Teleworking On the Rise in GSA
In a major shift, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) plans to make 50 percent of its employees eligible for telework by 2010, up from just 10 percent currently.
In a major shift, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) plans to make 50 percent of its employees eligible for telework by 2010, up from just 10 percent currently.
The benefits of telework warrant an aggressive internal campaign where GSA can lead by example, says GSA Administrator Lurita Doan. Among the benefits she cited are reduced energy use, fewer greenhouse gas emissions, less traffic, less U.S. dependence on foreign oil, increased worker productivity and savings for taxpayers.
Telework is also an important recruiting and retention tool that will help attract and keep talented individuals in public service, according to Doan, who says that the ability to telework will be especially critical in times of emergency and ensuring continuity of operations.
Currently only 4.2 percent of the overall federal workforce uses telework, according to GSA.
“Robust COOP capacity is a natural benefit of telework, but we can’t wait until an emergency to implement the program,” Doan says. “Federal agencies must have a viable telework program in place as part of normal operations.”
As interim goals, Administrator Doan called for plans to increase the number of GSA teleworkers to 20 percent by the end of 2008 and 40 percent by the end of 2009.
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