Workplace Innovator Podcast | Enhancing Your Employee Experience

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

Jennifer Bryan is a TEDx Speaker, Author and Managing Director in Change & Leadership at ABChange Consultancy Ltd. where she is passionate about people being at the heart of decision-making in change by making sure people are thought of first, last and throughout change projects. Mike Petrusky asks Jennifer about her pragmatic approach to the behavioral elements of change and her belief that there can only be change with learning and learning with change. They explore the importance of effective communication, leadership and casting a long-term vision in the world of corporate real estate and facility management. Mike and Jennifer agree that human beings are complicated, so we need to share the reasons for change and model behaviors that will lead us toward our common team goals. Discover how you can create lasting change management programs in your organization and be inspired to be a Workplace Innovator! Connect with Jennifer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-l-bryan/ Watch Jennifer’s TE

Shuli Steele, PMP, LEED AP, WELL AP is Vice President of Workplace Strategies at Impec Group where she is globally recognized for her work as a solutions architect with over twenty years of workplace strategy, design, and optimization. Recorded live in San Francisco during IFMA’s Facility Fusion 2023 conference, Mike Petrusky asks Shuli about her approach to evidence-based planning and design to create comprehensive solutions that solve complex workplace challenges. They explore the tension between leadership and the workforce today and offer practical insights and advice to help you manage the “paradigms and parameters” of work. Mike and Shuli agree that facility management professionals have an opportunity to lead in their organizations and provide examples of how to create “a seamless workplace” while inspiring you to be a Workplace Innovator in your organization! Connect with Shuli on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shulisteele/ Explore the Impec Group website: https://www.impecgroup.com/ Discover f

Wayne Liko is Managing Partner for Real Property Solutions at Horizant where he prioritizes meaningful connections with people like you while delivering cutting-edge solutions for the modern workplace. Mike Petrusky asks Wayne about using data to prepare your office for the new world of work. The return to office was only step one in today’s constantly evolving work culture. Now, companies must look to data to drive their decisions about how they evolve their spaces and support their employees. Mike and Wayne discuss how enterprise IWMS feeds into RTO and how this technology can help companies manage areas including assets, space and office, and portfolio. They explore data-driven decision making as a driving force behind property operations and the future of IWMS and the workplace, as well as emerging technologies and strategies that will help businesses thrive. Tune in for some audio highlights and then check out the full video with Q&A that will inspire you to be a Workplace Innovator in your organizat

Jo-Anne Mann is RVP for the Asia Pacific Region at Eptura where she applies her decades of experience in Corporate Real Estate, Workplace Transformation and Global Customer Success to successfully implement flexible working software solutions. Recorded in Sydney, Australia, Mike Petrusky asks Jo about her focus on people and how technology can help workplace leaders deliver on the new expectations and needs of the workforce today. They explore the challenges and opportunities for change in the way we use our spaces and discuss how worktech solutions are enabling better experiences in the workplace. As the needs of people merge with physical assets, the role of facility management, HR and real estate teams are evolving and Jo shares advice that will encourage you to think creatively and help you be a workplace innovator in your organization! Connect with Jo-Anne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-anne-mann/ Discover free resources and explore past interviews at: https://www.workplaceinnovator.com/ Lea

Michael Rowlands is Manager of Global Places and Services for the Pacific Region at Nike where he is passionate about delivering exceptional employee experiences leveraging his years as a facilities management and operations professional. Recorded in Melbourne, Australia, Mike Petrusky asks Michael about embracing a culture of sport and teamwork that emphasizes the power of human connection and gathering. Michael believes that we should redefine the “facility manager” title as “E-Squared: Experience and Environments” by utilizing the many available spaces that can allow your team to be creative. They explore how leaders can balance digital connection with power of experience in physical workspaces to provide essential collaborative experiences. Mike asks Michael about a range of topics including "Survivor", Australian innovation and the proper use of Vegemite, while offering up the AFL, Formula One and raising flowers as examples requiring teamwork that bring group success. Check out this fast-paced conversat

Craig Wiseman is Senior Program Manager for Salesforce Sydney Tower where he is passionate about wellness, sustainability, corporate social responsibility and smooth project to operational transition. Mike Petrusky asks Craig about his experiences on this remarkable project, his career journey, and his perspectives about the future of work and the workplace. Craig shares his views on the role of offices and the confusion between collaboration and interaction as marked by society’s current focus on individuality instead of teamwork. While Mike and Craig agree about the value of flexibility and choice when scheduling where we work, they also see concerns about a potentially unhealthy loss of personal accountability in some organizations. They discuss the need to balance the two while emphasizing the role of leadership, equality and social agreements if we are to have success both as individuals and members of a team. Check out this episode for a challenging discussion that will encourage you to be a workplace i

