Hubbard Radio Washington DC, LLC. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
More federal agencies are knocking down office walls and putting employees in shared spaces. Proponents say it helps collaboration. It also complies with an Obama administration mandate to consolidate real estate. Federal News Radio’s two-part special report, Surviving open offices with disabilities, examines the impact on the hardest-hit employees. This report follows a Federal News Radio online survey, which showed that many feds have doubts about the trend.
The lack of privacy and quiet is a nuisance to many federal employees. But those with disabilities see the trend toward shared office space in much starker terms.
At the Administration for Community Living, many employees have disabilities. Right now, most of them have private or semi-private offices. As Emily Kopp reports, that's about to change.
Ned Holland is the assistant secretary for administration at Health and Human Services. He tells Federal News Radio's Emily Kopp that HHS is rapidly consolidating its buildings under a White House directive. As it does so, it's turning to open offices.
Springboard Consulting advises employers on ways to accommodate employees with disabilities. CEO Nadine Vogel tells Federal News Radio's Emily Kopp that she's been hearing an earful from employees concerned about moving to open offices.
With creativity and communication, agencies and employees can solve many of the problems that occur when people, including those with disabilities, move to open offices.
As Emily Kopp reports, common and inexpensive tools, technology and tricks can solve many of the problems of open offices, even for those with disabilities.