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Welcome to the re-launched e-magazine from The Changing Workplace
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In this issue:
corpXchange
Call for Research from UoQ
The Energy Act 2011
CWP Community Spirit
10 Ways to Enhance Workspace and Productivity
Shanghai Spectacular
Guess Building = Win Bubbly
Dimensions Spring/Summer 2013
Issue 6
Contents
04-05 corpXchange
Share Ideas and Insight with CRE/FM Professionals
06-07 How Office Configurations Affect Productivity
University of Queensland Business School in Call for Research
08-09 The Energy Act 2011 – Implications for Occupiers
Dull Legislation or Business Critical?
10-11 The Changing Workplace – Community Spirit and Support
‘Mission Heart to Heart’ and the ‘Race for Life’
12-13 10 Ways to Enhance Workspace and Productivity
Power of 10 – Email Suggestions for 100 ways!
14-15 New Faces at The Changing Workplace
Six of the Best! New Staff join the team at CWP
16 Steve’s Shanghai Spectacular
Around the World in 27 Days and ‘Guess Building = Win Bubbly’
Page | 2
The way the Corporate Real Estate and Facilities Management sector
communicates is changing rapidly and our Dimensions magazine is changing
with it. With our social media channels bringing news and discussion to clients,
partners and followers faster than ever, the new Dimensions gives an
opportunity for more in-depth articles, packed full of information, guidance and
opinion on the industry.
We’ll be polling our readership in the next issue and responding with articles and
news that we hope will educate and inform. In this issue we reveal a preview of
our online global network, corpXchange and offer the opportunity to participate
in workplace productivity research.
Also featured are articles on the Energy Act 2011 (with an opportunity to
download the full report), our staff’s community involvement, 10 ways to
enhance your workspace and productivity and a ‘Guess Building = Win Bubbly’
competition. The winner of this will receive a bottle of Nyetimber Classic Cuvée.
I hope you enjoy reading about our new developments, industry updates and
features. To receive a print version of our Dimensions e-magazine please email
[email protected] with your name and company address.
Best regards
Steve Thorley
Chief Executive Officer
Welcome to the re-launched
e-magazine from The
Changing Workplace (CWP),
which reflects the way the
CRE / FM industry
communicates.
Page | 3
corpXchange
Last year our CEO Steve Thorley got together
with fellow industry specialists to discuss a new
forum for industry professionals to enable
communication without recruitment consultants
and spammers interrupting and diluting the
content and discussions taking place.
From this initial discussion was born corpXchange, an online global network,
developed to connect people working in Corporate Real Estate and Facilities
Management. Bringing together individuals as peers or groups, members can
share knowledge, best practice and supplier information in a controlled and
secure environment.
This online private members club is a unique social and business network for the
CRE and FM industry. Match supply and demand, facilitate dialogue via existing
public and private forums or start your own topics for discussion.
Page | 4
Provided with an ideal platform to share or trade information, data, services,
space or commodities, corpXchange members have the comfort of knowing
they’re in a trusted, collaborative space.
Page | 5
Joining will be free - prospective members simply request access, are nominated
and then seconded to gain membership and have all the benefits just a few clicks
away. If you or your organisation has a specific requirement it’s highly likely a
member of the corpXchange community could offer what you need or point you
in the right direction.
Perhaps you’re looking for specific data or reports around industry related topics,
trends, new legislation and techniques. You may be searching for networking
opportunities or matching needs and wants around technology advancements,
workplace software or hardware.
corpXchange will be going live soon so to make a priority membership request
please email [email protected] with your full contact details.
We look forward to welcoming you as part of a dynamic global network and
information hub, enabling you to communicate with fellow thought leaders.
Get connected and build relationships with fellow professionals to share
information and exchange ideas.
How Office Configurations Affect
Productivity – Businesses Required
for Further Research
People who use posters and photos to mark out
their space in an open-plan office are happier at
work than those who try to place barriers
between themselves and their colleagues,
according to a pilot study by The University of
Queensland Business School.
The study, funded by an Australian
Research Council grant, aims to find
out more about how the physical
work environment and its
configurations affect employee
productivity.
