Study Reveals Majority of Federal Telework Coordinators Spend 25 Percent or Less of Their Time on Telework

The Telework Exchange, a public-private partnership focused on eliminating telework gridlock in the federal government, today announced the results of a federal telework coordinator survey, The Telework Two-Step: Agencies Dancing Around the Issue.

The study provides an insider perspective on federal telework programs by polling agency-appointed telework coordinators. Drawing on parallel surveys fielded in 2005 and 2006, the study reveals a lack of dedicated telework personnel. The study, however, shows increased interest in telework from agencies. This study is on the heels of the recently-introduced telework legislation from Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK) and Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) that includes a requirement for each federal agency to appoint one full-time senior level employee as a telework managing officer.

Key study findings include:

• Telework Coordinator Hat Dance: Agencies lack dedicated telework personnel. The majority of telework coordinators spend 25 percent or less of their time dedicated to telework.
• The Telework Upswing: All surveyed telework coordinators witnessed an increase in telework interest throughout their agency, revealing that telework is gaining momentum and attention in the federal community.
• Telework Tango -- Drivers vs. Barriers: Work-life balance, fluctuating gas prices, and continuity of operations (COOP) planning are significant telework drivers. Telework coordinators highlighted that management resistance is the leading obstacle to federal telework adoption.

Telework Coordinator Hat Dance
Each federal agency appoints a telework coordinator to market telework in the agency, start and expand telework programs, as well as serve as the "go-to" resource for senior executives, manager, and employees. The study reveals that the majority of telework coordinators spend 25 percent or less of their time dedicated to agency telework programs. However, year-over-year comparison shows that agencies are making progress in this area. In 2005, only 11 percent of Telework Coordinator respondents spent 50 percent or more of their time focused on telework initiatives. This increased to 47 percent in 2006.

The Telework Upswing
Telework interest is on the rise. The study highlights an increased interest in telework across federal agencies, from 2005 to 2006. Further, telework coordinators witnessed an increase in agencies implementing a telework performance tracking and reporting system. Office of Personnel Management requires that agencies track and report telework performance. In 2006, 88 percent of federal agencies consistently tracked and reported telework performance. This represents an increase of 19 percent from 2005.

Telework Tango -Drivers vs. Barriers
Of those that witnessed peaked telework interest at their agency, telework coordinators noted the most significant drivers are work-life balance, rising gas prices and COOP planning. This insider perspective supports other research on telework barriers that reveals that top-down support is the leading telework obstacle, with 67 percent of the respondents in agreement.

"Agencies are not dedicating the appropriate resources to telework," said Stephen W.T. O'Keeffe, executive director, Telework Exchange. "The report finds that telework coordinators are seeing an upswing in telework interest from employees, but agencies are not listening. Agencies must provide 100 percent dedicated telework personnel as well as build a robust training program for both management and employees. It is time to stop dancing around the issue. We commend Senator Stevens and Senator Landrieu on introducing the Telework Enhancement Act of 2007 and their leadership."