Transforming a government workplace amid change fatigue

When the Australian Government's Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) sought to bring into the same office two workforces with vastly different office cultures, the proof that successful change is about people, not property, came early and often.

While staff in the Canberra building at 51 Allara Street had already dabbled in flexible working, their colleagues in the nearby John Gorton Building had never worked without allocated desks. The consolidation in 2026 would test whether both groups could thrive under one roof.

Working with JLL's Project and Development Services teams, the department navigated three common challenges that define government workplace transformation. In this guide, you’ll learn about the hurdles it faced, along with three replicable strategies for workplace change that sticks.

When consolidation was announced, both groups had understandable concerns. Some wondered how flexible seating would work, while others wanted clarity about facilities and parking. The most common question was how teams would stay connected during transition.

For staff who attended the office regularly, the prospect of losing a permanently allocated workstation felt like a genuine loss, even if the concerns seemed minor from the outside.

This tension reflects a wider global shift. JLL’s 2026 Global Occupancy Planning Benchmark Report reveals that 62% of organisations require a fixed number of in-office days. However, investment in change management programmes has declined from 40% in 2025 to 31% in 2026, reflecting a possible shift from persuading employees to enforcing presence. “When organisations conduct change without proper transition support, they risk securing compliance without genuine engagement,” says Shaun Rogers, director, Workplace Change and Communications, JLL.

The turning point

DCCEEW’s change management approach succeeded by being transparent about what had been decided and where staff input could genuinely shape outcomes. The consolidation timeline and building location were confirmed, but staff were given agency to shape daily workplace behaviours, desk-booking approaches, team collaboration spaces and transition support.

By establishing executive sponsorship, placing change agents within business areas and creating open consultation pathways like site walkthroughs, the project team built confidence throughout the transition.

The takeaway

Identify every group the project affects and what matters most about their current workspace; Before consultation, clarify which decisions are confirmed and where input can shape outcomes; Establish change champions who understand local context.

Government workplace projects attract intense scrutiny around value for money, meaning DCCEEW needed to ensure flexible working would succeed before implementing it across the consolidated space.

The turning point

The department piloted flexible working at 51 Allara Street well before the major consolidation. This allowed staff to become familiar with storage solutions, lockers and new technology in an environment they already knew, creating space for questions and adjustments. Spreading the transition over time reduced anxiety and built collective confidence.

The project also incorporated sustainability initiatives aligned with the department's mission. The team sourced reused furniture to deliver cost and environmental benefits, and invested in modular settings that could adapt as team structures evolved.

"Organisational structures and team sizes change so investing in furniture that can be moved means savings down the track," Rogers observes.

The takeaway

Test new approaches in your current environment first to surface questions early when they are easier to address. Phase your transformation so people experience changes gradually rather than all at once, and consider refurbished furniture options to track both cost and sustainability benefits.

Following consolidation, DCCEEW wanted to understand what influenced office attendance. Surveys revealed that while the quality of the physical environment was valued, it was not the primary driver. Instead, staff consistently said their attendance decisions were most influenced by whether their colleagues would be there too.

"The value proposition for workplace attendance was not the physical workplace alone. It was the opportunity to connect, collaborate and engage with others," explains Harriet Lovgren, acting assistant director - Enterprise Change Management, DCCEEW.

On one particular day, the building café offered $2 muffins and coffees, and attendance increased considerably. The response proved that while social connections draw people through the door, the layout must support them once they arrive. This aligns with JLL research highlighting that getting people to the office is only the first step – presence doesn’t equal progress.

"The real test of a workplace strategy isn't whether you can get employees through the door, but whether they can actually do their best work once they're there," Rogers explains. "Our research shows 51% of office time is spent on focused, individual work. If a design over-indexes on collaborative areas at the expense of quiet zones, it creates a new point of friction where employees feel home is better suited for their core tasks."

The turning point

Site walkthroughs helped people visualise how the new space would work, but the department, with JLL, also learned that ongoing programming matters as much as initial design.

During consultation, staff suggested activities ranging from office events to collaborative team days. While not all ideas fit government budget parameters, they revealed genuine insights about what creates connection and community at work.

The takeaway

Offer site visits well before finalisation so people can experience proposed spaces firsthand. Ask directly what would make the office a place people want to be, schedule coordinated team days to give people shared reasons to attend, and monitor attendance patterns to understand what resonates most with the workforce.

Ultimately, the office must act as a "gym for the mind" – a space that eliminates daily friction and provides the exact tools required for high-level flow and focus.

"Workplace transformation is a people change programme enabled by property, rather than a property project with some change management added on," Rogers reflects. "The future challenge for agencies is creating compelling reasons for people to want to use attractive workspaces."

By treating workplace transformation as a people programme first, government agencies can achieve outcomes that balance operational efficiency with genuine employee experience.

This article draws on insights shared by Shaun Rogers, JLL's director of workplace change and communications, and Harriet Lovgren, DCCEEW's assistant director, Enterprise Change Management, at the CoreNet Government Forum in July 2026.