estate: the infernal couple?

  • When and how to optimize your infrastructure costs ?

    When and how to optimize your infrastructure costs?

  • Our journey is often more exciting than our destination

    The approach, the steps, the challenges during the construction of a solution are often more interesting than the final object.

  • The journey is often more exciting than the destination

    The approach, the steps, the challenges during the construction of a solution are often more interesting than the final object

  • Good records management (in the tertiary sector)

    Good records management (in the tertiary sector)

  • Why not change the concept of workplaces now ?

    Why not give ourself the chance to change the work environment based on the lessons learned during the pandemic. Models opposition should be stopped by favouring complementarity

  • BIM - The panacea or the way out?

    BIM - The panacea or the way out?

  • Why always oppose things rather than see them complement each other?

    Why always oppose things rather than see them complement each other?

  • Facility Management: for many, not very glamorous but so trendy…

    Facility Management: for many, not very glamorous but so trendy…

  • Ready to pay 10, 20 or 30% more for security?

    Ready to pay 10, 20 or 30% more for security?

  • Lessons are already waking up…

    Lessons are already waking up…

  • What if we rethink the way we work?

    Why not thinking about “how” before “how many” in workplace environment

  • The relativity of the world or the positive refocusing

    The relativity of the world or the positive refocusing

  • Finally, cheap is always too expensive

    Finally, cheap is always too expensive

  • The world seems to rediscover mobile workspaces

    The world seems to rediscover mobile workspaces

  • Revolution 4.0 to be anticipated

    Revolution 4.0 to be anticipated: are we ready ? are we anticipating enough ?

  • The hunts for costs and quality do not make good households

    Can we maintain some good quality by reducing costs massively ? We are convinced this is not possible…

  • Generational transition: a great opportunity in FM areas and workspace concepts

    Generational transition: a great opportunity in FM areas and workspace concepts. Even if it is challenging somewhere, this is so great !

  • Do you favour substance or form?

    Do you favour substance or form?

  • Control is good, confidence is better

    Control is good, confidence is better

  • Does pragmatism still have a chance…

    Does pragmatism still have a chance…

  • Emotional intelligence: a « plus » for working environment

    Emotional intelligence: a « plus » for working environment

  • IFMA Congress in Phoenix (USA) – What’s new?

    IFMA (International Facility Management Association) had hold recently its congress in Phoenix (USA). Cooperation between FM world and workspace environment seems to be trendy, which is very positive and decisive for harmonious developpement within firms.

  • Did you know that a high CO2 level in your premises significantly reduces the performance of your employees?

    Several recent studies conducted in particular in Great Britain by renowned institutions demonstrate a direct cause-and-effect relationship between CO2 and performance.

  • What if we were to be positive for once?

    Without wanting to be a two-cent philosophy, many events in the world necessarily give us food for thought about the future of our planet and its inhabitants. Every day brings its share of horrors, bad news or negative initiatives, especially in the world of work.

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