Telework - "Balancing Work/Life Demands"

• Pre-course reading – 30 minutes
• Presentation – 40 minutes
• Interactive Discussion – 40 minutes
• Checklists – 20 minutes
• Case Study – 60 minutes
• Questions and Answers – 20 minutes

The learning module is designed to impart knowledge of telework to managers and employees. It can be used for classroom training through the delivery of a power-point presentation and interactive discussion or it can be used individually by managers and employees as a self-learning module.

Pre-course reading

• Pre-course reading should include the departmental Telework Policy or, if there isn’t one, the Treasury Board Telework Policy with accompanying Questions and Answers and any other departmental information impacting on telework such as the use of equipment for telework and security procedures.

Checklists

• The sample checklists have been developed to assist managers and employees with the implementation of telework. Checklists include: Steps to Follow for Employees; Weighing the Advantages and Disadvantages; Checklist for Managers; Details of Telework Arrangement Checklist and Checklist for Employees. (NOTE: We would like to acknowledge PWGSC for their contribution to the development of the checklists.)

Case Study

• The Case Study presents an opportunity for managers to apply what they have learned and to present issues that may arise in their own work environment.

• Increase knowledge of telework
• Dispel myths
• Engage in discussions on issues surrounding telework

Notes:

• By the end of the module managers will: know what telework is; have the myths around telework dispelled; know how to implement telework to allow employees more flexibility to balance both work and personal obligations; know what the conditions for success are; and know how to measure the success of a telework arrangement.

• By the end of the module employees will gain a better knowledge of what is involved in telework. Before requesting to telework they can make a more informed decision as to whether or not telework is suitable for them and the duties they perform.

• Involves the approval to perform the duties at an alternative location
• Can be some or all duties
• Can be for a full week, part of a week or part of a day
• Can be on an adhoc or regularly scheduled basis
• Can be combined with other Flexible Work Arrangements

Notes:

A good rule of thumb is that only the work location changes, work ethics, terms and conditions of employment etc. remain the same.

Telework involves the approval for an employee to perform the duties of his or her position, which are ordinarily performed at the employee’s designated workplace at an alternative location, usually the employee’s home.

• Can be some or all of the duties
• Can be for a full week, part of a week or part of a day
• Can be on an adhoc or regularly scheduled basis
• Can be combined with other flexible work arrangements like part-time or a variable work week

A good rule of thumb is that only the work location changes, work ethics, terms and conditions of employment etc. remain the same.

• Exemplary Workplace: better work environment and improved quality of life
• PS offers flexible work arrangements
• Allows more flexibility to employees to balance both work and personal obligations

Notes:

Context within Work-Life Balance

• Telework is introduced as another option which allows more flexibility to employees to balance both work and personal obligations, while at the same time continuing to contribute to the attainment of organizational goals.

• 1996 Evaluation of TB’s Telework Pilot Policy
• 1999 Permanent TB Telework Policy Issued
• Canadian Organizations Teleworking

Notes:

• An evaluation that was conducted at the end of the Treasury Board Telework Pilot Policy project during the period ranging from September 1, 1992 to August 31, 1995 confirmed that the telework policy was meeting its objective. The evaluation found that telework offers employees a better balance between their personal and professional life, with increased productivity and at no economic or operational loss to the employer.

• In December 1999, the Treasury Board issued the permanent Telework Policy endorsing its commitment to create a workplace of choice, offering its employees a work environment that is supportive of their well-being and designed to help employees balance their work-life situation. In a letter to departments, it was indicated that the challenge was to ensure that the organizational culture supports work-life initiatives and to accommodate flexible work arrangements wherever it is operationally feasible.

• Some of the organizations in Canada that are teleworking: Royal Bank, Imperial Oil, Bell Canada, Nortel, Shell Canada, American Express, IBM, Government of Canada, Du Pont, Ontario Hydro, Levi Strauss, CIBC, Bank of Montreal, Xerox.