Senior Lecturer in Management Dr
Remi Ayoko is working on the project
with Professor of Management Neal
Ashkanasy.
A sample group study found that
workers in open-plan offices tend to
claim ownership of their work area
through items such as novelty mugs,
photos and posters.
“Employees who express
themselves in this way also
seem to experience positive
emotions,” Dr Ayoko said.
In contrast, those who were more
defensive about their space,
“especially in anticipation
and fear of intrusion,” were
more likely to experience negative
emotions.
Page | 6
The study found that:
• 15 percent of open-plan office workers had had a
disagreement with a colleague
• 12 percent had felt frustrated
• 11 percent said they were not performing their
work effectively
• 8 percent were not satisfied with their job
Dr Ayoko said the results were not conclusive and
further research was needed, but it suggested open-
plan offices made for easier communication and were
cheaper to design, but could result in frustration and
conflict due to noise, distractions and lack of privacy.
“Organisations spend millions of dollars
renovating and building new workspaces
every year.
Yet very little research has been carried out
in the field of organisational behaviour into
the way in which the physical work
environment, such as office design, affects
employees' productivity and wellbeing.
Our research aims to tease out these issues
and especially to look at how territoriality,
conflict and emotions influence productivity
in different office settings,” Dr Ayoko said.
Dr Ayoko and Professor Ashkanasy are looking for
businesses to take part in the main study, which could
help improve productivity and employee satisfaction.
The Changing Workplace is helping with identifying respondents for the research and those
interested in participating can contact Remi Ayoko via email: [email protected]
For media enquiries please contact Tanya Hagedorn, Marketing and Communications
Coordinator on 07 3346 3052 or [email protected]
Page | 7
The 2011 Energy Act -
Implications for
Occupiers
The United Kingdom is
committed to reducing CO2
emissions by 34% by 2020.
As part of this over-arching strategy there is a
commitment, through the European Union’s Energy
Performance of Buildings Directive, to improve the
energy performance of our built stock. The Energy
Act 2011 is aimed at meeting this commitment, and
brings with it particular ramifications for occupiers
of commercial property.
Page | 8
While the Act demonstrates the UK Government’s commitment to carbon
reduction, it has significant implications for corporate occupiers by restricting
their ability to let and assign Corporate Real Estate.
By 2018, the selling and letting of buildings with an EPC rating of F or G will be
outlawed. This will require occupiers to future-proof their buildings. Those who
delay will find themselves with obsolete assets or an unexpectedly large bill for
upgrading their portfolio.
The Changing Workplace attended the CoreNet UK Chapter Research Briefing in
central London earlier this year. Research findings from interviews with
occupiers of space were shown in a presentation, provocatively sub titled
“Another piece of dull legislation? Or something that could prove business
critical?”.
The event was facilitated by Kate Dean of Segro who commissioned the research
and speakers were Dr Rob Harris from Ramidus Consulting Limited and Miles
Kane from Deloitte.
There were many questions from the floor and the research indicated that the
level of awareness of the Act and its implications for estate planning was
remarkably low. As the report states, 2018 is still a long way away, although now
in 2013 it is less than one full rent cycle, which might focus property minds a
little more clearly.
Click here for a full copy of the report.
Page | 9
The Changing Workplace -
Community Spirit and Support!
On Sunday 21st April four members of the I.T.
team from The Changing Workplace took part in
the Third Greater Haywards Heath Bike Ride
and contributed to making it a resounding
success.
As our Head Office is based in Haywards Heath this really was a local community
event. Tom Bean, Steve Thomson, Andrew Richardson and Toby Towers all
committed to cycling the ‘Highwayman Red Route’ – a 42 mile ride through the
Sussex countryside.
Haywards Heath Town Band, No Strings Attached and Vivace made a huge
difference to the atmosphere and camaraderie and nearly 1,000 riders set out
and they all came back – triumphant over the distances they were riding.
Tom crosses the finish line
Page | 10
The race organisers, Haywards Heath and District Business Association thanked
everyone for not just taking part, but for creating the most fantastic community spirit.
