1. -
Proposal for Telework Education
Inclusion on the Texas Workforce
Commission Website
Jamie Spence
ENGL 2311, Sec 70
Professor Shirley Roberts
April 2, 2009

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Table of Contents
SOLUTION.......................................................................................................................3
OBJECTIVE......................................................................................................................3
BENEFITS........................................................................................................................4
Benefits to Employer....................................................................................................................................................4
Benefits to Environment...............................................................................................................................................5
Benefits to Employee....................................................................................................................................................6
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN...............................................................................................6
Methodology..................................................................................................................................................................6
Schedule.........................................................................................................................................................................7
Logistical Challenges....................................................................................................................................................7
RESOURCES...................................................................................................................8
CONCLUSION..................................................................................................................9

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Current Situation
Employers need employees who are productive and loyal. Many companies also place a high
value on policies that are beneficial to the environment. Both objectives can be achieved to a large
extent by offering telework options to employees. The trend toward providing this kind of
employment has been growing steadily since the dawn of the Technological Age, but some
employers are still hesitant to utilize this efficient and environmentally-responsible alternative.
Solution
Offering telework education on the Texas Workforce Commission website within the
“Businesses and Employers” section would provide valuable information on this option to
employers and encourage more companies to make telework positions available to staff.
Objective
The objective of this proposal is to define the advantages of telework for Texas employers and
provide an implementation plan for inclusion on the Texas Workforce Commission website.

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Benefits
Benefits to Employer
The advantages of telework to employers are many. In a poll of 10,000, teleworkers
reported significantly higher levels of job satisfaction than their non-teleworking
counterparts (Coombes 4). This results in higher employee retention and lower turnover
costs. In another study examining twenty years of telework research and over 12,000
subjects, teleworkers were given higher performance evaluations by their supervisors
(Gajendran and Harrison 1528). There are fewer distractions in a home or remote
office. Additional time for work is gained through the subtraction of time usually spent
commuting to a place of employment, resulting in improved productivity. Telework
also has the advantage of resulting in reduced absenteeism, as ill employees can often
still work at home, and avoid transmitting illnesses to co-workers. Real estate and
operating costs can be reduced when housing fewer employees.
The potential US employer annual savings through
telework from reduced absenteeism, recruiting costs,
and from increased productivity could be as high as
$441 billion.
International Telework Association, 1999
WorldatWork Survey
Industry Canada reports
productivity gains of up to
50% by teleworkers.
The Canadian Telework
Association

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Survey: Multiple Benefits of Telework
70%
60%
50%
40%
Series1
30%
20%
10%
0%
Qualified Staff
Environmental
Safety Due to
Employee
Employee
Materials and
Improved
Retention
Highway Use
Savings on
Resources
Health
Reduced
Benefits
Office
More
[Table 1. Computer Technology Industry Association Survey: Two-thirds of companies surveyed indicated
that telecommuting produced greater productivity, lower costs, and higher employee retention.
Benefits to Environment
Telework benefits the environment in multiple ways as well (Robbins 63). Fewer
commuters on the road result in better air quality, less gas used, and less dependence on
foreign oil. In Undressed4Success: The Naked Truth about Making Money at Home,
authors Kate Lister and Tom Harnish calculate that “if telework increased to its full
potential, Gulf oil imports could be reduced by as much as 80%.” The authors further
assert that $43 billion dollars could be saved in gas and carbon dioxide emissions
would be reduced by 107 million tons. Another community benefit to telework would

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be fewer highways and office buildings being built, thus preserving our community
green space and supporting air quality as well.
Benefits to Employee
In addition to profiting employers and helping protect the environment, telework
benefits employees. Less money spent on gas for a commute translates into savings for
the employee, as well as lower stress from avoiding wasting time in traffic. More time
spent working often means greater productivity and better quality work, thus allowing
the employee to advance in his or her career. An additional morale boost is the implied
respect given to teleworking staff; management trusts the employee to be working even
if they are not visible to them at that moment (Coombes 4). There is also a quality of
life benefit in that telework supports greater work-life balance. Employees with a sick
child or aging parent are able to address those responsibilities while still being
dependable employees. Telework allows employees to focus on and produce results in
a more flexible way that also allows them more time with their families.
Implementation Plan
Methodology
Many managers are resistant to the idea of telework because they fear that without
supervision, their staff will not perform. Data from numerous studies exposes this perception as
false; teleworkers are actually more productive than their office counterparts (Gomes 1). Education
for upper and middle management is essential for encouraging a positive response to adopting
telework as a type of employment. A positive attitude toward telework requires that a manager

