As Georgia Tech moves toward an in-person work model for the 2025–26 academic year, teams in Infrastructure and Sustainability are supporting the Institute by working with department and unit leads to assess their facilities-related needs and provide them with recommendations and best practices to enable in-person work. 
 

Space Management Best Practices

Effective space and facilities management are vital for creating functional, efficient, and supportive workspaces for individuals and teams. The guidance below outlines strategies for modifying, repurposing, and improving existing spaces to accommodate evolving work dynamics.

image of two employees working at a desk and a standing desk

Utilizing Workspace
 

  • Having multiple assigned offices for a single employee is not considered a good use of campus resources.
  • Part-time faculty, staff, and students should utilize a shared hoteling location rather than an individual assigned office.
  • Offices 150 square feet or larger are good candidates for double occupancy.
  • Repurpose underutilized conference spaces, work rooms, storage spaces, or common areas for assigned workspaces.
  • Consider consolidated hoteling approaches across departments in your college or unit so that workspace is well utilized and available when needed by employees. Shared common area seating in building lobbies and corridors can support the space needs for employees visiting campus for a short term.   

Optimize Shared Space
 

  • Consider factors such as collaborative space and access to shared resources.  Establish scheduling systems for shared spaces to ensure availability and efficiency.
  • Identify spaces that can be multi-purpose. For example, student employees can work in a shared workroom. Underutilized breakroom cabinets can be used for departmental storage needs.
  • Storage needs should be carefully assessed and minimized. Storage of items in a space large enough and adequately equipped to serve as an office space is discouraged. 

Using Technologies to Improve Workspaces 
 

  • Virtual meetings can be held in shared office environments if occupants maintain a respectful volume and mute their microphones when not speaking. Headphones with noise canceling microphones can minimize ambient noise transmission. White noise machines can also greatly improve occupant comfort in open office environments.
  • Encourage constructive feedback and adapt. Include the team in developing and agreeing upon office best practices in a shared work environment. Encourage ongoing dialogue about space utilization and necessary adjustments and adapt as needed based on feedback and evolving team dynamics.  

Other Resources

If you have questions about how to improve your workspace, email IS-workspace@gatech.edu.