ABSTRACT
The office building has evolved from very simple to enormously complex structures with supporting systems and services. As this evolution has taken place, so the role of management has become critical. This chapter sets out the evolution of the real estate management profession, and particularly its transition over the past three decades from a routine and reactive janitorial function into an integrated workplace resource management role. Over this time, the office has evolved from being a static backdrop to office activities into a corporate resource which must be professionally managed in order to ensure that it has a direct and positive impact on the productivity and wellbeing of workers. This has led to real estate becoming a critical corporate management function.
This chapter describes the emergence and maturing of REM, largely through its transition over the past three decades of the digital office, from a routine and reactive janitorial function into an integrated workplace resource management role. Over this time, the office has evolved from being a static backdrop to office activities (a liability in cost terms), into a corporate resource which must be professionally managed in order to ensure that it has a direct and positive impact on the productivity and wellbeing of workers.
