Transition to Telework

Advancing technology, changing workforce demographics, increasing competition for talent and escalating costs are driving a widespread, cross-industry shift to telework and workplace flexibility. When implemented strategically, telework and other workplace flexibility solutions can drive organizational performance and help realize cost savings and operational efficiencies — all critical success factors to address new economic and demographic realities. Learning leaders need to understand what workplace flexibility is and what their roles are in supporting a potential transition within their organizations.

An effective workplace flexibility strategy includes changing the way we think about the workforce — policy and performance management; the workplace — how we optimize our office space; and the work itself — how we collaborate and innovate. When properly implemented as a business strategy rather than a perk or employee benefit, workplace flexibility can yield strategic results.

These benefits have been recognized by President Barack Obama as critically important to our nation’s economy and further codified through new legislation requiring all federal agencies to begin implementing formal telework policies. Addressing the White House Forum on Workplace Flexibility in March 2010, Obama stated: “[Workplace flexibility] is an issue that affects the well-being of our families and the success of our businesses. It affects the strength of our economy — whether we’ll create the workplaces and jobs of the future we need to compete in today’s global economy.”

All organizations must deal with increasing hiring needs, business continuity challenges, increasing performance and efficiency goals, and rapidly changing workforce demographics. Implementing a broad workplace flexibility program can help to address all of these challenges. Organizations that have effectively implemented workplace flexibility have realized significant progress in their ability to:

• Recruit and retain top talent.

• Ensure continuity of business operations.

• Increase organizational performance and individual productivity.