By keeping its headquarters’ layouts clean and open, GSA can avoid the time and costs associated with a traditional move. Davis explains: “Typical move-in requires a request for design services; someone would have to come in and measure and decide what walls were coming down and going up. Then we wait for funding and contractors to do the work. Meanwhile, the occupants are located in subsequent space, and the overall costs are enormous.”
In addition, Davis says allowing occupants to have some control in modifying their space has led to happier workers. “What we’re doing at our central office is really a shining example for the other agencies to say ‘GSA central office did it, and this is how they made it work; this may be a viable option for the way we work, too.’”
Alternative Workspace Arrangements
Along with its research about how building occupants perform their jobs, GSA has been studying how buildings themselves affect tenants. For example, the agency has experts studying biophilic design, which is the understanding of how nature and the environment affect building occupants. “There have been lots of studies, especially with the health-care industry, that show when you have a view to a lush park you heal faster than when you’re looking at nothing,” Davis says. “The same is true for your work. If you have a fantastic location in your home or office, then you potentially work even better.”
Biophilic design is partially responsible for GSA’s support of alternative workspace arrangements, such as telework, which allows employees to work from home and provides them more work/life balance. Davis says managers are focusing less on the worker and more on the work that needs to be done. He explains: “When you start focusing on the work, in a lot of cases, you don’t really care when or where the employees work just that the work is getting done and they’re being collaborative and bringing their piece into what the agency or business is doing. From a worker standpoint, that is really exciting.”
For example, Davis, who calls himself an extreme morning person, works from home several days per week, allowing him to schedule his day around when he is most productive. “I get up at 5 a.m. and can be on my laptop by 5:10 a.m.,” he says. “That’s fantastic for me; my brain is working and I’m focused on the work I’m doing. When I go into the office, I’m still getting up at 5, but by the time I get ready, get on the Metro and commute, it’s 7 a.m. before I am at the office. I’ve just lost almost two hours of really good productivity time.”
As a result of GSA’s support for telework, hoteling, the concept of as-needed in-office desk space, is another alternative being integrated into GSA’s headquarters. Davis says a computer system will help reserve space and allow members of teams to work near one another while collaborating.
“There will be a variety of spaces you can ‘check out.’ We will have hubs, or a general location where on a regular basis we can expect to find a good many of the people in our department,” Davis notes. “The hub for my office will be where the support people are, so I always know where to go to be around the head of the office or where I can retrieve a resource I need, even though the rest of my office may not necessarily be right there.”