"We provided our AgilWork e-learning training to
about 5,000 managers," said Wister Jefferson, the
GSA account manager for AgilQuest. "We didn't
cover things like how to book a space — that
was provided separately. AgilWork was change
management training for the managers. It not
only showed them how to work in this new
mobile environment, but also how to work with
their employees."
Aside from the formal training offered by vendors,
employees eased into the changes gradually with
living labs and the informal pilots that played out
as a result of the swing spaces.
"Because [early in the renovation] they had to
swing out, employees were forced to move into
that environment temporarily before it was
permanent," said Linda Osgood, who, at the time,
was the chief of staff for the Public Building
Service, one of GSA's two main services (presently
she's the managing director of The Building
People, a corporate real estate and facilities
consultancy). "At the same time, the Public
Building Service stayed in 1800 F and squished
together on the third floor, and started mimicking
those new behaviors: desk-sharing, using the
AgilQuest system, scanning files to get rid of paper
— all that stuff that changes the culture."
