Telework Exchange

Whether agencies have an established or a fledgling telework program, all are grappling with how to grow the program and manage it more effectively. That topic was heard throughout the Policies and Management Support sessions at the Telework Exchange Town Hall Meeting held September 24 in Washington, D.C.

Upping the Ante

In the first session, "Telework – Building the Base," panelists discussed their agency challenges in adding new teleworkers and retaining existing ones, as well as the lessons they have learned along the way.

Allison Tanner, Executive Officer with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said that a critical element in a successful, growing telework program is to focus heavily on the planning stages. "Engage the right stakeholders early – IT folks, facilities, and office managers, along with labor representatives," she said. "Have them work with you to develop a good policy that can secure managerial and co-worker buy-in."

Education also is important to ensuring that employees take advantage of initiatives. Tanner noted that CDC had a Flexiplace policy for several years. "But most did not know it existed – only four percent of employees used it," she said.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has focused on embracing its telework program from a strategic perspective with particular attention to human capital and information technology, noted Cynthia Heckmann, GAO's Chief Human Capital Officer. The nature of the work at GAO lends itself to telework which has helped in building senior management support.

Patricia Connelly, Director of Human Resources for the U.S. Peace Corps, explained that the agency's unique mission adds an ongoing challenge to the telework program. "The Peace Corps has term appointments – the maximum anyone stays there is eight and half years," she said, explaining that the average term of service is just three years. As a result, "Employees often are getting new managers," not all of whom are familiar with or supportive of telework arrangements.

However, she said, her office works hard to retain those teleworkers and bring on new ones by holding information sessions for all managers and employees on telework policy, procedures, and best practices; identifying work or tasks that are particularly conducive to telework; and touting telework success stories.

The agency also has come up with creative ways to let new teleworkers get their "feet wet" with the new work arrangement. Among the strategies: designate one telework day per month for a three-month pilot period, make the telework project-based, and make requirements very clear, including outlining what work will be accomplished and how many times a day the employee will check in.

Measure Many, Telework More

It is one thing to suspect that telework will provide significant business and morale benefits, but another to prove it. That reality was addressed in a session titled "You Can’t Manage What You Don't Measure," as panelists from state and Federal agencies outlined their strategies for putting reliable statistics behind their programs.

Janie Bowen, Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Taxation, which currently has more than 60 percent of its staff teleworking or working at home full-time, led the discussion by challenging the session's theme.

"I'm not sure 'How do you measure the productivity of teleworkers?' is the right question. The question really is: 'How do you measure the productivity of your staff?' Does it really matter whether they're sitting at home or sitting at a desk?" she asked.

For this reason, the Department of Taxation has metrics for everyone. "Frankly, though, what we came up with after looking at the comparisons with our home-based workers is that our metrics are too low," Bowen stated. "(Teleworkers) are exceeding (those metrics) across the board on almost every category, which makes you think that people were maybe underperforming a tad in the office."

Aaron Glover, Special Assistant to the Director of Manpower, Personnel, and Security for the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), agreed that it is important to apply the same productivity measures to all employees, and equally important to make it easy for managers to do so.

DISA has established an automated performance management system for managers to track employee progress and achievement against performance expectations, and the agency is in the process of extending that system to teleworkers. It also boasts automated telework application and tracking system and records telework hours in the agency's time and attendance system.

The automation tools have "made a world of difference for us, because if you're still dealing with paper, it is extremely tough to get the numbers and tracking done that you need to do," Glover explained.

David Clifton, Director, Business Enterprise Headquarters for the U.S. Marine Corps, agreed that it was important to apply the same productivity measures to all 32 of his department’s employees, but noted that having numbers to back up the telework program can help keep and even gain more support from top leadership.

He insists that telework is a privilege and backs this up by requiring his employees to sign a standard agreement annually that outlines their performance objectives. Those who meet expectations can continue teleworking and those who do not lose their right to telework.

Clifton measures the impact of telework on his office in quarterly performance reports, to ensure employees are on track to meet their yearly objectives and he requests that his time and attendance system be audited every other year. In the end, knowing the facts helps protect the program, he said.

"I think it is important from an internal control perspective that I be squeaky clean and that I don't leave cracks in the armor of this program that people can drive wedges into," Clifton stated, noting that telework has saved his employees $540 a year in gas savings and given them back six 24-hour days of their life that they otherwise would have spent sitting in traffic.

Town Hall Meeting attendees visit the Exhibit Hall to explore telework technologies and options.

Getting the Word Out

For all its advantages, telework is often a best-kept secret. In the final session focused on Telework Policies and Management, "Market Your Telework Program – Internal and Beyond," panelists discussed strategies for educating current employees and managers, potential recruits, other agencies, and even the private-sector on the possibilities of telework.

Among the unique efforts outlined were the following:

• The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office holds a brown bag lunch every few of weeks to educate employees, senior executives, and managers on the benefits and policies of its one- and two-day-a week telework and hoteling programs
• The Minnesota Department of Transportation (DOT) launched a telework initiative aimed at selling employers on the work arrangement and reducing traffic. The effort included the development of an eWorkplace Web site that provides a collection of telework toolkits, proposed solutions, a manager's guide to telework, case studies, and issue papers
• The Program Manager of the Office of Analysis, Research, and Innovation, Kenneth Buckeye, noted that the Minnesota DOT also encourages interested companies by furnishing them with policy and technology consulting services
• At the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), recruiters always mention that telework is a possibility, and the feedback from applicants is extremely positive, said Special Projects Director Lisa McLane

"I've found that one of the greatest marketing tools is success," said panel moderator John Palguta, Vice President of Policy for the Partnership for Public Service. "Success drives interest and overcomes doubts."

The panelists said that a key to expanding telework is to make sure that enthusiasm is high throughout the agency. McLane noted that the IRS telework pilot project "helped build some energy and enthusiasm at the bottom; now we're trying to tie that motivation to emerging interest from the top."

Addressing resistance among office-bound workers also is critical to making progress. The IRS educates its managers so they can answer tough questions posed by supervisors or employees with unique situations. It is also essential to deliver consistent messaging across the agency to defuse potential budding resentment.

Danette Campbell, Senior Telework Advisor for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office said that her agency does a lot of surveys to identify and address employee concerns, which has helped to minimize resentment in the ranks. The key, she said, is opening the door as wide as possible.

"Our managers work very carefully and closely with employees to find every telework opportunity," she stated.