Host Edward Wagoner interviews IFMA Global Influencer Kati Barklund about shifting the facility management focus from physical assets to human potential. They explore how the "power of people" serves as a strategic tool for organizational success and why facility managers must learn to speak the language of the C-suite to demonstrate their true value.
In this episode of Connected FM, we dive into the "power of people" with Kati Barklund, Global Chair of IFMA’s Workplace Evolutionaries. Kati shares her insights on why the "one size fits all" approach to workplace design is failing and how facility managers can create high-performing environments by balancing physical, digital, and psychosocial needs. From navigating C-suite perceptions to the importance of being your authentic self in leadership, this conversation redefines what it means to lead in the modern built environment.
Timestamps:
Resources & Links:
Kati Barklund: [00:00:00] But to come up to the C-suite level and really start making that as heard on making that impact because we can create even more value from real estate from fm, from the workplace in the organizations, but then we need to raise a little bit and start talking in C-Suite language and understand the challenges that they have and how then real estate and workplace can help because it can.
Host: Welcome to Connected fm, a podcast connecting you to the latest insights, tools, and resources to help you succeed in facility management. This podcast is brought to you by ifma, the leading professional association for facility managers. If you are ready to grow your network and advance in your career, go to ifma.org to get started.
In today's episode, host [00:01:00] Edward Wagoner interviews Kati Workland, an IFMA global influencer and global chair of imas Workplace Evolutionaries community. Together they discuss the power of people and the workplace as a tool to engage and empower employees through physical, digital, and psychosocial environments.
Kati argues organizations. Still getting the workplace experience wrong by assuming one size fits all. She urges facility managers to listen to employees and leaders about real daily needs while considering team and organizational perspectives. She also emphasizes the need to speak the C-Suite language and much more.
Now, let's get into it.
Edward Wagoner: Kati, welcome to IFMA's Connected FM podcast, and congratulations on being named an IFMA Global influencer.
Kati Barklund: Thank you, Eddie.
Edward Wagoner: So glad to have you today. I believe you're calling in from Stockholm today.
Kati Barklund: Yes, from Stockholm, Sweden. [00:02:00]
Edward Wagoner: Beautiful, beautiful city. I have visited there. Well, you've got the world's real estate organizations throughout the world, listening, looking to see what our global influencers are thinking about and to be influenced by them. So take a moment and share with our audience your area of influence, how you would like to influence us today.
Kati Barklund: For me, my true passion is, is about people. That's why I do what I, I do every, every day and also dedicate all these voluntary hours for ifma Workplace Evolutionaries Really believe in the power of people and especially in people coming together. And for me, the workplace is one of the most powerful tools to, to really engage and empower people.
Edward Wagoner: My first question is actually around that because as I researched and looked into a lot of your writing and speaking. That, that phrase power of people comes up over and over again.[00:03:00]
So I know you talk about that a lot in facility management. Tell me about the one moment in your career that made power of people really come alive for you.
Kati Barklund: Well, I think it is uh, when I help organizations through the workplace and really create the physical, digital. Psychosocial work environments for them and really look at the needs that they have on both individual and collective level.
And, and then see that and work with them with that transformation and, and really making them well realize how they can come together and, achieve a lot more, but also taking use of. That physical environment, the leadership culture of that organization and, and also all the digital tools that they have.
Edward Wagoner: I, I love how you brought the physical 'cause buildings are in the physical world, but then you peppered in the digital, which [00:04:00] is, you know, my legacy world as a CIO is around digital and, and that leads me to, to asking you, what do you think based on all of your.
Travels and, and working with people in organizations. What do you think that organizations are still getting wrong about workplace experience or people first in FM today, specifically as we talk about the intersection of the digital and physical world, but what should they focus on? What are they still getting wrong?
Kati Barklund: Well, there are some things. Definitely one of things is that one size fits all. That we are the same, and that's really important to understand that we are. We have different roles, preferences, just how our day look like and what we might need to be able to perform today is different also for me from day to day or during, during the day.
