IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT

BY SIMON IATROU

IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT: RECAPPING IFMA’S WORLD WORKPLACE

This past September, industry leaders in facilities management gathered to share insights, ideas, and unique opportunities for a sector with so much to give.

The more things change, the more things stay the same. In the weeks since IFMA World Workplace, I’ve been thinking a lot about that saying. What its author — the French writer Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr — meant was that no matter how turbulent or emphatic changes may seem, they never really affect reality on a deeper level other than to reinforce the status quo. The underlying reasons for why the world is how it is never change. In other words, we are doomed to repeat the same mistakes.

This isn’t a comment on the event itself, certainly not a negative one. The 2022 World Workplace was great. The opportunity for the industry to come together after a crazy two and a half years was important. But it says something fascinating about the forces driving facility management — and many other industries for that matter.

WHAT HAS CHANGED?

Clearly, there has been a seismic shift in how we think and talk about the workplace. And the tremors from COVID-19 could be felt throughout both the convention hall and the conference program at Nashville’s Music City Center.

Hybrid working is the new norm. Try as they might, employers can’t convince their people to return to the office. Even blanket mandates don’t work. A recent study by Stanford University found that nearly half of employees are simply ignoring requirements to return to the office full time, leaving business leaders flummoxed. According to research by the CBC and Angus Reid Institute, more than half of Canadians working from home said they would look for a new job if they were asked to return to the office, with almost a quarter saying they would quit on the spot.

“100 years ago, people lived with waterborne diseases; then we figured out how to modernize sewage. Today, we just accept airborne diseases such as the cold and flu. We move around, breathing in air that’s not clean. What will people say about this 100 years from now?”

“We have an opportunity to make a difference. Don’t blow it by acting like we know nothing.”

Andrew Mawson, managing director of global management consultancy Advanced Workplace Associates (AWA), told World Workplace delegates that the major factor behind the reluctance to return was that few organizations have gotten hybrid working right so far. “People are having a poor experience in the office and it’s not encouraging them to come back again,” he said.

AWA research backed this up, Mawson said. The Hybrid Working Index, a survey of nearly 80,000 employees globally undertaken during the summer of 2022, revealed that average daily attendance was just 26 percent. More importantly, the study found that having a hybrid working policy in place led to higher office attendance, and even higher attendance if the policy was decided at a team level, suggesting that the sweet spot is somewhere between sweeping mandate and total flexibility. No easy task.

EVERYTHING IS TECH

Elsewhere, it was fascinating to see the huge influx of technology companies at World Workplace — both on the exhibition floor and in the conference program. In the past, cleaning suppliers, landscapers, and pest control companies dominated FM shows. Not anymore. Now it’s all space booking systems, occupancy and utilization sensors, and analytics software.

This was already the industry’s direction of travel, but the pandemic has sent it into hyper speed. Organizations are looking to make significant changes to their real estate strategies, especially in terms of how much space they need in this new hybrid era, and boardrooms want the data to help them make the right decisions.

Time and time again in Nashville, client-side facility managers were asking the same questions. How can they attract

�NASHVILLE, AMERICA’S MUSIC CITY, HOSTED THIS YEAR’S IFMA WORLD WORKPLACE

employees back to the office? Do they even need to come back? What happens to all that space they have if they don’t? And perhaps, most importantly, what was everyone else doing?

World Workplace sought to provide some answers. Jeffrey Saunders, CEO of Nordic Foresight and IFMA’s Director of Research, revealed the results from a recent IFMA member survey. On property strategy, 59 per cent said they plan to reduce square footage, 44 per cent said they would be leveraging coworking spaces, and 54 per cent said

�CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: INDUSTRY COMES TOGETHER IN-PERSON AFTER MORE THAN TWO YEARS; THE 2022 CLASS OF IFMA FELLOWS; AND GREATER TORONTO & SOUTH CENTRAL ONTARIO IFMA CHAPTER WINS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

they would be focusing on more flex space with short leases. On the potential impacts of a recession, 40 per cent of members said they would make greater use of distributed working to reduce personal costs, such as transportation and time. Meanwhile, nearly half agreed that technology adoption will be pivotal in creating the kind of frictionless offices and office experiences that underpin hybrid working.

In a separate session, Darlene Pope, president at IWMS provider Planon, argued that this technology needs to be mobile-first. “The future of buildings should be based on the technology we use outside of them,” she said. “GPS is a great example. Everyone is walking around with an occupancy measurement tool in their pocket.”

Seeking to assuage privacy concerns around tracking employee movement, Pope said we’re already being tracked all the time. She suggested that younger generations are very comfortable with sharing their location with friends on apps such as Snapchat and pointed to the everyday use of Uber. “We give our location because we see value in it,” Pope added. “Could you imagine ordering an Uber if they couldn’t find out where you are?”

