[December 10, 2012]

Telework Week 2013 Details Announced; Commuters Expected to Save Millions by Pledging to Telework

Telework Exchange^SM, a public-private partnership focused on demonstrating the tangible value of telework, today announces details for Telework Week 2013, taking place March 4-8, 2013. Telework Week is the third-annual initiative encouraging government agencies, businesses, and individuals to pledge to telework during the week of March 4-8, 2013. Interested participants can visit www.teleworkexchange.com/teleworkweek to pledge to telework, as well as calculate potential commuter cost savings and environmental impact during Telework Week 2013. In 2012, more than 71,000 individuals and organizations pledged to telework during Telework Week, collectively saving $5.6 million in commuting costs and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 3,453 tons.

"Telework Week is an excellent opportunity for thousands of people to try teleworking and realize the great benefits it can provide," said Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD), author of the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010. "A robust telework program can help organizations improve the quality of life of their employees, while also taking strides to protect the environment, reduce traffic congestion on the roads, and increase workplace efficiency."

When Hurricane Sandy hit the U.S. east coast in October, about one third of the D.C. region's Federal employees were able to telework during the two days the government was closed, according to the Office of Personnel Management. Telework Week 2013 serves as an opportunity for agencies to test teleworkpilot programs and/or business continuity exercises to allow workers to continue to perform mission-critical tasks remotely when inclement weather hits. Telework is a key component of business continuity plans, helping agencies save money and increase productivity in these situations. In fact, 71 percent of Telework Week 2012 participants cited improved business continuity as one of the top benefits of telework.

"The Department of Agriculture (USDA) had 7,516 employees teleworking during Telework Week 2012, amounting to more than $1 million saved in commuting costs," said Oscar Gonzales, USDA deputy assistant secretary for administration. "USDA has high goals for widespread telework adoption and this initiative gave many employees from smaller agencies and sub-organizations the opportunity to telework, even if they do not regularly do so. We pledge to once again support Telework Week and hope to exponentially increase our participation this year."

With the two-year anniversary of the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010, Federal agencies can plan to leverage Telework Week 2013 to build or grow their telework programs and meet legislative requirements. A recent Telework Exchange study found that 59 percent of Federal IT executives expect more regular teleworkers in the next two of years.

"Telework is constantly evolving toward what we consider 'smart work,' which takes advantage of the integration of many different technologies, including broadband, cloud, video, and unified communications, to maximize the ability of employees to work as they want. We believe participation in Telework Week is an important step in that direction," said Gordon Feller, director of Urban Innovation, Cisco (News - Alert) IBSG.

"Enabling agencies to support teleworkers ensures that the government is more productive and saves money," said Cindy Auten, general manager for Telework Exchange. "Telework Week 2013 allows agencies to get IT infrastructures and policies ready to support today's on-the-go workforce. We are pleased to continue growing this initiative as we look to serve the mobility and telework needs of Federal employees and their agencies."

Interested individuals and organizations can visit www.teleworkexchange.com/teleworkweek to pledge to telework and to calculate potential commuter cost and environmental savings. There is no cost to pledge. Following Telework Week, Telework Exchange will release a comprehensive report detailing the total impact of the Telework Week initiative on commuting costs. The 2013 Telework Week initiative is underwritten by Cisco, a mobile collaboration solutions provider.

About Telework Exchange

Telework Exchange^SM is a public-private partnership focused on demonstrating the value of telework and mobility and serving the emerging educational and communication requirements of the Federal telework/mobile community. The organization facilitates communication among Federal teleworkers, managers, human capital officers/telework managing officers, and IT professionals focused on building a sustainable and effective mobile workforce. For more information on Telework Exchange, follow us on Twitter (News - Alert), @TeleworkXchange.

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