Workplace Innovator Podcast | Enhancing Your Employee Experience

Kay Sargent is Senior Principal and Director of WorkPlace at HOK where she is a recognized expert on workplace design and strategy issues. Kay is responsible for helping clients redefine how, when and where their people work, working in tandem to support a holistic design approach that integrates an organization’s people, processes and technology. Mike Petrusky welcomes Kay back to the show for a candid discussion about the challenges and opportunities facing workplace leaders as they balance the needs of individuals while creating spaces and strategies that also build teams and a thriving culture. They revisit some of Kay’s past predictions, offer practical advice for facility management professionals, and discuss how future generations can be successful in the workplace. On this fast-paced episode you will discover ways that you can be a workplace innovator in your organization! Connect with Kay on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kay-sargent-53b2431/ Learn more about HOK: https://www.hok.com/ Discover

Ryan Anderson is Host of the “Looking Forward” Podcast and Vice President of Global Research & Insights at MillerKnoll where he leads a globally-distributed team of researchers, interior designers, and workplace strategists responsible for the generation, sharing, and application of insights to create places that positively affect the world. Mike Petrusky asks Ryan to share his priorities for 2024 and beyond as they explore how offices can become the preferred choice in a world where people can work anywhere. Ryan believes in the importance of inclusive design and is energized by the renewed emphasis on creating spaces that really work for employees by delivering better employee experiences. Tune in to hear Mike and Ryan discuss the power of conversations with their shared industry connections and be inspired by the prospect of a brighter future for offices including practical tips to help you be a Workplace Innovator in your organization! Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryaning

Katy Redmond, MCR is Co-Lead for IPS Americas & Brokerage Tech Sector Lead at JLL where she is passionate about helping organizations with practical and innovative strategies for connecting "people, place and profit”. Mike Petrusky asks Katy for an update on her role at JLL and they explore how we can embrace technology and innovation to enhance the way real estate and facility management professionals work and improve their decision-making processes. They highlight the impact of A.I. and other related technologies in driving efficiencies, speed and ultimately your success in the industry. Katy shares the top five things that matter most to corporate occupiers today including return to the office strategies, sustainability, and talent retention. Mike and Katy agree that we should never stop learning and they share the value of IFMA and CoreNet for our personal and professional growth. Listen to get a better understanding about how FM tech tools and the power of data analytics can help you be a Workplace I

Kate Lister is President at Global Workplace Analytics where she is passionate about helping employers develop, deploy, and measure the results of remote and hybrid workplace strategies. Mike Petrusky invited Kate to join him on the show just days after returning from Denver, CO where they both took part in “The Big Debate: Which way should the pendulum swing?” with the Workplace Evolutionaries community. They agreed to take a more thoughtful, nuanced approach when discussing the impact of remote work and acknowledged that the problem facing companies is NOT a binary one and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Mike and Kate took a deeper dive into the challenges brought up in the debate, including the difficulty in measuring the impact of remote work on productivity, innovation, culture, and engagement. Kate believes that the evolution of work is just beginning and she challenges workplace leaders to remain curious, open to new ideas, and willing to experiment. Mike and Kate both emphasized the importance

Yitsy Montano is Manager of Workplace Strategy & Programs at UKG where she is passionate about process improvement, innovation, and using technology to deliver workplace initiatives with a concierge and hospitality mindset. Mike Petrusky hosted Yitsy for a live broadcast about “Meeting Business and Employee Needs Through Human Connection” where they explored the future of the workplace, the importance of employee experience, the role of data in decision-making, and how to foster community within our teams. They discussed the trends in desk bookings, as reported in Eptura’s brand new Workplace Index - Q2, and they emphasized the importance of facilitating social connections and creating a productive work environment by cultivating freedom and collaboration in the workplace. Check out these highlights from the live event for practical advice that will inspire you to be a Workplace Innovator in your organization! Connect with Yitsy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yitsymontano/ Learn more about UKG:

