[iwar] [fc:Terrorism.Heightens.Lawmakers.Desire.To.Expand.Telecommuting]

From: Fred Cohen (fc@all.net)
Date: 2001-10-23 08:15:14
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From: Fred Cohen <fc@all.net>
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Date: Tue, 23 Oct 2001 08:15:14 -0700 (PDT)
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Subject: [iwar] [fc:Terrorism.Heightens.Lawmakers.Desire.To.Expand.Telecommuting]
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Terrorism Heightens Lawmakers Desire To Expand Telecommuting 
By Stephen Barr, Washington Post, 10/23/2001
<a href="http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/171381.html">http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/171381.html>

The virtual reality of telecommuting seems closer to reality after the
Sept.  11 terrorist attacks and the anxiety caused by the discovery of
anthrax in congressional and postal offices. 

If Capitol Hill can be shut down because of germ threats, shouldn't
staff members be able to continue the nation's business from home
through a secure e-mail system? If federal agencies need to disperse
employees and decentralize operations because of security concerns,
shouldn't they have a telework infrastructure in place?

These and other questions were broached Friday at a forum on
telecommuting sponsored by the Office of Personnel Management.  As
Timothy J.  Perez, of Siemens Enterprise Networks, told the small crowd
of federal officials, "In the last 45 days, the workforce paradigm has
changed dramatically."

Of course, it's natural for Washington to recast policy issues in light
of the latest events as a way to give them added heft.  Still, the
notion of an army of telecommuters delivering federal services during
times of crisis from home and temporary work sites cannot be dismissed
out of hand. 

Already, as Rep.  Frank R.  Wolf, R-Va., noted, the top brass uses
technology to work from anywhere: President Bush holds teleconferences
with his national security officials over secure video links. 

But most of the speakers at the OPM conference, while pointing to
telecommuting as a way to give the government added flexibility during
emergencies, focused on the dismal present.  Most agencies have written
telecommuting policies, but few employees are allowed to take advantage
of them.  Just 2.6 percent of the government's 1.7 million white-collar
employees telecommute one day a week. 

Wolf, who was joined at the forum by Rep.  Constance A.  Morella, R-Md.,
is putting pressure on the Bush administration to increase the number of
employees who work at home.  Last year, concerned about worsening
traffic congestion in the D.C.  area, Wolf wrote a provision into a
Transportation Department appropriations bill that directs federal
agencies to permit 50 percent of their eligible workers to start
telecommuting by next April.  The provision designated OPM as the agency
to oversee Wolf's provision. 

As it turns out, Wolf may have some sway inside OPM.  Kay Coles James,
the agency's new head, worked with Wolf on a national gambling
commission, and she used the forum to signal to Wolf and Morella that
telework would be an OPM priority. 

James said that by year's end, OPM would launch an Internet-based
telework training program for federal managers, personnel directors and
employees; sponsor a nationwide satellite broadcast aimed at thousands
of employees; and publish a telework guide for managers.  She also
promised to telecommute when she could. 

By most accounts, federal managers have been reluctant to allow
employees to work from home one or two days a week because of fears that
they would not be able to monitor an employee's performance and would
not have people in the office to handle crises or unexpected events. 
Employees, in turn, worry that if they were working at home on a regular
basis, they could lose out on work that might lead to promotions or
other recognition.  Some employees also fear that telecommuting would
create workplace inequities, because not all jobs are suitable to
perform at home. 

But Adriane Thormahlen, who leads a "flexiplace" advisory group at the
Internal Revenue Service, said an IRS pilot project found higher
employee satisfaction levels because of telecommuting.  More than 80
percent reported less stress and higher morale, and almost 60 percent
said they were more motivated while telecommuting.  IRS managers found
that telecommuting did not lower worker productivity, she said.  The
project started with 20 technology workers who volunteered to
telecommute one to three days a week.  Under the pilot's "hoteling"
approach, telecommuters were required to make a reservation for a
workstation for the days they planned to be in the office.  IRS invested
in laptop computers, cell phones and remote e-mail networks and hired
contractors to train managers and employees.  Equipment turned out to be
the biggest problem, because employees sometimes needed expert help in
troubleshooting computer problems. 

Wolf, Morella and others urged agency officials at the forum to push for
a significant expansion of federal telecommuters.  As Stephen A.  Perry,
the head of the General Services Administration, said, "The success that
we will enjoy ...  will depend upon how much you all buy into this."


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