Tag: Move Management

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How to Use the American Rescue Plan to Update Your Workplace Management System

By Danielle Moore
Director, Channel Marketing
SpaceIQ

Businesses were hit hard during the pandemic. But with the trials, many businesses have discovered room for improvement and growth. Government agencies, healthcare facilities, and public schools are now in a positive position to rise above and come out stronger thanks to the American Rescue Plan.

What is the American Rescue Plan?

Millions of Americans recently benefited from stimulus checks, tax breaks, and extended unemployment benefits. This economic relief — totaling more than $242 billion — came as a result of the American Rescue Plan signed by President Joe Biden on March 11, 2021. In addition to aiding citizens on individual levels, this plan has stepped in to support businesses and organizations — and leave them stronger than ever before.

Government Agencies

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, agencies had to adapt to stay afloat. Government duties were halted as buildings turned into emergency medical facilities. Revenue was lost and employees were laid off. To remedy these issues, the American Rescue Plan set aside $350 billion in emergency funds to help state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments.

We quickly learned how essential technology is to the health and success of businesses during the pandemic. And now, moving forward, technology continues to support and protect organizations. Because of this, the General Services Administration (GSA) now manages two funds geared to strengthen agencies’ digital operations. The $1 billionTechnology Modernization Fund aims to fortifythe federal government’s cybersecurity while developing cutting-edge tools made to adapt to change. Additionally, $150 million from the Federal Citizen Services Fund will bring positive change to the federal technology workforce and bolster systems for better citizen experiences.

Healthcare Facilities

Healthcare workers were stretched to the limit as healthcare facilities became inundated with patients. However, vital lessons were learned, and, as a result,  the healthcare industry has improved. Ushering in further improvement, the U.S. Department  of Health and Human Services (HHS) is offering $7.5 billion to healthcare facilities for information technology assistance, enhancements to information systems and reporting, data sharing, and support of vaccine distribution.

Public Schools

Of the 1.4 million public sector jobs lost during the pandemic, 1 million of those jobs belonged to teachers. Schools underwent rapid changes to respond to the emergence of COVID-19, including the introduction of remote learning for many. Determined to help schools recuperate from the adjustments, the American Rescue Plan issued $122 billion for the U.S. Department of Education to serve K-12 schools and higher education institutions. These funds are intended to help prevent layoffs, provide internet access and devices to students without connectivity, and allow a safe return to in-person learning with resources for social distancing.

Improving technology to repair and thrive

Undoubtedly, the American Rescue Plan has — and will continue to — lift and support businesses that underwent adversity as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. But this plan does more than simply help businesses recover; it helps them thrive. The key to this persistent success is technology.

Equipped with technology that improves standard processes, workplace management, and overall organization, organizations become smooth-running machines. This efficiency is what saves resources and protects companies from future disasters. The American Rescue Plan has created a unique opportunity for public sector organizations to update or invest in vital technology, such as an integrated workplace management system (IWMS).

Navigating workplace changes with IWMS software

A company’s facilities and infrastructure comprise 25 to 50 percent of its fixed assets and operating costs. Help your business succeed in a globally competitive market by properly managing these precious resources. This is where SpaceIQ can help. Our Archibus platform has helped companies return to work with innovative features that offer solutions to the many negative impacts of COVID-19.

As people return to work and school, there are many variables in question, such as how to follow social distancing protocols, schedule offices, and classrooms, and track the phases of students and employees coming back to work. The Archibus system has clarified these questions and allowed organizations to function at their full potential.

Take a look at some of the ways that Archibus can simplify your workplace management:

  1. Space Inventory. Assign employees to safe seats that meet social distancing guidelines.
  2. Occupancy. Track and manage which employees are working remotely, in cohorts, or coming back to work in phases.
  3. Hoteling. Let employees select a desk from a pool of pre-approved, socially distanced spaces.
  4. Corrective Work. Automatically schedule room and desk cleanings between reservations to promote a safer work environment for employees.
  5. Reservations. Allow pre-approved room reservations that incorporates time before and after a meeting for proper cleaning.
  6. Workplace. Help employees find resources, book meetings and workspaces, access services, and request moves through a convenient desktop or mobile experience.
  7. Space Planning. Forecast and plan for large space and occupancy changes at all levels, including portfolio, city, site/campus, and building and room levels.
  8. Moves. Streamline your move/add/change processes to support employee safety with minimal organizational disruption.
  9. Preventive Maintenance. Schedule daily or periodic “deep clean” work orders for specific locations.
  10. Health & Safety. Reduce workplace safety incidents and better manage personal protective equipment (PPE), training, medical monitoring, and work restrictions.
  11. Asset Management. Provide an integrated view of where to find key assets such as personal protective equipment (PPE), cleaning supplies, and other equipment.
  12. Emergency Preparedness. Implement life-saving and general safety procedures by planning for potential future outbreaks and other disasters.
  13. Waste. Track and manage COVID-19 hazardous waste from point of generation to final disposition to mitigate errors, omissions, and accidents.
  14. Hazard Abatement. Protect employee health and minimize organizational liability by quickly and accurately locating, tracking, and abating hazardous materials.
  15. Compliance. Reduce the chance of virus spread and potential shutdowns that result from inadequate compliance practices.
  16. Condition Assessment. Evaluate the condition of critical assets and buildings, initiating remediation work where needed.
  17. Projects. Provide a central location for employees to manage COVID-related project details, including schedule tracking and budgeting.

Easily access the tools and technology you need

Whether you serve a government agency, healthcare facility, or public school, there are several options available to fund the technology you need to bring efficiency and clarity to today’s changing workplace. The American Rescue Plan has brought relief and security for the future to many organizations who request funding.

