DEPARTMENT: Parks, Facilities, and Fleet Management
FILE TYPE: Regular Information
TITLE
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Update On Future Space Planning
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PURPOSE/ACTION REQUESTED
Receive an update on future space planning.
SUMMARY
In June 2022, the Office of the County Manager presented to the Board an overview of changes to staff work schedules as a result of the pandemic. With more staff working hybrid work schedules, there are opportunities to rethink how we use some of our office space.
Staff hired Gensler Architects, a national leader in workspace planning, to identify future office needs and to determine areas ready for change. To facilitate that effort, Workspace Worksheets were developed to gather direction from managers and supervisors on past office use and expected future office use. In July and August 2022, the Worksheets were then rolled out by Division after meetings with each Division’s management. In the Worksheet, managers were also asked how they envisioned their work area changing to meet new needs.
A workplace survey was developed by staff and Gensler and sent out in September 2022. It mirrored Gensler’s questions and themes in the workplace survey done for the county in 2021. Completing the survey two years in a row allows staff to compare the data year over year, and staff is also able to compare the data to national and international trends (see Attachment: Survey Results).
In October 2022, Gensler then compiled the data from both the managers’ worksheets and the all-staff survey to help staff identify the area’s most ripe for change. These floor plates take into consideration the number of days managers and staff identified for in-office work. The best opportunities for space consolidation may be within Community Services’ space at Western Service Center and Northern Service Center and within Enterprise Finance & Information Services’ and County Administration’s spaces at the Administration Center (see Attachment: Return to Office Analysis).
Based on these outcomes, Capital Projects Management staff is now ready to work with small groups of staff from these identified areas to make physical changes to the old work areas. These changes will decrease overall work area while supporting workers who will be in the office two or fewer days per week. Following these 2023 test cases, future large-scale projects will be proposed in the usual Capital Improvement Plan process (Buildings CIP).
RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
Information only; no action requested
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EXPLANATION OF FISCAL/FTE IMPACTS
None at this time. Funding for future work will be included in the Buildings Capital Improvement Program.
☒ None ☐ Current budget ☐ Other
☐ Amendment Requested ☐ New FTE(s) requested
RESOLUTION
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Information only; no action requested.
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PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION
None.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment: 2022 Return to Office Analysis
Attachment: 2022 Survey Results
BOARD GOALS
☐ A Great Place to Live ☐ A Healthy Environment
☒ A Successful Place for Business and Jobs ☐ Excellence in Public Service
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT LEVEL
☐ Inform and Listen ☐ Discuss ☐ Involve ☒ N/A
CONTACT
Department Head: Taud Hoopingarner
Author: Christina Johnson