IFMA's Lauren Krueger sits down with Jean Pierre Segers, IFMA Instructor and professor at Riga Technical University, who provides valuable insights into the changing landscape of facility management in Europe. The conversation centers around the impact of new technologies such as AI and the Metaverse on facility management and how these advancements are influencing data collection for sustainable practices and efficient facility management. Jean Pierre emphasizes the need for up-skilling and lifelong learning in facility management due to the shorter technology life cycles. He also highlights the importance of shared value as a corporate social responsibility in facilities management, which includes societal value and sustainability. The podcast episode concludes with Jean Pierre's thoughts on the future of facility management and its growing importance as a core business with a multidisciplinary approach that is essential for sustainability in the built environment. Anyone interested in learning more about facility management trends and changes in Europe should definitely give this episode a listen.
IFMA's Lauren Krueger sits down with Jean Pierre Segers, IFMA Instructor and professor at Riga Technical University, who provides valuable insights into the changing landscape of facility management in Europe. The conversation centers around the impact of new technologies such as AI and the Metaverse on facility management and how these advancements are influencing data collection for sustainable practices and efficient facility management.
Jean Pierre emphasizes the need for up-skilling and lifelong learning in facility management due to the shorter technology life cycles. He also highlights the importance of shared value as a corporate social responsibility in facilities management, which includes societal value and sustainability. The podcast episode concludes with Jean Pierre's thoughts on the future of facility management and its growing importance as a core business with a multidisciplinary approach that is essential for sustainability in the built environment. Anyone interested in learning more about facility management trends and changes in Europe should definitely give this episode a listen.
[00:00:00]
Lauren: So welcome everyone. Thank you for tuning in. My name is Lauren Krueger. I am the director of Sales operations for IFMA and today I have with me Jean Pierre Seagers. And would you like to introduce yourself?
Jean Pierre: Hi, Lauren. I'm, Jean Pierre Seagers. I'm from Belgium and I have a PhD in economics and I'm working for a number of, Universities of Applied Sciences in Belgium and in Latvia. I'm a certified facilitator of training for IFMA. I went through, the FMP and sfp.
So, really happy with that and, ready and able to go and instruct new facility managers.
Lauren: Great. Thank you. Can you tell us a bit about facility management in Europe and what current trends are you seeing?
Jean Pierre: We see several trends coming together and becoming interconnected.
One of the main trends, of course, is everything that happens during the covid times, and now we are experiencing post covid the influence of new technologies. The emerging technologies [00:01:00] like the metaverse, artificial intelligence. The skills that are changing, the mandatory skills of the typical facility manager.
That is changing a lot. The m shaped professional, the multidisciplinary professional that is really out there and is demanded, in the industry, in the built environment to have not only hard skills but social skills. And again, the interconnectivity between all of that.
Lauren: Yes, absolutely. So how is the concept of facilities management changing over time and what role is technology playing in that?
Jean Pierre: Yeah. As I said , the role of technology is really booming. It's not emerging anymore. It's out there. It's being rolled out. So it's really booming and you see like a number of big companies in the world mostly from US based big tech companies that are really let's say, ruling the scene and are Really engaging with the facility management industry to bring in [00:02:00] those new technologies.
As I said, artificial intelligence is really topical currently because we are all talking and looking into Chat GPT and generative ai. But of course, the things that are happening with metaverse by Facebook meta now, I went to, a keynote a couple of weeks ago in Belgium by someone from Meta and he was showing.
Some real life examples. For example, Coca-Cola, that is really into the application of the metaverse. Within the company and within everything that, that is education for Coca-Cola, like a living lab experience. Yes. So, yeah. That's a real good example of how you can bring into the company the experiences or the new experiences of the new technology, let's say.
And the same will happen, of course, or is happening in. In built environment Yes. Where you see all the new technologies coming into the bigger framework and the bigger working environment. But that again means that your skills workforce needs. Yes. Leads lifelong learning and [00:03:00] needs to develop the learning abilities.
And the time that is given for that.
Lauren: I've seen you know, data is so important to understand how your facilities are being used. And technology can play a huge role. In collection of data.
Jean Pierre: Absolutely. Yeah. If you take your facility management intelligence system and information system Yeah. There again, you see the connection with and data is the new gold as they say.
Lauren: Yes. And much of that can then be used to create sustainable practices Yeah. Within the facility. Yeah. Whether you're conserving, you know, electricity or energy for the building.
Yeah. So it's all interconnected and becoming very prominent, as you said. It's not emerging anymore.
