GAO Finds that GSA Did Not Conduct Workforce Planning Before Staffing Reductions at Public Buildings Service

In April 2026, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a performance audit of the General Services Administration (GSA)’s reorganization of the Public Buildings Service, which provides workspace for hundreds of thousands of federal employees. GAO concluded that the reorganization did not align with leading practices for agency reform and recommended the agency conduct strategic workforce planning and develop a strategy to solicit and incorporate feedback from employees. As part of the audit, GAO observed that "Public Buildings Service officials said the agency did not conduct workforce planning before reducing its workforce by 45 percent as of November 2025." As a result, many agencies reported that they "have felt the effects of the large staffing reductions at the Public Buildings Service, with one tenant agency noting delays in service."