In this episode of The Real Finds Podcast, host Gordon Lamphere sits down with Alana F. Dunoff, ProFM, FMP, IFMA Fellow, a strategic facilities planning consultant, adjunct professor in Temple University’s Facility Management program, and principal of AFD Professional Services. With more than 30 years of experience helping organizations align people, process, and place, Alana brings a unique perspective on how companies can reimagine the workplace for a post-pandemic world.

Alana shares how her background in environmental psychology shaped her approach to workplace strategy and why the return-to-office conversation is really about meaning, culture, and belonging. She explains why the most effective offices function like kindergarten classrooms, offering flexibility, creativity, and comfort in equal measure. Together, Gordon and Alana explore how to right-size portfolios, refresh spaces without major capital projects, and measure success through innovation and engagement rather than attendance.

They discuss how to align HR, facilities, and leadership strategy to create hybrid models that actually work and how to invest in people by investing in place. Alana also reveals how coffee rituals, collaboration zones, and wellness spaces can quietly rebuild culture and help employees reconnect with their organization’s purpose.

🔍 Key Topics Covered:

- Why task-based “kindergarten classroom” layouts outperform traditional office design

- How hybrid work is redefining space planning and employee engagement

- Strategies for right-sizing portfolios while preserving long-term flexibility

- Metrics that matter: innovation, engagement, and culture over square footage per head

- Small space upgrades that drive big behavior changes

- How to train and support managers for flexible, distributed teams

- The growing influence of Gen Z on workplace design and company culture

- Practical ways to rebuild belonging and human connection inside the office

Whether you are an HR leader, a facilities manager, or a commercial real estate investor, this episode offers clear, actionable insights for designing workplaces that balance flexibility, performance, and purpose in today’s evolving business landscape.

📚 Alana’s Recommended Read: Start With Why by Simon Sinek — a reminder that purpose and clarity drive performance more than policy.

📍 Learn More About Alana and AFD Professional Services:

Website: https://www.afdfacilityplanning.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanadunoff

Email: [email protected]

About the Author Gordon Lamphere is a Chicago-area commercial real estate agent and host of The Real Finds Podcast, where operators, economists, and developers share how they’re reshaping the built world. Learn more at www.vvco.com

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