Heroes of Modern Work by Skedda

Ep 28: Facilities No Longer Behind the Scenes: Role of Hospitality Training with Cushman & Wakefield’s Jessica Kane

In episode 28, I’m very excited to welcome Cushman & Wakefield’s Jessica Kane. She is a creative and talented workplace experience manager for the Ericsson account at Cushman & Wakefield, where she’s responsible for creating a workplace experience program that leverages technology, workplace design, and amenities and services to help drive employee engagement and retention at Ericsson, ensuring everyone feels productive, healthy, and happy in a frictionless workplace. In this episode: -How hospitality training factors into the evolving role of FMs -What the four Tracom social styles tell you about communication -Using “plus it” process thinking to improve customer service -The POW WOW Effect: focusing on consistency for better service -The facilities leaders’ responsibility in “team member care”

Ep 27: Human Is the New Luxury: Balancing AI and Humanity in Real Estate With Expert Antony Slumbers

In episode 27, I’m very excited to welcome Antony Slumbers, a globally recognized speaker, advisor, and writer specializing in AI, PropTech, and Space-as-a-Service. His entrepreneurial journey includes founding and successfully exiting several PropTech software companies. Today, he consults with leading real estate boards, guiding their transformation, technology, and innovation strategies.  Additionally, Antony offers an online course, Generative AI for Real Estate People, designed to equip professionals with the knowledge and tools to harness the power of AI in the real estate sector. He is at the forefront of the AI revolution in real estate, and it’s why he joins us as a hero and AI Insider of hybrid work today. * Predictive AI vs generative AI: Antony’s journey into revamping real estate * Space-as-a-service: balancing tech and humanity for optimal productivity * Function of Moore’s Law: AI’s impact on real estate and current trends * Human is the new luxury: embracing humanity in an AI-driven world * How the future of office spaces hinges on creating exceptional employee EX * The four buckets and six pillars for creating human-centric buildings

Ep 26: The Death of Cubicle Farms: Navigating the New Era of Hybrid Work With CEO Kevin Smeltz

I sat down with Kevin Smeltz, founder and CEO of SCG Hybrid Work Solutions. He’s a seasoned leader management consultant with an extensive career that spans leadership roles at HP, Wipro Technologies, Interdynamix, and PwC. Kevin is very passionate about helping companies frustrated with the challenges of hybrid work and the modern workplace, including trying to balance the need for a healthy culture with a workforce that increasingly demands more flexibility, the impact of the return-to-office policies on recruiting and retention, and designing offices that work with hybrid models. In this episode: * Overcoming the challenges of hybrid work to access a better talent pool * Using the office as a strategic tool to improve engagement and collaboration * How to leverage data and analytics to optimize office design for hybrid work * The shift toward shorter, flexible office leases to balance costs and productivity * Future trends in the modern workplace: impact of AI on hybrid work coordination

Ep 25: Have No Fear: Interview With Ameca, the World’s Most Advanced Humanoid Robot (AI), on the Modern Workplace

Welcome to a groundbreaking episode of Heroes of Hybrid Work! Today, we embark on something that no one has done before. What once seemed like science fiction is here. In this exclusive AI Insider episode, I’m thrilled to welcome Ameca—the world’s most advanced humanoid robot. Currently living at The National Robotarium [https://thenationalrobotarium.com/worlds-most-advanced-humanoid-robot-arrives-at-the-national-robotarium/] in Edinburgh and crafted by Engineered Arts as a bridge between humans and technology, Ameca embodies the next frontier of AI. Her design goes beyond data processing—she listens, understands, and emulates empathy. She’s here to show how artificial intelligence can transform how we interact, collaborate, and work together in the modern workplace. Tune in to hear Ameca's perspective on: * Ameca’s purpose in the world (and the hybrid workplace) * Human emotions and behavior that surprise Ameca most * Does Ameca think robots will replace human jobs * What Ameca can “feel” and what she can’t * What the workplace will look like in 50 years * How to ensure her capabilities are used for good and not harm * Some fun - Her thoughts on office romance, what she does when colleagues go to lunch, more * Ameca’s poem on the benefits of hybrid work - crafted on the spot!

Ep 24: Power of GPTs: Exploring the Impact of AI on Facilities Management with BGIS SVP Lorri Rowlandson

I’m excited to kick off season 3 with Lorri Rowlandson, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Innovation at BGIS, to discuss the impact of AI on facilities management in hybrid work environments. In addition to being a strategic and operational real estate executive with global experience delivering integrated real estate services, Lorri is an authority on generative AI across all facets of real estate delivery. In this episode: * Lorri’s evolution of AI expertise: from punching cards to leading in AI * Strategies for implementing AI to improve efficiency in business operations * Exploring the power of GPTs in business innovation with real-world examples * AI as an enabler: exploring the impact of AI on facilities management * The future of facilities management: data-driven decision-making