Embracing, Managing Teleworkers

Often viewed simply as a “good deal” for lucky employees, telework, or working virtually, can actually contribute to an organization’s effectiveness and success. Both 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina demonstrated the importance of having trained staff able to work from home or designated government centers in order to maintain Continuity Of Operations (COOP).

Telework also provides significant energy savings. If Federal employees teleworked an average of two days per week, the annual savings in gasoline alone would be in excess of 20 million barrels of oil. For that reason, Congress and the Executive Branch consider telework to be a part of the solution to our dependence on foreign oil and are increasing pressure on Federal agencies to expand their telework programs.

In addition to addressing national security and energy issues, telecommuting has been shown to:
  • Improve recruitment and retention
  • Optimize use of technology
  • Accommodate people with disabilities
  • Reduce absenteeism by increasing flexibility for work/life balance
  • Increase personal awareness of performance and productivity expectations

Effectively Managing Virtual Teams

To take full advantage of teleworking, organizations need supervisors who can effectively manage virtual teams. To date, most of the emphasis on creating telework programs has centered on technology issues, particularly regarding connectivity and security of government information. However, a recent survey of Federal Chief Information Security Officers showed that telework programs are not a security threat and do not hamper agencies’ ability to meet Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) mandates.

The challenge, then, comes down to leadership. CI’s Working & Managing Virtually Workshop provides the skills, knowledge and confidence to supervisors to overcome uncertainties around the telework environment and build and maintain trust in their teams.

Key Benefits

  • Enhance team results
  • Build and maintain a climate of trust with teleworkers
  • Develop clear work plans and task schedules
  • Set challenging performance standards
  • Review progress against goals and measure results
  • Master effective communication, including e-tools, with teleworkers
  • Identify and resolve telework problems

Executive Core Qualification Focus: Leading People
OPM Leadership Competencies Addressed: Oral Communications; Flexibility; Written Communications; Interpersonal Skills

Duration: 1 day

Take the Next Step

Let us help you meet your market research needs. Contact us to learn more.