Effort To Reduce Workspace Underway In Federal Agencies

Government agencies’ efforts to cut back on real estate costs by increasing teleworking and rethinking workplace structure and layout are underway, but it’s too soon to see positive impact in space reduction or cost savings, the Government Accountability Office wrote in a report to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. The General Services Administration offers guidance as well as customized programs to help agencies cut back on space and costs, however “it may take years to realize savings due to factors such as the timing of leases and the cost of reconfiguration,” GAO wrote.

In its report GAO reviewed efforts by the General Services Administration, DOA, the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Commerce’s USPTO, and the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which together held or leased more than 400-million square feet of office space in fiscal year 2011. The General Services Administration has implemented a “hoteling” program wherein employees give up dedicated personal space in favor of open, collaborative workspace, and the Department of Agriculture set agency-wide goals for increasing employee telework participation in 2013. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office responded to the GAO report saying its Patent Hoteling Program – just one of many hoteling efforts the agency has enacted – saved $17 million in real estate costs, according to a 2012 Department of Commerce IG report. However the GAO said it was unable to confirm that number.

Acquiring information about how space is currently used and gaining support from management and employees are two essential elements to successfully reducing space, GAO found. The report also noted that alternative workspace efforts may not be appropriate for all employees, such as those working with sensitive or classified documents or with members of the public.