If this plan doesn’t cover what your public agency is looking for, there are still several federal and state contract vehicles that can help. Simplify the procurement process by purchasing Archibus through our valued partners found at the following links:

Federal

CIO-CS, HHSN316201500012W

GSA Multiple Award Schedules GS-35F-267DA

Information Technology Enterprise Solutions – Software2 (ITES-SW2), W52P1J-20-D-0047

SEWP V, Group A: NNG15SC07B; Group D: NNG15SC98B

Department of Defense ITAM ESI

State

GSA Multiple Award Schedules GS-35F-267DA

Commonwealth of Kentucky Multi-Vendor Master Agreement, MA758 070000217538

State of California Multiple Award Schedule (CMAS), 3-16- 70-1047B

State of Maryland Multi-Vendor COTS IDIQ, 06B02490021

State of New Mexico Multi-Vendor IDIQ, 60-000-16-00075

State of Ohio Multi-Vendor IDIQ, 534042

State of Texas DIR Multi-Vendor Software IDIQ, DIR-TSO-3400

State of Texas DIR Multi-Vendor Software II IDIQ, DIR-TSO-4236

State of Texas DIR, DIR-TSO-4384

TIPS, 180503

TIPS, 200105

TIPS, 200102

The world may still be recuperating from the effects of COVID-19, but your resilient organization is capable of returning to work stronger. Try a demo of SpaceIQ products to learn how you can safely reopen your workplace and boost your organization’s productivity.

Keep reading: What is a Smart IWMS and What are its Features?

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Move Management for Schools

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By Devon Maresco
Marketing Coordinator
SpaceIQ

College campuses are often compared to beehives for good reason: they’re continuously abuzz with movement and activity. Students travel to and from class, professors trek across campus to teach, support staff prepare facilities, and common areas are epicenters for everything that happens in-between. To coordinate it all and reduce congestion, move management for schools needs to be a priority.

While it might seem impossible to control the constant ebb and flow of bodies from place-to-place on campus, there are actually significant control factors. Where students attend class might dictate where they choose to adjourn to after. Likewise, the time of day influences how they’ll get to a particular area. Dozens of small factors like this congeal into the concept of move management. When you understand when and where people are traveling, you can influence how they get there.

Here’s a look at what move management means in the context of a college campus and how facility managers can take a more intuitive approach to alleviating campus friction.

What is move management?

Move management for colleges and schools involves orchestrating space so it’s accessible by those who need it. Nowhere is this more evident on a college campus than in the classroom itself.

Take, for example, an amphitheater-style lecture hall that seats 100 students. If the average class size is 30 students, it’s unlikely the school needs many amphitheater-style spaces. Instead, it’ll rely on a handful to house the more prolific undergrad classes with 80+ students in attendance. Facilitating a schedule that accommodates multiple classes in the same room during the day is a common form of move management.

Another common form of move management on campus occurs when dealing with multi-purposed facilities. Take the student union, for example. Today, there’s an art exhibition; tomorrow, there’s a job fair; next week, it’ll play host to a guest speaker. There’s a degree of prep and turnover associated with each instance, which falls under the purview of move management. How can facility managers get people into and out of that space in an orderly fashion?

Variables that influence campus movement

Move management on campuses is a tall order because it involves so many different dynamics, spanning thousands of people at any given time.

Take the amphitheater-style lecture hall example from above. To facilitate setup and transition of this space takes consideration for not only the room itself and the people using it, but also its context on campus. If facilities managers want to create a seamless interaction, they need to consider the space and all the reasons people have to interact with it:

  • Where a class is scheduled to take place
  • When a class is scheduled to take place
  • Amenities and conveniences in a particular location
  • Context of a particular location within the broader campus
  • Access options for a particular building or space

An easier way to look at the variables influencing campus movement is to run down the major Ws: who, what, where, why, and when. Clear answers to these questions can give facility managers the insights they need to dictate how students and faculty interact with their environment.

The benefits of move management for schools

A well-orchestrated campus ensures a frictionless environment for students, faculty, staff, and anyone else navigating from one space to another. This ultimately improves campus experience—including making it easier for students to settle in and learn, and to interact with campus resources more freely.

There’s also a facilities optimization component attached to move management. Classrooms and workspaces that sit idle are a drain on utilization. Facility managers that can finesse transitions from one class to the next in a single space do more to improve the utilization metrics of that space, and the ROI of campus buildings.

Finally, there’s order and organization to consider. These two variables are hard to come by on a college campus with so many independent individuals present. Move management creates structure in a fundamental way, which has a ripple effect on how people behave on campus. It’s less likely a student will visit Building A on Tuesdays if they don’t have any classes there. This translates to crowd control and better navigability for other students who do have a class there—and for the students after them who’ll occupy that same space.

Consider the campus ecosystem

While comparing it to a beehive is often a jest, it’s actually an apt comparison. Beehives are surprisingly organized, and every bee knows exactly where it’s going and how to get there. It’s chaos, but organized chaos. The same is true for college campuses. Move management can turn the everyday erratic movements of students and faculty into carefully designed ebbs and flows that make life on campus easier for everyone.

By controlling the factors that influence how people move on campus, facility managers can ensure freedom of movement for people to get where they need to go, when they need to get there. Instead of getting stymied at a major thoroughfare or clogging up the hallway outside a popular lecture hall, move management ensures proper utilization with minimal overlap—so the entire campus can stay busy as bees.

Keep reading: Move Management Checklist

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Explore Archibus Back-to-Work Solutions 

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By Danielle Moore
Director, Channel Marketing
SpaceIQ

As organizations explore safe and measured returns to work, they need tools and resources to help ensure the ongoing health and safety of employees. Archibus provides tools for hoteling and reservations, preventive and corrective maintenance, occupancy, health compliance, and myriad others. Our goal is to deliver a complete suite of solutions that help organizations put their best foot forward as they take steps to get back to work.

