Many organizations lack the information needed to help them reduce the overall risk to their operations during unexpected events that can have a significant impact on the operations of their facilities and real-estate portfolios. Actionable and accurate data can help lay the framework for managing through unplanned or unexpected global or local incidents such as COVID-19. In this blog, we’ll go over 3 sections and how accurate facilities management data plays a role in your business continuity plan and:
- Understanding the Challenges
- The Value of Actionable Data
- Leveraging Scenario Planning
1). Understanding the Challenges
The unique challenges of the COVID-19 crisis and potential future crises have forced us to broaden our thinking about planning. Organizations now are facing not only business challenges but also when and how to return to the workplace post-pandemic.
Social Distancing in the Workplace
As organizations begin returning to the workplace here are a couple of considerations for both workspaces and meeting spaces:
- Maximize social distancing
- Minimize direct interaction
- Reduced workstation/meeting space density
- Track actual utilization
- Ensure safe and sanitary workspaces
2). The Value of Actionable Data
Access to accurate information can help you plan and execute your strategy and tactics during difficult times. During times of crisis, is it critical to have the information for both risk reduction and proactive planning.
3). Leveraging Scenario Planning
Master the What-If: Scenario Planning provide you with best practices from your past combined with modeling for future change to ensure you get the most effective utilization of your facilities over time. Leveraging scenario planning is essential to understand the different components, best and worst-case scenarios, and phasing and predictable outcomes. Some of the key things to explore are what is needed to plan:
- Analysis of worst, likely and best-case scenarios
- Accurate physical space inventory
- Understanding of occupant count and projections
- Timeliness and phases of recovery
Keys to facilities scenario planning success are as follows:
1) Develop or acquire expertise
2) Facilities inventory (includes drawings)
- Current
- Accurate
- Maintainable
- Accessible
3) Plan ahead (for all scenarios)
4) Always have a backup plan!
As you prepare your return to work strategy, it is key to have accurate, actionable facilities management data and a business continuity plan.
Watch our on-demand webcast: “Mastering the “What if”: How Accurate and Actionable Facilities Data Can Help Ensure Organizational Resilience and Business Continuity in Difficult Times to learn more as your prepare your workplace for re-entry.