And then have that well palette of [00:05:00] possibilities for me both in the physical, digital environment, but also when it comes to leadership and helping me to. Be well to, to choose, but also be the best me every day and perform at my best to have that diversity in the workplace, not just for me, for all of us in, in that workplace.
Edward Wagoner: I, I love your uh, use of the phrase, one size fits all, does not fit all. It reminds me of a big time broker I worked with in my career who's actually now a professor of real estate at a major US university. I remember he used to tell clients one size fits, one, you can't design a workplace one way and expect it to work for everyone.
And that, you know, we've had a lot of talk about workplaces and, and hybrid work and giving people choices, et cetera, but, but in practice, you know, what does a great workplace experience for people actually look like [00:06:00] today? What are you seeing? And you know, as we talk about hybrid, what's really working for people, not for the real estate groups or maybe the organizations, but for actually people.
What would you advise facility managers to start focusing on?
Kati Barklund: I think we really need to use our ears and, and listen and, and, and talk to the people in the, in the workplace, but also, of course the leaders and listen, watch their challenges and quite often. They really want to have a day without struggle, easiness to perform, be able to focus when they need that, to have meetings, collaborate, eat, rest, have fun all of that both individually and together and just helping them to.
To create that great experience and performance on a daily basis and making it easy for them to do their work.
Edward Wagoner: And, you know, I love, as you were talking that [00:07:00] through, it struck me that you weren't talking about just work. You were talking about the whole human experience. Have fun.
I need to eat when I'm there. And I think so often a lot of our organizations, both the business side and the facility management side, we just focus on doing the work and we don't realize there's so much more involved because the end of the day. We're real people doing that work. Can you share an example of a workplace that's doing this well what have you seen where you think this is something I think everybody should check into and follow.
Kati Barklund: But I think that all the clients that I help and advice that we, we try to help them to be able to do this themselves. But of course then looking into talking to the people through different kinds of way surveys, but also like how are we actually utilizing the workplace what works, what doesn't?[00:08:00]
And in, in different kinds of way than looking at well the, the whole workplace and the journey that I have as an individual or as a team, how we use it and what could be helpful. And of course I am, I'm there to work. But to be able to work, I also need to, as you mentioned, easily come in and park or commute eat, rest, meet my colleagues, be able to focus, have my team's meetings.
Have fun and have that like creative vibe and meeting people. I don't want to go there and I'm, I'm the only person I also want to maybe know where are my teammates and are they going to be at the workplace today and so on. So there's so much in that experience, but also to me, to be able to.
Perform in a good way, that we just need to investigate more and see how that could work for [00:09:00] that that organization. And also that on, on like role and department level, we have different needs and roles and to have that variation also for the different parts of work made in that organization.
So it's not just about the individual. Preferences or personalities or, or else?
Edward Wagoner: As I was listening to your answer, that in so many of our organizations today, there has been talk over the last decade of having a work-life balance. But then when it comes to designing the workplace, we often focus just on work, not the life aspect of it.
And as you were talking and giving all of those examples. You were sharing both work aspects and life aspects, and, and it really struck me that that's, you know, when a lot of people design their workplaces, they ignore those life aspects that you've mentioned that do have a big impact on your day, how you get to work, [00:10:00] the things that you do from a socialization perspective at work, because we as humans are inherently social.
So I, I love that answer. And
Kati Barklund: how I feel like we, yes. And because how I feel that is also then the energy that I can then put on my work. So it's, and yeah, we only have one life. We are only one person. So it's holistic. Everything affects the other parts.
Edward Wagoner: We talk about bringing our whole selves to work, but then we get to a workplace that only focuses on our, our work self.
It just struck me how that's so contradictory, but I don't think a lot of us realize that. Let me, let me think back. And, and, and you and I didn't start our careers yesterday, so we've got a little bit of experience and we've seen a lot of things happen. What, what do you see about the conversation at the C-Suite level around facility management and how that's maybe changed over your career?
