The Future of Facilities Management – Embracing Technological Disruption

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Welcome to our latest Facilities Management Insights! In this edition, we unravel the intricacies of real-time environment perception, shedding light on the often-overlooked aspects of indoor spaces. Join us as we explore technological advancements, sustainable practices, and the pivotal role facilities management plays in shaping a circular economy.

In this thought-provoking session, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of:

Real-Time Environment Perception: Explore the need for real-time data to truly comprehend indoor environments, debunking the illusion of ideal spaces and revealing concerns about external pollutants.

Technological Imperatives: Recognise the limitations of traditional methods, advocating for advanced technologies like enhanced air filtration to optimise indoor air quality.

Sustainable Practices: Challenge the inefficiency and environmental impact of stripping and rebuilding office interiors repeatedly, encouraging a shift towards sustainable alternatives.

Circular Economy Contribution: Delve into the role of facilities management in fostering a circular economy, identifying opportunities for waste reduction and resource efficiency.

Environmental Footprint Considerations: Examine the broader impact of transit decisions on the carbon footprint, emphasising the interconnectedness of facilities management with environmental sustainability.

Host : Alex Wiffen

Guest speakers:

Nevo Ben-Shitrit – VP sales & business development APAC & EMEA at Molekule

Bronny Wilson – Regional Head of Europe at Equiem

Katherine Rose – Managing Director at Vervlife

We hope you find the discussion engaging and insightful! If you would ever be interested in joining us as a panelist please feel free to book a time into Alex’s diary to discuss – https://calendly.com/alex-wiffen/quick-chat

Industry Perspectives on the Digital Transformation of the Real Estate Sector

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In a dynamic and ever-evolving world, the real estate industry finds itself on the cusp of transformation, fueled by the digital age. The webinar titled “Industry Perspectives on the Digital Transformation of the Real Estate Sector,” hosted by Alex Wiffen, offered a platform for insightful discussions about the challenges, opportunities, and innovations that are reshaping the sector.

With esteemed guest speakers including:
Lorri Rowlandson – Senior Vice President, BGIS
Ella Walter-Pavlou – Innovation Manager, GPE
Alice Guo – Manager, Technology Strategy, ex Oxford Properties
Gregory Pitl – Innovation & Technology Lead, Patrizia

Throughout the conversation, participants explored a wide range of topics, providing a comprehensive view of the current state and future potential of the real estate sector.

Setting the Stage for Transformation The discussion kicked off by addressing the fundamental shifts in customer behavior and expectations, emphasizing the role of digital transformation in reshaping the industry. Guest speakers highlighted the need for the real estate sector to catch up with other industries in terms of technology adoption and innovation.

Navigating Challenges in Digital Transformation The conversation then turned to the challenges that the real estate industry faces in its digital journey. The panelists underscored the significance of data in driving informed decisions, highlighting the existing data gap in the sector. They also pointed out the cultural barriers hindering digital transformation, stressing the importance of fostering a culture that embraces innovation.

Innovations in Real Estate Technology In this segment, the spotlight was on the innovative technologies that are reshaping the industry. PropTech, AI, and IoT were among the transformative technologies discussed. The participants examined how these technologies are revolutionizing the way real estate is managed, operated, and experienced. The discussion also delved into the potential of blockchain to enhance transparency and security in real estate transactions.

The Spectrum of Innovation and Future Predictions The debate shifted to the spectrum of innovation, distinguishing between incremental and radical transformation. The participants explored whether the industry’s current trajectory of gradual change is sufficient or if more disruptive innovation is needed. Additionally, the conversation touched on the skills and education profiles required for effective digital transformation.

Looking forward, the guest speakers shared their predictions for the industry’s digital transformation in the next five and fifty years. While some were optimistic about the pace of change, others highlighted the need for substantial shifts over the longer term. Themes such as 3D printing, the metaverse, automation, data-driven decision-making, and smart cities emerged as potential drivers of transformation.

In a comprehensive view of the entire discussion, it becomes evident that the real estate industry is at a pivotal juncture. The webinar offered valuable insights into the multifaceted challenges and opportunities the sector faces in its journey towards digital transformation. As industry leaders continue to grapple with data management, culture shifts, and the adoption of innovative technologies, it is clear that embracing change is no longer an option but a necessity.

As the industry evolves, collaboration, innovation, and a customer-centric mindset will be the guiding principles that pave the way for a digitally transformed real estate landscape. The webinar “Industry Perspectives on the Digital Transformation of the Real Estate Sector” provided an illuminating forum for experts to shed light on the path ahead, offering valuable takeaways for both professionals and stakeholders in the real estate industry.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH:

Last chance to take part in Innovators in Real Estate survey

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As featured on Design & Build UK www.designandbuilduk.net

Real estate managers with responsibility for PropTech have until Friday April 8 to take part in a landmark study.

PropTech specialists at CBRE, JLL and BNP Paribas are among well over 100 who have already contributed to the Innovators in Real Estate survey, which aims to establish for the first time how effectively the industry is deploying new technology.

Organised by recruitment specialist Cherry Pick People in partnership with PropTech procurement platform Unissu, the online survey is aimed at heads of digital transformation and innovation, and those in similar roles, as well as their line managers.

It is available to complete at https://unissu.typeform.com/cherrypick

Participants are asked to give their insight into the sector’s relationship with technology and to identify the challenges facing managers leading innovation within their companies. The survey also looks at different organisational, team and individual roles and responsibilities for PropTech within real estate firms.

This is believed to be the first attempt to understand these dynamics, and to provide benchmarking data and perceptions to help innovators understand their current position in the industry and their future prospects.

Alex Wiffen, Managing Director at Cherry Pick People, said: “We firmly believe that people leading innovation strategies are going to play an increasingly important role in the real estate industry. By providing insight, our study will help them to manage their careers and encourage more people to take this journey.”

The survey findings will be presented at conferences across Europe, the Americas and Asia-Pacific in the coming months with a detailed report published to coincide with the beginning of the conference season.

All participants will receive a free copy of the report.

About Unissu and Cherry Pick People

Unissu is a PropTech procurement platform, helping innovators in real estate find and select the best PropTech companies from more than 10,000 suppliers worldwide.

Cherry Pick People is a talent and recruitment consultancy specialising in real estate and PropTech with a mission to help drive the digitisation of the global real estate sector.

 

The successful persons guide to dealing with rejection at work

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It is never a nice feeling like you have been rejected, especially when you are at work. Of course, your emotions and that completely irrational person within us is probably shouting that you should completely hulk out on the entire workplace and smash everything to bits. But we all know that in the real world this isn’t the approach to take… plus you might rip your favourite outfit!
You might not believe it, but even the most successful people have, at one point in their lives, had to deal with rejection. The thing that sets them apart from others is how they deal with it and move on.
Feel like you need some inspiration in how to better deal with being told that you are not quite up to scratch? Below is the successful persons guide to dealing with rejection in the workplace.

They remember that this isn’t the only path to take
One of the worst things that you can do when you have been rejected from something is to think that it is all your own fault and that you just weren’t good enough. The thing to always keep in mind is that just because you were rejected, that doesn’t mean it was because you were worthless, it simply means that you were not right for that path. Recognise and remember your own value and instead of thinking that this is the only route to take, take another look at your map.

They take the time to think about what happened
Sometimes rejection can come out of the blue, that you can’t pinpoint where it all went wrong. However, just as likely is that there are things that you could have done differently. Someone who is successful can reflect on what happened and know perhaps where they could have made changes. That doesn’t mean that the rejection was all your fault of course, but it is something that can help you with the future.

They ask for feedback
It isn’t always easy to hear what is wrong with you, but sometimes welcoming feedback is the best way to make yourself better and push yourself to succeed. The feedback might be something that you already know about and want to change, but it could also be something that you may not have even been aware of. The important thing is that you can ask the other person to let you know how they see you.

They then improve
It’s all well and good asking for feedback when you have been rejected, but what you should also then do is think about it and make changes. We can all do with a touch of improvement and if you have taken the giant leap to asking for some feedback, then do something with it. Otherwise you might as well have had your fingers in your ears and shouted la-la-la whilst they were talking to you!
When you are feeling down and you are tempted to hide away from the world, remember that even the most successful people in the world probably had the same hurdles. The only difference with them is rather than buying a large tub of ice cream and grabbing a blanket, they dusted themselves off and set about showing those who rejected them just what they are worth. We can promise you, that it is the best revenge to take!

Would you hire a male administrator?

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What comes to mind when you think about sexism in the work place?

Chances are that you are going to think about women not being treated equally compared to the men that they work alongside. However, in some industries, the men are actually just as discriminated against as women. Administration being a prime example of this.

Administration is often seen as ‘women’s work’. If a man is found in one of these roles, then they may be seen as working beneath their skill level. But why is this? Why is admin seen as women’s work?

A recent survey by Careersmart found that 77% of our administrative work force are women and a measly 23% are men, however the average salary of a man working in this type of role is around £4000 higher than the average female is being paid. https://careersmart.org.uk/occupations/other-administrative-occupations

Why is admin seen as women’s work?

  • Women are more organised and able to multi-task

One thing that many people think about women, is that they are the best at multi-tasking and tackling many jobs at once. Men, on the other hand are not quite as recognised for their ability to focus on many things at once, which is why they are not often seen as the ideal admin worker.

  • Women are more social

An important part of any admin role, but particularly those that involve being customer facing, is being able to be approachable and social. Women are always seen as being more social than men. They find it easier to chat, to get to know other people and to be personable and friendly.

  • Women are not seen as keen on technological roles

Whilst many office jobs are seen as “women’s work” when it comes to IT and dealing with other aspects of technology, men are definitely seen as being more prevalent. It is thought that women might not be as interested in roles that deal with technology, instead focusing on softer skills.

Of course, whilst these are thought to be the reasons why there are fewer men working in admin, these are not actually true and are just stereotypes. Male administrators are just as talented, capable and able as female administrators, and can prove to be a valuable part of any team. Over my last 4 years at Cherry Pick People some of my most successful candidates in administrative roles have been male.

Ask yourself, would you consider hiring a male administrator?

In any business, balance is KEY and both men and women are capable of doing any roles that they want to tackle. The ability to do a job is not down to your gender, is more about your skills, your experience, your knowledge and whether or not you are the right person for the job, regardless of what that job is…

Social Media – friend or foe for your career?

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Social media impacts every single person’s life on this planet, there are over 2.206 billion active users, a global penetration of 30% – In the UK alone 96% of adults are on Facebook and 1 billion people Worldwide log onto Instagram monthly. As a recruiter I am often asked about the impact of social media on job applications – shall I change my settings to private? Shall I hide people from being able to search for me? Shall I delete those terrible old posts with my tongue piercing and bright pink hair?

Social media can provoke a prejudgement on someone before meeting them – whether you like it or not. Will this be your friend or foe? Career builder conducted a survey last year and found 37% of employers use social networks to screen potential job candidates. This means 2 in 5 companies browse your social media to evaluate your character and personality! Some employers even base their hiring decision on what they may or may not find. This can both be beneficial and harmful to a candidate for example 29% of employers said they found something they liked on a candidates profile which prompted them to offer the job.  However 1 out of 3 of the employers will drop a candidate due to something they saw on him or her online! 68% of potential employers will look at your Facebook or Instagram during the screening process – let’s keep the pictures nice and friendly!

From a recruiter’s point of view – it can be both harmful and beneficial to a job search. Social media can expose things a potential employer may not like to see – for example that drunken night out at university in 2011 you do not want to remember – let alone the CEO of a company you are applying to! However, also not being able to find a social media account can also be just as damaging – If employers search and cannot find you their thoughts are why are they not on facebook? I can find X person now, they look nice so I will call them instead… Do you get my point?

My thoughts on my own social media account is to not say anything I would not say in front of my Mother (the fact I have my mum on all social media also helps this along very nicely) – cheers Mum 😉 Delete those old pictures and status’s from 2am in the morning after Oceana! Think of your social media as a representation of yourself – how would you like to be perceived?

For further advice on how to make the best use of your social media profiles to maximise your chances of securing your dream job, feel free to contact me.