How smart work environment applications can add strategic value

The way people work has changed and many corporate real estate (CRE) and facility managers (FM) are thinking about whether and how to implement smart-building applications in the work environments of their client. The data collected by these applications can be a valuable asset, however it is necessary to identify beforehand which type of data collection could provide which strategic value(s). Therefore, this study examined the expected strategic value of specific smart work environment applications for organizations from the perspective of CRE and FM professionals. A questionnaire was developed based on existing literature. In total, 122 CRE and FM experts participated and provided their perception of 20 different applications and 9 different strategic values. During follow-up expert interviews, the practical implications of the findings were discussed and translated into recommendations. The smart applications that are expected to decrease real estate costs mostly relate to the automatization of facility services. Employee satisfaction is particularly supported by smart applications related to personal preferences and personalization (e.g. temperature control, smart coffee machine). The smart applications that are expected to support productivity mostly concerned either features of the work environment (automatic printer and meeting room allocation), ways to eliminate negative conditions (noise cancelling), or support in finding colleagues elsewhere in the building. Although many studies have proven the effect of physical work environment characteristics on employees and/or on organizations, there is little insight into the effect of smart work environment applications on both. This paper has started to build theory on smart building applications. The findings in this paper are also relevant for CRE and facility managers and consultants as they provide insight in what their colleagues expect of different available smart work environment technology applications, to support their own decision making

How smart work environment applications can add strategic value

The way people work has changed and many corporate real estate (CRE) and facility managers (FM) are thinking about whether and how to implement smart-building applications in the work environments of their client. The data collected by these applications can be a valuable asset, however it is necessary to identify beforehand which type of data collection could provide which strategic value(s). Therefore, this study examined the expected strategic value of specific smart work environment applications for organizations from the perspective of CRE and FM professionals. A questionnaire was developed based on existing literature. In total, 122 CRE and FM experts participated and provided their perception of 20 different applications and 9 different strategic values. During follow-up expert interviews, the practical implications of the findings were discussed and translated into recommendations. The smart applications that are expected to decrease real estate costs mostly relate to the automatization of facility services. Employee satisfaction is particularly supported by smart applications related to personal preferences and personalization (e.g. temperature control, smart coffee machine). The smart applications that are expected to support productivity mostly concerned either features of the work environment (automatic printer and meeting room allocation), ways to eliminate negative conditions (noise cancelling), or support in finding colleagues elsewhere in the building. Although many studies have proven the effect of physical work environment characteristics on employees and/or on organizations, there is little insight into the effect of smart work environment applications on both. This paper has started to build theory on smart building applications. The findings in this paper are also relevant for CRE and facility managers and consultants as they provide insight in what their colleagues expect of different available smart work environment technology applications, to support their own decision making