And if you can share what still [00:11:00] frustrates you about how facility management is perceived? Organizations.
Kati Barklund: Yeah. So I've had quite an interesting yeah career or path that way because I, I started studied after university studies did almost 20 years in, in very, yeah, core facility management, being a facility manager, and then being in the, in the biggest Nordic IFM company for many, many years.
And of course then meeting a lot of well facility managers also from the service provider perspective. Then I did a few years at Microsoft and more working with the digital workplace side and more meeting the IT side of the workplace. And now for the past seven, eight years from my company to an partner, I've more had the possibilities to meet the whole C-suite.
And know the C-suite don't go and think about facility management. They don't maybe even know what facility [00:12:00] management is about. But what has happened in the past years is that they have started to understand the impact of workplace and how that can create value for the organization. So through. At least in my case through the workplace strategy area, then I've been able to also raise the whole facility management part and make them more visible and be able to demonstrate and show and explain how that then is part of that creating the experience and performance that we get through the workplace and how important that is.
Edward Wagoner: It reminds me of my own frustration dealing with C-Suite and I talk to a lot of CIOs, chief Chief Information Officers around the world and with some organizations I'm a member of, and you know, you and I know this, real estate impacts every aspect. Of a business, it impacts every client of the business.
It impacts every person in the business, to those [00:13:00] people listening who says, no, we're a technology company. We're all in the cloud. You still have a data center somewhere. So our physical world still impacts everyone and for so many C-suite executives to think of facility management as just a back office.
When it has the same impact on the organization as HR and marketing and finance, I really would love to see the day where facility management is elevated and has that same seat at the table. Now, we've been talking about having a seat at the table since I started my career decades ago. I've noticed in a lot of your speeches and writing, you talk about the incremental improvements are no longer enough.
So what do you think needs to fundamentally change in how organizations think about their workplace? I
Kati Barklund: think, I think a lot of times we also from our industry, we wait for someone to invite us and see us. I [00:14:00] also think that there is a lot that we need to do during Facility Fusion. For example, we did two learning labs from the workplace, revolutionaries around workplace strategy, and also then trying to learn from a.
FM perspective, the language of the C-Suite. So a lot of times we are not speaking the same language and we need to start speaking the C-suite language to, to get the attention and get, get to that table. So there is a lot of work that we need to do to become even more strategic because unfortunately, a lot of times we have been both tactical and uh, and well operational and that's what we need to do as well.
But to come up to the C-suite level and really start making that as heard on making that impact because we can create even more value from real estate from fm, from the workplace in the organizations, but then we need to. Raise a little bit [00:15:00] and start talking in C-Suite language and understand the challenges that they have and how then real estate and workplace can help because it can,
Edward Wagoner: you know, I.
I love that. Recent interview with Prince Botwe, another global influencer. He talked about the importance of communication in facilities management, and what I heard you say is it's not enough just to do all the things that we do and we still need to keep doing, but we also need to help the people around us understand the value we bring, but then also listen to them tell us.
Things they need. And quite often they're not gonna use our real estate or facilities language to tell us. So we have to also understand our businesses probably a little more than facility managers of old had to understand.
Kati Barklund: Yeah. And we are in this invisible business a lot of [00:16:00] time. And we really hope that somebody sees all the great things that we, we do and understand the impact we need to tell more about, communicate around that and, and make it visible or, and show it.
So it's, it's a lot about the communication also and not just the C-suite actually in the whole organization. So yeah, I think there is a lot that we, we can do. And through that then also create even more value.
Edward Wagoner: And it struck me, as you said to the whole organization, you actually mean all of the people.
Kati Barklund: Yes.
Edward Wagoner: From the newest person to the most tenured person.
Kati Barklund: Yes.