There were less familiar technologies being discussed at World Workplace too. Worktech provider Eptura explored the potential for digital twins — BIM-powered digital 3D building replicas — to help make facility managers’ lives easier by providing historic and real-time lifecycle asset and space management data.

Cody Grey, senior director of product asset management, and Matt Meservy, VP of product, said there’s a misconception of digital twins as Tony Stark technology, but that’s just not true. They explained that everyone must embark on a maturity journey across four pillars: the initial asset data, the visual model, the operational model, then the analytics. “These are the building blocks to get there,” Grey said. “The aim is to get all your FM and building tech pillars to talk.”

Interestingly, the facility managers in the audience were worried about ageold concerns. “How do we demonstrate return on investment to those who sign the checks?” they asked.

WELL-BEING, WELL SAID

Another undeniable shift since COVID-19 began is the growing demand for workplaces that prioritize occupiers’ health and wellbeing. Employees want workspaces that are effective and supportive. They want workspaces to work harder for them,

�DR JESSICA GREEN DELIVERS THURSDAY’S PLENARY SESSION.

giving them a reason to make the gruelling, monotonous commute. They also want to know that they are being looked after.

In a plenary session, scientist and CEO of Phylagen Dr. Jessica Green, told delegates what the heightened expectations around indoor air quality might mean for their profession in the long run. “100 years ago, people lived with waterborne diseases; then we figured out how to modernize sewage,” she said. “Today, we just accept airborne diseases such as the cold and flu. We move around, breathing in air that’s not clean. What will people say about this 100 years from now?

While Dr. Green said that the uptick in corporate interest for better indoor air quality was encouraging, it has also highlighted some urgent environmental challenges. “If you have airborne diseases in indoor environments, the primary solutions we have are ventilation, filtration, and air treatment. Right now, all these systems require energy,” she said. “We’ll see a feedback loop. Climate change is making hundreds of diseases much worse. And more airborne diseases means that we need to use more carbon to tackle them.” Dr. Green finished the session with a call to action for delegates: Now is the time to invest in green tools and new, environmentally friendly technologies for cleaner air.

“People are having a poor experience in the office and it’s not encouraging them to come back again.”

AGE-OLD ISSUES

Despite these monumental changes, the tenor at World Workplace felt very much like it had in the FM conferences of previous years. It’s a sector that is still unsure of itself despite having so much to give; still battling to gain acceptance and the budget from the boardroom; still wondering if it’s strategic enough; still uncertain about its jurisdiction – how much influence and control does it really have over people? Should it be called something different?

In one of the final sessions of the conference, Eptura’s Mike Petrusky, host of the Workplace Innovator Podcast, held a five-year reunion with some of his favourite podcast guests. HOK’s Kay Sargent was one of them, and she perhaps summed it up best. “[The COVID-19 pandemic] has made us stupider,” she said. “We have an opportunity to make a difference. Don’t blow it by acting like we know nothing.”

Sargent is right. FM doesn’t need to repeat the same mistakes. It’s in the driving seat during one of the most monumental events in modern history and has a unique opportunity to shape the future. | CFM&D

Simon Iatrou is the communications director for North America at Magenta Associates.

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MORE THAN A DIRECTORY: THE REAL POTENTIAL FOR DIGITAL INFORMATION HUBS

There’s more to digital signage than static names and numbers. Thanks to innovative tech and expertise, today’s digital information hubs feature a wealth of interactive services that benefi t facility occupants, visitors, and staff alike.

“The old-fashioned view of a digital directory is something that lists the tenants and what fl oor they’re on, and that’s it,” says Scot Martin, President and CEO of youRhere. “In reality, digital directories – or as we like to call them, digital information hubs – do so much more. The facilities that have recognized this are doing some very interesting things with them.”

That’s not to say modern digital information hubs aren’t still used to help facility occupants and visitors get their bearings. However, the diff erence between now and then is that the screens which used to house tenant directories are far more interactive and information-rich while being off ered alongside a suite of other services that can enrich the user’s experience.

GETTING THE WORD OUT Digital information hubs are an attention-grabbing feature in any lobby, off ice, or public space. That also makes them an eff ective way to communicate a facility’s key messages, updates, and initiatives.

“Say you had a fun event coming up, a community fundraiser going on, or a non-profi t organization you’re trying to support. You can use that big, bright screen you already have in the lobby to bring attention to those messages and drive engagement,” suggests Martin.

