It’s no surprise to say that technology is having a significant impact on the workplace and the use of corporate real estate. The fast pace of change has seen technology impact all aspects of business, government and culture, as well as personal life, with a constant flow of new innovations and solutions helping us to do things more quickly and efficiently. Equally, technology also provides a challenge to business and, more specifically, corporate operations, with a whole array of disruptive technologies. Disruption is indeed now running a swathe through a whole spectrum of industries. CoreNet Global’s recent report, The Bigger Picture: The Future of Corporate Real Estate, attempts to capture the impact of technological change, and a variety of other factors, that will influence, disrupt and transform the corporate real estate (CRE) profession. As business strategy and operations are reshaped and consumer preferences change, we will find that the ‘how’ and ‘where’ people want to work will transform.
Providing an opportunity to take stock of where we are and, importantly, the direction we are heading, The Bigger Picture Report draws on the expertise of many industry professionals. It provides multiple perspectives on the forces that are instituting change. These range from the global economy, people, talent and wellbeing, environment and energy, corporate social responsibility, risk mitigation, and, of course, the impact of technology and subsequent cyber risk.
The impact of technology
The impact of rapid technological change was also at the heart of many of the presentations at the recent CoreNet Global 2016 Summit held in Amsterdam. In the visionary keynote from entrepreneur and innovation expert Mark Stevenson, he challenged delegates to rethink how they incorporate technology into their business environments. Stevenson argued that the digital age has now already passed (digital was the “cocktail sausage before dinner….it was the trailer….we’re done!” he told delegates). He went on to share insights into a potential future business landscape where the ways in which we work, and the businesses that provide services and products, will be almost unrecognisable due to the fast paced and democratising potential of technology. Such revolutionary and dramatic change may be some way off, but it is still imperative that institutions and individuals address the challenges and opportunities posed in the here and now.
The real world application of emerging technologies is impacting how corporations manage and use their real estate and the ways in which people live and work. These changes, in turn, impact the public perception of the corporate enterprise and reflect back on overall efficiency, sustainability and profitability.