While many of us have heard all about the difference telecommuting can make, not only on individual’s personal and work lives, but on the economy and future of America’s workforce, it holds deeper impact when you either live out, or see others live out, its significance.
This May, the Telework Exchange and Cisco Systems held their second annual telework week, which not only talked about telework’s impact – but also showed its significance.
Telework Week, designed to increase telework awareness, had over 71,000 participants, an 80 percent increase from last year. Though it only lasted a week, from May 5th to May 9th, the figures they collected estimated a savings of:
- 5.6 million in commuting costs
- 6,413,006 miles
- 3,453 tons of pollutants
I haven’t had much time to devote here on TJ, but I’m always keeping an eye on the ever-changing work force. As someone who remembers having to get up to change the television channel, I find the ability to collaborate globally at the click of a mouse an incredible opportunity. Today, I took a few minutes to listen to Telework Exchange’s complimentary webinar, Ramp Up Your Savings: Measuring the Telework Returns.
Dan Kent, the Director of Solutions and Federal Chief Technology Officer for Cisco, emphasized that teleworking is not simply about working remotely, but about changing the workforce and lowering the cost of business. Telework helps businesses in cost-cutting ways such as eliminating the need for real estate and office costs like technology, furniture, and utilities.
Cisco has 25,000 full time teleworkers but explains it’s not a “one size fits all” approach, but rather an approach that includes various types of telework programs established for the different needs of company employees.
Cindy Auten, General Manager of the Telework Exchange moderated and Mr. Kent of Cisco was joined by Shirley LaBells, the Telework Coordinator for the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. They discussed the value and cost considerations for telework programs including tracking and reporting techniques (for measuring work output efficiency) and technology tools (for empowering productivity while enabling cost savings).
Want to hear it for yourself?
You can listen to their complimentary webinar here.