The Generalitat is currently restructuring its real estate assets with the goal of reclaiming ownership of its buildings and eliminating current rental expenses. This initiative relies on a 2021 executive instruction approved by Pere Aragonès's government, which mandates that any renovation or relocation of public services must optimize workspace usage. Under these new regulations, workspaces are generally limited to accommodating only 70% of the total workforce, requiring employees to adopt a hot-desking system without fixed seats and utilize remote work as an alternative.
While the policy has already been implemented in several buildings, projections indicate it will affect 11,745 workers in Barcelona alone by 2037. According to a document from the Department of Economy and Finance, this figure represents employees currently housed in leased properties with contracts expiring in the coming years. The breakdown shows that 2,304 workers already have relocation plans, 1,091 are in buildings with leases ending between 2027 and 2029, and 8,350 occupy spaces where contracts expire between 2030 and 2037. The administration's strategy focuses on two main pillars: relocating staff to owned properties and achieving efficiency through hybrid work models.
The driving force behind this shift is the desire to reduce the high rental costs paid by the Generalitat, particularly in Barcelona. In 2023, the administration owned only 22% of its office space while paying 86 million euros in rent, with 81 million of that amount dedicated to Barcelona properties. The goal is to increase ownership to 68% by 2038. As part of this effort, the Generalitat purchased half of the former Bank of Spain headquarters for 58.4 million euros last March. Every new acquisition, comprehensive renovation, or service relocation must now adhere to the 2021 order, which promotes open-plan layouts where only senior officials retain private offices.
Since the approval of this order, these criteria have been applied in approximately fifteen buildings, generating a net savings of 275.4 million euros. Examples include optimizations at two Agriculture Department buildings, the renovation of the Infraestructures.cat facility, and the restructuring of the Social Rights headquarters. The policy will also apply to the Culture Department's reorganization, specifically at the Institut Català de les Empreses Culturals (ICEC) building. Once renovations are complete, employees there will be required to reserve desks via a computer system and schedule their remote work days in advance when physical space is unavailable.
These changes occur within a broader context where Salvador Illa's executive branch prioritizes increasing productivity and has signaled a preference for greater in-person attendance. Although no specific instruction mandates this shift yet, Albert Dalmau, the Minister of Presidency, eliminated remote work options for senior officials in January 2025. In June, the government proposed a bonus of up to 200 euros for civil servants who voluntarily gave up remote work, but the offer was withdrawn after failing to convince trade unions. Current data indicates that out of nearly 280,000 public sector employees, approximately 14,900 currently hold permits to work remotely two or three days a week.
Sources: El País Portada.