Nearly 169,000 federal employees are teleworking at least one day a week but there is a long way to go before the government’s entire workforce of 2.1 million can join the office of the 21st century, OPM said in a report to Congress.
The 2012 Status of Telework in the Federal Government report to Congress, released on July 6, is the first comprehensive look at the government’s telework world and the emerging changes in a culture that once required federal employees to physically be in the office at all times.
“The 2012 OPM telework report demonstrates that telework is playing a larger and larger role in the federal government,” said Josh Sawislak, senior fellow at the Telework Exchange, an association that promotes federal telework policy.
“As the report notes, revising and implementing telework policies is an ongoing process – involving multiple stakeholders and requiring integrated and strategic planning to ensure that the program meets the mission of the agency and supports all of its security/operating procedures,” he added.
The report found that telework increased from 10% to 21% among eligible employees between 2009 and 2011; 70% of eligible federal agencies have telework policies in place and 75 agencies include telework as part of their COOP plans.
“This is a significant milestone,” said OPM Director John Berry. “Not only does this highlight tangible changes in telework practices across the federal government, it also serves as a baseline for measuring the effects of telework in the future.”
Some big agencies are way ahead of the curve in the numbers of teleworking employees, the report found. They are:
· Patent and Trademark Office (82%)
· General Services Administration (59%)
· Department of the Treasury (48%)
· Department of Health and Human Services (42%)
· Department of Education (41%)
Many smaller agencies reported high rates of participation as well, including:
· The Appraisal Subcommittee of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (70%)
· The National Mediation Board (77%)
· The Institute of Museum and Library Services (62%)
· The Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board (58%)
· The Federal Labor Relations Authority (57%)
· The Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled (54%).
Among other findings:
· More agencies are bearing the cost of equipping teleworkers but the cost is often shared with the worker.
· There still is management resistance and concern about security, the report noted.
· The number of teleworkers is split among age groups, reflecting the current demographic distribution of the federal workforce which is generally older. More than a third of teleworkers are between the ages of 50 and 59 (34%). Far fewer teleworkers are below the age of 40 (24%).
· Many agencies bear the cost of equipping teleworkers (e.g., provide computers to teleworkers) than services to support telework (e.g., internet). Agencies also report that steps are routinely taken to ensure data security
· 27% of employees telework three or more days a week, 28% two times a week, 25% one day a week
Teleworkers are more likely to report knowing what is expected of them on the job and feeling as though they are held accountable for results, OPM said. Teleworkers are also more likely to report feeling empowered.
The report provides preliminary data on cost savings realized by agencies, such as avoided real estate, energy, and commuter subsidy costs.
Federal agencies have more work to do to make sure employees can telework. The report found that training is spotty and only 40% of agencies have even notified employees that telework is an option.
“Overall, the use of telework is improving in the federal government. Telework can make employees more efficient, more accountable, and more resilient in emergency conditions, and this report shows signs that we are achieving those results,” said OPM Director Berry.