Corporate Real Estate Technology – Who Owns It? Katy Redmond


As National Director at JLL Technologies, Katy RedmondOpens in a new tab. has had her fair share of experiences. Those experiences, from starting at a small start-up to moving into a larger company via an acquisition, and eventually landing at JLL in the same way, have led Katy to years worth of experience and knowledge. 

Redmond, based in Washington DC, serves JLL customers primarily on the east coast of the United States with a focus on the federal market. Redmond’s career kicked off at a start-up, her clients loved the IWMS (Integrated Workplace Management System). It was the early exposure to IWMS that allowed Katy to break into the software and real estate technology segment. Katy’s job soon became 100% real estate technology and this allowed her to attain a vast amount of insight on the topic. In a recent interview with OSW, Katy shares her wisdom. 

Have you worked with Katy?  As Zig Ziglar says, “You can get all you want in life, if you help enough other people get what they want”.  Help other workplace professionals by providing a review of your experience working with Katy – Click HereOpens in a new tab. and then click “Write a review”. 

Real Estate vs. Technology

Corporate Real Estate Technology (CRETech) involves Real Estate and Technology. So, which department does it belong to? The technology people might think it leans to their team while the real estate team pulls it back towards their team. While there is some debate from both sides, neither is correct.

Redmond believes it is necessary to speak both languages. Although the Real Estate people might be hesitant to learn technology and the Tech team is reluctant to learn Real Estate, they must be educated on how to use the different components. Joining forces and combining knowledge of both sides is necessary for moving forward in the industry. Getting hung up on ‘sides’ is an excellent way to get left behind. 

By sharing technical information and knowledge with the real estate team and sharing real estate insights with the IT team, the two sides can come together to make a stronger product. The joint effort will provide a different set of motivations.

Changes in the Approach to CRETech

The motivations of CRETech within organizations in the past were different from what they are now. As recently as 2016, JLL was motivated to solve specific problems and address needs individually. It was a problem-solution format that required waiting for a problem to arise before answering it. While that worked for a long time, they are now moving to an holistic approach. 

When we think of holistic, the term often brings up thoughts of medicine and wellbeing for the whole body. However, the idea of a holistic approach that Katy discusses involves every aspect of the business. This means thoroughly evaluating the combinations of products to determine the best. By using a more proactive method, the best solution is more likely to come forward when it is needed. 

Customization or Configuration

The best is not typically software that is customized and changed to fit the exact needs of a client. While this sounds ideal to an outsider, the technical side of things gets far more complicated when changes such as these are made to a standard software package. 

With more customizations, there are more breaks in the system and more complications in future upgrades. Redmond believes that configuration is a far better aspiration than customizing one kind of software to fit various needs. What’s the difference? Where customizing requires modifications, a configuration is more of an arrangement. 

The configuration is developed to work for a broader range of organizations without the need for modifications. It reduces the complications from the equation. 

Mobile Technology and ROI

The use of mobile technology to advance employee productivity is a vast concept right now. With advancements in technology, companies can provide employees with more tools to help them succeed. With more job functions completed on mobile devices, employees can do their jobs on the go. 

Measuring the return on investment on that technology is often done with output over input, whereas others might measure employee engagement and attention or simply business growth. It’s knowing how to measure these components and which of these aspects counts as a company’s ROI is crucial. The importance of those components must be understood and agreed upon by all departments of a company. 

Connecting HR, Tech, and Corporate Real Estate

How do all departments in Human Resources, Technology, and Corporate Real Estate connect? IWMS has been at the forefront of bringing together all components. It allows all departments to see what’s going on with the business and its interworkings. With the addition of the cloud to the workplace, the connection has only gotten better in recent years. 

Redmond uses the example of a room reservation system. While the past use for reserving a room has its successes, the ability for all departments to utilize the same software has simplified things and removed possible confusion. With the expansion of the same idea over several other facility management aspects, the use of IWMS has allowed all areas of the business to connect better. 

Maximize Productivity and Employee Experience

Every business is different. Using the same model for a productive workplace and employee experience is not going to work for every industry. The motivators for the finance industry may not be the same for the healthcare industry. 

In the same way, motivators for a large company in one industry might vary significantly from the motivators for a small company in the same industry. Treating every employee for every sector and organization the same is not ideal to maximum productivity and employee experience. 

Understand the industry, the company, and the people to reach the best possible levels for productivity. Doing so will create a great employee experience, which also motivates bettering productivity. 

Connect with Katy Here 

Click the image below to watch the full interview –

Related Questions

What is IWMS Software? IWMS is software used to improve efficiency in a business. It combines resources in the workplace in a way that allows facility management and real estate portfolio components to be integrated, optimized, and organized. 

What CRETech is most prevalent? Where PropTech includes options for non-commercial purposes, CRETech focuses solely on the commercial side of real estate. The most popular form of CRETech is building management software. 

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Steve Todd

Steve Todd, founder of Open Sourced Workplace and is a recognized thought leader in workplace strategy and the future of work. With a passion for work from anywhere, Steve has successfully implemented transformative strategies that enhance productivity and employee satisfaction. Through Open Sourced Workplace, he fosters collaboration among HR, facilities management, technology, and real estate professionals, providing valuable insights and resources. As a speaker and contributor to various publications, Steve remains dedicated to staying at the forefront of workplace innovation, helping organizations thrive in today's dynamic work environment.

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