Dr. Patrick Simon is Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company where he is focused on recent organizational transformations made by companies including the importance of human-centered leadership and the disconnect between what employers think their employees want and what they actually want. Mike Petrusky asks Patrick to discuss McKinsey’s global report on “The State of Organizations 2023”, which outlines the greatest challenges that impact an organizations’ ability to attract and retain talent, work efficiently, and achieve growth and other performance goals. They explore key findings in the report about hybrid working models, advancing our capabilities, and how leaders need to be self-aware, inspiring, and communicative with their people. Mike and Patrick agree that the role of facility managers will be significant in shaping the future of work and they offer ideas for reinventing the workplace as they seek to inspire you to be a Workplace Innovator in your organization! Connect with Patrick on LinkedIn: ht

Tania Luna is a psychology researcher, educator and author of the book “Lead Together: Stop Squirreling Away Power and Build a Better Team” in which she tells a story about the concepts of power, leadership, and the impact of shared decision-making in the workplace. Mike Petrusky asks Tania to discuss her research, leadership experiences, and the four principles of sharing power including how we can “rely on context, not control”. Tania believes that leaders must clarify the “why” rather than dictating the “how” and advises that when people have context, they have the information they need to take action and make good decisions. Mike and Tania explore how these concepts apply to the power struggle between leadership and employees in our post-pandemic workplace and they offer practical advice for facility management leaders as they seek to navigate changing office dynamics. Listen to this conversation for ideas that will inspire you to be a Workplace Innovator in your organization! Connect with Tania on Linked

Noelle Mykolenko is CEO at Trusted Advisor Associates where she is passionate about helping organizations grow through deepening trust relationships and Geoff Snavely is Vice President & General Manager at milliCare by EBC where he is impassioned by building trust-based customer relationships through a consultative approach. Mike Petrusky asks Noelle and Geoff to share practical advice for workplace leaders hoping to navigate the tensions between return to office policies and workforce demands for flexibility. They explore the importance of trust in professional relationships, the principles of trust, and how trust can be scaled within organizations. Building a culture of trust in the workplace requires both personal commitment from employees and organizational commitment to alleviate concerns, improve communication, and create a more conducive working environment. Listen to this discussion and you will be inspired to be a Workplace Innovator in your organization! Connect with Noelle on LinkedIn: https://

Jurors Antonia Cardone of Cushman & Wakefield and Carly Klaire of Acrylicize join Publisher Bob Fox for a conversation exploring the insights gained during Work Design Magazine’s “2023 Next Work Environment Competition”. Mike Petrusky hosted this live broadcast announcing the winners and asked the panel to share their perspective on the changing nature of the workplace, the importance of innovation, and the role of collaboration, flexibility, and wellness in the built environment. They discuss a shift in focus for the future workplace from productivity and utilization to collaboration, wellness, and human connectedness. As flexibility has become a top priority in the way we work, the panelists advise leaders to listen to their employees, provide spaces for creativity, and create inclusive work environments. Check out these audio highlights from the broadcast and then download the full reveal video announcing the winners and details about their innovative projects! Connect with Bob on LinkedIn: https://ww

Linda Foggie, AIA is Managing Director, Global Head of Real Estate Operations at Citi where she is known for her ability to build strong, high-performing company cultures with high levels of belonging and engagement globally across wide geographic regions. Mike Petrusky asks Linda to share her thoughts on employee experiences today and how leaders can integrate people and places by providing a holistic connectedness in the workplace. Mike and Linda discuss the importance of designing inclusive and sustainable workplaces and the role of real estate leaders in shaping the future of our organizations. They explore enhancing the workplace experience by focusing on creating well-designed, functional spaces that foster connections and productivity for different work styles and preferences. Linda believes that "fortune favors the bold” and that a more holistic approach to creating and managing workspaces will result in better experiences for our people and greater value for our companies. Enjoy this conversation tha