Here’s a look at the many tools Archibus offers and how to capitalize on them. Keep checking back after each version release to discover new solutions to facilitate your return to work.

Hoteling 

Archibus’ robust hoteling features empower your workforce to find and book spaces with ease—from full-time employees, to flex workers, to visitors. Enforce bookings, schedule cleanings, monitor capacity, restrict and enable bookings, prevent duplicate reservations and more—all through a pool of pre-approved, socially distanced spaces. Learn more.

  • Improve space utilization and enable the disposition of excess inventory
  • Realize a more efficient facilities footprint resulting from improved space utilization
  • Accommodate a mobile workforce and increase employee satisfaction
  • Encourage responsible and efficient use of space

Reservations 

Room reservations create new governance opportunities for facility managers, without hampering employees as they return to the workplace. Use Archibus to structure workspace check-ins and mandate health checks before check-in. Allow pre-approved room reservations that incorporate time before and after a meeting for proper cleaning. Learn more.

  • Secure shared space and resources with self-service Web forms
  • Streamline invitations to participants via integration with most email clients
  • Reservations Plugin lets individuals make room reservations within the Outlook™ client
  • Extension for Microsoft Exchange handles all reservations and updates

Space Inventory 

With changing occupancy limits comes the need to redefine your space. Refocus allocation and distribute space in new, more efficient ways with Archibus’ space inventorying and planning tools. Assign employees to safe seats that meet social distancing guidelines and create workplaces that make better use of the space you have, based on demand. Learn more.

  • Deliver flexible, self-service reporting for effective space allocation and cost control
  • Improve evaluation of building performance and enable accurate benchmarking
  • Enhance design/planning capabilities to use space more efficiently
  • Increase productivity with Archibus All-in-One Home Page with quick access to tasks

Space Planning 

Forecast and plan for large space and occupancy changes at all levels, including portfolio, city, and site/campus, as well as building and room levels. Track when, how, and why employees use spaces, then leverage that data into more efficient floor plans—all designed within the parameters of a post-pandemic framework. Learn more.

  • View how space is allocated across divisions, departments, buildings, and campuses
  • Compare spaces to identify vacancies
  • Track available space over time
  • Generate space scenarios directly from existing inventory

Occupancy 

Track and manage which employees work remotely vs. those coming back-to-work in phases. Occupancy metrics help companies maintain distancing standards, manage desk availability, optimize for space utilization, and more. Archibus’ daily and real-time occupancy reporting puts facility managers on the front lines of planning for and enforcing safe space usage. Learn more.

  • Coordinate workspace availability between various workgroups
  • Authorize space allocation by group, department, shift, and more
  • Review daily occupancy data to glean insights about space trends
  • Integrate with reservation and hoteling software to automate occupancy management

Building Operations and Maintenance 

With a return to work comes a shift in operational best practices, especially around building maintenance. Archibus helps you adjust accordingly. Automatically schedule room and desk cleanings between reservations, to promote a safer work environment for employees. Or, schedule daily or periodic “deep clean” work orders for specific locations. Learn more.

  • Observe proactive and corrective maintenance workflows
  • Utilize a full CMMS to support your approach to facility maintenance
  • Create and define return-to-work tasks specific to workspaces
  • Automate maintenance and operations workflows to simplify oversight demands

Moves 

Maintain the mobility of your workplace and streamline the move/add/change processes, to support employee safety with minimal organizational disruption. Archibus’ centralized move management system lets you keep tabs on movement and action, so you can maintain workplace agility without compromising employee safety. Learn more.

  • Streamline the entire move process, including requests, approvals, and updates
  • Improve communication between in-house and external resources
  • Generates trial layouts, move analytics, and intelligent dashboards
  • Enable the timely distribution of updated personnel and cost center information

Workplace 

Create the workplace your employees need with Archibus. Help employees find resources, book meetings and workspaces, access services, and request moves through a convenient desktop or mobile experience. Archibus does it all, so you can shape the workplace around the needs of the people using it—all while staying safe, compliant, and productive. Learn more.

  • Use GIS and BIM data to create a complete digital twin of every workplace
  • Leverage broad integrations to create a workplace that’s smart and connected
  • Combine digital workplace assets with physical facilities, to better-support your team
  • Create an agile, flexible workplace that operates within a post-pandemic framework

Compliance 

Businesses of all sizes need to take steps to protect themselves from liability in a post-pandemic workplace. Lean on Archibus to reduce the chance of virus spread and potential shutdowns that result from inadequate compliance practices. From social distancing tracking to hazard abatement, you’ll have tools to prevent compliance issues before they arise. Learn more.

  • Personalized back-to-work e-mail notifications
  • Monitor and adjust the dynamic workplace
  • Achieve and maintain regulatory and code compliance
  • Track key processes involved in social distancing

Asset Management 

Take advantage of an integrated view of where to find key assets within your facilities, such as personal protective equipment (PPE), cleaning supplies, and other equipment. Archibus makes it easy for employees to find the equipment and resources they need, and for facility and asset managers to track, monitor, and maintain them. Learn more.

  • Centralize asset inventory
  • Track assets, enhance accountability
  • Budget assets with full view costs
  • Enable a full life cycle strategy

Condition Assessment 

Evaluate the condition of critical assets and buildings, initiating remediation work where needed. Archibus keeps your facilities and assets up and running safely, with insights on how to prevent problems before they arise. Provide employees with a seamless return to work experience—one that isn’t hindered by downed assets or facility restrictions. Learn more.