Edward Wagoner: Helping them understand the value of what we do, but also listening to what they may need for their work life balance. You know, we, we brought up how facility management has changed over the years. The very first request for proposal I ever worked on, in.
Early nineties. I just dated [00:17:00] myself there a little bit. It was all about cost reduction. How much cost can you push out of my facilities? It was cost, cost, cost. You described the workplace though, as a strategic tool, so what would it actually take for organizations to stop seeing facilities as a cost?
Start seeing it as the strategic tool that you and I know it actually can be.
Kati Barklund: So the first thing is is often to like, well, look at how, how things are what kind of challenges we have, and then of course seeing well how, how the workplace can help us with that. But really, so. What are the well vision, mission, strategies, goals targets we, we have in the, in the organization?
And how can then the workplace in, in my case, help with that? So what, what do we want to achieve through the workplace and all the facility? But in most cases, it's, it's about. [00:18:00] Workplace and Yeah. And why? And working on a few guiding principles that then can help us. And then it's a lot about, okay, translating it, so what does this then mean to the physical environment and our premises, FM services for the digital environment, for our leadership culture and, and so on.
But it really starts on what. That we are trying to achieve here and why, and how can then the workplace help us with that? And it's also a lot about bringing together the various aspects of the workplace because we cannot do it alone from from fm. We need to bring the digital aspects, HR communication.
Business and just look at it together. Not working in isolation, but really creating that experience and performance together. And then of course, yeah, it's, it's also also around [00:19:00] like really putting the people in the center, but also knowing that things change. How do we get that continuity so that the workplace and our facilities support us over time and not just in the beginning when we have done a change.
Edward Wagoner: And it's, you know, it's as a IT guy, it just warms my heart every time you mention digital. And I was thinking, you know, there was a time where you and I could not have the conversation like this with you in Stockholm and, and me in Chicago. We would've had to have physically flown to a location together to interact like this.
And I also thought about actually meeting you in person for the first time and how, at least for me, that changed the relationship. It actually, in my opinion, made it stronger and much more delightful. And that comes to mind because I've heard you talk a lot about the importance of facility managers to be present in the workplace.
With digital, it's really easy to manage [00:20:00] remotely to do things with the tools without being physically present on site. So with all of the digital we have available now and the tools at our fingertips, what does effective leadership actually look like inside a facility today? And how can people actually be present when the technology enables us to do so much more remotely?
Kati Barklund: I think that is. All comes together in like one, one world. So it's, it's about connection. How can we really connect with each other in, in a meaningful and good, good way? And of course, when we meet physically there is. It, it's easier to connect and we get a lot of more signals, but it's also important to, like most of our work today, it's not about one office or side or, so we are actually working with a lot of people on multiple yeah.
Project sites. [00:21:00] Countries and, and so on. So, and you cannot be everywhere at the same time time either. So it's more about being mindful about how we connect both physically, but then also when we meet digitally or call each other. And what tools can we make? Checking in, maybe starting the meeting and getting to getting a little bit deeper on.
On how you doing or, or something like that. Getting to know each other and especially if we have the possibility to meet physically also, not just jump into the, to the actual problems, but really trying to connect, understand, and then working and leading from, from that.
Edward Wagoner: I love that. Partly because you just validated the way I start all my calls, as you've noticed, which is a little bit more.
Personal and joking and talking before we actually get down to business. So for people who are all business all the time, a reminder of what you said at [00:22:00] the beginning, it's, you know, we're whole people. It's, it's work and life. And when we overlook the life aspect of it, we're overlooking a big part of the people.
And a big part of what makes our organizations flow.
Kati Barklund: Like something that I have learned and discovered being. It was quite hard to just be myself and it was trying to be well successful and important, or just being listened to or kind of a, playing a, a role, also trying to fit and how should a manager be and in this company and so on with these clients.
