After salaries, the second biggest administrative cost to government is its estate. Valued at £370bn in 2009, with running costs of more than £20bn, government’s thousands of buildings have rich potential for efficiency savings.
Many initiatives have been aimed at cutting the government’s vast estate while maintaining or even boosting productivity: department office mergers, such as DCLG moving in with the Home Office; the rise of home working; reducing office space for mobile workers, such as traffic wardens and social workers; and relocating offices to areas in need of regeneration.
But there are many challenges. Mobile workers might not need day-to-day working space, but those working in stressful circumstances may want somewhere to unwind. Not all staff have the facilities or technology to work from home. Badly redesigned office spaces could affect morale and reduce productivity.
So what should a government workplace look like? How can the state reduce the cost of buildings upkeep without making things worse for its employees? On Friday 5 December, from noon until 2pm, the expert panellists will discuss:
• some of the initiatives taking place in the public sector to reduce the cost of government property
• how redesigning spaces can affect productivity and employee development
• the challenges of estate management
• how to mitigate those challenges.
The livechat takes place in the comments section below this article. Taking part is easy: you can create a free Guardian account, or log in using your Twitter or Facebook profiles to comment. Alternatively, you can tweet us @Guardianpublic or email any questions to tamsin.rutter@theguardian.com. Also contact Tamsin to be considered for the expert panel.
Expert panel
Stephen Jacobs, senior programme manager of the One Public Estate programme, Local Government Association
Mark Langdale, partner for central government, EC Harris
Ginny Gibson, professor of corporate real estate and deputy dean, Henley Business School
Mark Widdup, director of economy and environment at Rochdale borough council
Joseph Harrington, partner and co-head of service design at the Innovation Unit. He will be online from 1-2pm.
Brian Quinn, cabe (commission for architecture and the built environment) adviser at the Design Council
Mike Thomas, managing director of PSNGB
Paul Norbury, director of 5plus architects
This livechat is supported by EC Harris.
