U.S. Office of Personnel Management www.opm.gov - Recruiting, Retaining and Honoring a World-Class Workforce to Serve the American People

IDENTIFYING & RESOLVING TELEWORK ISSUES

The Department of Energy’s EXPERIENCE.....

1. Other Desirable Telework Goals

• cost savings
  • office space
  • computer upgrades
  • transportation subsidies
• energy savings
  • gasoline /utilities
• promoting the President’s agenda
  • e-government

2. "Results" Beyond Deliverables

• are the customers satisfied?
  • is the supervisor well informed?
  • are the colleagues overburdened?
• are the teleworkers satisfied?
  • do they feel pressure to "over-achieve"?
  • are support services too hard to access?
  • are documentation requirement excessive?

3. Who is the "right" teleworking employee?

• the "high performer"?
• the "self starter"?
• the right "relater"?

4. What is the "right" position?

• automatic inclusion of all positions - case by case exceptions
• former factors that are no longer as significant:
  • interaction needs
  • security
  • supervisory responsibilities

5. Managing Performance - Planning

• Standards:
  • product oriented
  • action plans with time tables a must
  • make tasks "do-able at a distance"
• Time frames:
  • don’t think in a line--think in time blocks

6. Managing Performance - Monitoring

• Interacting:
  • understand distinctions between distance v. on-site interacting

• Reporting:
  • compare distance v. on-site requirements

7. The Dreaded Poor Performer

• separate conduct from performance
• look for performance patterns (this is where planning comes in handy!)
• determine degree of supervisory review required for correction

8. Handy Reminders

• telework IS another way of doing business
• teleworking is NOT a privilege OR a right
• teleworking CAN be flexible -- routine, situational, medical
• telework cost savings CAN be measured

To Top