The Truth about Teleworking in the Federal Government

The Truth about Teleworking in the Federal Government: An Evaluation of Perceptions and Impact Geoffrey Borthwick, Ph. D. Dean Blevins, Ph. D. Mary Sue Farmer, Ph. D. Stephanie Kolar, Ph. D. Cris White, Ph. D.

Acknowledgments • Leadership Input and Support • Keith Welsh, LCSW • Andrea Massey, MS • Dave Xander, MA • Outside Survey Reviewers • Rebecca Thompson, Ph. D, Univ. of Baltimore • Additional Data Sources & Support • Scott Mc. Clernon, EES • Kathy Harris, EES • Keisha Contreras, VACO • Freddie Mc. Williams, EES

Background • Telework has been increasing in both private and public sectors for decades • Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 1993 developed a policy to telework to the maximum extent possible • Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 became the first policy across all agencies to encourage telework • Organizational units and sub-units had different telework policies • Mandatory annual reporting to Congress • 11 VA telework codes

Background • Government Accounting Office (e. g. , GAO, 2016) has pointed out that while descriptive data are being collected and reported, process and outcome evaluations are rare and methodologically inconsistent • VA Employee Education System (EES) in 2016 began the process of developing and conducting a comprehensive evaluation that took place in 2017 • The current presentation is an overview of the outcomes of that evaluation

Presentation Objectives • Discuss the development of the evaluation protocol for this subunit of VA • Present the relationships of teleworking with job satisfaction and other work-related attitudes • Illustrate implementation issues and perceptions of supervisors and non-supervisors • Discuss evaluation challenges on this topic overall and in VA in particular

Methods • Telework Survey (self-report) • n = 327/390 (84% response rate) • n = 279 Non-supervisors, n = 48 Supervisors • VA All Employee Survey (self-report) • n = 388 (89% Response Rate) • Archival Data • Telework Central Office Telework Codes • Real Estate Lease Records

Telework Rate and Job Satisfaction: VA - Organization Level Comparison 100% 95% 84% 80% 60% 40% 65% 40% 20% 0% Rate of Telework Job Satisfaction Unit VA

Telework Rate and Job Satisfaction: Sub-Unit Level Comparison 92% 5 3. 95 4 3 4. 11 80% 4. 13 4. 15 83% 4. 29 4. 09 37% 96% 35% 2 25% 1 Division 2 Division 3 Division 4 Majority Telework Division 5 Job Satisfaction Division 6 100% 4. 41 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Division 7

Telework Rate and Job Satisfaction: Individual Level 5. 00 4. 50 4. 00 4. 26 4. 11 3. 67 3. 50 3. 00 Job Satisfaction 2. 50 2. 00 1. 50 1. 00 Rare / None 2 - / week 3+ / week Telework Rate

Perceptions of Telework: Overall 100% 96% 88% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% 6% Telework can be effective Telework is a privilege Telework in Unit is not working

Perceptions of Telework: Comparison to Coworkers 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 55% 39% 26% 14% Unfair People TW Concerned others not. Concerned others TW I wish I could different amounts TW enough too much telework as much as others

Perception of Telework on Performance: Workers 100% 80% 79% 76% Improves my work performance Improves productivity of unit 60% 40% 20% 0%

Perception of Telework on Performance: Supervisors 100% 80% 72% 59% 60% 40% 20% 0% Helps retain employees Improves work performance

Effect of Telework on Recruitment and Retention 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 79% 40% 2% 1% Decision to seek employment Increase Continued interest in organization Decrease

Effect of Telework on Retirement: Among Retirement Eligible Employees Eligible to Retire No (n=208) 64% Yes (n=91) 36% Keeping me from Retiring Yes (n=60) 66% No (n=31) 34%

Sub-Unit use of Team Techniques: Effectiveness, Engagement, Job Satisfaction 5 4 4. 11 4. 13 4. 15 4. 29 4. 41 3. 95 4. 09 Division 1 Division 2 Division 3 Division 4 Division 5 Division 6 Division 7 3 2 1 Team Effectiveness Team Engagement Job Satisfaction

Telework Barriers 2% 2% Work-personal Life Balance Employee Interest 6% 6% Work Performance Peer Support/Peer Relations 12% 13% 15% Other Policies & Procedures Tech and Equip 26% Leadership Support 51% None 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Qualitative Data • 91% of comments were positive toward telework • Themes among comments included: • Individual level: quality of life, better work-life balance, improved health, and stress reduction • organization level: recruitment & retention incentives and higher productivity • “Telework is a major reason why I stay at the VA”

Conclusion & Implications • Telework can be a valuable operational policy for organizations, offering benefits to both the organization and employees • Equitable implementation of telework policies ensures that all eligible employees can realize potential benefits

Limitations • VA Telework Codes: 6% had no code • Self-report survey: potential for bias • No consistent real estate valuation method • No consistent telework eligibility in organization • Dispersed geographical distribution

Future Plans • Monitor performance – at all organizational levels • Improve telework coding • Move towards consistent telework eligibility • Investigate and implement telework best practices

Contact Information Geoffrey Borthwick, Ph. D Department of Veterans Affairs │ Veterans Health Administration Employee Education System │ Support Division Cleveland, Ohio Geoffrey. Borthwick@va. gov