Telework Exchange Applauds Administration and Congress’ Commitment to Federal Telework; Offers Telework Roadmap for Agencies

ALEXANDRIA, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Telework Exchange^SM, a public-private partnership focused on expanding telework adoption, today announced the results of the “From Bill to Building: Next Steps for Federal Telework” report, revealing telework improvement opportunities and best practices from leading Federal agency advisors and experts. To boost Federal telework adoption, Congress passed the “The Telework Enhancement Act of 2010” on November 18, which President Barack Obama signed into law on December 9. The new legislation – Public Law 111-292 – requires all executive agencies to establish telework policies and provide telework programs for all eligible employees within 180 days. The “From Bill to Building” report draws upon the expertise of agencies that are leading the charge for telework, offering a roadmap of how to put the bill into action – including key program considerations, how to overcome challenges, and how to design a program built on smart metrics, achievable results, and actionable goals.

“It is no longer a question of if telework will advance in the Federal government anymore”

The “From Bill to Building” report outlines five steps agency leaders can take to help build a sustainable telework program:

• Step 1: Change the Mindset – Build Management Support
• Step 2: Define Essentials to Demonstrate ROI and Overcome Resistance
• Step 3: Management Training – Measure Productivity
• Step 4: Telework Technology – Supply Secure, Effective, and Affordable Solutions
• Step 5: Enhance COOP – Deploy Telework for Business Continuity.

Detailed recommendations for each step are available in the full copy of the report, located at www.teleworkexchange.com/frombilltobuilding.

“It is no longer a question of if telework will advance in the Federal government anymore,” said Cindy Auten, General Manager, Telework Exchange. “It’s not even a question of when. Congress and the Administration have spoken – the Federal government will advance telework practices. Agencies must now focus on the best way to make telework a reality for 1.2 million employees. The good news is there is no need to reinvent the wheel. Agencies have already built robust programs. We saw this first hand at the Telework Exchange Fall Town Hall Meeting, where telework experts led a crowdsourcing session on best practices and lessons learned. We are pleased to highlight these findings in the ‘From Bill to Building’ report.”

The “From Bill to Building” report is based on a two-fold survey of nearly 200 Federal and private-sector employees. Participants contributed to an online survey and discussed the state of telework in a crowdsourcing session conducted at the Telework Exchange Fall 2010 Town Hall Meeting on October 18, 2010. To download the full report, please visit www.teleworkexchange.com/frombilltobuilding.

About Telework Exchange

Telework Exchange is a public-private partnership focused on demonstrating the tangible value of telework and serving the emerging educational and communication requirements of the government teleworker community. The organization facilitates communication among teleworkers, telework managers, and IT professionals. For more information on Telework Exchange, visit www.teleworkexchange.com.