At the same time, facilities can program their digital signage assets to share information regarding their sustainability goals and milestones. Already, says Martin, many of YouRhere clients are leveraging their digital information hubs to convey the many ways they’re saving energy, reducing emissions, eliminating waste, or otherwise contributing to a healthier indoor environment. Some facility managers are even taking their communications further by displaying real-time stats on their environmental initiatives.

“More than ever, facility tenants and visitors want to know what’s being done by their building to lower its environmental footprint, and a digital hub can be used to display digital posters that show what the facility team is doing and the successes they’ve had to date,” adds Martin.

Certainly, whether the goal is to promote facility events, share news, or engage occupants and visitors in important initiatives, digital information hubs are an eye-catching way to get the word out.

SUPPORTING FACILITY TEAMS Digital information hubs aren’t just for tenants and visitors. They are also being used to convey important announcements and updates to staff as they walk through the door.

“Increasingly, we’re seeing people use their hubs to thank their staff for their eff orts and promote their accomplishments,” says Martin. “As well, we’re seeing facility teams use their digital displays to share important staff updates in a way that gets noticed.”

Ultimately, he adds, digital information hubs can enhance facility team communications, noting: “People are often looking at their phones and not really paying attention to the static hubs around them. That’s where these signs can pique their interest and grab their attention as they’re entering or leaving the facility.”

DRIVING THE OCCUPANT EXPERIENCE From the beginning, digital signs were created to help facility tenants and visitors get to where they’re going quickly and conveniently. That remains true, but modern digital hubs can be much more interactive than before, off ering key information, directions, and helpful videos and images at the tap of the screen. Moreover, the same hubs can be programmed to provide all of the services mentioned above and other communications in multiple languages, ensuring all tenants and guests feel welcome and have the information they need to get around.

And then, says Martin, one of the most helpful services a modern digital information hub can provide is simply helping people get to and from the building: “A lot of the clients that use our digital information hubs are off ering live transit feeds that help their tenants and visitors get to where they’re going. For instance, say you have someone leaving a meeting; they can hit a button on the screen and fi nd out exactly when their next bus is coming, how close they are to other transportation hubs, or even get information for a ride-share.”

“Not only does that make using transit easy and convenient,” he adds, “It also means people don’t have to wait outside in the rain or snow for their ride. They know exactly when it’s going to be there.” PROMOTING SAFE BUILDINGS Digital information hubs have been invaluable in enforcing health and safety protocols and educating the public on best health and safety practices. This is true during the pandemic and will remain true as facility health and safety remain key priorities.

It’s also important that real-time information is critical in times of emergency. Here, again, is where digital information hubs can display essential safety information when needed most.

“People are tying their signage into their building for emergency systems,” says Martin, explaining. “If a disaster occurs and they need to evacuate people quickly, those signs will display critical emergency information like where to go, what to do, and when things are safe again.”

UNLOCKING THE FULL POTENTIAL From connecting tenants to supporting visitors, raising awareness or championing sustainability, facilities are tapping into the full potential of their digital displays.

“We’re seeing a range of diff erent and creative uses,” agrees Martin. “All it takes is a bit of imagination, and certainly, we’re more than happy to share best practices with buildings and their management teams to make sure that they’re really getting the full value for their investment.”

BLENDING IN

We’ve come a long way from the days of static digital directories. Even still, some facilities may be reluctant to install a digital information hub within an existing building for fear it might not blend in with the building’s established decor.

“It’s not like we’re sticking a big black square pylon in the middle of a beautiful marble lobby or historic wood building,” says Martin. “We’ve done a lot of work with diff erent architects and designers to incorporate the digital information hub in a way that blends in with the existing building and complements that existing decor, rather than stand out from it.”

Scot Martin is the CEO of youRhere, a leading provider of digital signage solutions for commercial, retail, healthcare, and educational properties across Canada. For more information, visit www.yourhere.ca.

BY TIFFANY THOMAS

THE NEW ELECTRONIC MONITORING POLICY

The what, how and why for employers

Ontario has taken the lead in terms of enhancing employer transparency in the workplace by introducing legislation requiring employers with 25 or more employees (as of January 1, 2022) to have an electronic monitoring policy. Bill 88, the Working for Workers Act 2022 became law in April and requires employers to be transparent about how they monitor their employees’ use of devices such as computers, cell phones and GPSs.

While the deadline to prepare the policy was October 11, 2022, it is better late than never to get an electronic monitoring policy in place. Once drafted, the policy must be presented to employees within 30 days.

I DON’T EVEN KNOW IF OR WHAT WE’RE MONITORING

The introduction of this new bill has been an eye-opener for many employers who were previously unaware of it or how electronic monitoring was taking place in their workplace. A helpful tip to get you started is to consult your IT department or IT provider and ask them to create a list of the hardware and software that could be monitoring your employees. This may unearth some overkill monitoring and data collection – passive and unintentional, or otherwise.

