Two words I dislike – “arghhh technology!” | Ricoh and IWFM Partnership
IWFM and Ricoh join forces to build a better workplace.
There are two words which I regularly hear around the office – “arghhhhh technology”. It has made such an impact on the way we work and the way we communicate, but it still seems to be causing problems which I thought would have been ironed out by now. Technology is meant to be an enabler, but if it is blocking or slowing down people’s ability to do their job, then is it really working?
This was a key question raised at a technology panel debate I sat in on at the Facilities Show last week - facilitated by Ian Ellison, with Hazel Bedson from Service Works, Amy Pirie from GoSpace, Mark Tyson from Legal & General and Simone Fenton-Jarvis from Ricoh. The panel focused on the role technology is playing within the FM profession and understanding how technology will impact in the future.
The debate resulted in some optimistic and some slightly more cautious views about the way in which technology is currently being integrated into workplaces and how it might support efficiency and effectiveness in the future.
There’s no doubt that artificial intelligence (AI), the internet of things (IoT), building information modelling (BIM) and digital twin technology are the most current topics of debate within the workplace. We recently built a partnership between Ricoh and IWFM which will see the two organisations collaborating to create insights and practical guidance to help organisations understand and navigate the space, process, technology and cultural matters which combine to create people centred workplaces.
Later in July, IWFM and Ricoh will host a roundtable of industry experts to discuss how to create an employee-centred workplace. Exploring topics such as; workplace strategy, technology, wellbeing and stakeholder engagement, IWFM and Ricoh will hear from leading practitioners, thought leaders and innovators from industry to share thinking back down to a real workplace scenario with practical steps.
The partnership includes the launch of a dedicated ‘Creating Better Workplaces’ hub which is a one-stop source of workplace essentials, including insight, guidance and practical learning opportunities, plus an insider’s view from the world’s first Chief Workplace Officer.
Chris Moriarty, IWFM’s Director of Insight and Engagement said, “The growing recognition by organisations that their people’s performance is driven by physical environments marks our profession’s greatest opportunity. As the facilities profession pivots to become a central player in people and business performance, our insights work is laying down a rich bank of content and development opportunities to help professionals grow with this change.” Adding, “The partnership we’ve created with Ricoh is a strong launch pad for us to open the workplace debate and we are looking forward engaging with professionals, sharing guidance and insights on how to build better workplaces.”
Chas Moloney, Marketing Director from Ricoh said: “Ricoh recognises that change is driven by imaginative thinking, so partnering with IWFM on an initiative as important as helping to shape and support tomorrow’s workplace leaders is directly in line with our broader aim to help companies and individuals transform the way they work and harness their collective knowledge.”
The partnership will generate further insights to help individuals and organisations understand and navigate the space, process, technology and cultural matters which combine to create people centred workplaces capable of driving better outcomes.
The hub went live on Tuesday, 18th June with ongoing activity, events and content being shared throughout 2019. To learn more about how we built this partnership and the key objectives, contact us here.