Jean Pierre: It is here to stay. So, You are just at a session network, world workplace, it was about the under utilization of working spaces. Of buildings. So there you see, okay, what what will we do in the coming decades?
Coming not decades, coming years before, because everything is happening more rapidly than it used to. So, The technology life cycles are shorter, so that means that new things are coming [00:04:00] into absolutely into your working area much quicker than they used to. Yes.
Lauren: And again, as you said, it's why it's so important for continuing to upskill and re-skill and train your employees.
Yeah.
Jean Pierre: And if I may add the same for the new generations, of course, the Generation z generation alpha, that is coming. Not for so long anymore. So that means that. The mindsets and the culture is also changing. Yes. So there's a lot of adaptability needed to bring all of that into one big framework, a working framework.
Lauren: Yes. Yes. Facility management encompasses so much more. Yeah. You know, many more industries and multidisciplinary that are being involved within the fm, so that FM is now having to learn much more than what they have had in the past. So, yeah.
Jean Pierre: Yeah. So I would summarize by saying FM is core business.
Lauren: Yes, absolutely. Absolutely. From energy consumption to better space utilization, like we, we've discussed sustainability in FM is no longer [00:05:00] a trend, as we've also mentioned, but one of the most pressing corporate responsibilities in the industry. So how are the facilities departments shaping corporate social responsibility?
Jean Pierre: Yeah. You know, I don't like the acronym csr anymore. I like to talk about shared value. Okay. And shared value connected from the mindset of sustainability means that you also include societal value. So, You do things to source in value for, of course for the company, for the demand organization.
Facility management talk, but also for the society that you work in. And the society are your stakeholders, your employees, your service providers your contractors. Your clients. So that's stakeholdership. Per se, but that is bringing in. Shared value. I think that's an important one to bear in mind.
Lauren: Yes. And we've mentioned training multiple times and there is the [00:06:00] sustainability facility professional credentialing program that IFMA offers where they talk about that responsibility, the triple bottom line. And people, place and business. So very important to have all those concepts brought in.
Jean Pierre: And also the sustainable development goals, of course, yes. Yeah. Planet profit prosperity piece. Yes. The five piece triple bottom line. John Elkington, the three piece going to towards the five piece, but then the 2030 United Nations and China for the 17 sustainable Development goals. And that's not the theoretical thing.
That's something that we live and do. Every second of every day. And that we need to apply also, if we talk about changing working environment and under utilization of office spaces. Yes. There you have connection with SDG number three, for example, health and wellbeing. Yes. Is the employee working in your organization, in a happy environment?
In a good environment? If we talk about lifelong learning SDG [00:07:00] number four, quality education. And just education in the university setting or secondary school setting, but education in terms of lifelong learning. Lifelong learning and skills development.
And there are take number 12 for example responsible consumption and production. Circle the circular economy. Yeah. Waste management. All items that are really in the core of facility management. So, there's a huge connection with the sustainable development goals.
Lauren: Absolutely. So we've talked a little bit about technology and sustainability. Mm-hmm. And how fms are playing a larger part in leading those initiatives for their facilities. How can they leverage those opportunities to then solve regional and global challenges that we're facing?
Jean Pierre: That's connecting not only with your local and regional mindset and culture, but also with your big stakeholders out there. I really like a framework that is called quadruple helix. Meaning that your business and private sector, [00:08:00] Closely connects with higher education connects with what government is providing, and government can be regional government can be US government, European government regulations can can be your country as it is. The Netherlands, Belgium, you name it. And then the fourth one. And that's again, the shared value one. That's your society that you bring into that bigger framework. And working out of those four circles, bringing those four circles in connection that is really the core at where things are happening.
Lauren: Where facility management is making movements
Jean Pierre: facility management is right in the middle of that and providing the best day there is out there. And to solve. To solve problems.
Lauren: Exactly. And so that's why lifelong learning, coming to conferences such as World Workplace Europe is hugely important to get what is happening right now with current trends and education and facility management.
And not just for fms, like we said, it's for those working multidisciplinary that work with the FM industry. Yep. So one of the biggest challenges, you've mentioned this a few [00:09:00] times is the availability of qualified manpower. So are there enough trained and skilled professionals in the region to meet some of these growing facilities demands?
Jean Pierre: I think the number is limited. The moment we are speaking about it, but the development is out there. And people need to get aware. That the facilities are out there to get educated. As I said, if Mahas a wonderful platform, has wonderful programs like the FMP, the sfp Other ones of course.