The older I I get, the more myself I can, I can be, but also it then makes everything much easier to connect, to work, to lead. 'cause I connect with myself, I can then connect easier with others, but also then lead and change from from there. And it's so much more authentic. [00:23:00] And that's also then it's much easier to build in trust because when I was playing more of a role, it's hard to connect.
Edward Wagoner: I so personally love that, and you may not realize that, but you actually said that directly to me because for so much of my career and struggling with self-worth, I spent so much time focused on what I thought others wanted me to be or how to act that my authentic self did not always come through. And in just the last couple of years where I've gone publicly with those struggles.
It's amazing the number of people from my past that have reached out and have actually validated exactly what you said. They loved the moments when they saw the authentic me.
Kati Barklund: Yes.
Edward Wagoner: And they always wondered why I was struggling to, to project this image since they knew that I was trying to project. Now, had they told me that I was not ready to hear that.
But hopefully somebody's listening [00:24:00] today and they hear both of us talk about the importance. Just being your authentic self, bringing your true self to the workplace, your true thoughts, your true beliefs. And speaking of beliefs, what, what is a belief or trend in the workplace or facility management right now that you think is overhyped or misunderstood?
Host: Facilities don't run themselves. People run them. TMA Systems delivers intelligent maintenance management solutions designed around the humans, behind the work, the supervisors, technicians, and operators, keeping everything moving with TMAI embedded directly into the work. Flows teams already use AI becomes a practical assistant, helping streamline scheduling, simplifying requests, and surface the right insights at the right time.
TMAs products work in the background. Organizing the noise so your team can stay focused on keeping facilities running smoothly. No new systems to [00:25:00] learn, no disruption to trusted processes. Discover more at TMA systems.com/ifma podcast. That's TMA systems.com/ifma podcast.
Kati Barklund: Well, maybe, or maybe it's, it's, it's yeah, working from where. And we are so focused in in, in the where instead of the actual work and what we are there to, to accomplish, to together. I think that we, many times we are. Questions are focused on the, on the place instead of the what and then the place and the tools and the leadership can help us with the what and and where.
But we need to start with the right question if we want to get in the right direction.
Edward Wagoner: I love that. And you know, I, I was talking to a number of other very senior and experienced real estate [00:26:00] people, and we believe in buildings. We know the importance of buildings. We were chuckling that for the majority of our careers, we've actually been hybrid.
We've been in the office every day, but it's not always our office. Someday it might be your office. Someday we might be together at a client's office.
Kati Barklund: Exactly.
Edward Wagoner: Someday we may be in multiple, and it's how do you facilitate that work? I need to do, but also that life balance so that as I'm on the road or traveling, I can also make life work, or you talked about.
The commute or the importance of eating. And as, as you were talking about that trend, it made me realize too, if we think about work and workplace, we really need to open our, our, our blinders and our thought processes about where work actually occur. And it's in so many more places. It's not just in that one cubicle or office that, that maybe somebody has assigned.
Kati Barklund: And it's not just about me, it's also, it's a lot of times like. [00:27:00] Maybe my colleagues don't, well, I don't need my colleagues at the office, but maybe they need me. But also it's not just about the work. 'cause it's also about building our culture together in the organization. So it's not just about the work, but we need to also have the cultural leadership to be able to then have the trust and collaboration and do the innovation work.
We need to take us where we are going together.
Edward Wagoner: So we talked a lot about some great concepts, but some of them aren't gonna happen overnight. For example, the way that we talk strategically about what we do and get attention at the C-suite, some of the changes we need to make in our organization. So for facility managers that are listening right now, what is one thing that you would advise us that we could do this week to improve the experience of the people who use our workplaces?
I.
Kati Barklund: Well, I would, if I have a [00:28:00] possibility to do that, I would try to. Talk to some of the executives around their challenge, current challenges. Maybe talk to some of the employees in the company, how their work days look like, if there are something hindering or something could work better or so, but just starting with the talking and, and more database.
