In today's world, employees often seek work-life solutions. I’m happy to report that the Federal Government is a leader in promoting work-life balance for its workforce. Work-life solutions are powerful management tools which help the Federal Government recruit and engage qualified talent, and give employees the resources to help them pursue healthy, fulfilling lives. In fact, analysis of the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) data has identified work-life support as a key driver of engagement in the Federal workforce.
The Federal Government offers a variety of work-life programs and flexibilities to assist agencies in promoting work-life balance for their employees. To assist agencies, OPM recently produced a series of new work-life brochures on family and dependent care, worksite health and wellness, telework, and employee assistance programs. These work-life brochures increase awareness of options available in the Federal Government and illustrate their potential value for individuals, families, and organizations.
Managers and employees in our Federal community are invited to take the Introduction to Leave, Work-Life, and Workplace Flexibilities Course, explore OPM's Work-Life website and Telework.gov, and reach out to your local HR office for more information about services potentially available to you.
In the upcoming months, OPM will release the Government-wide results of the first Federal Work-Life Survey, which was administered in early 2017. This new data will inform our analysis of the work-life needs and priorities of Federal employees. These survey results will be used to help evaluate the relationship between work-life programs and organizational benefits. Finally, senior leaders and managers will be able to consider these results as they make decisions regarding these programs.
OPM will continue working with agency leaders across the government to ensure they have the necessary tools for an engaged, productive workforce. Ultimately, our goal is to create work environments where each employee contributes to the success of the agency while reaching his or her full potential. I believe that work-life solutions can be valuable tools in this endeavor.