# Presentation: 562964

## DOE-Flex Program

- Time to Telework

## People are the Department of Energy’s most important resource, and we will develop, motivate, and support them in accomplishing our missions. Employees are more than just the jobs they do, and the Department is committed to helping them meet their responsibilities on the job, at home, and in their communities. In doing so, the Department will establish flexible work arrangements that will improve the quality of employees’ work life and contribute to a cleaner environment and a safer, more productive workplace.
Secretary Richardson

*Secretary Richardson*

- policy statement

##  The policy and how the program is administered
 The benefits of program participation
 Why training is critical to success
 The characteristics of a successful program
 What it takes to work from a distance

-  The benefits of program participation
-  Why training is critical to success
-  The characteristics of a successful program
-  What it takes to work from a distance

- training objectives

##  How to address DOE-Flex issues & concerns
 Methods to improve office communications
 How to make sure you stay in the loop 
 How to effectively set up a home office 

-  Methods to improve office communications
-  How to make sure you stay in the loop
-  How to effectively set up a home office

- training objectives

## Achieve program participation goals
FY 2000 5% participation rate
FY 2001 10% participation rate
FY 2002 15% participation rate
FY 2005 20% participation rate (Washington DC area)

- FY 2000 5% participation rate
- FY 2001 10% participation rate
- FY 2002 15% participation rate
- FY 2005 20% participation rate (Washington DC area)

- DOE-Flex Program Objectives

## Improve productivity
Improve employee well-being and quality of life
Maintain work production and services
Improve the Department’s ability to recruit and retain high quality employees
Reduce the employee’s need to commute
Reduce costly building space

- Improve productivity
- Improve employee well-being and quality of life
- Maintain work production and services
- Improve the Department’s ability to recruit and retain high quality employees
- Reduce the employee’s need to commute
- Reduce costly building space

## Increases Productivity 
Enhances Employee Recruitment and Retention
Improves Employee Job Satisfaction  
Provides Greater Workplace Flexibility
Complies with Clean Air, Energy Savings, Rehab Act, and Family Leave Programs
Reduces the Need for Future Office Space

- Enhances Employee Recruitment and Retention
- Improves Employee Job Satisfaction
- Provides Greater Workplace Flexibility
- Complies with Clean Air, Energy Savings, Rehab Act, and Family Leave Programs
- Reduces the Need for Future Office Space

- DOE-Flex employer benefits

## employee benefits

- Improves work/life balance
- Reduces commute and office stress
- Reduces commute time & expense
- Improves personal safety
- Improves individual flexibility – so employees can work where and when they are most productive

## commute time = time wasted

_**One Way**__**	**__**Round Trip**__**	**__**Per Year***__**	**__**Per Year***_
**	****10****	****	****20****	****	****80****	****	****2**
**	****20****	****	****40****	****	****160****	****	****4**
**	**
**	****30****	****	****60****	****	****240****	****	****6**
**	****40****	****	****80****	****	****320****	****	****8**
**	****50****	****	****100****	****	****400****	****	****10**
**	****60****	****	****120****	****	****480****	****	****12**

- *Figures adjusted for vacation, holidays and sick leave normally taken during a year
- Source:  Working from Home

## Improves neighborhood safety
Reduces traffic congestion
Improves air quality
Reduces waste and conserves energy
Builds closer bonds with family and community

- Reduces traffic congestion
- Improves air quality
- Reduces waste and conserves energy
- Builds closer bonds with family and community

- community benefits

## Slide 11

## Slide 12

## Slide 13

## why train teleworkers?

- Communication is the key
- Quick installation - minimize disruption
- Technical support - allow productivity
- Establish a routine -  end of the day ritual, scheduled breaks
- Expect an adjustment period

**       ****Accelerate Upward Curve**
** **Establish ground rules up-front
-  Delivery - completed assignments
-  Maintain office contact and attend meetings
-  Measure and share success stories
-  Coaching/Teaming
-  Expect an adjustment period

**Euphoria**

**Discomfort**

**Time**

**Equilibrium**

**Satisfaction**

**Euphoria**

**Discomfort**

**Time**

**Equilibrium**

**Satisfaction**

**Employees**

**Managers/Co-workers**

_**No Training**_

_**With Training**_

**Notes:**
Many  programs  fail because they do not address communications and ground rules leaving bosses and co-workers disgruntled and telecommuters feeling out of the loop.

## three-legged stool

**Appropriate Job Tasks**

**Manager**

**Success**

**Voluntary**

**Trust**

- Mobile - Out of Traditional Office
- Quiet Concentrated Work Time
- Face-to-Face Customer Interaction

**Characteristics Include:**
- Perceived Self - Motivated and Responsible
- Independently Productive
- Understands Organizational Relationships
- Appropriate Work Environment

**Characteristics Include**:
- Good Planning Skills
- Manages Output - Not Time
- Provides Clear Objectives
- Monitors Off-Site Work
- Provides Timely &
-     Constructive Feedback

**Employee**

## manager profile

- Trust his or her employees
- Possess a positive attitude toward DOE-Flex program
- Be a good communicator
- Manage by results not observation
- Delegate tasks and responsibilities
- Coach by establishing time frames and reviewing status
- Encourage goal setting
- Provide appropriate and timely feed back

## manager profile

- What manager traits will cause telework to fail?
-  Not trusting the teleworker
-  Ignoring the teleworker
-  Setting unrealistic deadlines
-  Neglecting problems
-  Supervising too closely
-  Expecting everyone to be a good teleworker
-  Not taking telework seriously

