Obama talks telework

For someone who regularly works from his home (Oval) Office, President Barack Obama's enthusiasm about telework makes sense.

At a Workplace Flexibility Forum across the street from the White House, on March 31, Obama said the federal government is practicing what it preaches when it comes to instituting telework and offering more options for employees.

“It’s about attracting and retaining top talent in the federal workforce and empowering them to do their jobs, and judging their success by the results that they get,” Obama said.

He then went on to quote Martha Johnson, administrator of the General Services Administration:

“It’s about creating a culture where, as Martha Johnson puts it, ‘Work is what you do, not where you are.’”

John Berry, director of the Office of Personnel Management, and Aneesh Chopra, the federal chief technology officer, are working together to improve ways for feds to work out of the office. Obama said things like regulations won’t stop his administration from pushing telework. His officials will find secure, inexpensive ways to do it and train feds on how to telework. The administration will also learn the private sector's telework efforts.

“In the end, we believe that all of this isn’t just about providing a better work experience for our employees, it’s about providing better, more efficient service for the American people — even in the face of snowstorms and other crises that keep folks from getting to the office,” Obama said.

Hopefully, telework won’t be forced on DC because of several feet of snow. Let employees telework for reasons that don't include shoveling.