Propmodo Podcast

We all know someone that we think is intelligent. They are usually people that are quick-witted, thoughtful, or wise. But when it comes to buildings, intelligence is less a personality trait and more a set of structured processes and reliable systems. In this episode, Sheridan Ware, the Chief Information and Technology Officer at property investment management firm Charter Hall, was able to give us some great examples of how she has adapted her company’s real estate processes and systems in order to help them make more intelligent decisions.

Integrity is the foundation on which we make our moral decisions. For buildings, data integrity is the foundation on which they operate. The more technology that a building deploys, the more important it is that information is collected, organized, and analyzed in a way that recognizes that each piece influences the whole. Lisa Stanley’s organization, OSCRE, has developed a set of standards for the commercial real estate industry to make sure that the industry’s data maintains its integrity. In this episode, we talked to Lisa about standards and integrity and why it is so important that our building systems speak a common language.

In business, insight is often a misunderstood concept. An insight is not data, nor is it an observation. Though it is sometimes confused for those things, insights are gems of knowledge that are hiding in plain sight and can only be revealed with experience and in the proper context. The most innovative companies in real estate have built their businesses on the insights of sharp-eyed people. For this episode, we spoke with Susan Gerock, Vice President of Information Technology and Chief Information Officer at WashREIT, about some of the ways that she has been able to uncover useful insights within her organization.

Most modern software can be easily integrated with other platforms using things like APIs. If only it were as simple for property companies to integrate with their tenants. Increasingly landlords are being asked to do just that. Miao Song is the Chief Information Officer of GLP, a giant in the logistics world. In this episode, she explains what her company has learned as they integrated with their end users in a very fundamental way.

Inclusivity is the mantra of our times. While many of us might think that means embracing all races and genders, there is much more to think about when designing spaces that need to appeal to a variety of people. For this episode, we spoke to Lisa Harvey, a change management specialist, whose unique approach to inclusivity offers some great takeaways for building owners and managers. More than ever, the business of real estate should be looking for opportunities to adapt to today's inclusive cultural movement.

Buildings are only as good as the neighborhoods that they are a part of. So it stands to reason that one of the most important things building owners can do is try to improve their surroundings. Joanna Frank is the President & CEO of the Center for Active Design which oversees the Fitwell certification. In this episode, she talks to us about ways her non-profit organization helps building owners quantify their building's impact on the health and wellness of its occupants, its neighbors and the world at large.

Two years of office workers staying home has changed the way we think about the workplace. After a global pandemic, bringing people back to work in unfamiliar hybrid offices will not be easy. Flexible arrangements that allow employees to do some tasks in the office and others virtually are clearly going to be a big part of the picture. But it will take more than videoconferencing and chat rooms to create a successful flexible work environment. In this episode, Alana Collins, the Head of Real Estate & Workplace at Zoom, talks to us about ways we can make spaces and work processes more intuitive for the way people naturally like to work.

Hybrid offices are a clear focus point for occupiers and landlords alike. Businesses are facing a new reality of working, and are tailoring their workspaces and productivity solutions to match. But for all the talk, hybrid offices prompt a million questions. Most importantly, what does it take to set one up, and what are the real, end-of-the-day benefits to the employees as well as the organization?

In this report, we answer these questions and more. We:

-Explore the types of hybrid and "return to the office" strategies major occupiers are using today

-Take a deep dive into the tech tools that enable hybrid work

-Review the strategic implications of hybrid strategies, from real estate to IT to productivity and beyond

-Provide clear takeaways for occupier teams to implement their best hybrid office, as efficiently as possible

Commercial leasing transactions have many parts, but one of the most harrowing for any broker is managing the process of negotiation and contract review. In this report, we discuss the most critical challenges leasing brokers facing during their transactions, and share the tips and strategies of half a dozen top-performing leasing brokers from all over America.

We'll explore:

-Managing document review and redlining

-Guiding the transaction as lawyers become involved

-Providing a high level of service to clients and partners regardless of their sophistication level

-Balancing transaction work with business development

-And more!

Hybrid work is a critical component of modern workplace effectiveness, but too often it is treated like a one-size-fits-all proposition. The reality couldn't be farther from the truth. Companies of different sizes, in different industries, and with different goals and personalities all take different types of hybrid workplaces. Consequently, this means that their return-to-the-office will be much different from other companies that are superficially similar.

In this report, we'll explore:

-The types of hybrid workplaces strategies that are being used today

-How flexible working relates to hybrid approaches

-How occupiers can plan an effective hybrid-enabled office return that is right for them

-How to manage workers that are in and out of the office