Not guessing, not waiting for, for a call or, or so, but actually just yeah. Talking, buy the coffee machine maybe.
Edward Wagoner: I love that. I, it reminded me, I, I remember we used to ask people, what do you think about your, your new workplace? And people will always, you know, resist creating conflict and they'll say, oh, it's great, or it's new, or something like that.
When we started leading with the question, what do you hate about this new workplace? It was amazing because there's always something somebody doesn't like. [00:29:00] And one thing I learned too is it's not always something about facility management they don't like, but to the occupant, everything about the experience of being in the workplace drives that workplace experience, not just the FM pieces.
And I think that's something we miss is taking that more. Holistic approach. That leads me to my next question. Can
Kati Barklund: I, can I just
Edward Wagoner: Yes, absolutely.
Kati Barklund: Because also when talking to the C-suite or when, when talking to yeah. Anyone, I think that often everyone answers from, their individual point of view. So it's also then good to ask from, from the organizational perspective so that we we take also the head of the organization and their responsibility and not just what would, for example, work, work better for me, but for, yeah us as a team or us as an organization.
Also, because I think that in most cases we get too, too narrow and just to think about. [00:30:00] Ourself and what and we somehow need to be better at balancing and me, myself, my nearest team, other teams and the whole organization,
Edward Wagoner: you know. And I think too, one thought that I had is with what we do as facility managers can often feel very isolating.
You know, especially if you're a facility manager in a large facility that's not. Your headquarters operation or maybe you are separated from your broader facility management group because you know of, of where you're located. So what role do communities like IFMA and Workplace Evolutionaries, it could play in changing those feelings of isolation that facility managers sometimes have.
Kati Barklund: well, many of us working in this industry, we are very alone in our organizations. So of course that gives us a huge. Family we get inspiration. We can [00:31:00] well share challenges. We can co-create. We can learn from each other.
We, yeah, we can have these colleagues who can understand or we can have fun together. Have these maybe jokes together also that no one else understands, but, but really, I think it's. Extremely important for us to be in this community and also not just within our local community, region, country, but we have the same type of challenges and possibilities everywhere in the world today.
And I travel a lot, so I, I, I, I know this for a fact. And also help organizations all, all around the world, but. So there is so much potential if we come, come together. And it is yeah, so rewarding and to connect with different people. And of course we will not maybe become [00:32:00] best friends with everyone, but everyone will find a lot of new great friends.
And I think everyone in the ifma family workplace, revolutionaries, all the communities, council chapters. So helpful. So just if there is a challenge question, you can, you can ask almost anyone and everyone will be so helpful. It's a wonderful community that we have family.
Edward Wagoner: You know, it's, I'm, I'm so glad you mentioned how helpful people are.
I've, I've did not join IFMA early in my career, and I will publicly tell people one of my biggest regrets. I didn't discover IFMA until later in my career. I so wish I had discovered it and I knew about it. I wish I had leaned into it more, much, much earlier. And I've noticed in the forums people will ask very specific questions and I'll actually look and go, okay, that's really you.
And then people from all over the world. Will [00:33:00] share an experience they've had that's actually really relevant.
Kati Barklund: Yes.
Edward Wagoner: And I'll see the original poster come back and say, thank you. You helped me get information to share with my leadership, or I hadn't thought about that, or you gave me the solution. So you're exactly right.
And I don't see that in so many other organizations. One other thing that I've just been blown away by. Workplace Evolutionaries. Now you are the recently named Global Lead of Workplace Evolutionaries, and so I waited for my invite to join that great group because it had so many people in it. Talk a little bit about how, what Workplace Evolutionaries is.
How people get invited to join Workplace Evolutionaries if they have interest in it?
Kati Barklund: yeah. Within IFMA, we have the chapters, communities and councils and the workplace. Evolutionaries is the workplace community of, of IFMA. And well, we are about workplace strategy, leadership, [00:34:00] everything around workplace experience, performance and very international.
