What is the future of FM? The initial debate for this session considered what services organisations would be looking for when selecting FM providers, how to measure the value of FM to an organisation and what FM means to different stakeholders. The round table also discussed other issues such as leveraging technology and data analytics for FM stakeholders, balancing long term vision with short term requirements and why someone would consider a career in the FM industry today. The group took a deeper dive into these topics and explored methods to address the issues raised: • Opportunity for FM practitioners to engage and shape the ‘big data’ agenda providing a high-level roadmap for information that aligns business needs to growth in analytic sophistication with the underlying technology and processes. • Create checklists and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) documentation to engage and inform stakeholders
about what FM does and outline benefits; create Best Practice Centres. • Engage FM stakeholders to map out where they can add value to an organisation’s customer journey; listen to both employees and clients for insights. • The need to discuss value creation partnerships with FM providers; to share strategic objectives on both sides; possible risk/reward contractual arrangements; avoid race to the bottom around cost. • Raise awareness with key stakeholders, particularly those in HR to the benefits of a career in FM, the qualifications that can be obtained and the successes that have been achieved; utilise industry bodies like RICS and BIFM to help support and promote the message • Use the cross-functional insights that FM have to shape the impact of business transformation
Technology Innovation Surgery Our growing appetite to share almost every aspect of our lives online has undeniably revolutionised the way we connect and maintain relationships with friends and family. However, this increasing inclination to share, or arguably overshare, has started to creep into the workplace and is creating a very real problem for businesses. More and more employees are now sharing sensitive information online or via email without understanding the potential damage to the company if this information gets into the wrong hands. Security breaches and data leaks continue to be problematic for companies, yet many companies still neglect to address security gaps in how information is shared externally. Organisations can easily lose control over the information they tried so hard to protect as soon, as that sensitive content is emailed to a third-party or shared using a consumer file-sharing service. In addition, organisations are increasingly challenged by changing working habits and workplace demands. IT consumerisation, social expectations, coupled with the demands of knowledge workers requiring access to specific information across multiple devices is amplifying complexity.
Safeguarding your business from oversharing employees: This round table explored how can business leaders can know if their organisation is at risk of data leakage by an employee who unwittingly divulges information and what can be done about it? Consider a simple five-question checklist to help to determine how much control you have over your own business’ sensitive data: 1. Do your employees use email as the primary method of sending information back and forth both internally and externally? 2. Do your employees utilise file sharing services such as Dropbox or Box? 3. Do employees have more than one device, often blurring the lines between personal and work devices? 4. Does your business solely rely on firewalls to secure your sensitive data? 5. Do you know what information is being emailed and shared by your employees? Staff need tools that fit their work styles, tools that provide both secure & fast content sharing with anyone with a vested interest in the content.