Slide 7
Facts and Forecast

• Statistics Canada Data
• EKOS Study
• KPMG Survey
• United States Office of Personnel Management

Notes:

• Across Canada – 1997 Statistics Canada report counts 1 million teleworkers and growing (1993-600,000 and predictions by 2001 growth expected to be l,500,000)

• EKOS Research study released Nov 4/98 – 55% of Canadians employees wanted to telework, 50% felt their jobs are at least partially teleworkable, 29% expected to telework the next year and 63% expected to telework at some point, 43% would quit their jobs if another employer offered them an equivalent job allowing telework and 33% would choose telework over a 10% raise, 77% believed that new technology makes working at home more possible.

• KPMG 1997 survey of over 2000 Canadian organizations says that telework will continue growing over next several years.

• The United States Office of Personnel Management reported in 1997 that there was an estimated 11 million workers in the USA currently using an alternative workplace, most commonly the home, one or more days a week. They projected that by the year 2002 as many as 15 million people will be working at an alternative work-site on an average of three to four days a week. They also indicated that current trends towards telecommuting are estimated to save approximately 1.5 billion gallons of motor fuel per year by the year 2002.

Slide 8
Why Telework?
Society/Sustainable Development

Advantages

• Reduces traffic congestion and pollution
• Allows work to continue during unforeseen circumstances
• Reduces problems related to dependent care

• Loss of income in large city downtown core

• Telework reduces commuting trips and therefore traffic congestion. This in turn reduces fossil fuel emissions, conserves energy and benefits the environment by reducing air pollution.

• There is potential for loss to business for downtown merchants, for transportation companies, and for automobile-related industries and trades.

• Improves recruitment and retention
• Expands "pool" of workers
• Reduces absenteeism
• Increases productivity and job performance
• Potential savings on facility costs

• Results oriented management
• Organizational culture
• Public perception

• Telework gives government organizations a competitive edge for recruiting and retaining staff whose knowledge or abilities are critical to the organization. It can also help avoid costs associated with recruitment and training.

• Telework can widen the pool of workers. It offers flexibility to individuals who, otherwise, would have difficulty working (i.e. workers with commuting difficulties and workers with dependants). It extends employment opportunities to people with disabilities or to employees who have partially recovered from an illness.

• With less interruptions, employees improve their performance, satisfaction, motivation and morale which benefit the organization.

• There is a reduction in absenteeism related to the reduction of stress. Also, while an employee may feel too ill to commute to the office and work a full day, they may feel well enough to complete a partial day of work at home. It also reduces absenteeism for family related obligations.

• Telework can reduce overhead costs. Depending on employees schedules, teleworkers could share office space at the designated workplace. Managers must plan their office space to accommodate those employees who occasionally return to the official workplace or for those who may return full time at the end of a telework arrangement. Managers should consult with Facilities management to determine the appropriate ratio of employee to work stations.

• Teleworker cannot be visually monitored. In order to have an efficient monitoring, there must be greater emphasis put on work measurement and productivity.

• A cultural change may be required to encompass the new work arrangements and necessitate leadership and support from both managers and colleagues.

• Some individuals may feel that employees who telework are not really working, even though this is contrary to evidence that telework usually results in greater effectiveness and efficiency.

• Improves motivation, satisfaction and productivity
• Increases effectiveness
• Meets demand for new lifestyle and flexible work environment
• Reduces commuting time and work related expenses

• Isolation and reduced social interaction
• Communication
• Impacts on career and promotional opportunities

Notes:

Advantages

• With less interruptions, studies have shown that telework optimizes production, leading to improvements in employment performance, satisfaction, motivation and morale. Teleworkers usually report an increased feeling of control over their lives which reduces stress.

• Some teleworkers were concerned that by decreasing their visibility in the office, they may damage their career objectives because of the “out-of-sight, out-of-mind” phenomenon.

Slide 11
Dispelling the Myths

• No visibility equates to less productivity
• Employees working at home don’t work as hard
• Most jobs are not teleworkable

Notes:

• One key to the success of any telework arrangement is to break through barriers such as the perception that “visibility equates to productivity”. Because an employee is at work every day and always at their desk doesn’t mean they are great performers. It is what they are accomplishing at their desks that counts! How does a manager know what their employees in the workplace are doing? Teleworkers are no different and must deliver results regardless of where they are located.

• While it might appear on the surface that a particular job is not teleworkable a closer look could reveal that part of the job could be done away from the workplace on a regular or adhoc basis including supervisory positions. Improved planning is often the key to jobs that may fall into this category. By keeping an open mind, new teleworking opportunities may appear.

