IFMA distributed work report demonstrates prominent role of FMs & real estate pros in strategic workplace decisions

A survey released by the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) further illustrates the increasingly important role facility management (FM) and real estate professionals are playing in high-level strategic workplace decisions. Specifically, when asked who was driving workplace strategy decisions related to the implementation of distributed work, FM and real estate managers were identified in 30 percent of responses, only slightly less than senior executives (38 percent).

The revelation that FM professionals are a key driving force behind high level strategic decisions is found in IFMA’s latest workplace strategy report, “Distributed Work Revisited.” The report includes the results of a major survey conducted across industry types mainly in Canada and the United States. Other key findings include an increase in the number of employees using unassigned space coupled with a decrease in the actual allocated space for that shared space.

In addition to the full results of the distributed work survey with corresponding analysis, the report includes several case studies from organizations that have found success with distributed work strategies including eBay, Accenture, Microsoft, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and the City of Calgary. Finally, the report offers an invaluable “Lessons Learned” section in which the real experiences in implementing distributed work strategies is condensed into useful guidance to help FM professionals succeed in similar efforts.

The complete version of “Distributed Work Revisited: Research Report #37” is available for sale online for US$95 for IFMA members and US$175 for non-Members.