  • Track asset condition, plan for maintenance, and prepare budget scenarios
  • Utilize an objective and systematic framework for prioritizing work
  • Improve information accuracy and consistency
  • Reduce downtime and associated costs

Emergency Preparedness 

From shared work environments to corporate campuses, emergency preparedness is key. As employees return to work, their situation and surroundings may have changed. They need to stay informed about new protocols and standards, so they can act accordingly in an emergency. Archibus helps you implement safety procedures and plan for hazards protectively. Learn more.

  • Proactive emergency operations management
  • Access accurate information about risks
  • Implement contact tracing to quickly resume normal operations
  • Expedite insurance claims and negotiate more favorable coverage terms

Hazard Abatement 

Protect employee health and minimize organizational liability by quickly and accurately locating, tracking, and abating hazards. From contact tracing to narrow exposure pools to workspace disinfection standards and scheduling, Archibus makes proactive management of hazards a top priority, to reduce liabilities across facilities. Learn more.

  • Facilitate a safe working environment for building occupants
  • Minimize regulatory actions and/or occupational illnesses
  • Avert costly operating shutdowns, loss of facility use, penalties, or fines
  • Identify, locate, sample, document, and abate potential exposures

Health & Safety 

Reduce workplace safety incidents and better manage personal protective equipment (PPE), training, medical monitoring, and work restrictions through Archibus. Use a mix of building information data and connected workplace sensors to get a top-down view of facilities and a clearer understanding of where and how to avoid potential health and safety risks. Learn more.

  • Identify, evaluate, and correct health and safety risks in the workplace
  • Reduce medical claims, disability compensation, and loss of productivity
  • Track and follow-up on health and safety incidents to minimize risk and liability
  • Reduce the cost of administering a health and safety program

Waste 

From masks and gloves to materials used to sanitize workspaces, pandemic waste materials need careful treatment and oversight. Use Archibus to track and manage COVID-19 hazardous waste from point of generation to final disposition, to mitigate errors, omissions, and accidents. Learn more.

  • Simplify tracking and management of hazardous waste streams
  • Decrease the risk of fines or litigation surrounding hazardous waste storage and disposal
  • Increase the visibility and improve accountability for waste management
  • Reduce the cost and effort of satisfying waste audit and reporting requirements

Projects 

Provide a central location for employees to manage COVID-related project details, including schedule tracking and budgeting. Archibus’ dashboard keeps employees in the loop about what’s expected of them and how to navigate projects and duties within the framework of new policies, protocols, and procedures. It sets standards and expectations for everyone. Learn more.

  • Create a top-down perspective of program and project priorities, actions, and costs
  • Allow project members to synchronize information at different organizational units
  • Streamline project oversight via milestones, tasks, and status changes
  • Reduce administrative burden by leveraging existing data

Get ready for a seamless return to work 

Archibus helps companies of all sizes get back to work. Utilize the tools above to plan and execute a seamless return to work, and keep checking back as we continue to add tools based on the needs of our customers.

Want to explore Archibus’ back-to-work solutions for yourself? Schedule a demo today.

Keep reading: Back-to-Work Planning & Employee Sentiment

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How to Use Relocation Management Software

By Dave Clifton
Content Strategist
SpaceIQ

Planning on moving to new facilities? Need to coordinate better mobility between departments? Relocation management software is the answer. But it’s not enough to have the software. Facility managers and move stakeholders need to understand how to use it effectively. Software can guide you through all phases of a move, and it needs to offer cohesion from start to finish—whether it takes a few minutes or a few weeks to complete. Supportive software makes moves easier, and it is enabled by stakeholders who know how to use it.

Start with formalized training

The best relocation management software will come with training opportunities from the developer. This is vital to understanding the software, its features, and the capabilities it offers during different relocation scenarios. There’s no better opportunity than learning from the organization that designed the software.

Start with tutorials and modules. These are often designed to cover specific features and scenarios, and serve as a fundamental tour of the software. Then, move into more advanced training, if offered. This might take the form of a YouTube series, live training exercises, webinars, and more. These more immersive sessions are ideal for drilling down into more complex uses and capabilities.

If offered, these training opportunities need to be the first course of action. Facility managers and anyone else using the software to facilitate relocation should prioritize formalized training.

Familiarize yourself (and stakeholders) with features

Beyond formal training, it’s smart for FMs to poke around and get to know the software—it’s interface, features, menus, integrations, and more. Familiarity beyond the formalities breeds a deeper understanding of how to use the software effectively for specific purposes.

Stakeholders should also get familiar with the software—especially if they’re involved in the relocation. This is much less intimidating in software that offers user permissions groups and usership tiers. For example, distant stakeholders might have access to read-only floor plans and checklists, which are easy to explore and get familiar with. Other groups, like department heads, may need to get accustomed to using different features to execute a move.

Set usership tiers and permissions, and encourage anyone using the software to get comfortable with the UI. This will make using it second-nature and less intimidating.

Optimize the potential of integrations

Integrations are the foundation for optimization. Move management software that connects to other common workplace technologies makes it more useful and accessible in an everyday setting.

For instance, the ability to send employee desk assignments through Slack saves the hassle of orchestrating an email chain. Likewise, directory integration makes it easy for employees to find each other, even after a major workplace shakeup. The simplicity of many integrations is what makes them powerful. The workplace touches every facet of work; move software needs to integrate with as many of those facets as possible.

Identify uses-cases and scenarios

Why did you invest in relocation software? Chances are, it’s because your workplace is either getting ready to move, is constantly in flux, or recently went through a move that caused major disruption. In any case, it’s important to identify opportunities to use it in the future.

