I wrote recently about the efforts – especially within the US Federal government – to encourage teleworking. There are a few federal agencies that have excelled at establishing teleworking as an option for large numbers of their staff including the Agriculture Department, Patent and Trademark Office and General Services Administration, both of which have documented significant savings in office space costs as a result. Other agencies have struggled with defining positions eligible for teleworking or with sufficiently encouraging employees to explore the option as noted by Representativess Gerald Connolly and John Sarbanes in a letter to the Director of the Office of Personnel Management.
Implementing and expanding teleworking is good business, good for the environment, and good for employees – its saves money for employers and employees alike, establishes procedures for business continuity in the face of potential problems, and enhances employee productivity and morale. It does require effective management, and it isn’t appropriate for every position. The Telework Exchange, a public-private partnership focused on demonstrating the tangible value of telework, is sponsoring the second annual Telework Week – March 5-9, 2012. The Telework Exchange offers a variety of resources to assist managers and employees demonstrate the value and understand the intricacies of teleworking.