Also the essentials. Yeah, the core competencies. Yeah, the core competencies you name it. So, and that's developing also. That's a fantastic thing to to get acquainted with and to get started with. That way we need to get more facilitators of training, not only in Europe. Maybe also in the US and in other regions in the world.
And if they can connect again, and there's the typical word that I use a lot to connection. If they can connect again and build like learning lab experience amongst themselves. And then giving that back to. To the people that [00:10:00] are doing the courses and are getting the instructions.
Then you get a real surplus. Then you get added value.
Lauren: You mentioned a little bit earlier with the sfp, the sustainability facility professional, connecting to what's happening with the circular economy concepts sDGs. Yeah. So how do you see that also filling some of the skills gaps that we've talked about so far in in the region?
Jean Pierre: Yeah, in, in terms of changing mindsets. And adaptability feasibility flexibility, typical words that you come across when you are looking into sustainability issues. Take for example, climate change, energy transition energy efficiency.
All things that are really in the core of those sustainable development goals. And in the skills development of people and new people but also, typical for learning about new trends and new technologies that are out there to solve societal problems. At one, the universities it's in Latvia.
I teach, for example mission-oriented [00:11:00] innovation. It's by US Italian professor, Mariana Mazuk Uhhuh. And I'm really fond of her theories. Mission-oriented innovation means that you look at societal moonshots. It's not theoretical. Like for example, let's say solving cancer, that's a moonshot.
Yes. And you need to get all your skills, your technologies and your big frameworks, like your stakeholders in the right direction to start solving that problem. So if you want to solve climate change, energy efficiency, energy transition that comes back to your facility management organizations.
Yes. To your demand organization, to your built environment. And the Net zero Society. Decarbonization. So those are really moonshots. And that is in fact, mission oriented innovation.
Lauren: Love it. That's great. I have not heard that term.
Jean Pierre: So yeah, I really, that's a really awesome framework.
Yeah.
Lauren: Yeah. Great. Are you seeing more positions requiring training or trained professionals whether that's through [00:12:00] credentials or degree programs specific to facility management?
Jean Pierre: I think the credentials are out there for all levels of Employees or people within the broader facility management sector or industry and it's like add-ons to knowledge that they maybe already have or lack. And then they can start building addons in their knowledge. So the starting point would be like the essentials, of course. For those who are maybe less educated within the industry or do not have enough knowledge of what is happening in the facility management industry or in built environments.
And then you go across like FMP where you have your four super fantastic. The foundational modules, strategy, leadership, finance, business operations, maintenance, project management. Yes. And then the. The add-on that I really liked on that I would say is sfp, because there, the sustainability issues come into the bigger in, into the bigger framework.
It adds
Lauren: on to those foundational [00:13:00] competencies.
Jean Pierre: So for me, SFP would be like a super on FM P. Because it's it can even be like the fifth module. Yes, absolutely. Why not say, call it the fifth module? Because it really adds to the shared value.
You get your facility management, your typical core insights, but on the other hand, you get your added value for sustainability. And then the final stages, of course, if you are really in the industry, working in the industry and progressing in your professional life, and then you have your certification as a facility professional.
Lauren: And why is it important for organizations to support training for their employees to continue to upskill them?
Jean Pierre: We need a societal mindset of lifelong learning. And that is what is missing in a lot of countries. I know for my country, for Belgium, there are. Statistics by O E C D, the Organization for Economic Corporation and Development, and I know the percentage by heart, Belgium has an 8% [00:14:00] statistic for lifelong learning.
Okay. That is really low. I think it's the same for the Netherlands. Okay. It's all over like that in Western Europe. US is typically not much higher. But for example, Scandinavian countries, they score really high in those data. So, lifelong learning is again, a mindset.
And something that is out there and is there to stay. But that also means that the companies, the cooperations. Or even go governmental organizations. They need to provide time to the employees. Yes. To invest in lifelong learning.
Lauren: Absolutely. And that's a way that organizations can maybe set themselves apart from some of their other organizations
Jean Pierre: and make the difference.
Lauren: Yeah. Yes, absolutely.
Jean Pierre: But again, that connects to the SDGs, SDG four, as I said, quality education, but also wellbeing. Cause you have work-life balance. So there you need to find a good balance.
Lauren: Well, I think that wraps up our time. Do you have anything to add? Any last minute wisdom?
Jean Pierre: I would say[00:15:00] go for a beautiful future.
And that future is with facility management. Yes, with education.
Lauren: Fms are the ones that are leading the change in the world. Absolutely. Yeah. Totally agree.