To get ourselves in gear for the Work Anywhere Symposium 2011 that’s being held at Sacramento State University’s Alumni Center this Thursday, September 22, we’ve invited one of the key organizers of the event, Geoff McLennan, to talk to us about his thoughts on where California is now and where it is going in terms of mobile work.
Geoff is from the State of California’s Department of General Services and heads the State Telework Advisory Group. He is especially interested in government and organizational effectiveness and is always looking for ways to improve efficiency and service delivery in innovative ways–like teleworking!
These are some of his thoughts:
The Stats
“Presently the State of California has about 5% of its workforce of about 240,000 on telework. When compared nationally, this is much lower than the approximately 20% for other states and even higher for the federal government, which has many agencies with over 50% on telework. (Informal teleworkers are not counted.)”
The Concerns
“State managers are concerned about adding teleworkers because of their inexperience in selecting and effectively managing teleworkers. We need to demonstrate to managers that the software exists that does not change work but allows work to be removed from the office 1-2 days per week. We need to demonstrate that the software exists that compliments managers to communicate with teleworkers and to increase productivity. The software also exists to help the manager to evaluate who should telework. Of course, within the State, the policy remains that teleworking a privilege and not a right.”
The Future
“My personal opinion, but not the policy or opinion of the State, is that telework will eventually flourish like it has in other states and the federal government once managers are educated and younger managers assume responsibility. The younger generations grew up with Mario Brothers and other software and will readily adopt the latest technology at work. The State needs to save money on office costs, and telework has been shown to save billions in other states and the federal government. It is just a matter of time until the State adopts. Many younger workers already own consumer-driven portable devices and don’t need a PC station at a state office, and yet we continue to purchase PC workstations.”
If you’re planning to be at the Symposium, Geoff will also be moderating one of their awesome panel discussions (3:20-4:30 p.m.): “Supporting the Workforce–Engaging Unions, Supporting the Disabled & Creating Better Work Life Balance.”
Otherwise, you might want to catch Milton at the “Dispelling the Myths: Leveraging Emerging Technologies” panel talk, also 3:20-4:30 p.m.
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