Slide 12
Key Implementation Factors (1)

• Organization supports telework
• Requests to be assessed on a case by case basis
• Feasibility from an operational perspective
• Cost effectiveness of telework arrangement
• Voluntary employee participation and subject to management approval

Notes:

• Senior management must demonstrate visible support for flexibility in the workplace to accommodate different types of work arrangements.

Slide 13
Key Implementation Factors (2)

• Colleagues would not be adversely affected by a telework arrangement
• Details of telework arrangement discussed and agreed to in advance
• Terms and Conditions of employment and collective agreement provisions continue to apply

Notes:

• An equitable distribution of workload should be maintained and methods should be instituted to ensure employees at the office are not burdened with the teleworkers responsibilities. On-going monitoring of the telework arrangement including obtaining feedback from the team will help.

• Ensuring that the telework arrangement is clearly understood is a shared responsibility between the teleworker and the supervisor. The details of the arrangement must be agreed to. The actual agreement can take many different forms, a verbal agreement, an e-mail from the supervisor confirming the agreement, or a formal written agreement initiated at the request of either party. The advantage to having a written document is that it serves as a reference point for future use should there be any confusion on what was agreed to in the first place. (Checklist containing minimum details to be discussed can be used as a hand-out or referred to as an annex in the training material. Managers and employees should refer to departmental policy regarding the requirement for a written agreement.)

• Terms and conditions of employment, provisions of relevant collective agreements and the application of existing policies and legislation will continue to apply in the telework situations.

Slide 14
Key Implementation Factors (3)

• Management by results as opposed to visual presence
• Regular monitoring of telework arrangement

Notes:

• Because teleworkers are out of view, there is an increased requirement for managers to “manage by results”. Performance expectations should be quantifiable and qualitative and should be similar for the teleworking employees and for employees who perform similar tasks in the regular office. A positive by-product of this is improved communications and objective-setting that often results in corresponding improvements in work performance.

• On-going monitoring of the telework arrangement is essential to ensure that the initial details agreed to are still being adhered to and that performance is maintained or improved. Telework should not result in any ongoing decreases in productivity. The teleworker’s productivity should be measured in the same way as when he/she is at his/her normal place of work. However, managers have their own management style, and for some it will be a challenge to adjust their management style to accommodate telework arrangements. Management by results rather than visual management is the key.

Slide 15
Other Key Issues (1)

• Equipment and Electronic Network Requirements
• Health and Safety - Due Diligence

Notes:

• Equipment and electronic network requirements for any telework arrangement depends on the work to be conducted. An agreement should be reached between the manager and the employee prior to undertaking a telework situation. However the manager must ensure that teleworkers are supplied with the necessary tools and equipment to enable them to continue to meet performance expectations. The department is responsible for the normal maintenance and repair of government owned equipment. The teleworker is not normally responsible for the replacement of lost or damaged Crown-owned equipment at the telework place unless an intentional omission or commission of any act amounting to a wrongful act or negligence caused the loss or damage.

• The employer is required to take whatever action is required to demonstrate due diligence. That is the employer is responsible for ensuring the employee knows and understands what is involved in telework and given guidance on the practical considerations of telework where it is considered appropriate or necessary including giving guidance on how to establish a safe and ergonomic working environment and adequacy of work station and facilities.

• As the employer has no formal control over an employee’s telework location it is the employee’s responsibility to adequately equip the telework place from a safety and health point of view to protect themselves and any equipment provided by the employer and to provide assurance to the manager that the telework place is safe and healthy. If an employee is on telework and has a “work related” accident, it should be reported to the supervisor as soon as possible, just like any accident or incident and the appropriate forms filled out. Because the private home is not controlled by the employer, the supervisor can only investigate (enter the home) with the authority of the employee.

Slide 16
Other Key Issues (2)

• Security of Information and Files
• Dependent Care

Notes:

Security of Information and Files

• It is essential that teleworkers consider the nature of the information with which they are working and take care to ensure that it is not left unattended or exposed to unauthorized scrutiny, both at the teleworkplace and during transport. Managers must ensure that employees are briefed on aspects of the safe custody and control of sensitive information.