This means looking at how specific software features link up with certain situations. For example, you might create pre-made checklists for departmental moves. These checklists ensure every move follows due processes, so as to not forget anything that might creep up later. It might also mean establishing rules for employee relocations. Every time an employee moves, X, Y, and Z triggers ensure a smooth transition. Break it down into as many scenarios as possible. Examples include:

  • Employee-specific moves
  • Group moves
  • Departmental moves
  • Temporary moves
  • Location-based moves

The more applicable move scenarios you identify and plan for, the better-equipped you’ll be when the time arises. Then, it’s easy to pick up relocation software and oversee the process.

Create processes and automate

The final way to capitalize on relocation software is to automate—which blends into identifying use-case scenarios. When you understand the challenges of a specific move, you can automate efforts to avoid them.

Consider something like a workplace mobility program. As employees hop from desk to desk, facility managers need a way to keep tabs on them—and automate the process. These types of simple moves benefit from rules-based governance. Employees from Group A can only book desks in Zones 1-4. Slack room requests validate against the hoteling schedule before returning an “occupied” or “vacant” status. Simple rules like these and dozens of others put bumpers on relocations, to make them seamless.

FMs and software operators should explore process standardization and automation wherever possible. This becomes even more important as you explore integrations.

Relocation software makes moving easier

Whether it’s a departmental shuffle or the relocation of the entire company to new facilities, moving is disruptive. Inherently so. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make it quicker, easier, and more organized. Controlling these variables limits the disruption and any aftershocks that come from relocation. The best way to minimize the negatives of a move is to maximize control over it.

Relocation management software is the answer. But like all software, it needs a qualified, competent operator at the helm. Facility managers who take the time to learn and get familiar with move management software will find themselves with more control over the variables that dictate relocation—and the power to make it smoother.

Keep reading: How to Implement Move Management Software

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Government IWMS Software: 10 Must-Have Features

By Dave Clifton
Content Strategist
SpaceIQ

There’s been a prolific rise of government IWMS software over the last decade. It’s because, like other types of workplaces, government facilities have undergone major change. These facilities have become more complex and agile, and the expectations for them are more diverse than ever. Government IWMS solutions help marry form and function to meet these expectations.

From facility maintenance and space planning, to access control and wayfinding, the capabilities of IWMS for government agencies dictates their usefulness. While not every facility needs the same level of oversight, it’s nonetheless important for municipal building managers to have robust tools available to them. Here’s a look at 10 of the must-have features of an IWMS for municipal building management.

  1. Space management. Every square foot of space in government facilities is important. Facility managers need a top-down view that allows them to see which spaces are static, which are dynamic, and which offer flex potential, so they can manage the sum of facilities appropriately.
  2. Emergency preparedness. Government facilities are beholden to strict emergency preparedness. IWMS software enables emergency planning for everything from inclement weather, to threats of violence, to facility failures, and beyond. Moreover, it makes these plans accessible to everyone who needs them. It’s easy to update, disseminate, and train against these materials when they live alongside floor plans and other facility data.
  3. Lease management. Government facilities are taxpayer funded, which means maximizing ROI and value. Lease management tools help ensure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely, and that the facilities they’re funding deliver value to the communities they serve. At a higher level, IWMS brings broad perspective to portfolio management across all government buildings within a certain jurisdiction.
  4. Fleet and asset management. Here again, government assets are the result of taxpayer dollars. It’s in the best interest of municipal building managers to keep track of assets and fleets in a way that shows upkeep, cost, ROI, utilization, and other important metrics that justify continued investment or new investments. This is important for everything from budgeting to cost-benefit analyses that may eventually become public information.
  5. Sustainability tools. Sustainability is paramount in government facility management. From energy conservation to recycling programs and waste management, IWMS platforms provide tools to ensure efficiency. They’re also instrumental in providing evidence-based insights into the efficacy of such programs. Combined with BIM and other modeling tools, sustainability metrics are part of next-gen building governance.
  6. Wayfinding tools. There’s an indisputable need for wayfinding in government buildings. An IWMS is central to a myriad of wayfinding integrations—everything from interactive facility maps, to employee directories, to point-by-point directional apps. IWMS lends facility context to wayfinding, to make it more robust and versatile. This is vital for municipal facilities large and small alike.
  7. Move management. Government facilities aren’t as static as they’ve historically been. In fact, the shift to more dynamic spaces has resulted in no small amount of relocation within buildings. Then move management tools within an IWMS help bring fluidity to agility, and unlock the utility of spaces that might otherwise remain closed-off or static. It’s also an important consideration during periods of remodeling or improvement to facilities.
  8. Hoteling and room booking. Private space is essential in a municipal setting. Employees need an opportunity to book space and reserve rooms they can use uninterrupted. Hoteling and room booking are a fundamental part of IWMS usage in government buildings, and the gateway to maintaining privacy and confidentiality when people are on the move.
  9. Access control systems. Most municipal facilities already have some form of access control. IWMS brings that control into a single system that makes managing it simpler. Whether it’s badging and ID passes or more advanced biometrics, IWMS is instrumental in creating accessibility for those who need to and restrictions against unwanted access.
  10. Maintenance management. Government buildings face significant need for maintenance, upkeep, and restoration given their age and rate of use. Orchestrating maintenance tickets and service logs is a fundamental must-have from an IWMS, and an important part of keeping facilities safe, accessible, useful, and clean.

The best government IWMS software will include a majority of these features—if not all of them. And even if you don’t need or use them all, it’s still vital to have them. Municipal buildings are still evolving, and will continue to evolve alongside other traditional workplaces. As they do, more and more of these features will become relevant to facility managers. It’s best to get familiar with them now.

Keep reading: Five Uses for Government Move Management Software

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Five Uses for Government Move Management Software

Businesswoman standing and leading business presentation. Female executive putting her ideas during presentation in conference room.

