Telework Exchange

Can a single day really have an impact? Depends on the issue, of course, but for organizers of the first-ever Telework Day in Virginia, the answer was determined to be a resounding "Yes!"

On August 3, 2009, the Commonwealth of Virginia, Telework!VA, and Telework Exchange encouraged employees of companies, government agencies, and non-profit organizations to put telework to the test by working that day from home or an alternate work location.

The result? Nearly 4,300 employees and 52 organizations participated, including 938 workers who had never before tried telework, and another 1,100 who had only teleworked on an ad hoc basis.

In a survey taken by Telework Day participants following the designated date, 91 percent said that they now are more likely to telework in the future. Nearly 70 percent of respondents said they accomplished more than they would on a typical day at the office and 30 percent said they accomplished significantly more.

"We are committed to ensuring that telework has a firm stake in the ground in Virginia," said Karen Jackson, Deputy Secretary of Technology. "The 'What We Saved; What We Learned' report provides us with a snapshot of the critical impact telework will continue to have on business continuity, the environment, strengthening work and family balance, and much more, as state agencies and organizations continue to adopt and expand their telework programs."

Telework Day also yielded some impressive environmental and cost benefits. For example, participants:

• Avoided driving 155,782 miles on Telework Day
• Kept 82.77 tons of pollutants from being released into the air
• Saved approximately $124,000 in commuting costs

"Just one telework day really does make a difference," said Jennifer Thomas Alcott, Program Manager at Telework!VA. "Telework is a key component to reducing traffic, removing carbon emissions from the environment, and providing substantial cost-savings on both an individual and organizational level."

If all white collar workers in the United States telework one day per week for a year, they would avoid driving 134 billion miles, remove 120 million tons of pollutants from the air, and save $161.5 billion in commuting costs.

Cindy Auten, General Manager of Telework Exchange, said that Virginia's Telework Day is likely to spur additional telework in the state and surrounding areas. "The experience was extremely positive for the majority of those who participated and helped dispel any misconceptions about telework," she stated, noting that 78 percent of respondents said they encountered no difficulties in doing their work remotely.

To view the complete survey findings, download the Telework Day report, "What We Saved; What We Learned" at www.teleworkexchange.com.