Survey Results
Distribution and Responses
- The OPM survey was sent to 97 agencies in March 2001.
- 94 agencies with a total workforce of 1,758, 437 employees responded to the survey.
Agency Telework Policies
- 76 agencies with a total workforce of 1, 745, 013 employees reported having telework policies in place.
- Majority of agency policies (57 versus 19) cover all employees.
- Significant policy changes and policy development were being pursued at the time of the survey to expand eligibility and increase the number of teleworkers.
Number of Teleworkers
The 94 responding agencies reported 45,300 employees teleworking at least 52 days per year.
- This number represents 2.6 percent of total employees in the 94 responding agencies.
- The rate is nearly double the 1.4 percent OPM found in a 1998 survey.
Agency narratives and follow-up discussions suggested a number of factors indicating the reported data reflect an undercount of actual practice.
- Data collection was significantly hampered, since there are no requirements or mechanisms in place for reporting telework using personnel and payroll systems, as is the case with Alternative Work Schedules (AWS).
- Some agencies reported having teleworkers but did not provide estimates of their numbers.
- The number of employees teleworking less than 52 days per year was not specifically asked for, but 14 agencies voluntarily provided that information, suggesting a potentially widespread practice that may well have been missed by the survey. The 14 agencies reported 8,091 employees teleworking less than 52 days per year.
Barriers
Agencies reported the following barriers, in order of how frequently they were reported:
- managerial concerns about maintaining performance and productivity
- funding for equipment and services at the remote site or costs for telework centers
- fairness to all employees
- security relative to classified documents
- employee concerns related to feeling isolated from colleagues
- electronic connectivity to the office.