By Devon Maresco
Marketing Coordinator
SpaceIQ

It’s easy to think of government buildings as static. Courtrooms, elected officials’ offices, cafeterias, and various other spaces seemingly have one purpose. But in the modern world, these spaces are more than meets the eye. Government buildings are adapting—or built for adaptability. As they increasingly gain new purpose, government move management software plays a vital role in managing them.

Whether it’s a brand-new government facility designed for agility or an old building getting a new lease through remodeling, there’s movement to consider. Everyday movement inherent to agile facilities. Temporary relocation during remodeling. Data-backed movement to show space utilization. Whatever the need, government relocation management software is imperative.

Here’s a look at five practical uses for move management software for government agencies and why feature-rich software is imperative.

1. Construction planning and relocation

Government buildings are the epitome of neoclassical architecture. But while the façade may be timeless, the interiors of courthouses, police stations, embassies and other municipal buildings are often in need of revitalization. Interior improvements are often far-ranging and invasive, disruptive to operations within these budlings.

Move management software can help plan around lengthy construction and remodeling projects. As rooms, corridors, and entire sections of a government building become work sites, movement management software assists in temporarily relocating employees, re-routing foot traffic, and maintaining safety standards in peripheral areas.

2. Optimize space utilization

Government buildings often feature multifaceted spaces. Take a town hall, for example. It’s available for assembly meetings, traffic court hearings, chamber of commerce events, and dozens of other events. And while the configuration for the space many be similar across these uses, the space itself requires oversight to ensure gatherings have what they need to run smoothly.

Whether it’s orchestrating tables and chairs or establishing the room arrangement for speakers and audiences, government move management software plays an instrumental role in unlocking the utility of multifaceted spaces. This, in turn, improves space ROI and maximizes taxpayer return on funding for government facilities.

3. Implement new workstation concepts

Larger government facilities often mimic the layout and function of commercial offices. Such is the case with the shift to new desking concepts. As commercial workplaces become more agile, so too are government buildings; this means planning for and adapting to new workstation concepts. Move management software is often at the helm of such a transition, including to hoteling, hot desks, room booking, and breakout spaces.

Government buildings shouldn’t be restricted to the rigidity of assigned spaces for specific purposes. While some destinations inside these buildings will remain static, many spaces have newfound flexibility. Managing moves between these spaces allows government facility managers to tap into new opportunities to provide employees and visitors with the spaces they need.

4. Meet BIM deliverable requirements

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) requires the use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) for all major federal building projects. This helps ensure they’re meeting certain efficiency standards and quality control measures, as well as accessibility standards. With BIM data comes a unique opportunity to understand space in government facilities like never before—and to optimize it.

Using move management software in accordance with space utilization metrics allows facility managers to see which spaces are a drag on facilities vs. which ones are in high demand. This then allows them to reinvent those spaces or find ways to use them better. In some cases, it could mean turning them into a flex workspace. In other situations, it might mean temporary uses as certain needs arise. In either case, move management software is key in tapping into these areas and delivering on BIM requirements.

5. Map and utilize overflow spaces

Government facilities are often subject to influx. One day, a courthouse might be empty; the next, it’s packed with trials, jurors, and legal teams. The same goes for just about any other type of municipal facility. As occupancy numbers tick up, people need space. Move management software helps them find and utilize space in the event of overflow.

Move management software also helps facility managers plan for the unexpected. They’re able to create floor plans for general occupancy, as well as contingency floor plans to map overflow. As occupancy ramps up and space becomes scarce, it’s a matter of pulling levers to finesse people into spaces according to plan. This forward-thinking approach eliminates friction and improves productivity.

Government facilities are constantly in flux

While a courtroom might always be a courtroom and not every elected official will give up their office, it doesn’t change the fact that agility is important in government facilities. Move management for government is slowly becoming part of normal facility operations. As space utilization becomes dynamic and new desking concepts rise in popularity, municipal buildings face many of the same challenges as traditional offices. Move management software offers a helping hand in addressing them.

Keep reading: Government IWMS Software: 10 Must-Have Features

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Blog

Facilities Management Software in Australia: Must-Have Features

Smiling mixed race businesswoman holding eyeglasses and looking at laptop while sitting in modern office.

By Devon Maresco
Marketing Coordinator
SpaceIQ

CRE costs in Australia face turbulence from the fallout of COVID-19. Nevertheless, they remain relatively high, which means tenants and occupants need to stretch their investment over every square inch carefully. The best way to do this is through facilities management software in Australia. That means using software that’s feature-rich, rife with the capabilities Australian businesses need to operate with efficiency.

There’s a strong market for facility management software for Australian companies. That said, not all software is equal, and not every program offers the same level of opportunity when it comes to features. Here’s what to look for when choosing facility management software to govern your business’ facilities and operations.

Floor planning and stack plans

At its core, a successful facilities management program needs space visualization features. The two most-used and most important are floor plan and stack plan features. In the quest to maximize space as an investment, these tools are essential. They enable facility managers to coordinate, plan, and optimize space in any setting, no matter the variables involved.

The best software will not only offer space visualization tools, it will support these tools with value-add features. For example, a stack plan might come with the ability to see cost center data alongside space allocations. Or, a floor plan might feature programmable parameters to ensure new floor plan designs don’t violate building codes. The more features within floor plan and stack plan capabilities, the more useful they are.

Move management tools

Now is a period of flux for many Australian businesses. They’re reconsidering space and using this opportunity to relocate to new facilities that better-support operations. To do this efficiently takes a robust suite of move management tools.