David Mirmelli, MBA, MCR is Global Head of Corporate Real Estate & Facilities at Fortinet where he is passionate about creating innovative international workplaces across continents and cultures, and Dr. Eldar Gizzatov is CEO & Co-founder at Basking.io, a workplace occupancy analytics company. Mike Petrusky asks David and Eldar to share their views on the future workplace and the power of data for facility management and real estate occupancy decision-making. They explore some of the technologies and tools available to help leaders deliver on the expectations of their employees as we try to balance the tension between flexibility and business outcomes. With a common interest in music, IFMA, and CoreNet, Mike and his guests discuss the importance of community and opportunity for workplace leaders to have an impact on the future of work. Check out this discussion to learn how you can be a Workplace Innovator in your organization! Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmirmelli/

Janet Pogue McLaurin, FAIA, FIIDA is Principal and Global Director of Workplace Research at Gensler where she is passionate about leading their Workplace Performance Index® (WPIx), which measures how people work, space effectiveness and workplace experience for clients. Mike Petrusky asks Janet to share stories from her 40-year journey in workplace strategy, research and design, with a focus on how the physical workplace can impact employee engagement and business performance. Mike and Janet celebrate their common communities at IFMA and Workplace Evolutionaries as they explore highlights of Gensler’s latest global workplace research showing that employers are providing choice in the workplace, but not the choice that workers say they need. They share how facility management leaders can create the environments where their workforce can thrive while offering inspiration to help you be a Workplace Innovator in your organization! Connect with Janet on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janet-pogue-mclaurin-f

Marc Weigum is Founder of Unified Purpose where he provides experience, perspective, processes, and abilities to help organizations embrace the ever-evolving nature of the workplace environment and Brad Golden is Workplace Insights Lead at VergeSense utilizing sensor technology to improve experiences with occupancy intelligence. Mike Petrusky hosted a live webinar entitled “Making the most of your space: why data matters” where he asked Marc and Brad about how data can drive smarter workplace decision-making. They explored emerging trends in how and why people use the office, and the role that tech can play in getting your real estate footprint right, using data in recent index reports from both Eptura and VerseSense. They discussed how workplace technology impacts space utilization and portfolio optimization and offered advice on making the right work tech investments with confidence. Tune in for some audio highlights and then check out the full video with Q&A that will inspire you to be a Workplace Inno

Cassandra Holbrook is Corporate Facilities Planner at Walter P Moore where she is proud to help create productive and good-looking office environments for a company that makes beautiful works of public structural art come to life. Mike Petrusky asks Cassandra to share her background story in the hospitality industry and the process of a recent office relocation in El Paso, TX. She gives some great ideas for facility management leaders who are working hard to manage the spaces and places in which their teams work. Mike and Cassandra agree that there is a great opportunity to incorporate hospitality lessons and strategies while doing facilities planning for your organization. They offer insights and practical advice for FM practitioners who would like to care for the workforce by being a Workplace Innovator! Connect with Cassandra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassandraholbrook/ Learn more about Walter P Moore: https://www.walterpmoore.com/ Explore the Eptura Workplace Index Report: https://eptura.co

Sandra Panara is Director of Analytics, Insights & Innovation at Relogix where she is a seasoned Corporate Real Estate thought-leader passionate about the flexible workplace. Mike Petrusky asks Sandra about her career journey as both a practitioner and consultant as they discuss the value of workplace metrics, which extends beyond simple cost savings to aligning office real estate strategies with business objectives and goals. They explore the new realities facing leaders today as post-pandemic attitudes and behaviors drive challenges around space planning, utilization, and optimization. Mike and Sandra agree that flexibility and choice are essential for the workforce, but they offer differing perspectives on how facility management and CRE practitioners might deliver on the expectations of both their employees and organizational leadership. Listen as they offer practical ideas and inspiration to enable you to be a Workplace Innovator! Connect with Sandra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spanara/