Dependent Care

• Teleworking can provide valuable assistance with dependent care. Time saved commuting to work can be spent with family members. For example, a parent may need less before and after-school care for a school-aged child or be able to attend a day-time school function. Also they may have time to take an ageing family member to the doctor. While the occasional elder-care or child-minding task can be combined with telework, full-time care on a regular basis is not recommended because employees must be able to give their full attention to their work during work hours.

Slide 17
Conditions for Success (1)

• Culture that supports Flexible Work Arrangements
• Ongoing and Effective Communication
• Mutual Trust, Respect and Collaboration
• Planning

Notes:

• Supportive work environment, such as the attitude and co-operation of senior management, supervisors and colleagues is essential.

• Good communication before the telework arrangement begins and throughout the telework arrangement is essential and the responsibility of all parties. Managers will have to develop communication practices which allow them to stay in touch with their employees i.e. greater use of e-mail, telephone and scheduled face to face meetings. It is not only important for the teleworker to maintain excellent ongoing communications with his/her supervisor and vice-versa, but also that the colleagues know the teleworker’s schedule and tasks that are being carried out at home. And lastly, it is important for the teleworker to ensure that any persons living with the teleworker understands that he/she is working and to work out any home schedules to minimize any disruptions.

• Telework success is based on the basic principles of mutual trust, respect and collaboration between managers and teleworkers. It is important that managers and employees are aware they have a joint responsibility for success.

• Advanced planning by all parties is key. Teleworkers must plan their work to ensure that there is sufficient work to do at the telework place and that they have the necessary tools, references etc to be able to carry out the work. Supervisors must plan workloads and meetings in advance and ensure this is well communicated.

Slide 18
Conditions for Success (2)

• Suitability of Work
• Suitability of Employee
• Supervisor and employee educated on telework
• Awareness that managers and employees have joint responsibility for success

Notes:

• Work suitable for telecommuting depends on job content. For example, telecommuting may be feasible for work that requires thinking and writing, research, data analysis, or computer programming. However, work may not be suitable for telecommuting if the employee needs to have extensive face-to-face contact with other employees, clients or the general public or the employee needs frequent access to material or work tools that cannot be moved from the designated workplace. It is also important to remember that while some jobs may not appear to be teleworkable, closer examination could reveal that there are parts of the job that could be done at a telework place on a more limited schedule i.e. End of the month or bi-weekly etc. Each case needs to be looked at on its own.

• Experience has shown that successful teleworkers are well disciplined and organized, self-starters who can work independently. They are results-oriented being able to set their own deadlines and goals. They should have a history of reliable and responsible performance, are trustworthy and require minimal supervision. Teleworking may not be suitable for employees who need to be in the office to learn the organization, who require on-the job training, who need close supervision, or who require the interaction with colleagues and would not adapt to working in isolation at home.

• In order to assist employees balance their work and life responsibilities it is important for both supervisors and employees to be knowledgeable of options available and how any particular option such as telework could be implemented in their particular work environment. The supervisor is a key player in the success of the arrangement. He or she should be knowledgeable of telework, willing to try out the new arrangement and be comfortable managing by results.

Slide 19
Conditions for Success (3)

• Appropriate equipment and technical support
• Work unit sensitized to telework and its effects
• Telework place safe and free from interruptions

Notes:

• Having the right tools and equipment comparable to at the office will contribute to the success of telework in a big way.The equipment needed in a telework environment largely depends on the work to be conducted. In some cases, most of the work, if not all, can be done with no more than a phone, a personal computer and an e-mail account (Internet access). (Departmental position on equipment for teleworkers should be discussed here i.e internet access, telephone lines, technical support, viruses, etc.)

• Having the teleworker’s colleagues buy into the telework arrangement is important. Open and timely communication is key! It is important for colleagues to understand what telework is , how it will work, what the teleworker’s schedule will be and how the staff can reach the teleworker on teleworking days etc. Providing an opportunity for colleagues to share any concerns either at a staff meeting or one-on-one with the supervisor can avoid problems at a later date.

• The teleworker can be given guidance on how to establish a safe and ergonomic working environment and adequacy of work station and facilities but it is the teleworker’s responsibility to ensure that the home office is safe and free from disruptions.