Look for facilities management software that simplifies relocations of all types and complexities. This includes everything from checklists and task delegations, to messaging integrations and asset management features. While moves may not be a routine part of your operations, many of these features lend themselves to agile workplaces. It’s important for companies to evaluate these tools and understand how they apply to any shuffling or relocation opportunities ahead.

Asset management resources

Facility management software in Australia needs to include asset management resources. As they strive to maximize their space, Aussie companies need to also consider the assets within that space. From copy machines and break room appliances to capital systems and high-value equipment, mindful asset management improves both top- and bottom-line prospects.

The biggest opportunity for companies to optimize facilities is through preventive and proactive maintenance. This also necessitates a CMMS component, which many broader facilities management platforms offer or integrate with. Digital twins are also an important factor here, since they’re digital representations of assets, from the building itself to the systems within it. Software that offers these features enables Australian companies to maximize their management of high-value assets and their contribution to the business.

Wayfinding and directories

For companies occupying larger facilities or broad campuses, wayfinding is vital. It’s important that employees and guests are able to navigate to specific areas quickly. But wayfinding and directories offer so many more opportunities beyond navigability. They’re also instrumental in visitor experience, safety, convenience, and collaboration.

Look for software with a strong emphasis on wayfinding and directory capabilities. It’s not enough to have a lookup system that helps people find each other. Wayfinding also needs to bridge into space booking, access control, and everyday operations. Implemented correctly, wayfinding helps employees and visitors alike make the most of the space available to them—a factor that can improve space utilization and ROI.

Room booking and space reservations

More and more Australian businesses have embraced agile workplaces. To govern them accordingly takes hoteling software and room booking systems. You’ll find both in the top facilities management software. This includes features that make it easy to search and book workspaces, whether on-site or off-site. Moreover, these systems are also instrumental in providing statistical data about space efficiency. This enables further optimization and cost-efficiency.

Whether your business has shifted to flex work or wants to promote a more dynamic workplace, room booking and reservation software is essential. It’s quickly making the “must-have” list of demands for Australian companies embracing space flexibility.

Look for features that support your business

The best Australian facilities management software is the one with the features and capabilities to match your operations. Even if you don’t need a specific feature, it’s nice to have it available as your business grows and your needs evolve.

If COVID-19 taught us anything, it’s that workplaces will continue to adapt as the workforce does. The Australian commercial real estate market is proof of this right now. With new expectations from employees and shifts in workplace regulations, facility managers need plentiful tools to adapt facilities in a way that meets these new expectations. Facilities management software is the key to not only weathering change, but continuing to adapt to it.

Keep reading: Selecting the Right Facility Management Software

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Blog

Seven Benefits of Move Management Software

Business District Building Street office building

By Dave Clifton
Content Strategist
SpaceIQ

Nothing can disrupt the workplace quite like the chaos of an office move. One of the chief benefits of move management software is that it congeals the process of relocation, to keep everyone on-track and organized. But this is far from the only benefit of using software to govern your move. There’s value in using software to plan, execute, and assess your move, as well as delegate and communicate during it.

If your company is planning an office move—whether to a new space or within the context of your current facilities—it’s best-backed by move management software. Here’s a look at why it’s vital to have a digital roadmap for your office move.

What is move management software?

Move management software works to support corporate moves from one workplace to another—or even transitions between desking concepts in a workplace. It’s often a combination of project management, communication, task delegation, and accountability tools, all rolled into a platform specifically designed to oversee corporate relocation.

Move management software contains a variety of features to make planning, visualizing, and executing moves as simple as possible. This can include floor plans and maps, checklists, cloud document, and chat functions. The goal is to provide move managers with everything they need to facilitate a move with as few unexpected obstacles and problems as possible.

What are the benefits of move management software?

Even in the early stages of planning a move, the benefits of implementing move management software are clearly evident. Here’s a look at what businesses can look forward to if they plan their corporate relocation on the back of sophisticated move management software:

  1. Unified focus. Rather than multiple documents and shared files to govern the phases of a move, it’s all centralized in move management software. Everyone involved in orchestrating the move uses the same single source of collaborative information. Centralized move data becomes vital to enabling a unified focus on key objectives.
  2. Timeline-specific planning. Move management software puts the many moving parts of an office relocation on a timeline. Not only does this keep moves succinct, it allows for better planning. Looking ahead at upcoming next steps and seeing the move in phases helps facilitate a more seamless relocation effort.
  3. Checklists and prerequisites. Few things are as simple and effective as a checklist for staying on-task. In the lead up to a move and during each phase, checklists should govern each step of the project. Building checklists into move management software keeps collaborators on-track and allows everyone to see what’s already accomplished, what’s next, and who’s responsible.
  4. Contextualized moves. Thanks to floor plans and diagrams, office relocations have context through software. Checklist items match up to diagrams to provide better instruction to those responsible for each task. “Set up your new desk at workspace 34C” makes much more sense when the employee can open a map and quickly locate workspace 34C, with navigation instruction for how to get there.
  5. Streamlined communication. In-app chat or channel-based chat through an integrated app like Slack brings a world of transparency to office moves. It’s the best way to field questions, resolve problems, make adjustments on-the-fly, and keep tabs on the move. Best of all, this communication happens within the context of everything else—checklists, floor plans, other chats, and tasks.
  6. Digital integrations. Beyond chat apps, integrations with other vital software make moves smoother. Sync up the company directory so everyone knows where they sit in the new floor plan. Tie in facility support ticketing, so maintenance teams can tie up loose ends quickly. Integrate new IoT sensors to register real-time activity in both old and new facilities. Integrations are the key to completing a move efficiently.
  7. Accountability. At the end of the day, accountability can make or break an office relocation. If someone doesn’t accomplish their tasks, it can hinder others with peripheral responsibilities. Move management software brings transparency to every move and creates accountability, so everyone holds true to their duties and the move progresses swiftly.