We have lots of program globally our global webinars. Then also in the different bigger IFMA events. We have well always program during World Workplace in Anaheim again, third year in a row. We have the masterclass day before everything starts, but also locally we have our hubs. And many of them in, in North America, but also in Europe, and the latest one in Singapore just started.
Wow. And their first event is already full. And you don't need to be a workplace strategist. So we have a lot of facility managers that are interested in the topic. And, and this is of course, also a topic that really is in every organization, very relevant current today. And not so easy to know how to actually, what to actually do, how can this [00:35:00] really help me and help this organization? So it's a great, great community to be in and also join our different webinars. It's of course if you're, if a member, you just, as with any community or council, you just add that membership and then you would get a personal welcome from, from myself, the latest newsletter that is a member only benefit.
And yeah. Part of the community.
Edward Wagoner: And I asked that question that way because I saw so many incredible people that were part of Workplace Evolutionaries. And I kept waiting, hoping to get invited, and then I was told, you don't need an invite. Just show up. You know, just, just tick the box on the community.
And the very first Workplace Evolutionaries event I attended, I was, I was shocked. Yeah. I was blown away. I was shocked at the camaraderie of people from all over the world. I was blown away by [00:36:00] the way. People were sharing their opinions. Yes, their beliefs, their experiences. In a very collegial way. Yes.
But also challenging your thinking. And then there was a lot of fun. I kept looking around going, wait a minute, we're supposed to be working. But there was so much fun. It was one of the most incredible, I still remember that first one. For anyone listening who's been thinking about it, you're gonna be leading one in Anaheim at World Workplace in a couple of months.
So open invitation to join Kati. And now that I know I don't need an invitation, maybe I'll drop in on YouTube. Yeah. But Workplace Evolutionaries definitely something for folks to check out.
Kati Barklund: And a good thing is to well, well, follow on on LinkedIn because there you. Have all the information and all the things we, we do the webinars or everything on the bigger IFMA events, and we often do the mosh pits physically, for example, very popular and just have these [00:37:00] co-creative dialogues around the most current workplace topics.
And yeah, it's so much fun.
Edward Wagoner: For those of us too old to do a mosh pit at a concert, this is the next best thing. Let's talk last, last question before I get into some quick fires here. If we as facility managers were to get the people first right, in fm, what would you predict that the future of work and workplaces would look like in the next decade?
So.
Kati Barklund: For me like of course well, workplace, workplace service it's a lot about getting more attractive, proactive, efficient, sustainable and secure workplaces for the organizations. But I think that the contribution that we then do and contribute from the FM industry's. Much bigger than that.
It is what all these people, all these teams, all these organizations [00:38:00] do for their organizations, for the sales societies, for the planet in the next step. So we are helping them. To create that value for the organizations and for the societies. And I think that is, that is really the cool thing about what we are doing and what this business is about.
And really the biggest impact is it's not there. It's, it goes beyond.
Edward Wagoner: And I love that. The two key takeaways I heard from what you just said, you actually. Dropped every single key strategic priority that big organizations have and and publish that they have. And you said that facility management, getting people first right, helps deliver on those key board of directors C-suite priorities.
Second thing I heard is value. You didn't say FM cost. It's FM delivering value, and I think those two are such [00:39:00] important key concepts. Getting people first right elevates FM and helps us deliver on the key priorities of our organizations and transform us from being viewed as a cost. Organization to a value organization.
Kati Barklund: Yeah, a workplace and fm, it's, it's really not just about the bottom line, it's more about the top line. That's why we have a workplace for the people to be able to achieve all the great things we want to achieve in the organization. But of course, it needs to be cost efficient also and sustainable and secure.
It really is about the productivity, the performance, the value creation.
Edward Wagoner: We're gonna end this episode walking our talk. You started out at the top talking about having fun in the workplace. You agreed to some quick fire questions, quick answers so if you're ready.
Kati Barklund: Okay.
