Harrisburg, PA – Today, Secretary of Administration Neil Weaver and Department of General Services (DGS) Secretary Reggie McNeil shared new milestones in the Shapiro Administration’s statewide effort to modernize Commonwealth office space, strengthen collaboration through balanced hybrid work, and deliver significant long-term savings for taxpayers.
As part of this initiative, more than 5,700 additional Commonwealth employees — nearly 60 percent of them in Dauphin County — are working in the office at least two days per week, reinforcing collaboration, mentorship, and team engagement among staff. In 2025, the number of employees working in Dauphin County who report to the office three or more days per week increased by 56 percent. Statewide, approximately 65 percent of Commonwealth employees under the Governor’s jurisdiction report to a worksite full-time and do not telework, while fewer than 1.5 percent work remotely full-time — down from 9 percent at the start of the Shapiro Administration.
“As employee expectations evolve, we are making clear that in-person work matters,” said Secretary Weaver. “The Shapiro Administration is strengthening in-office collaboration while ensuring the Commonwealth remains a competitive employer. This approach supports teamwork, professional development, and a strong public service culture — while delivering real value to taxpayers.”
In June 2025, OA updated work arrangements for approximately 870 information technology employees to increase in-office presence. Since then, 14 additional state agencies have implemented similar changes, with four more agencies completing the transition later this year.
Under Governor Shapiro’s leadership, the Office of Administration (OA) has prioritized expanding opportunities for Pennsylvanians who want to serve the Commonwealth and attracting highly qualified and motivated individuals to careers in public service. As the agency responsible for human resources, recruitment, and hiring, OA works to ensure the Commonwealth offers competitive benefits and workplaces that allow employees to do their best work for Pennsylvanians. OA’s telework strategy supports recruitment and flexibility while prioritizing in-person collaboration, relationship-building, mentorship, culture, and engagement — outcomes that are most effective when employees work together in shared workplaces.
At the same time, the Commonwealth is reducing its reliance on leased office space and reinvesting in modern, collaborative environments within state-owned buildings through DGS’s Space Optimization and Utilization Project (SOUP).
“SOUP is about making sure our buildings work as hard as our employees do,” said Secretary McNeil. “By bringing more employees back into modernized, state-owned offices and reducing leased space, we’re saving taxpayer dollars while creating better places for people to work together.”
Launched in February 2025, SOUP is a statewide initiative to modernize how the Commonwealth uses office space by reducing leased properties and optimizing state-owned facilities to support today’s hybrid work environment. In FY 2024–25, DGS completed 23 optimization projects, reducing the Commonwealth’s footprint by more than 103,000 square feet and generating over $3.5 million in annual lease savings. One of those projects included the newly modernized Forum Place — one of the largest SOUP undertakings to date — covering approximately 150,000 square feet across 12 agencies. By 2033, SOUP is projected to deliver approximately $180 million in total savings. The 2025–26 budget invests more than $15 million to continue this work.
This effort reflects the Shapiro Administration’s broader commitment to fiscal responsibility, workforce excellence, and delivering effective, efficient government for the people of Pennsylvania.
For more information about the Space Optimization & Utilization Project, visit the SOUP webpage.
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