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Smart buildings are transforming modern workplaces, using advanced technologies to enhance energy efficiency, sustainability, and occupant well-being. Yet, despite these innovations, organisations often struggle to act on the valuable insights these systems generate.

The core issue? A lack of clear ownership when it comes to addressing human-centric insights that could significantly improve workplace experiences.  

What is SWIFTHR?

Developed by Tomás Mac Eoin, CEO of Hereworks, SWIFTHR is an agile, cross-functional team that places human well-being at the core of smart building management. Unlike traditional models—where responsibilities are fragmented across facilities, IT, real estate, and workplace teams—SWIFTHR creates a centralised approach led by Human Resources (HR) professionals.

The name SWIFTHR stands for:

Safety | Workplace | IT | Facilities Management (FM) | Technology | Human Resources | Real Estate

By integrating these disciplines, SWIFTHR not only prioritises employee health and productivity but also enhances operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

The Problem with Traditional Smart Building Management

Traditional smart building operations involve multiple stakeholders, including:

• Real Estate Teams – Focus on space utilisation and cost reduction.

• Facilities Management (FM) – Oversee physical operations, energy efficiency, and maintenance.

• Workplace Teams – Manage day-to-day functions like desk bookings and lockers.

• Health & Safety Teams – Occasionally involved but often hesitant due to data privacy concerns.

While each of these teams plays a crucial role, they often operate in silos.

• Human-centric insights are ignored  

• Cost-driven decision-making dominates  

• HR is missing from the table  

Why HR Should Lead Smart Building Management

HR is uniquely positioned to lead SWIFTHR due to its expertise in:

• Employee Well-being – Ensuring optimal physical and mental conditions for productivity.

• Change Management – Driving adoption of new workplace technologies and practices.

• Compliance & Legislation – Navigating regulatory requirements for workplace conditions.

• User-Centric Design – Tailoring solutions to meet diverse employee needs.

By placing HR at the helm, SWIFTHR ensures employee experience becomes a key performance indicator (KPI), alongside cost, efficiency, and sustainability.

How SWIFTHR Works

SWIFTHR establishes an agile, cross-functional team with members from HR, FM, IT, real estate, and workplace management. Their responsibilities include:

Why SWIFTHR Matters

Traditional smart building strategies focus primarily on cost savings and operational efficiency. However, the greatest ROI comes from employee well-being. A healthy, comfortable workforce is more productive, has lower absenteeism, and remains engaged with the organisation.

Empowering Employees Through Transparency

SWIFTHR also champions democratising smart building data, ensuring employees have access to insights like air quality, temperature, and sustainability metrics. When workers are equipped with real-time information, they can make better decisions about their work environment—leading to greater engagement and alignment with workplace initiatives.

By implementing SWIFTHR, organisations can transform smart building data from an untapped resource into a powerful driver of well-being, efficiency, and business success.

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