Embracing adaptive FM strategies is critical to the delivery of business goals and re-engagement of staff

Colliers Global Occupier Services’ new report Adaptive Facilities Management – a new vision in agility, reveals how workplaces need to be maintained and managed in a more agile and responsive way if they are to serve the needs of a hybrid work environment and support the return to the office.

Research conducted by the diversified professional services and investment management company shows that traditional FM models, where services are delivered at fixed frequencies and costs, are no longer fit for purpose, due to occupancy levels at many workplaces remaining in flux. Colliers states that by embracing adaptive FM strategies, organisations can not only optimise space and resources but also improve the employee experience through more responsive and tailored services.

Nicholas Marsh, Colliers’ EMEA Head of Enterprise FM Advisory, stated: “To bring workers back to the office, you have to examine the reasons they give for not wanting to go in the first place. Lack of desk space, substandard equipment, difficulty accessing amenities – facilities management plays a critical role in understanding and addressing all these pain points.

“Employees have been conditioned by their experiences as consumers,” Marsh continued. “It needs to be as easy and seamless as possible for staff to book a meeting room, plug in their laptops, and display the video or presentation on the wall. We have to create a frictionless experience in terms of FM to make people want to come back to work.”

Connected technologies proving essential  
Innovations in sensors and monitoring, along with the widespread proliferation of connected devices are enabling more granular, real-time analysis of how and when workspaces are being used. Forward-looking enterprises featured in the report are leveraging this data to reduce occupancy and maintenance costs, while also enhancing employee experience by ensuring infrastructure and services are available when needed and accommodating diverse work styles.

Technology and data analytics are also helping companies track and improve workplace performance. This measurement is expanding beyond traditional metrics such as costs or occupancy per-square-foot to include employee satisfaction and sustainability.

Shift to flexible portfolio of specialised vendors
The report highlights a shift from traditional service-level agreements to more flexible, performance-based contracts that better align the interests of building occupiers, FM providers and customers. More organisations are also assembling portfolios of ‘best of breed’ vendors with dedicated expertise in specific markets or key emerging practices like sustainability and data analytics.