By October 2023, SJSC “State Real Estate” (SRE) in cooperation with state administrative institutions will develop a plan for the creation of a public sector office and co-working spaces. By implementing the new concept, the consumption of office resources and the used premises will be reduced by almost 50%, as well as the well-being of employees will be enhanced, says Andris Vārna, Member of the Board of SRE.
SRE, in cooperation with clients, has realised the direct need of public administration institutions for new and modern office premises in the centre of Riga. The requirements of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Economics and their subordinate institutions for new and sustainable office and co-working spaces have been gathered. It was concluded that currently the surveyed institutions use approximately 63,500 m2. When implementing the new concept, the approximate area required for more than 3,000 employees would be from 30,000–38,000 m 2. By introducing the concept of the future office, the consumption of office resources will decrease, employees will have the opportunity to work from any place in Latvia and abroad, their well-being will improve, as well as cross-sectoral cooperation will be fostered.
For example, by completely reconstructing the property at Republikas laukums 2, Riga, it is possible to turn it into a modern office centre, simultaneously increasing the efficiency and value of the building's use, providing 1,800 employees with adequate office space. The reconstruction of the office building will significantly increase its efficiency and provide opportunities for the optimisation of office space; however, its capacity is not sufficient to ensure and solve all the needs and desires for office space of the direct state administrative institutions mentioned in the report. SRE owns real estate at Elizabetes iela 2 and Kronvalda bulvāris 6, Riga, which are suitable for the optimisation of the office space of direct state administration institutions and are currently unused; therefore, the informative report was significantly expanded, including both properties. By implementing the renovation of the properties, suitable work places would be provided for approximately 1,400 employees of the state administration. If necessary, other immovable properties of the state or state capital companies will also be considered for public sector optimisation.
In cooperation with the State Chancellery, SRE is actively working on solutions for the new work organisation in the public administration, which includes the implementation of the “Office of the Future” concept. In the course of the development of the comprehensive solution, the needs of the ministries and their subordinate institutions for modern work spaces, sustainable office and co-working spaces will be gathered, as well as solutions will be created for the use of unused spaces for the needs of the public sector.
“One of the strategic goals of the operations of SRE is to ensure the management and development of real estate necessary for the implementation of the functions of state institutions. The creation of modern office premises significantly improves the working environment, enhances the well-being of employees, promotes the efficient use of premises and resources, and also allows the saving of state resources. Also, the public sector and the colleagues working in it deserve an appropriate and motivating work environment that meets the requirements and format of the current work environment. At the moment, the only public sector institution that has fully implemented the new office guidelines is SRE, but in the co-working pilot project of state institutions implemented in the summer, we hosted more than 400 public sector colleagues from 33 public sector institutions in the activity-based office, which proves the readiness of the sector to introduce the necessary changes,” says A. Vārna.
On 29 November 2022, the Cabinet of Ministers reviewed an informative report on the possibilities of optimising the office premises of direct state administration institutions in Riga. The report was prepared following the resolution of the Prime Minister of 9 September 2021, which ordered ensuring the conduct of research on the possibilities of optimising the office premises of direct state administration institutions, evaluating the real estate owned by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Latvia at Republikas laukums 2, Riga.