The whole event raises funds for charity; either through charities organising sponsored
teams or through the donation of race proceeds to the organisers' charity.
This year the aim was to buy heart attack recovery defibrillators for the whole of the area
in Haywards Heath. Organisers are currently counting how much they’ve managed to
collect towards their “dash for defibrillators” and will be publishing the figure very soon.
For further information and updates please click here.
Some Race for Life women take part in celebration of
surviving a cancer experience. Others take part in
memory of a loved one or to give hope to a cancer-free
future. All share a common goal to raise money for Cancer
UK’s groundbreaking work and to help save more lives.
On Wednesday 19th June, Katie Johnson and Anna Daw
will be showing cancer who’s boss by raising money to
fund groundbreaking research into new drugs and
treatments.
Race for Life is cancer’s worst nightmare so come along
and run, walk, dance and sponsor – together we will all
bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.
Since Race for Life started in 1994, an incredible six
million participants have raised over £493million, more
than any other UK event series raising money to fund
cancer research.
To sponsor Katie and Anna please click here
Not wishing to be outdone
in the sporting and
fundraising stakes, two
members of staff from
CWP’s legal and marketing
teams are joining the
biggest fight against cancer
and entering Cancer
Research UK's 5K Race for
Life, taking place in Tilgate
Park, Crawley.
Page | 11
Power of 10
Discovering ways to increase workplace productivity can be
a thankless, time consuming task. The ability to motivate
employees to work as efficiently as possible is critical in
today’s ever-changing Corporate Real Estate and Facilities
Management landscape.
More than ever before it’s necessary to increase employee output as a
component of company success. Here at The Changing Workplace we’ve looked
for ways to improve, enhance and increase workplace productivity.
On the next page are 10 suggestions and we’re aiming to increase this to 100
over the coming months. To contribute further suggestions please email
[email protected]. When we get to 100 ideas, we’ll publish
them on our website or in future Dimensions magazines.
NB: In mathematics, a power of 10 is any of the integer powers of the number ten; in
other words, ten multiplied by itself a certain number of times.
Page | 12
1. Employ the right person for the right job.
Make sure you are hiring the right people.
Ensure whoever is entrusted with hiring staff is
taking enough time to examine potential
employees and is also advertising your
positions in the right places. Your company
website, newsletter and social media channels
should be immediate ports of call and
remember to try new things from time to time.
2. Ask people for questions, suggestions and
innovations. Use an inbox (or an actual
physical box if you want it to be confidential)
where people can submit their thoughts and
ideas. By reaching out to staff you will help
develop an environment of openness. It’s then
essential to follow up on suggestions even if
they’re not implemented so people are aware
their thoughts are valued.
3. A reward scheme can help to motivate
response and opinion. If appropriate,
incentivise your staff with treats and prizes –
you’ll be surprised how little things can lead to
big ideas. This could be as simple as asking for
suggestions for the name of a new
product/service, ideas for teambuilding
sessions or improving internal documents.
4. Don’t hold unnecessary meetings! If you’re
having meetings because it's just something that
happens every week or month then consider
why. Meetings should have a strong enough
reason and purpose to pull people away from
their work. An effective meeting starts with
everyone knowing the objectives and agenda
beforehand and having adequate time to
prepare if necessary.
5. Organise your workspace and
surrounding area. On a personal level, an
untidy and cluttered desk or office will make
productivity decline. In a much larger
workplace shared by employees, the same is
true. When you've completed an initial
workspace cleanout, the challenge is keeping it
organised. Spend a few minutes arranging your
desk and area at the end of each day.
6. Develop and contribute to a fun, enjoyable
working environment. It’s a proven fact that
people work much more efficiently when they
enjoy their work and this is particularly true of
highly skilled professionals. Those who dislike,
or perhaps worse, are bored and unmotivated
won't put nearly as much effort and creativity
into their work and can be a disruptive
influence.
7. Encourage accountability and collective
responsibility. Make sure employees are
aware that they are directly accountable for
their actions and decisions, whilst making it
absolutely clear that a blame culture is not
acceptable. This will help staff work in a
thorough and conscientious manner, avoiding
poor decisions and unnecessary situations
arising with colleagues and managers.