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focus on performance and results rather than presence in an office. Supervisors can manage
effectively at a distance using good communication skills, establishing clear goals, and adopting
procedures that apply directly to a teleworking team.
Schedule
For many companies, making the move to telework may involve overcoming management
unease It is a good idea to begin with a blend of telework and office time; one or two days working
at home with three or four days in the office would be a wise start. It allows for needed “face time”
with management, meetings, and encourages good social and working relationships between staff
members. After relationships have become established, the next step in a telework process is a
pilot program with a group of employees who begin to telework the majority or entirety of the
week. A pilot program is an ideal method for determining any weaknesses in policy and procedure
that need to be corrected. After corrections have been made, the program is ready to be launched
full-scale for as many employees as the company deems beneficial. The company then begins to
save money on real estate and operating costs, reduces its carbon footprint on the environment, and
productivity increases substantially.
Logistical Challenges
Teleworking staff do not require more investment than office staff. The basic equipment
needed in an office is the same equipment needed in a home office. In many cases, some of the
employee’s own personal equipment (such as a telephone, printer, etc.) may be utilized without
investment by the company, and the employer simply pays for toner, paper, or other such supplies.
Investing only in the technology needed for the position requirements will maximize savings in
office real estate and operating costs. Security measures can be taken to protect sensitive

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information. A guide regarding security is provided by the Telework.gov website listed in the
Resource section below.
Resources
There are many websites devoted to the support of telework as the employment type of
choice for today. The Telework Coalition (TelCoa) promotes the concept, “Work is something you
do, not someplace you go.” TelCoa provides a wealth of information regarding telework,
technology, company information, and much more on their website, www.telcoa.org. The U.S.
Equal Opportunity Employment Commission has a webpage devoted to teleworking,
http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/telework.html, which encourages the adoption of telework for any
position deemed reasonable, but with particular emphasis on persons with disabilities, who may be
able to work quite well within the home environment but due to various challenges, might have a
difficult time commuting to a place of employment and working there. Telework.gov is the federal
interagency website maintained by the Office of Personnel Management and the General Services
Administration to support its telework force. Many of its features, including a telework guide,
security guide, emergency procedures guide, and policies, are accessible to the public and are very
helpful in launching a telework initiative.

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Conclusion
Texas employers need to understand the benefits of offering telework to their employees.
In today’s troubled economy and damaged environment, companies need to profit and the
environment needs protection. Individuals need greater work-life balance to navigate the
challenges of modern-day life. Telework is a responsible solution to address these needs.

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Works Cited
Coombes, Andrea. “Seeking Loyal, Devoted Workers? Let Them Stay Home.” Wall Street
Journal [New York, N.Y.] 11 Sept. 2007, Eastern Edition: B.4. Proquest. Collin County
Community College Library, Frisco, TX. 23 Mar. 2009.
Gajendran, Ravi S. and David A. Harrison. “The Good, the Bad, and the Unknown About
Telecommuting: Meta-Analysis of Psychological Mediators and Individual Consequences.”
Pennsylvania State University; Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 92, No. 6.
Gomes, Lee. “Business Technology -- Talking Tech: Paradoxes Abound In Telecommuting.” Wall
Street Journal [New York, N.Y.] 23 Jan. 2007, Eastern Edition: B.3. Wall Street
Journal. Proquest. Collin County Community College Library, Frisco, TX. 23 Mar. 2009.
quot;New Survey: Multiple Benefits From Telework.quot; Work-Life Newsbrief & Trend Report (Nov.
2008): 2-2. Business Source Complete. Ebsco. Collin County Community College Library,
Frisco, TX. . 21 Mar. 2009.
Robbins, Mclean. quot;Environmental Benefits.quot; Employee Benefit News 22.8 (15 June 2008): 62-64.
Business Source Complete. Ebsco. Collin County Community College Library, Frisco,
TX. . 21 Mar. 2009.
quot;Worldatwork Survey: 33.7 Million Telework.quot; Work-Life Newsbrief & Trend Report (Mar.
2009): 4-4. Business Source Complete. Ebsco. Collin County Community College Library,
Frisco, TX. 19 Mar. 2009.