Dr. Sean Gallagher is one of Australia’s leading experts on the future of work. He works with leaders to help their businesses effectively leverage their workers in the digital economy and disrupted environments. Mike Petrusky asks Sean about his hybrid work research and the role of the “new office” as a place for activities based on meaningful collaboration and human connection. They discuss disruptions in the world of work and the workplace and explore the impact that generative A.I. will have on our people and places. Sean believes that to get the significant benefits hybrid has to offer, we need to begin better structuring and programming activities based on “what works best where” and reimagine the office to allow for creativity, innovation, and human experiences. Mike and Sean offer practical ideas and inspiration to help you become a Workplace Innovator in your organization! Connect with Sean on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanhgallagher/ Explore the Centre for the New Workforce website: htt

Oliver Boote is Senior Facilities and Workplace Manager for the UK and Ireland at Mace where he is passionate about the future of work and workplaces. Mace is shaping the built environment while leading the way to a more connected, resilient and sustainable world. Mike Petrusky asks Oliver about his background in recruitment and passion for employee experience, sustainable offices and delivering exceptional services to create great workplaces. They discuss capturing the data needed to right-size portfolios and measuring the ROI when utilizing technology applications in the built environment today. Mike and Oliver explore the challenges and opportunities for facility management professionals to take the lead and deliver on the new expectations of the workforce. Check out this episode for a reminder about what matters most in the world of FM and to find inspiration to be a Workplace Innovator in your organization! Connect with Oliver on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oboote/ Explore the Mace website: htt

Melissa Marsh is Founder & Executive Director of PLASTARC where she is a passionate practitioner of Workplace Strategy and a leader in Change Management services. Mike Petrusky asks Melissa about her latest thoughts on the challenges facing leaders as they navigate the new frontier of work and the workplace where creativity may be suffering due to decreased human interaction and engagement. They explore opportunities for innovation by seeking alternative workplace solutions, while pursuing the integration of physical and virtual work practices. Mike and Melissa agree that hybrid work policies and strategies may be hardest to execute successfully, so they offer advice and inspiration to help you be a Workplace Innovator in your organization! Connect with Melissa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissaemarsh/ Explore the PLASTARC website: https://plastarc.com/ Discover free resources and explore past interviews at: https://www.workplaceinnovator.com/ Learn more about Eptura™: https://eptura.com/ Co

Michael Przytula is Managing Director for Intelligent & Digital Workplaces at Accenture where he is passionate about helping organizations transform their workforces through the application of digital technologies to how they work in the environments that surround them. Mike Petrusky asks Michael about his more than 25 years helping workforces of major companies around the world change the way they work through the implementation of constantly evolving, innovative technologies. They explore the intersection of facility management, real estate and workplace strategy for helping organizations transform the way they work. Mike and Michael agree that our community has a great opportunity to lead the way in making workforces more efficient and effective through the application of technology as we care for the people in the built environment by being a Workplace Innovator! Connect with Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeprz/ Read Michael’s articles here: https://medium.com/@mikeprzytula Check

Chris Kane is an Author, Advisor and Co-Founder at EverythingOmni where he is passionate about making sense of the noise surrounding how to cope with a rapidly changing economic and business landscape. Chris has worked in the Corporate Real Estate sector for over 30 years, having operated as the Vice President of International Corporate Real Estate for The Walt Disney Company, before acting as Head of Workplace at the BBC. He is the author of “Where is My Office? Reimagining the 21st Workplace - The Post-Pandemic Edition”, co-written by Eugenia Anastassiou and published by Bloomsbury. Mike Petrusky asks Chris about his view on the facility management professional’s role in his game-changing challenge to the existing ways we work. They explore bias in the media, rethinking our industry foundations and the role of the office, all while Chris offers a guide to harnessing the true potential of an organization’s people and workplace. Listen to discover how you can be a Workplace Innovator and step up to the mark i