U.S. Office of Personnel Management - Ensuring the Federal Government has an effective civilian workforce

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Teleworking

Glenn Woodley
U.S. General Services Administration
Office of Governmentwide Policy

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What is it?

Telework=Telecommuting=Flexiplace=Mobile/Portable Careers

• Work-at-Home
• Telework Centers
• Other Convenient Worksites

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Something for All!

Employer

• Attract & Retain New Workers
• Increase Employee Satisfaction
• Increase Employee Productivity
• Reduce Absenteeism
• Reduce Office Space

Employee

• Reduce Commuting Time
• Greater Ability to Manage Worklife
• Reduce Job-related Costs
• Provide Better Work Environment
• Reduce Stress

Society

• Reduce Traffic Congestion
• Reduce Air Pollution
• Accomodate the Disabled
• Promote family-friendly workplace
• Reduce Overhead Costs

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It’s now the law!

PL 106-346, 359:Each executive agency shall establish a policy under which eligible employees of the agency may participate in telecommuting to the maximum extent possible without diminished employee performance . . . .

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And, the law continues . . .

Not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall provide that the requirements of this section are applied to 25 percent of the Federal workforce, and to an additional 25 percent of such workforce each year thereafter.

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Statistics

• 1990 - 3.4
• 1994 - 9.1
• 1997 - 11.1
• 1998 - 15.7
• 1999 - 19.6
• 2000 - 23.6
• 2001 - 28.8
  
  

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FEDERAL TELEWORK

Progress
OPM, January 2002

• 4.2% KNOWN to be teleworking.
• Half of increase from DoD alone.
• 14.3% of eligibles teleworking.
• 13 agencies reported 20% or more eligibles teleworking.

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Who does it?

• Writers
• Lawyers
• Analysts
• Scientists
• Engineers
• Inspectors
• Accountants
• Programmers
• Clerical Workers
• Claims Processors
• Teachers/Trainers
• Medical Technologies
• Procurement Specialists
• Service Representatives

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Characteristics

• Portable Work
• Ability to Work Independently
• Acceptable Level ofPerformance
• Management by Results!

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Initiatives

• Studies
• Web-based training
• Additional guidance
• More legislation/hearings?
• Free trial use of telework centers
• Spouse Telework Employment Program (STEP)

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Telework Issues Working Group

An interagency initiative to:

• review,
• assess, and
• recommend, policy changes that will facilitate agency use.

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Group Members

• Agriculture
• Coast Guard
• Commerce
• Defense
• Education
• Energy
• GSA
• HHS
• Labor
• Nat’l Science Foundation
• OPM
• State
• TVA
• Transportation
• USAID
• Veterans’ Affairs

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What?

• Legal/Procurement
• Telecommunications/Computers& Other Equipment
• Human Resources Management

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and what’s more?

• Worksite Health/Safety
• Continuity of Operations Program
• Training & General Support
• Taxes

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Technology Barriers Study

H.R. 4871, House Report 106-756:

"identify and develop a plan to resolve technology barrier issues that impede the creation of home workstations for Federal employees."

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Representative Agencies

• Commerce
• Defense
  • DISA
  • NIMA
• FTC
• GSA
• Interior
• Justice
• NASA
• HHS
• Treasury
• Veterans’ Affairs

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What?

• 80% use dial-up connections
• 50% use computers provided by agency; 63% software
• 27% provided with second phone line or cell phone by agency

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and what’s more?

• Teleworkers reported fewer technology barriers than their managers did.
• Teleworkers and their managers rated equipment and software performance similarly.

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Resources

• Telework.gov
• GSA Telework Listserv
• Telecommute.org
• ITAC Telework News
• Recent Publications
  

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OPM Director Kay Coles James Speaks to Federal Managers

January 25, 2002

"In case you haven’t gotten the message, telework is here to stay and you are going to do it, and you are going to love it!"