Slide 20
Measuring for Success

• Productivity maintained/ improved
• Focus on outputs
  • Quality of work
  • Quantity/volume
  • Complexity / Sensitivity of task
  • Time-frames
  • Budget/Costs
• Impact on client service
• Positive team feedback
• Lower absenteeism
• Workload of non-teleworker not impacted

Notes:

• Before the telework arrangement even begins the teleworker and the supervisor/manager should discuss and agree on performance expectations.

• Managers can measure what the employee produced by examining the product or results of the employee’s effort. It is helpful to use project schedules, key milestones and regular status reports.

• Obtaining client feedback to measure client service would also be key (response time and qualitative results).

• Team feedback would also be another indicator as often the work is not done alone. Members of a team are interdependent of each other having to network with the manager and other team members to obtain the expected results.

• Research supports the telework initiative as it has proven to reduce stress for employees as they try to balance their work and personal commitments which results in lower absenteeism and and improves overall productivity. Therefore monitoring use of sick leave and family related leave could be another indicator of success.

• Workload must be planned by the teleworker and the supervisor in such a way to ensure that the non-teleworkers are not burdened with extra work because of the teleworkers schedule. Trade-offs and compromises between supervisor, other team members and teleworkers, which benefit all equally, may sometimes be necessary.

Slide 21
Managing Poor Job Performance in Telework Situation

• Assess performance in same manner as if employee is at official workplace
• Performance objectives should be clearly agreed to up front
• Monitor performance and discuss regularly with teleworker
• Discuss performance weaknesses, plan of action and time period to improve
• If performance doesn’t improve, terminate telework arrangement

Notes:

As mentioned earlier one of the conditions for success of any telework arrangement is the suitability of the employee requesting to telework. They should have a history of reliable and responsible performance, are trustworthy and require minimal supervision.

• Once the telework arrangement is approved, the teleworker’s performance should be measured in the same way as any other employee. Management by results is key.

• Performance objectives and measures/standards should be established, agreed to and clearly understood by the teleworker.

• The teleworker’s performance should be monitored regularly and discussed with him/her.

• Any weaknesses should be brought to the attention of the employee and a plan of action to improve performance, including timeframes, should be developed and agreed to between the teleworker and the manager. Discussions as to what impact the telework arrangement is having on the employee’s performance should occur at this time. Depending on the results of the discussions the telework arrangement could be terminated giving reasonable notice to the teleworker.

• If employee continues to telework and performance does not improve then the telework arrangement should be terminated, again with reasonable notice.

• The manager should continue to work with employee at office to improve performance or take any other necessary action.

Slide 22
Conclusion

• Aligned with increased presence of knowledge workers and Government On-line Initiative
• Builds on 1999 Employee Survey, Valuing our People and Building a World-class Workforce

Notes:

• Telework is well positioned as an employee support that can assist employee in achieving work-family/life balance.

• Over the years, technological advancement has affected some occupational groups more than others. As a result there is a significant trend in the Public Service towards becoming a more “white collar” workforce with increased pressure of knowledge work and a shift away from administrative support and technical and operational categories.

• The Government On-line Initiative will improve efficiency within the government and will enable employees to have easy access via Internet.

• Telework builds on the 1999 Employee Survey as a viable option to assist with work-family/life balance.

• The Workforce of the Future-Valuing Our People Report stated “New work arrangements such as telework and flexible work hours can enrich careers and improve service to the public. However, the working arrangements are not always working as well as they could be. Employees are eager to see these arrangements made more widely available in federal workplaces.”

• The Building a World-class Workforce report presented the results of a study of perceptions of career development among knowledge workers in the Public Service. 88% of respondents indicated that a balance between work and non-work life was important in their definition of career success.

Slide 23
Success Stories &
Case Study

• Opportunity to apply what managers learned

Notes:

Success Stories

Department presenters are encouraged to include departmental success stories as way of supporting further implementation of telework but can also use success stories from within other government departments which have been provided.

Encourage managers and employees to create their own success stories.

Case Study

The Case Study can be used at the end of the presentation as an opportunity for managers to apply what they learned.

Slide 24
Checklists

• Steps to Follow for Employees
• Weighing the Advantages and Disadvantages
• Checklist for Managers
• Details of Arrangement Checklist
• Checklist for Employees

Notes:

Provide checklists to managers as a hand-out and review them in plenary.