Buckle Up to Telecommute

Nearly 50 percent of federal government jobs that can be handled from home can now be done by telecommuters and 100 percent of appropriate jobs are mandated for such options by the end of 2003. Yet only 4.2 percent of federal workers in the Washington D.C. area telework on a regular basis. Why the slow progress given the well-documented appeal and cost-savings that come from telecommuting — 20 percent greater worker productivity, 63 percent less absentee-related costs, $10,000 annual cost of maintaining an office/cubicle space? Concerns that include insurance liability, staff supervision and interaction, and federal security restrictions make it clear to this author that the commuting solution alone is not the answer. Alternatives discussed include rail transit for local commuting, the development of telecommunications broadband networks by municipalities, and a conversion by automakers of the 12-volt car battery to a 42-volt system that will enable a new array of mobile features. A short related article includes telework statistics.

Source: Gary Arlen, Washington Techway, September 30, 2002