PLASTARC Supports Return to Office for Federal Workforce with GSA

NEW YORK, Oct. 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Workplace strategy consultancy PLASTARC, along with STUDIOS Architecture, provided peer review of the GSA Return to Workplace Strategy Book, authored by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and Gensler. The resource, now available from the GSA, is meant to guide organizations and agencies through the physical, managerial, and cultural challenges they may face when planning for a safe and effective return to the workplace. PLASTARC enriched the document with human-centric workplace expertise and experience with clients from across industries.

PLASTARC's contribution to the GSA Return to Workplace Strategy Book focused principally on behavioral elements of office reentry, leveraging their knowledge of the relationship between buildings and people. Protecting wellness relies on the willing participation and cooperation of occupants. As advocates for a people-centric approach to the future of workplaces, PLASTARC recommended key improvements to the structure of the materials in support of empowering individual employees.

When it comes to ensuring wellness, human behavior—from following one-way signage and wearing masks to deciding when to come into the office—is every bit as important as the physical environment. Organizations will be most successful if they learn from this unique moment and incorporate human-centric workplace transformations. Environments that offer shared resources—like open-plan offices—present unique COVID-related challenges, but GSA continues to lead in workplace by advancing collaboration through design while still protecting wellness.

The GSA's recommendations are often influential, even outside the public sector. The agency services one of the world's largest real estate portfolios as well as the facilities and equipment of federal offices. GSA has previously published industry-leading research on circadian lighting in the workplace and office acoustics. PLASTARC has previously worked with the GSA to produce a set of tools designed to democratize the process of change management and empower people throughout an organization.

Based on its experience offering office reentry advisory since early this year, PLASTARC has developed a 10-point roadmap and a guide to remaining happy and healthy while working from anywhere. They also recently announced the formation of the Workwell Coalition. This industry group offers a full array of services—from engineering and operations consulting to legal and change leadership—to support companies as they return to offices post-lockdown.

About PLASTARC
PLASTARC is a social science-based workplace consultancy. By blending qualitative and quantitative research with expertise in design and change leadership, PLASTARC provides clients with unique insights that promote healthier and higher-performing spaces.

Media Contact:
Roger Marsh
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SOURCE PLASTARC