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U. S. Office of Personnel Management

Telework Briefing Kit

This Briefing Kit is primarily intended for use in promoting telework to Federal agency managers. It may also be used as a guide for briefing employees and their supervisors who are beginning telework arrangements.

The Kit is organized into three parts and includes:

Guidelines with how-to tips for conducting a briefing.

Talking Points and Sample Slides outlining key information and suggestions to deliver your briefing. The pages in this area provide the talking points along with links to a GIF images of each slide presentation. An additional link allows you to download an Adobe PDF (Portable Data Format) version of the same file.

Visual Aids and Handouts which include information about telework videos, ideas about handout materials, and sample slides which may be duplicated to make transparencies.

All information in the Kit is based upon U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) general policy guidelines to agencies. Individual agency policies will vary, so be sure to review all information carefully and make any adjustments necessary.

Guidelines

Who Should be Invited to Briefings and When?

It is important to brief agency leaders and union officials about telework, and to air issues and concerns very early in the development of an agency's policy. It is also important to inform employees and supervisors about agency policies and guidelines before telework begins. Everyone who will telework, supervise a teleworker, or coordinate or evaluate an agency's program may benefit from a briefing. Such practices have been shown to be the most effective tools for ensuring the success of telework programs.

How Should Briefings be Conducted?

Those who conduct briefings should tailor the guidelines and materials in this Kit to fit their own presentation style, the size of the audience, and the agency's needs.

Each agency's culture, mission, and location will undoubtedly influence how a promotional briefing will be handled. An employee and his/her supervisor who are beginning telework, usually benefit the most from a joint briefing to ensure a common awareness and understanding of all the issues, concerns, and guidelines. Small groups of 10-15 participants often provide the best opportunity for discussing issues and concerns. Larger groups may be divided into small discussion groups.

Participants should be encouraged to raise issues and openly express concerns. They should be steered towards available resources within the agency and encouraged, as appropriate, to develop their own solutions to issues and concerns.

What Kind of Preparation is Needed?

You need to:

  1. Identify who should attend the briefing(s), invite them, and confirm their attendance (for smaller groups).


  2. Identify and schedule an appropriate training facility and make arrangements for any audiovisual equipment. Arrange the meeting facility to comport with your briefing approach and the number of people you expect to attend. (Tables with 4-6 chairs work best for small discussion groups. A large table surrounded by chairs or chairs lined up in rows work better for large groups.)


  3. Obtain and/or copy appropriate visual aids (videos, slides) and handouts. (See sample materials and suggested aids in the Visual Aids and Handouts part of this Kit. You may also wish to copy your slides as handouts for participants.)


  4. Review the talking points and slides and make any modifications which may be needed for your agency's telework policy and your individual presentation style. Preview any video you plan to use. You should also review any pertinent agency guidance and/or OPM's Balancing Work and Family Demands Through telework (referenced in the Visual Aids and Handouts section).


  5. Dry run your presentation beforehand to familiarize yourself with the material, to anticipate how much time you will need, and to determine if you can be heard and your visual aids can be seen from all perspectives of the meeting facility. (Ask a colleague to critique your presentation.)

Where Can More Help be Found?

Contact the Work and Family Program Center at 202-606-1858, FAX 202-606-2091, or email worklife@opm.gov.

Visual Aids and Handouts

Visual aids and handouts always enhance a presentation. Provided here are:

Disclaimer About Videos

The names of some non-U.S. Government service providers and other entities have been included in this Kit merely as an initial information service to the user. The mention of providers and other entities by name does not constitute official sanction or endorsement of the provider or entity by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management or the U.S. Government.

 

What Videos are Available?

The following videotapes provide useful information about telework/telecommuting and its role in the workplace:

This video from the Oregon Office of Energy gives an overview of telework, how it can benefit an organization and what it takes to set it up. This video, and accompanying workbook may be obtained from the Telework Collaborative, which is a joint venture of Arizona, California, Oregon, (Texas) and Washington States. The cost is $98.95 plus $4.00 for shipping. The video is also available as open-captioned for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing. For more information or to order, contact: Barbara Carey at 503-378-8444 or FAX 503-373-7806.

This video is also available on loan from the Office of Work/Life Programs, in Washington, DC to local area Federal agencies. For more information, contact the Office at 202-606-1858, FAX 202-606-2091, or email worklife@opm.gov.

This is a complete training package from the Oregon Office of Energy intended for use by both supervisors and employees. The video and accompanying workbook are available as a package from the Telework Collaborative at a cost of $149.95 plus $4.00 for shipping and handling. The video is also available as open-captioned for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing. For more information or to order, contact: Barbara Carey at 503-378-8444.

This video from the Oregon Office of Energy features managers and supervisors talking about their experiences managing employees who telework and sharing their ideas about how to manage teleworkerssuccessfully. An accompanying guide contains tips and forms which can be useful in managing teleworker. The video and guide are available as a package from the Telework Collaborative for $149.95 plus $9.50 shipping and handling. The video is also available as open-captioned for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing. For more information or to order, contact: Barbara Carey at 503-378-8444 or FAX 503-373-7806.

COMPLETE PACKAGE (all three videos above) - The complete package includes the three kits and the step-by-step guidebook. Purchase all four and receive a 30% discount off the individual prices. Cost: $348.46 plus $9.50 shipping and handling.

This video addresses the fears and concerns about telework of the stereo-typical, highly skeptical manager. The video is available from Gil Gordon Associates at a cost of $125 plus shipping and handling. For more information or to order, contact: Gil Gordon, 10 Donner Court, Monmouth Junction, NJ 08852, email: gilgordon99@cs.com; phone: (732) 329-2266; Fax: (732) 329-2703.

This is a new 20-minute video produced by the Midwest Institute for telework (MITE) that examines the major benefits and issues related to telework. It contains interviews with individuals who deal with issues related to telework on a daily basis. They share their knowledge of telework and their experience as teleworker, or managers of teleworker, in order to provide a comprehensive overview of the important elements of a successful telework program. The video discusses telework with a senior systems engineer who teleworks full-time, a department director who supervises teleworker, and teleworks herself, and an attorney who specializes in employment law and has many years of experience helping companies develop sound telework policies. The video will help refine current telework programs, or give basic guidelines about starting a brand new program. The cost is $29.95 plus $5.50 shipping and handling. For more information or to order, contact: Call Judy at 651-463-3146 or order at http://www.mite.org/orderform/orderform.html.

What Might Be Appropriate for Handouts?

You may want to distribute the following handouts depending upon the make-up of the audience and the purpose of the briefing:

Questions or feedback on telework should be sent to worklife@opm.gov.