WHAT CAN EMPLOYERS MONITOR?

Employers can use monitoring programs that track the websites that employees visit (even when in private browsing mode), apps they’re using, inter-office chat groups, work email, work calendars, social media activity, as well as the amount of time spent doing each of these. Hardware such as GPS installed in company vehicles are also likely to be electronically monitoring employees.

The reality is that most employers are busy running their businesses and are not bothered with especially intrusive electronic monitoring measures, like reviewing data from programs that count an employee’s keystrokes in a day. However, if needed, employers are permitted to monitor to confirm an employee’s work and whereabouts, and whether they may be doing something that violates company policy or requires further investigation. The new legislation does not increase employee privacy rights. Rather, it creates an employer obligation of transparency: employers must now outline what electronic monitoring will occur and how the information may be used.

POLICY REQUIREMENTS

As always, to reduce the risk of constructive dismissal or privacyrelated claims, employers need to ensure that their monitoring is reasonable under the circumstances and necessary for employment-related purposes (e.g., workplace safety and security, protection of confidential and proprietary information, attendance and performance management, etc.). To meet the transparency requirements of the policy, the ‘what, how and why’ of electronic monitoring practices must be set out in the electronic monitoring policy.

At a minimum, an electronic monitoring policy must set out: • whether the employer monitors employees’ electronic devices;

• how and in what circumstances the employer may monitor employees;

• the purposes for which information obtained through electronic monitoring will be used by the employer; and

• the date the employer prepared the policy and, if updated, the date of any policy changes.

Without identifying your clear purpose in collecting the data, you may run into some legal difficulties should you try to rely on the data for reasons other than what is stated in your policy. If, for example, you are collecting data for the sole purpose of discipline, say so. Otherwise, you risk not being able to rely on what you learn from the data when you need to actually discipline your employee.

FINDING A BALANCE

Employers are required to identify every way they are electronically monitoring employees and how they might use the data collected. Therefore, they should think carefully about keeping programs around that are overdoing it when it comes to the sort of data and monitoring the program is doing.

If employers take a purposeful and practical approach and limit their monitoring to only what is necessary and reasonable (and effective), it is more likely to be accepted by employees. Be very clear about how the collected data will be used. If, for example, the program is only essential for legitimate business reasons and there are no plans on using it for reasons that are very scary to employees (i.e. discipline and termination), be sure to say so – this will help in keeping workers calmer and happier. Assuming that the loss of employee privacy is proportionate to the benefit gained, and there was no less intrusive method of gathering the information, then all should be fine.

DRAFTING THE POLICY

After compiling a list of how employees are being electronically monitored, turn your attention to drafting the policy. For example, if company cars have GPS systems that are electronically monitoring employees, the policy should state, at a minimum, the following:

1. The company is electronically monitoring;

2. GPS trackers installed in company cars are tracking employee movements throughout the day; and

3. The data collected from the GPS systems is being used to ensure employee safety and compliance with company policies and procedures.

Finally, don’t forget to date the policy and note the date of any updates to the policy. This policy is all about transparency so listing only some of the ways or a few examples of how employees are being electronically monitored won’t cut it.

A key goal of any properly implemented and reasonable electronic monitoring policy should be to deter unauthorized workplace conduct, not to create a gotcha moment. Aren’t we all on our best behaviour if we know we might be watched? | CFM&D

Tiffany Thomas is a lawyer at SpringLaw, a virtual law firm practicing exclusively in the areas of employment, labour and human rights law. Tiffany works with both employers and employees to resolve their workplace issues. She can be reached at tthomas@springlaw.ca. www.springlaw.ca

The art of heritage conservation

Conserving and restoring Canada’s heritage buildings is a means of preserving our unique and compelling story for generations to come. And as the practice of restoring and rejuvenating Canada’s aging building inventory grows, it’s important to understand what heritage conservation truly means and what services are required to accomplish this goal.

Over the years, RJC Engineers’ Building Science, Structural Restoration, and Structural Engineering teams have proudly delivered industry-leading heritage conservation services for projects at existing buildings and new additions to heritage sites. In every collaboration, we aim to present solutions that prioritize the preservation of the site’s historical significance and value while considering economics and engineering efficiencies. We draw from our firm’s experience, people, and tools, we work with project teams to repair, rehabilitate, or restore physical aspects of a heritage resource in ways that honour their past and prepare them for future generations.

At RJC Engineers, our philosophy for heritage conservation is the same for every project we touch: Creative Thinking, Practical Results. Learn more about RJC’s services and see past heritage project successes at www.rjc.ca.