Telework - is it a good idea

[FAB1]

I am not in position to use it. If not abused I think could save $$$

[Frixxxx]

I am not in position to use it. If not abused I think could save $$$
Too many people need access to classified information....Don't see us setting up SIPRNET in everyone's homes!

[Silverbird]

Depends what you do. However, there should be an emergency setup for everyone in case something happens - look what happened to Haiti! The U.S. is not an island. Our country is big enough that a single disaster most likely will NOT destroy the entire infrastructure unless we have all of our eggs in a single basket.

[XL-entLady]

I worked from a home office for 5 years because my agency was doing everything it could to keep me on the payroll. I was able to live in an area that was several hours away from my office. My government laptop had a VPN Client on it and I was able to get behind the firewall just as if I was at the office. We used a teleconference line for our staff meetings. And it worked well for all concerned.

The two drawbacks for me were (1) I missed all the 'watercooler talk' where people drop into each other's offices and share the latest news about projects; and (2) with my office in my home it was easy to go in to do one little thing and then still be there four hours later because time got away from me.

I probably gave the government hours and hours because I telecommuted. But I didn't mind because it was such a good situation for me and for my agency.

[72Zorad]

I do it. As a matter fact I'm dialed in now. I have a VPN 'always on' connection in my home with an IP Phone so to anyone calling it's no different than if I was at my desk. Also, all of the staff who work for me are spread out over the western 3rd of the United States and are remote to me. I have an office but it is a bunch of people who do different jobs than me. But, they are still co-workers...

For me personally the downside outweigh the positive so I typically only do it about once a week.

Good side; I don't have to commute 2 hours a day.

Bad sides; This one is hard for me to explain to most people. The bathroom in my house is right next door and no one else is in the house. This mean bio breaks are pretty short and you're right back at your desk. At work you have to truck it down the hallways and you invariably run into someone who wants to chat giving you a nice break from work. For lunch you stop, heat your lunch, shoot the breeze with co-workers, hang out in the lunch room away from your office.....here I pop something in the microwave, come back to my desk because the kitchen is close enough to hear the ding when it is done, then you go get lunch and eat at your desk. I've tried changing rooms but you can still hear the phone ring. You know people know you are working from home so you feel obligated to answer it to demonstrate your actually at work. When I'm at work I don't hear the phone and don't care that it rang if I was gone. What really surprised me how much more time I'm at work at home. Even though I don't commute I find myself sitting at the computer as soon as my wife leaves and sitting at it until she returns. I don't start work for another half hour and have been on since almost an hour ago reading emails and piddling around (not here, on my work computer). I found that I have to make myself take breaks and physically leave the area. I play drums and have a set in the basement so I intentionally go down and play because I can't hear the phone if it rings.
The thing that really surprised me was the sense of intrusion I feel with my work stuff at home. This is my house. I built an office in it but it is my office. My personal computer, my hobbies, my interests....when I work here it seems unsettling. I think it goes back to the 'I work to live, I don't live to work' and this seems like work is invading my personal space and life.

Some people love it, some people don't. I'd rather be in the office.

72Zorad

[Frixxxx]

Some people love it, some people don't. I'd rather be in the office.

72Zorad
We call you a "people person". I'm a people person too! I go to the office!:laugh: