Good IWMS helps to:
1.Optimize Operations
Connect assets with their location, manage work orders, automate workflows across teams, and so much more
2. Break Down Silos
Enable collaboration across departments from project kickoffs to ribbon-cuttings and everything in between
3. Increase Visibility
Maintain accurate real estate and asset details, so you can make smarter decisions today, and in the future
Dream IWMS
An integrated workplace management system can effectively act as a single access point for different software platforms. IWMS platforms can also act as an excellent tool to streamline workflows among and between teams, which aids in all-around operation optimization and assists existing IT systems.
The components of the ideal IWMS would include:
IWMS base functions
capabilities to make IWMS a goto tool for FM & Workplace Professionals:
Facilities maintenance
This pertains to the management and upkeep of workplace facilities, encompassing the oversight of employee services, relocation management, resource scheduling, computer-aided design, building information modelling, and space management.
It is essential to ensure the comfort and safety of building occupants. Facilities require regular maintenance, and IWMS solutions can manage a database of vital information such as maintenance requests, inventory, vendors, warranties, work orders, and related costs. Furthermore, proactive maintenance can be assessed and implemented to prevent potential future expenses. Occupants have the ability to submit requests through a user-friendly portal, enabling facilities maintainers to prioritize these requests.
Additionally, IoT systems are being incorporated into IWMS platforms, allowing for the prediction of maintenance requirements and real-time monitoring of facilities and their assets.
Efficiently plan and carry out maintenance tasks in compliance with regulatory standards.
- Foster collaboration among teams to promptly address unforeseen equipment malfunctions
- Implement automated maintenance schedules to reduce downtime and prolong the lifespan of assets
- Reduce time spent on data retrieval, spreadsheet management, and manual data entry across various systems ()
Resource management
Businesses are increasingly adopting more sustainable practices, and IWMS software is adapting to this trend. Facilities can now measure, analyze, and minimize the consumption of resources and waste, such as water, energy, and greenhouse gas emissions. IWMS enables facility management to leverage features that promote sustainable practices, gather performance metrics, and improve energy management.
Facilities managers can track and record objectives using data collection and automated reports to assess goal achievement and make necessary adjustments.
These goals offer a broader perspective on sustainability practices and aid in enhancing overall consumption awareness. Furthermore, IoT has influenced facilities management, with smart sensors being capable of adjusting various aspects of building performance.
Maintaining Space Strategy
Create purposeful spaces. Build a workplace with employees in mind.
· To enhance productivity, empower employees to reserve the necessary workspaces.
· Envision, strategize, and implement staff relocations using user-friendly tools and automated workflows.
· Capture key insights to assist in rationalizing and forecasting the utilization of your spaces.
Capital project management
Capital project management generally encompasses the planning and execution of building expansions or renovations, facilities replacement, and architectural designs, all of which are coordinated on an Integrated Workplace Management System (IWMS) to facilitate design, cost management, procurement, scheduling, bidding, critical path analysis, and documentation
· Stay on time and within budget with a comprehensive solution.
· Create a single database by connecting capital plans and projects to asset records
· Monitor progress during a project’s lifecycle
· Create reports on financials, risks and issues, documentation, approvals, or any tasks associated with a project
Compliance
The contemporary regulatory environment allows for minimal margin of error. IWMS generates transparent, auditable trails that encompass repairs, safety inspections, and other related activities.
Other - ESG and sustainability management
The data within Dream IWMS as described above is comprehensive enough to serve as a tool for managing Corporate ESG and sustainability metrics.
all the capabilities mentioned above are a good fit for a corporate ERP extentions/ add-ons/ extra modules
Capabilities Facing Employees:
Workplace Management - resources Booking
Intro:
The resources booking function is an essential feature of CAFM class software for managing resources . However, it is important to note that employees and workplace and facility management professionals have different system interaction models and therefore require different user experiences . When using IWMS, employees should have access to a comprehensive and self-service tool that eliminates the need to switch between multiple platforms.
Efficient resource utilization is crucial for employees working in the office . If they are unable to find suitable workspaces, they may question the need to come to the office at all. To address this, software solutions with space reservation functionalities should be provided to employees, ensuring they are aware of the availability of essential resources before arriving at the workplace . Additionally, these solutions should include wayfinding capabilities to assist users in navigating through the buildings .
The trend towards hybrid work is on the rise, with more organizations adopting a hybrid work approach. According to Microsoft's research, the number of hybrid employees increased by seven percentage points in 2022, reaching 38%, and it is estimated that 53% of employees will fully transition to hybrid work in 2023
Why:
Due to the absence of established norms and precedents, there exists a wide variety of policies. Certain organizations mandate that employees must physically be present in the office on specific days of the week, while others adopt a more flexible approach, allowing individuals and teams to decide when to gather in person. These policies are influenced by various factors, such as business priorities, space requirements, employee preferences, and leadership objectives.
Nonetheless, despite the significant variation in models across organizations, there are tools and solutions available to facilitate the transition to hybrid work. Among the most crucial are space reservation and wayfinding capabilities. However, it is essential to complete the process of defining policy and technical requirements before embarking on the selection and implementation of software solutions.
Expected outcome:
make workplace arrangements more transparent and easy to use
Space Reservations
The reservation feature greatly enhances hybrid working scenarios by enabling users to pre-book workspaces. This ensures that they have access to the necessary equipment and desks upon their arrival at the office. Users can check the availability of rooms, desks, or equipment and subsequently make reservations to facilitate their work tasks.
Effective space reservation tools should be compatible with mobile devices, allowing users to make reservations directly from their phones or tablets. Furthermore, by incorporating technology that seamlessly integrates with other existing applications such as email or instant messaging, the risk of double booking rooms is minimized. These tools should also be capable of remembering user preferences, streamlining the process of reserving the same workspace with minimal effort.
Another beneficial reservation features is the capability to release a room if no guests check into a space after a specified duration. This action frees up the accommodation and optimizes its utilization.
To promote space reservation tool usage, especially for meeting rooms, make its AV equipment and HVAC operate after confirming that the booking has been made by the visitor.
If the space management solution interfaces directly with maintenance management processes, you can promptly submit work orders for cleaning or resetting spaces after their use.
Desk Hoteling
The reservation tool aims to facilitate the practice of hoteling, where multiple individuals can make use of the same workstation at different times through a space-booking system. Hoteling offers flexibility and convenience by allowing users to choose their seating on the days they are present in the office, rather than assigning specific spots to each employee. This approach helps organizations optimize desk and individual work area utilization, thereby repurposing space and cutting costs. Additionally, with a suitable space management tool, it becomes possible to monitor employees' usage of these hoteling spaces. This data enables informed decisions, such as adding more desks if they are consistently fully booked or reconfiguring buildings to better accommodate the need for collaboration spaces.
Wayfinding
Wayfinding is the practice of assisting users in navigating to a specific location. It encompasses all the information systems that guide individuals through a physical space.
The implementation process should begin with a comprehensive approach to visual design and usability. It is not sufficient to simply provide a screenshot of a technical drawing from the construction project documents and expect employees to navigate through it. Instead, it is important to invest in designing office floor plans that are visually appealing, easy to read, simple, clear, and readable in digital formats.
Digital wayfinding tools are particularly important for employers who are devising hybrid workplace strategies. These tools can help employees who are not frequently present in the office to locate conference rooms, kitchen areas, and newly reconfigured seating arrangements.
By using efficient space management and wayfinding software, teams can ensure that their maps are always up to date. This includes the ability to modify and publish changes to floor plans, making them instantly accessible to all users. Some tools even allow for bi-directional syncing with design software like AutoCAD, eliminating the need to make changes in multiple tools. Instead, updates are seamlessly integrated across the platforms.
This functionality proves useful when adjustments to layouts are necessary, such as accommodating an increased number of collaboration spaces. It allows for the planning of redesigns, implementation of changes in the physical space, and dissemination of floor map updates to users—all from a single platform. Consequently, employees always have access to the most current floor plans and seating arrangements, making it easy for them to locate the spaces they require.
Teams should also prioritize mobile-friendly solutions, so that users can easily access floor plans from their mobile devices and receive push notifications about important updates.
Implementing Wayfinding Kiosks, Digital Signage, and Meeting Room Panels
Another advantage of digital wayfinding solutions is the ability to quickly update kiosks, providing valuable information such as staff directories, conference room names, and floor plans. This is especially beneficial in newly renovated spaces. Additionally, these solutions allow for easy communication of regularly changing information, such as details for a large team event, without the need for manual updates to each sign.
Meeting Room Panels were once seen as a luxury item with little real value, but they now play a crucial role in organizations transitioning to a highly mobile, activity-based work environment.
These panels help alleviate the challenges of room booking by acting as the "traffic light" of the workplace.
· They make it easy to quickly identify available spaces nearby,
· They help to set expectations for availability duration,
· Panels Seamlessly integrate reservations into the natural workflow of finding collaboration spaces.
Like other enhancements to office spaces, the detailed change management process plays a crucial role in the adoption of Meeting Room Panels.
In order to ensure the success of the implementation project, it is imperative for employees to perceive that they are either gaining some benefit from the additional effort they are exerting, or that it seamlessly integrates into their regular workflow.
Workplace Management - Visitor Management/ Virtual receptionist
Visitor management systems play a crucial role in enhancing security, ensuring compliance, and gaining comprehensive insights into individuals present on the premises. It is a process that enables organizations to monitor and track the people who visit their premises . The policies and requirements for visitor management can vary depending on the organization, facility type, industry, or geographical location. While some organizations may only collect the visitor's name, others may require additional measures such as badges, legal documentation, or employee escorts . To streamline and optimize this process, many organizations are transitioning from traditional paper sign-in sheets to digital visitor management systems. These systems offer enhanced functionality and automate tasks such as visitor check-in, employee notifications, and creating a professional visitor experience .
Visitor Management benefits:
- Making a better first impression for a visitor, who could be potential or existing client , supplier, potential new employee, employee friends&family
- Enhance office security
- make the visitor's way to the employee, who invited the guest as quick as possible without jeopardising compliance and security
Employee experience - food and drinks preordering tool
Ordering food and drinks via mobile app is so common and convenient thing now. When the Company runs nourishment programme, lunch or snack ordering or coffee pre-ordering capability would save precious employee's time and make them happier. this would help to avoid queuing in the office canteen/cafe.
Workplace Management - Digital Workplace - Contacts Database/ Presence tool
Presence indicator could be part of a Space Reservation function, but adding Contacts database with contact numbers, emails , IM handles is extremely beneficial for internal communications.
Workplace Management - Digital Workplace - Instant Messaging /Audio/Video Conferencing Capability (mobile and web or desktop app)
Further enhancing the previous capability, consolidating all communication tools into a single platform brings greater convenience and enhances the overall corporate experience for employees. While this may exceed the functionality of existing IWMS products, it is certainly a desirable feature for the ideal IWMS.
Workplace Management - portal type of service for everyday use
Employee facing IWMS encompasses a wealth of valuable information and tools for employees. Its user interface could potentially be integrated into the corporate portal, serving as the new corporate portal or amalgamating with traditional corporate portal in a manner that aligns with the company's resources and objectives.
Workplace Management - end user's terminal of an internal communication tool
Workplace Management - portal type of service for onboarding
one of the first tasks of the traditional onboarding process is the office tour, which now might be either accompanied or even replaced by enhanced office map capability of the Employee facing IWMS.
Full Dedicated new employee onboarding capability might be considered for the Dream Employee facing IWMS
Conclusion
Could the evolution of CMMS/CAFM/IWMS from Facilities Management tools to core corporate management solutions be possible?
If your company already operates any type of ERP system, it may be worth considering adding extra Workplace and FM management modules to streamline daily FM operations. Depending on the company's resources, integrating an IWMS solution with the ERP system could be the right choice.
This evolution presents new challenges for CIOs, such as exploring new areas and dealing with systems integration tasks, particularly when implementing IoT and managing new vectors in cybersecurity.
It might be beneficial for CIOs to share some of these new tasks with a Chief Workplace Officer.
When it comes to client (employee) facing IWMS, it should either replace or deeply integrate into the corporate portal and related projects, which can be curated by internal communication teams, HR, or dedicated Workplace experience professionals.
In the hybrid work environment, creating a centralized corporate communications hub that provides a unified and equal experience for both WFH employees and office employees is crucial. The role of a Chief Workplace Officer is required to keep all these activities under control. One area in the Workplace Experience space that heavily relies on the CIO team is the Digital Workplace, from promoting the Digital Workplace agenda to defining the digital workplace strategy and overseeing its technical planning and implementation.
However, the Digital Workplace might intersect with employee-facing IWMS, and it may be advantageous for employee-facing IWMS to become a core component of the Digital Workplace.