The Path Ahead
By Bill Kline, FAIA, EDAC, LEED AP, ACHA
Senior Director, Federal Services
By Bill Kline FAIA, EDAC, LEED AP, ACHA
Senior Director, Federal Services
The Path Ahead: Navigating Federal Workplace Guidelines
Steering a federal agency at the moment requires an ability to respond to the changing environment and a renewed focus on the Mission. Decisive action is required given the new priorities. There are myriad variables at play at the moment, including buyouts, return to the office mandates, union agreements, layoffs, resignations, department closures and efforts to reduce and consolidate the footprint. GSA intends to pursue both a reduction of lease properties and of owned properties. Departments and agencies are undertaking the complex task of mapping out where staff will land, by city, facility and workstation. While there is no clear path with respect to deliberate, mid-term enterprise-wide planning yet, there are still 2 actions agencies and departments can take:
Action One: Return to Office
To accommodate the requirements of the return to office directive, there are several steps departments and agencies should take—click through each action item below to read further.
Be prepared for additional staff on site. Consult with your IT team and maintain communication channels. Agencies may need enhanced WiFi capacity if the facility footprint does not accommodate all staff in workstations and offices.
Action Two: Prepare for What's Next
The Administration's intentions are clear: reduce the size of government. It will be difficult to create a definitive headcount and space utilization plan until the scope of the reductions are quantifiable. Nevertheless, there are still actions that agencies can take to prepare to make the reductions and prepare for operations thereafter—click through each action item below to read further.
Consider reviewing departmental space standards as you move from this initial phase of accommodation to the next phase, where people will want to see consistent standards and consistent application of those standards. We recommend that you benchmark against private industry for best practices. This should include each type of space your operation requires. While each facility may not always comply with all standards, the goal is nevertheless important for execution of the next step.
We're Ready to Help
As we continue to advise federal agencies and departments, we welcome your ideas and feedback. What are you doing? How are you responding? What steps are you taking? IA is ready to discuss the best path forward for your organization, get in touch today.