8. Monitor and help your staff with time
management. Encourage people to prioritize
their time according to the most pressing tasks
and functions. This will enable them to manage
their time effectively so that the right time is
allocated to the right activity. Timesheets can
help to clarify the time staff spend on different
areas of their role and can also help identify
gaps or over/under resourcing in specific areas.
9. Give praise and feedback when
appropriate. Praise given immediately has
much more impact – everyone loves knowing
that their colleague, team or manager thinks
there has been a job well done. It’s very hard to
get this right so remember these two words –
BE SPECIFIC and if possible go public with your
praise. This can motivate employees to up their
game, gain that all important pat on the back
and receive recognition for their contribution.
10. Make sure that your workforce has
access to the right software and training.
This will help them to do their job to the best of
their ability and keep up to date with industry
changes and technological advancements.
If you have teams managing a large multi-site
corporate real estate portfolio, consider talking
to The Changing Workplace about how our web-
based award winning CAFM software called
WebCoRE can help meet your requirements. ☺
Page | 13
Page | 14
New Faces at The
Changing Workplace –
Six of the Best!
Since the beginning of the year The
Changing Workplace has welcomed six
new members of staff. Our team continues
to expand to meet the demands and
expectations of our clients. We constantly
evaluate which skills we have and who we
need to ensure we remain at the forefront
of CRE technology development and
service delivery.
Mark Gifford joined CWP in January as an Infrastructure
& Support Analyst, fresh from his travels in Australia
and further afield. With a degree in Computer Science
and an aptitude for coding projects and working on
networks, Mark is a great addition to the team in
helping with infrastructure related and server based
work.
Steve Affleck joined CWP in March as Marketing
Manager and has already taken the lead on tender
responses and the production of this magazine. With 15
years of marcomms experience, most recently in the
events sector, Steve will be helping to market the new
products and services that CWP is launching throughout
the year.
Robert Stubbs joined CWP in April as a Desktop and
Mobile Solutions developer and is currently working on
the iOS element of a new “surveys on the move” app that
our team are developing. With a degree in computing
and a love of coding and programming, Robert is very
enthusiastic about learning new things.
Due to our growing client portfolio and staff numbers, Jason Duncan joined the
CWP team in April as Facilities and Administration Assistant. Coming from the
security sector, Jason is a stickler for detail, making sure things are done
properly and running smoothly so our staff can concentrate fully on their roles.
The newest addition to the team, Mike Frost joined CWP in May as a Project and
Requirements Analyst. He brings a wealth of experience as a Project Manager
working for software vendors in the City of London in the Client Reporting
market-space. Mike will be working closely with our Client Services team to
further develop and enhance CWP's project governance.
Across the pond in Redmond, USA, Philip Vago joined CWP in May as a Data
Quality Manager for the WebCoRE implementation program at a leading
software organisation. With 10 years of experience across a variety of sectors
and functions (Finance, IT, Testing and Business Operations Management), he is
helping our U.S. Client Services Manager to deploy CWP’s WebCoRE Space
Management module and provide on-going data management support.
Mark, Steve, Robert, Jason, Mike (inset Philip)
Page | 15
Guess Building = Win Bubbly
Can you guess the building in the middle photo above? Email your answer to
[email protected] with your full name, organisation, job title
and address details. The first correct answer received will be sent a bottle of
Nyetimber Classic Cuvée. Considered one of England’s finest wines, this is made
in the true champagne fashion using traditional grape varieties and production
techniques.
Page | 16 © The Changing Workplace | [email protected] | changingworkplace.com | +44 (0) 1444 441000
Steve’s Shanghai Spectacular
CEO Steve Thorley has recently returned from his latest trip
visiting WebCoRE clients around the world to learn about
their newest ideas and challenges, and also catch up with
fellow CRE professionals at CoreNet Shanghai.
Apart from the downside of weekend flights to ensure he’s in the right location
for Monday morning (!), one of the spin-offs Steve really enjoys is the quirky or
jaw-dropping sights he comes across while travelling. And the fantastic food!