Each of these benefits adds up to one ultimate goal: a smooth, hassle-free move that’s free of setbacks, errors, and obstacles. The simpler the transition from old to new, the less impact there is to operations.

Minimize the efficiency of office moves

While there’s no getting around some of the disruptions office moves can cause, there’s a lot companies can do to alleviate them. Move management software can remove barriers, minimize mistakes, and expedite the relocation process saving time, money, frustration, and uncertainty.

An efficient office move is one that’s fully accounted for. There’s no matching the accountability that comes from orchestrating a move using workplace move management software. From early-stage planning, to mid-move communication, to finalizations after it’s complete, move management software is all-encompassing and helps make the process smooth and effortless.

Keep reading: Move Management Checklist

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Workplace Thought Leadership

Digital Twins

By Noam Livnat
Chief Product & Innovation Officer
SpaceIQ

Is your company using a digital twin to manage your workplace? While electronic representations of real-world objects have been around for decades, businesses are now exploring novel ways to harness this technology and combine it with business processes, driving efficiencies and data-driven decision making . Because a digital twin is composed of data layers, the latest innovation is to add a “personnel layer.”

A digital twin opens this virtual representation to a new class of workplace management professionals: human resources, space planners, and employee experience managers. A dynamic digital twin of your workplace will yield actionable data that affects everything from space planning and move coordination to lease negotiations and employee management.

The DNA of a Digital Twin

Simply put, digital twins provide electronic means to represent physical items. They can be simple and static as a two-dimensional CAD file of your floor plan. They can also be more complex, such as a cloud-based application that dynamically represents your global real estate portfolio, from the location of each building down to the position of every security camera or defibrillator.

But without additional data to provide context and without supporting business processes, a digital twin is just a visual tool. With detailed layers of shared data, however, a digital twin enhances an organization’s ability to operate efficiently and make smart  decisions.

Consider a common object like a coffee maker. The machine comes with a printed manual that typically includes a cutaway diagram and basic instructions. But this information is static and analog—it can’t be easily updated, searched, or shared with multiple users. It also can’t be merged with related data sets, like your monthly coffee expenditure.

Now imagine a digital twin of the coffee maker. This virtual model captures the smallest details of its construction, allowing you to easily troubleshoot errors. The digital twin also contains a wealth of usage and maintenance data, all of which helps you to maximize lifecycle costs.

This is just a taste of what a digital twin can do. What if you could document that the coffee maker is located in your main kitchen, was last serviced two months ago, brews an average of four gallons a day, and is one of three other machines at this office? The data contained in this digital snapshot radically alters how you can maintain this single asset. These powerful insights can now be applied to an entire building or portfolio to proactively manage workplace expenses.

Digital Twins and Workplace Management

Building owners and property developers are already familiar with CAD (computer-aided design) and BIM (building information modeling). While these tools offer insights into physical property, they are ultimately disconnected from the most important part of your business—employees and their associated real estate costs.

The value of real estate has historically been tied to square footage, but what if it was linked to headcount? What if the question we asked was: “How much does it cost to place one employee in my building? What about 100 employees? Or 250?”

BIM and CAD simply aren’t equipped to answer those questions. They aren’t configured to tell you the number of assigned desks versus hots desks. They do not show that Mia, Jacob, and Alyssa sit in a row of private offices. And you can’t use them to assess the impact of increasing or decreasing your workforce. There’s simply not enough information available to decide whether or not to renew a lease.

But a workplace digital twin with operational management capabilities is an extraordinary opportunity to improve operations, enhance service quality, and transition to fact-based decision making. A digital twin transforms how decisions are made in four key areas:

  1. Space & Asset Management – A digital twin enables you to monitor office occupancy to make sure it remains within your targets: too low and you’re inefficient, too high and you have (literally) no wiggle room. For example, you can create a rule that stipulates floors shouldn’t exceed 90% occupancy. When the headcount reaches the 85% threshold, the digital twin can generate an alert.
  2. Move Management – Paper copies of seating charts are an outdated and clunky method to coordinate office moves and quickly turn into a scribbled mess when multiple departments are involved. But with a digital twin of your workplace, planners can collaborate and provide real-time input instead of exchanging hard-copy drawings and combining the data. You can retrieve an exact count on any floor at a glance. You can then explore different allocation options with a few keystrokes.
  3. Lease Management – Without integrated data, it’s nearly impossible to determine whether your portfolio can support your future business needs. Is it more economical to add employees to a Denver office or expand an existing San Diego location? A standard lease doesn’t tell you that—you can only compare the price per square footage. A digital twin enables you to proactively manage real estate expenses. For example, you could set an alert nine months before a property’s lease ends. This advanced notification creates a window of time to consolidate square footage, change your office density, or terminate the lease.
  4. Employee Management – Managing new hires and existing employees is usually the domain of HR, but what about resignations or terminations? If you only have a tool like BIM or a BMS (business management system), there’s no process in place to indicate when and where a person has been removed.

A digital twin that interfaces with HR software merges siloed data into one platform. Imagine an automatic push when a person’s employment ends that goes to the space manager, facilities department, and security team. Without this kind of automation, it’s a challenge to distribute this critical information to all the necessary contacts.

A digital twin with layers of workplace insights provides a shared picture for key leadership. It automatically merges data from separate systems to help improve processes and support decision making in a context-rich environment. In addition to collaboration, this virtual double can be leveraged to run reports and scenarios. With a digital twin, you can pair staffing forecasts with real estate costs and uncover innovative ways to maximize your operational expenses.

Keep Reading: Digital Twin Software: Maximize Solutions and Benefits