## A  DOE-Flex arrangement may be: 
Medical
Regular
Situational

- Medical
- Regular
- Situational

- administration

## The DOE-Flex opportunity: 
Managers promote and utilize the program
Employees must volunteer to participate           
Managers approve work to be done
Managers approve employee's work schedule
Employees are to be accessible
No requirement to cover home-office expenses

- Managers promote and utilize the program
- Employees must volunteer to participate
- Managers approve work to be done
- Managers approve employee's work schedule
- Employees are to be accessible
- No requirement to cover home-office expenses

- administration

## DOE-Flex Process for Teleworkers:
Identify appropriate job tasks/assignments
Discuss with supervisor
Apply for participation
Document all arrangements
First- & second-level approval/disapproval
Managers & employees may terminate an arrangement when needed

- Identify appropriate job tasks/assignments
- Discuss with supervisor
- Apply for participation
- Document all arrangements
- First- & second-level approval/disapproval
- Managers & employees may terminate an arrangement when needed

- administration

## Dilbert - Scott Adams

***Dilbert - Scott Adams***

## What job tasks fit teleworking? 
Project-oriented work
Computer programming
Telephone calling
Auditing reports
Planning & scheduling
Data processing & analysis 
Reviewing proposals and written reports
Reading, word processing, and thinking

- Project-oriented work
- Computer programming
- Telephone calling
- Auditing reports
- Planning & scheduling
- Data processing & analysis
- Reviewing proposals and written reports
- Reading, word processing, and thinking

- remote tasks

## What job tasks DO NOT fit teleworking?
Tasks that are difficult to measure
Tasks involving access to materials or information  that cannot be moved
Tasks requiring special in-house equipment
Situations where face-to-face interaction is required

- Tasks that are difficult to measure
- Tasks involving access to materials or information  that cannot be moved
- Tasks requiring special in-house equipment
- Situations where face-to-face interaction is required

- in-house tasks

## teleworker profile

- Requires minimal supervision
- Has a high level of skill and knowledge
- Works well with family members
- Is productive at alternate workplaces
- Is self-motivated, well-organized, and highly productive
- Possesses strong time-management skills
- Solves problems independently before asking for help
- Communicates well with a manager and co-workers

## Distractions 
Working too much 
Balance work & personal needs 
Career opportunities
Guilt 
Security concerns 
Visibility 
Isolation 
Dependent care 
Taxes 
Insurance 

- Working too much
- Balance work & personal needs
- Career opportunities
- Guilt
- Security concerns
- Visibility
- Isolation
- Dependent care
- Taxes
- Insurance

- issues & concerns

## Manager or Supervisor
Immediate co-workers or team members
Other in-house staff
Clients / Customers
Others

- Immediate co-workers or team members
- Other in-house staff
- Clients / Customers
- Others

- communicate - who needs to know?

## The best way to contact you (phone, e-mail)
Best times to contact you
When you will be in the office
Dates you are teleworking
Other

- Best times to contact you
- When you will be in the office
- Dates you are teleworking
- Other

- . . . what do they need to know?

## . . . how will everyone else find out?

- Have your manager announce that you will begin teleworking
- Help everyone remember
- Send an e-mail to remind key people that you are teleworking
- Over-communicate at first until a routine is in place

## tips to make it easier

- Put communications in writing
- Use conference calls for meetings
- Plan ahead when setting meeting times
- Plan periodic meetings with your manager
- Create a buddy system with a co-worker in the office
- Use MS Outlook’s “Out-of-Office Assistant”
- Change voice-mail greeting daily

## Slide 30

## Slide 31

## Slide 32

## Sharing the home
Advantages/disadvantages for each family member
Rule on teleworking days
Changes in family responsibilities
Designing a safe and comfortable workspace
Get the right equipment – know where to go for support
Keep necessary supplies and files on hand
Draw and discuss the home office

- Advantages/disadvantages for each family member
- Rule on teleworking days
- Changes in family responsibilities
- Designing a safe and comfortable workspace
- Get the right equipment – know where to go for support
- Keep necessary supplies and files on hand
- Draw and discuss the home office

- setting up a telework office

## Make a “to do” list
Make sure that you have the necessary equipment and tools to do the work
Have a “to take” list to and from the office
Make sure that your work schedule meets organizational and personal needs
Adhere to agreed-upon work schedules

- Make sure that you have the necessary equipment and tools to do the work
- Have a “to take” list to and from the office
- Make sure that your work schedule meets organizational and personal needs
- Adhere to agreed-upon work schedules

- planning workloads & schedules

## Be honest with your manager

- Maintain your agreed-upon work schedule
- Establish routines
- Take breaks - do not overwork
- Get organized - determine what you need
- Separate home and work
- dedicated work area
- Scheduled hours
- provide family signals
- Certify your telework agreement semi-annually

- working from a distance

##  The policy and how the program is administered
 The benefits of program participation
 Why training is critical to success
 The characteristics of a successful program
 What it takes to work from a distance
 How to address DOE-Flex issues & concerns
 Methods to improve office communications
 How to make sure you stay in the loop 
 How to effectively set up a home office 

-  The benefits of program participation
-  Why training is critical to success
-  The characteristics of a successful program
-  What it takes to work from a distance
-  How to address DOE-Flex issues & concerns
-  Methods to improve office communications
-  How to make sure you stay in the loop
-  How to effectively set up a home office

- summing up....