Solutions: Workforce - Teleworker Attraction

Create a Telework Support and Attraction Program

GOAL: Promote or develop flexible efficient and effective work arrangements.

DESCRIPTION: Teleworking offers significant benefits to employers, employees, self-employed individuals, and entrepreneurs. Benefits include businesses’ infrastructure savings, emissions reduction, and congestion management. Further, teleworking can help businesses and government agencies reduce real estate, energy, and other overhead costs, using the savings to avoid job cuts or to hire new staff. Research has shown that teleworking programs can increase an employer’s productivity and enable it to continue operating without skipping a beat in the face of a natural disaster or other emergency situation that might otherwise bring business to a halt. Teleworking allows employees to lower their commuting costs, and accommodates people with disabilities, the elderly, working mothers, and rural residents who may not be in a position to work outside the home.

It is unlikely that all employees will be able to telework. A good way to start is to identify types of positions or job types that can be performed remotely and initiate a trial period and track results. Get feedback from all involved regarding the benefits and challenges and fine-tune as needed.

ACTIONS:

Promote the establishment of a teleworking pilot program.

Establish a cross-functional project team, including, for example, information technology labor representatives and other stakeholders.

Establish an agency-wide telework policy.

Establish eligibility criteria to ensure that teleworkers are selected on an equitable basis using criteria such as suitability of tasks and employee performance.

Develop a telework agreement for use between teleworkers and their managers.

Conduct assessment of teleworker and organization technology needs.

RESPONSIBLE PARTIES:

Businesses; Business organizations, (e.g., chambers of commerce, economic development corporations, associations, etc.); Citizens and interest groups

RESOURCES:

Building a Telework Program: https://www.telework.gov/federal-community/telework-managing-officers-coordinators/building-a-telework-program/

Teleworking Brings Jobs Home: http://connectmycommunity.org/project-view/teleworking-brings-jobs-home/

Job Opportunities vita Digital Works Come to Cheboygan, MI: http://connectmycommunity.org/project-view/job-opportunities-via-digital-works-come-to-cheboygan-michigan/

Publicly-Operated Telework Facilities: An Economic Development Opportunity for Michigan’s Rural and Tourism-Oriented Communities: http://reicenter.org/projects/completed-projects/creativity-invention-and-entrepreneurship/publicly-operated-telework-facilities-an-economic-development-opportunity-for-mi.