The way government works is evolving – from cross-civil service teams collaborating more on complex policy challenges, to the growing use of AI and digital tools. There’s a drive to be faster, more joined-up and more effective in delivery, and if we want that effort to succeed then the workplace has to play its part.
That’s where the Government Property Agency comes in. As the workplace partner for government departments and bodies, it’s our job to think about how the estate can help people’s productivity, support positive outcomes for the public and make smarter use of taxpayers’ money.
Good design is essential and we have been putting in the hours to refresh the Government Workplace Design Guide, setting out the standards and principles we believe should shape government workplaces, and just as importantly, how to put them into action.
The updated guide consolidates and simplifies existing requirements and design principles in a more streamlined format, making them easier to understand and use for the delivery teams, departments and stakeholders involved in commissioning, planning, designing and managing government workplaces.
The new Core Design Requirements give a practical, measurable benchmark for quality, organised around six pillars: inclusivity, customer focus, digital connectivity, safety and security, sustainability and consistency.
This helps teams take a holistic view, considering how a space works in practice – for the people using it, the departmental work it supports and its role as part of the government’s office estate.
So, what impact should this have moving forward?
One standard, everywhere
First is the power of consistency. The updated guide sets out a clear vision for the government office estate wherever a building is located, and regardless of whether it is a new hub or a refurbished property. We recognise that if the civil service is to attract and retain the best talent across the UK, the quality of someone’s workplace should not depend on where they are based or which building they use.
Inclusive design is at the core of what we want to achieve. A small example is entry specifications for any government building. Where possible, the aim is to have one entrance for everyone that is level and non-mechanised (but nevertheless secure), enhancing circulation and accessibility – eliminating the need to have a separate route for wheelchair users. This is because the message matters as much as the physical design: everyone’s needs are given the same weight, and all are served.
Design can be the difference between a workplace that enhances performance and is a joy to work in, and one that gets in the way. With 217 properties in our portfolio serving more than 125,000 civil servants, getting it right can have a significant impact for the people using our buildings and the departments we support – ultimately making it easier to do the work of government and fuelling that push for more effective policy outcomes.
The Core Design Requirements are specific where it matters, for example, setting out a balanced mix of provision of each of the three key work zones: supporting focused work, meetings and collaborative working, and team home zones in each office while still allowing flexibility where departmental requirements justify it. They also extend beyond formal work settings, with guidance around refreshment and breakout areas and support facilities like recovery and reflection spaces being accessible to everyone.
A yardstick for success
The second impact is that the design guide gives us a strong basis for improved decision-making in the long term, helping us to assess the most important upgrades for buildings and where investment can deliver the biggest positive results.
The Core Design Requirements are already informing projects including York Central, 36 Whitehall and Manchester Digital Campus. We are also consulting with design teams at heritage buildings occupied by the Foreign Office and HM Treasury to harness best practice to enhance performance of their spaces in a more targeted way.
Across each of these projects, the framework provides a set of standards from the earliest stages of planning through to delivery, ensuring that key design principles can be measured and tracked throughout a building's lifecycle. In practice this means core pillars like inclusivity, customer focus, safety and others are considered from the outset rather than added later. The Core Design Requirements also bring to the forefront important sustainability considerations like enhancing biodiversity of each site whether old or new, and targeting 100% BREEAM ecology credits for projects in development.
Better places to deliver public service
The updated guide will not solve every challenge on its own. Not every building yet delivers the standard people should expect, and we know there is room for improvement.
The new guide is, however, a considerable step in the right direction towards raising standards, making them easier to apply and allowing us to improve the estate over time. For civil servants, the benefit should be felt in the ordinary working day: fewer frictions, stronger digital connectivity and spaces that support both focus and collaboration.
Sam Carey-Smith is head of workplace design, innovation and assurance at the Government Property Agency