Edward Wagoner: Here they go. What is [00:40:00] one habit that has made you a better leader?
Kati Barklund: One habit. I think I am a pretty good listener and I. I'm both finished. I'm from up north, so I, I don't, I'm not that quick at talking.
So I think that's, that's has been a good habit that I start with listening and then I talk, if I have something to share, I.
Edward Wagoner: I love that especially comes in handy when you're dealing with me where I have the, the gift of GA little bit. Who is someone in your facility management or workplace organization that you learn from on a consistent basis?
Kati Barklund: I think I follow LinkedIn, but also the whole IFMA we community. There are many people there that I am inspired and, and learn from. Also in my organization, my clients, my colleagues, I don't think there is any specific, but there are very many that I pick in inspiration from [00:41:00] and. As well as you, Edward,
Edward Wagoner: you're so kind
Kati Barklund: and yeah, I, I just also loved you on stage and the interview that you had during Facility Fusion and that was very inspiring with your tattoo and everything.
I loved it. The fake tattoo that you had.
Edward Wagoner: The fake tattoos.
Kati Barklund: Yeah. Make the pot. Loved it.
Edward Wagoner: I had, I had people come up to me that had known me for years. That were shocked that I had tattoos, and then when they found out that they were fake, we realized they had never seen me outside of a, a, a tie and a and a jacket in all of our, you know, business interactions over the years, again.
The importance of getting to know people on the personal side, even if you have decades of experience working with them on the business side. If you liked that interview, just wait until you see what we have planned at World Workplace and and Anaheim.
Kati Barklund: I cannot
Edward Wagoner: wait have gone out, [00:42:00]
Kati Barklund: but that kind of like courage really inspires me.
Edward Wagoner: I appreciate that. And for listeners, if you don't follow Kati on LinkedIn, I would encourage you to follow her. I know you're very active, liking and responding, and she didn't name names, but you can pretty quickly figure out who she is drawn toward and you'll see some of the people that influenced her with that.
Finish this phrase, the way to my heart is
Kati Barklund: well being yourself and trying your best. I
Edward Wagoner: love that. Just be yourself. What would you say to someone who is searching for a new role but they're not considering facility management?
Kati Barklund: I think I'd say same thing. I'd say for everyone, just go inside, listen to yourself.
Think about what is important for you, what do you like doing? How would you like to contribute and start there.
Edward Wagoner: I think too there's, [00:43:00] with so much turmoil in the job markets throughout the world especially in the US there are so many opportunities in facilities management and it is such a broader career than so many people realize that if you are looking for a new role and you've stumbled across this podcast episode.
Take some time to research, ifma, research the jobs. Look at the variety of industries we are in. Every single industry, every building, every city. We impact every human on the planet. There are so many opportunities, so don't overlook facilities management
Kati Barklund: and so many ways that you can make really big impact.
Edward Wagoner: That's right. I love that. If you're listening to us, if you've picked up nothing else from this episode, it's not only the importance of people.
How ifma helps us connect around the world with like-minded individuals. Kati and I met through ifma. [00:44:00] Our, our relationship has, has grown working on these types of initiatives. I have seen her at the big events, and it brings me joy every time I see Kati as, as well as Kay, and so many others. So if you have been on the fence about attending a world workplace, I encourage you to come.
Come up to us, introduce yourself, ask us questions. Join us in the conversations. Check out Workplace Evolutionaries IFMA means International Facility Management Association. I also think it could stand for, I found my association. I found my answers. There's so many wonderful things in the organization.
Kati, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to share your thoughts with us, to influence us. And again, congratulations on being named an IFMA Global Influencer.
Kati Barklund: Thank you. Thank you.
Host: Thanks for tuning into the Connected FM podcast. If you enjoyed today's episode, please [00:45:00] take a moment to rate and review the show because it really helps us reach more listeners just like you. And don't forget to hit the subscribe button so you never miss an episode. See you next time.