New Idea Nineteen: Let's Have More Part Time Employees

[New Ideas for Government]

Government is going to have to be more creative in hiring. It could provide more part time hiring opportunities which might be attractive to retirees from government, parents with young children, and college students.

[charles miller]

It is high time that the Federal government with 3 million employees plus contractor staff effectively reduce the number of work days employees have to be physically in the office in Washington DC or other major employment locations. When I was a manager in the government, I provided staff with opportunities to work from home or at telecommuting centers (TCs). This was not always easy, due to logistics, but it was beneficial to employees and, ultimately, management through increased productivity and a happier work force. I worked at the Department of Education. With the serious challenges we face given the current and projected cost of oil and environmental concerns, it is now time to push to allow all staff, supervisors, and even managers to work from TCs or their homes to reduce energy costs. This is a good thing since employees will be happier and, thus more productive and this also has a positive impact on retention of good staff and better recruitment incentives. I know my practice over 15 years to allow staff to work from home had an impact on fuel savings. Some staff that worked in my unit lived in Baltimore, and even West Virginia. Just imagine what the impact would be if thousands of federal employees (many of which live 30-70 miles outside of DC and other major cities) could leave their cars parked and work from home or closer to home. It would be significant. And in turn, the federal government could reduce heating costs and the overall costs associated with staffing and needs. Employees, supervisors and managers could "stagger" the days they could work from home to eleviate the workload demands and coverage issues. Creative communication systems and performance systems could be put in place to satisfy the critics. It would work if Congress would seriously pursue a legislative agenda to make it so. I can't imagine too many employees, unions, or the public to disagreeing with the idea of lessening competition on oil usage. Employees who could work from their homes one or more days a week, would be using their own energy and supplementing the federal government for free. The only thing would be their salary costs and materials. Most employees have private computers for home use that could beused with proper security systems enforced. Of course, there are the many out there who think federal employees are unworthy of this creative idea. My experience has been that a majority of federal employees are hard working, diligent, and loyal to their places of employment. I for one worked 60 hours a week as a manager and at one three year period held two senior manager jobs for the same pay. It wasn't that I couldn't get my work done in a normal 40 hour work week, but rather it was because I wanted to give my best and do the best job I could. It isn't always about the money and employees taking personal advantage of their public responsibility. Without these federal employees, many critical functions of government could not be handled, including social security, medicare and medicaid, and other key functions.

I would appreciate your consideration of my comments. It is time, however, that the federal government and the Congress take some serious actions. Fuel that can be saved by way of POVs, buses, energy to heat and cool buildings, can be used for reducing fuel costs for airlines, the trucking industry, the postal service, and other competing areas. With proper oversight and management, this could work. I know because it worked at the Department of Education. It does require an understanding management and staff who will take their work seriously whie given the opportunity to work from home or at a TC. Unless this is done federal-wide with proper incentives for managers and supervisors, in will continue to be a patch-work at individual agency levels.

Thanks for considering this.

Charles Miller

[dennis c mitchell]

Wholeheartily agree that more telecommuting is needed. I know several employees who work 40 hours per week from home ! So why is there an ongoing proble with instituting more telecommuting ?

[stellaf]

Hi,


I think it is going to be a revolutionary step and it is very useful for everyone. Thanks for sharing.


Stella
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