Louise Watts is Co-Founder at HPC Global and Transition Hub where she is passionate about what can be achieved when we work collectively to transform the workforce of tomorrow. Recorded in Sydney, Australia, Mike Petrusky welcomes Louise back to the show to reconnect for the first time since just before the Covid-19 Pandemic changed our world (Ep. 98). Transition Hub brings people together to develop the skills, mindset and confidence needed to thrive in the new world of work which Mike and Louise agree is more relevant than ever. They explore the value of gathering and rethinking how the office may create better workplace leadership by connecting generations, sparking ideas and facilitating new ways of learning and working. Check out this episode for music and inspiration that will encourage you to be a workplace innovator in your organization! Connect with Louise on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisewattshpcglobal/ Learn more about HPC & Transition Hub: https://www.transitionhub.com/ Discover

Leonie M. Hicks is a Workplace Strategy & Change Consultant at Unispace where she is passionate about delivering human-centered change management, design and workplace experience strategies. Recorded in Melbourne, Australia, Mike Petrusky asks Leonie about her corporate real estate journey and the ways she helps organizations with innovative change and engagement strategies that bring out the best in their people. They explore the challenges faced by facility management and workplace leaders as they try to balance the needs of the workforce with required business outcomes and offer a strategy to co-create workplace guidelines with end users. Mike and Leonie discover they have a shared interest in science fiction, stoic philosophy and pop diva music that serves as inspiration while they deliver practical advice that will help you to be a workplace innovator in your organization! Connect with Leonie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonie-m-hicks/ Learn more about Unispace: https://www.unispace.com/

Philip Ross is a speaker, author, futurist, and advisor on the new world of work. He is the founder and CEO of both UnGroup (UnWork, WORKTECH & WORKTECH Academy) and Cordless Group where he is passionate about exploring the future workplace. Recorded in Melbourne, Australia, Mike Petrusky asks Philip about the role of the FM as we look toward a future of hybrid or virtual offices and whether it is time to rethink the very nature and design of the workplace. They explore topics addressed in Philip’s book “Unworking: The Reinvention of the Modern Office” and discuss how technology, human behavior and workplace strategy will intersect in the future of work. Mike and Philip discover a kinship through Australian music and seek to offer inspiration that will help you to be a workplace innovator in your organization! Connect with Philip on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cordless/ Learn more UnWork: https://www.unwork.com/ Get the book “Unworking: The Reinvention of the Modern Office”: https://www.amazon.

Stephen Ballesty is Director at In-Touch Advisory where he is passionate about delivering sustainable outcomes for his clients while ensuring adherence to good governance, standards, compliance, and continuous process improvements. Recorded live in Sydney, Australia, Mike Petrusky asks Stephen about his experience in asset management, facility management and his many contributions to the IFMA community. They explore the challenges facing the built environment, the value of the ISO 41000 series of standards and the future role of the FM, while offering guidance for leaders seeking to have a positive impact on ESG priorities. Tune in to hear stories about IFMA, a plan to elevate the global FM community and some inspiration that will encourage you on your journey to be an Asset Champion! Connect with Stephen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-ballesty-9649064/ Explore the In-Touch Advisory website: https://in-touchadvisory.com/ Learn more about Eptura™: https://eptura.com/ Discover more Asset Champ

Brendan Robinson is Director of Facilities and Operations for Corporate Real Estate at Under Armour where he is passionate about aligning the mission of his organization with facility management and global workplace trends. Recorded live at NFMT 2023 in Baltimore, Mike Petrusky asks Brendan to revisit some of the predictions he made in late 2019 on “Defining Your Workplace – A Vision for the Future”. What has changed in our post-pandemic world and how can you support your people in the new frontier of work and the workplace? Mike and Brendan discuss flexible workplaces, understanding data, delivering office amenities and creating a wonderful employee experience for today’s workforce. Check out this conversation to find insights and inspiration that will help you be a workplace innovator in your organization! Connect with Brendan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bjrobinson/ Learn more about Under Armour: https://www.underarmour.com/en-us/ Listen to Brendan's 2019 podcast presentation on “A Vision for t

Kelly Mackin is Co-Founder of Motives Met, the work wellbeing platform empowering people to create their best work life and workplace, and the author of the upcoming book, “Work Life, Well Lived”. Mike Petrusky asks Kelly about the challenges facing workplace leaders as they navigate the tension between meeting the needs of individuals, teams and the broader culture in our organizations today. The future workplace will require an emphasis on the wellbeing of the workforce and an understanding of the motives that drive each of us, so Kelly shares research and insights using THE MOTIVES CIRCUMPLEX™, a framework that offers insight into the 28 human needs driving wellbeing at work. Kelly believes that when you put motives at the heart of your team or organization, you create a culture where everyone is empowered, take’s responsibility, and is a change agent for a better collective workplace. Check out this conversation to learn more about how you can be a workplace innovator in your organization! Connect with Ke