As part of socialization, many of us were warned not to discuss sex, religion or politics either with friends or new acquaintances. Many of us fail to heed that advice, often with unhappy results. But that’s for a different column.

So has technology provided us with a new taboo topic: teleworking?

In Friday’s column we mentioned the latest congressional effort to get more feds out of the office and working from home or telework centers. And to get more actual, as opposed to anecdotal information about how teleworking is working.

Here’s some feedback from our e-mail bag:

• “I maintained a major ice injury early in December, requiring me to stay home for a couple of months. I was not only able to keep working because of my agency’s (Department of Transporation) generous telework policy, but I was able to provide essential coverage to the office while others were out for the December and New Year’s holidays. Not to mention during the storms to follow!” Grateful But No Name Please
• “Your Friday column was not up to par…the snide openings of the column insinuating that telework equals not working, you reinforced all the negative stereotypes. Disclosure up front – I’m not a federal worker, and one of my clients TANDBERG is a big supplier of video conferencing to the government. But the biggest complaint I hear, borne out by surveys, is managers who can’t manage, so they fear having workers who aren’t right down the hall to be observed at all times. Your article reinforces such an attitude.
  

  When will government get it that work is a thing, not a place? This problem will be solved via demographics retirements, but surely we can do something faster.

  Check out www.breakdownthewalls.com, a site totally dedicated to the use of video conferencing by the public sector. You might be interested in particular in this post – highlighting a December survey on the issue. You can feel the anger and frustration jump right off the screen with some of these responses from feds.

  “BTW, this was sent from home at 7:45 in the AM, as I was teleworking.” Chris Parente

  (Editor’s Note: And in the interest of full disclosure, we should mention that Tandberg also sponsors the TANDBERG Telework Center page on our website, written by yours truly. sk)

• “Worked for IRS since 1977… I work for a manger who encourages her employees to actively work under flexi place agreements and she evaluates us on the work that we do, not where we do it. Two of us have given up all permanent office space and work in available space when we come into DC once or twice a week. During this last horrid winter, I did not miss one day of work; no snow at all between my breakfast table and my workstation. We are working now on incorporating flexi place procedures into our continuity of operations plans.” Frank of the IRS
• “I telework two days a week for the National Library of Medicine. No horror stories, just the opportunity to get more work done. There are less distractions and I am much more productive at home. I was working from home on a project which was supposed to take about 4 years to complete. I completed it in two years and two months. This is solely because I was able to concentrate at home in a way that is impossible at work. My supervisors are very supportive of telework.” Sandy
• “… In December 2008 I fell on the ice and ruptured my quadriceps tendon. Not being able to drive or even get to the train station, I was pretty much out of commission. My division was able to expedite and get me a wireless network card (though it was about 4 weeks after the fall). Except for follow-ups with my surgeon and my time spent in physical therapy, I worked at home from mid-January through May 2009. It kept me from using all my leave; kept a paycheck coming in; and, most important, the work got done.” Paul
• “Teleworking even as we speak! My take on teleworking is that it depends on WHAT you do….currently I’m working certain cases that some of the documents take up multiples of boxes. I don’t want to store the ‘stuff’ in my house because 1) it takes up too space and 2) it’s taxpayer information which frankly, if it were my records, I’d prefer it to be locked up in a secure location. So what am I working on today? I’m putting together exhibits and a narrative that fits in ONE box which I can securely lock up in my home. Right now, I have work that can be easily done from home; but it’s certainly not an everyday proposition.
  

  “Teleworking has certainly become easier since I received an upgraded computer and aircard; my previous equipment made it nearly impossible to access email; that’s how I stay in contact with the people I work with since they are spread all over the country. I don’t have a government issued cell phone so if you need to talk to me, you better hope I trust you enough to give you my personal cell. That sort of rules out any taxpayers! Therein lies what I consider the worst part of teleworking – It’s tough to track down certain people if they are NEVER in their office. I also think there are certain jobs that can never be performed at home. I still think teleworking is a decision that’s best left to the frontline managers. Sure, you have managers that don’t trust their people…but then again, they usually have issues even when their employees are right in front of them. I always talk to my manager ahead of time, telling him what my work plans are. Right now, it works to work at home. A couple of weeks from now, I may be sitting in my cube, phone stuck in my ear juggling boxes and binders trying to discuss three cases with the one person that’s assigned to assist with it. It’s called ‘judgment’…something that both my manager and I are paid to utilize. We are the best ones to determine the most efficient way to get the job done. Now back to work.” Dianne

• “Telework, at my agency, is for the select few. That is if you are favored by your management then you can work tele-work (flexi-place). It is getting near impossible to hold a meeting on a Monday or a Friday. Deadlines are missed due to the three days of actually being able to communicate and work with peers. Then when you do get a teleworker on the phone you hear the kids and animals in the background. You also get told to call back later because they are waiting for a repairman or need to run out to a doctor’s appointment. I truly think that telework is just another perk given to the DC based (primarily) liberals who never worked a full day in their lives anyway. In the field, we go to an office, work hard all day and get no promotions, no rewards and just grief from DCers working from home.” K of the IRS

To reach me: mcausey@federalnewsradio.com

Nearly Useless Factoid
by Suzanne Kubota

According to World Watch magazine, 27,000 trees a day are used up in the form of toilet paper worldwide.

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