Telework guide for managers urges a focus on results

The managers of employees working away from the office should focus on results and communicating with workers to maintain productivity, according to a new guide for implementing telework in the workplace.

Federal managers and supervisors should set objectives and expectations and avoid relying on observation to gauge a teleworker's performance, recommends "Implementing and Managing a Telework Program: A Complete Guide to Properly Managing Telework Employees."

Produced by the Viack Corp., a Scottsdale, Ariz.-based company that sells a product enabling workers to collaborate online, the 17-page guide gives managers advice on determining who should telework, breaking cultural barriers, choosing the right technologies and securing information technology systems from attacks.

"As more managers learn how to develop and successfully implement policies for remote workers, we expect the number of teleworkers to jump exponentially," said Amy Fadida, Viack's senior vice president. "Fortunately, there's actually little difference between managing the performance of a teleworker and managing the employee who works at the main office."

Federal agencies are facing congressional pressure to increase the number of employees who work away from the office. Five agencies are currently facing budget cuts if teleworking is not made available to eligible employees.

Studies have demonstrated that increasing the number of teleworkers would ease the demand for gasoline, lowering fuel prices and lessening rush hour traffic. Advocates of telework say it also could help agencies continue normal operations in times of disaster.

The guide recommends that employees working away from the office have easy access to a computer, the Internet, an e-mail program, a telephone and a fax machine. Other means of communicating with colleagues and management that are helpful but not as important are Web cameras, headsets, instant messaging programs and online white boards.

Companies that allow employees to work from home often overlook security issues, the guide states. The growing popularity of wireless networks both at the office and at home is adding new security concerns. "Potential vulnerabilities are endless," the guide notes.

The guide makes seven recommendations for steps managers should take before moving forward with a long-term telework program, including:

• Establish a method for determining who should be allowed to telework.
• Set clear guidelines for employees working away from the office.
• Determine the technological needs of both potential telecommuters and the agency.
• Establish a method for keeping managers informed of employees' status.
• Ensure that teleworkers and non-teleworkers are managed uniformly.
• Pledge to judge all employees by results and not observation.
• Determine an appropriate way for managers to evaluate results.