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EHRENBERG - continued from page 21 a very big trend, companies using technology to create
branded dynamic space and consistency.
ments collaborate and blend. So often today we are not
just working with the corporate real estate group; our cor- Another major trend is the conversation around the WELL stan-
porate real estate client is working very closely with their dard: the green strategy around health, happiness, well-being,
various teams: supply, finance, HR, marketing and IT. and productivity. That’s becoming center stage in human-
We typically will work with a cross-group that is looking at centered design and digitization, and it should not be separate
the business’s strategic objectives and how they will use from the discussion around the IoT or the smart workplace—
the workplace as a lever. All these different components it’s coming together as part of the same conversation. That’s a
around HR, and around branding and marketing, and big shift. I think the relevance of the healthy productive work-
around the human-centered design help create a holistic place and its relation to the company’s CSR related aspects will
ecosystem; working together to deliver and measure a be getting a lot of focus and emphasis going forward.
productive, brand-supporting environment.
The third is a focus on what I call ‘cents and cents-abil-
Which technology trends will we see more of in the ity’ and cost savings. The whole discussion that Harvard
corporate real estate space? started tells us that not all smart and shared space is good
I think the biggest trend is people are moving away from space—what is that tipping point between too much den-
one-off designs and uses of space to a much more con- sification? And where is your ROI versus your ROP (Return
sistently branded and integrated workplace environment on People)? So many businesses are looking for return on
across offices, using a digital portfolio strategy. What investment on the operations and technology side, but this
we’ve seen in the past is maybe there are one or two sites idea of ROP is coming more to the fore because attracting
where they have created an environment to experiment and retaining and enabling talent is job number one.
with technologies; now you’re beginning to see more
consistency around the data and technology approach Organizations must achieve that balance between using
to the space. So whether you walk into someone’s office less space, being very efficient and effective, flexible,
in Madrid or Chicago or New York or Shanghai, you know agile—all while keeping the human element intact and
you’ve walked into that company’s offices—and that is thriving. It is a tall order and a challenge we love helping
part of the global design and occupancy strategy. That’s corporations solve.

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