Workforce Planning and Professional Development Task Force - Final Report

Appendix E

ALTERNATIVE DUTY LOCATION SURVEY RESPONSES

Summary of Employee Responses

The survey was emailed to 17 current "alternative duty location employees" and their managers (9 different managers).  We received 23 total responses:  13 employees and 10 managers/team leaders.  NOTE:  In addition to their own responses, several Supervisors asked their Team Leader(s) to respond to the survey. 

The frequency column indicates the number of times the comment was made.  For example, under the "Cost" heading in question 1, 3 respondents felt the advantage of the arrangement was the elimination of PCS costs.

1. What are the advantages of the virtual office arrangement? 

   Comments	Frequency
   COST
   PCS costs eliminated	3
   more frequent/cheaper flights from airport in alternate location city	1
   eliminates "Transit Benefit Program" costs	1
   PERSONAL CONVENIENCE
   much reduced travel time (commute and TDY)	3
   stayed with FHWA vs. retiring or working for another agency/company in current location	4
   permits employee to further career goals/professional experience without sacrificing family	2
   employee works in less stressful city and workplace	1
   more time to focus on workload (less distraction)	3
   Did not have to move	1
   Spouse/family convenience	3
   AGENCY BENEFITS
   FHWA keeps a qualified, competent staff person (related to #2 in Personal Convenience)	4
   no PCS costs	3
   less office space required at organization office location	2
   "reality check" for HQ—alternate location brings field perspective to HQ	1
   Increased attention to communications	1

2. Have you experienced any problems/issues with this arrangement?

   Comments	Frequency
   INITIAL SETUP
   Initial communications (phone/fax/email/videoconference) problems	2
   Initial office supplies	1
   Payment for FedEx/mailings	1
   COORDINATION
   Times when being a distance from organization office locations affects ability to quickly coordinate actions	3
   Cannot attend all meetings or impromptu meetings	2
   Keeping remote individuals "in the loop" more difficult	1
   Time zone issues for coordination	1
   FUNDING
   Same travel budget as organization office location employees, therefore requires more teleconferencing
   OTHER
   Travel—more time traveling on personal time	1
   NO problems	3
   EQUITY (responses from 1 employee only)
   Perception that organization office location employees are envious of alternate duty location employees	1
   Alternate duty location office ergonomics very bad—general lack of accommodation by alternate duty location host.	1
   Work seems to be extraordinary amount of review and criticism vs. other staff	1

3. Please provide us feedback concerning costs or savings as a result of this arrangement? (i.e.,  travel, communications, etc).

   Comments	Frequency
   DIRECT COSTS
   PCS move avoided	4
   Increased communications costs (mostly phone)	3
   More efficient air travel	1
   Transit Benefit Program cost savings, since employee would participate if did not work in alternate duty location	1
   Team coordination meetings taking larger part of budget	1
   Equipment costs increase (communications)	1
   INDIRECT COSTS
   more work gets done –higher production	1
   OTHER
   No known savings or additional costs	1

4. Please describe how you have been able to work with your remote supervisor/employee?--how have any problems or issues been worked out?

   Problem	Frequency	Solutions/Suggestions
   COMMUNICATION
   Regularly scheduled weekly phone call between supervisor and employee halted/no alternative time suggested	1	None cited
   Lack of communication between employee and 2nd level supervisor	1	None cited
   Alternative location employees not given the same consideration for assignments	1	None cited
   Alternative location employees’ work given extraordinary amount of review and criticism	1	None cited
   --		Communicate as much as possible by phone, email, etc.
   --		Plan and finance periodic visits to organization office location
   --		Standing weekly meetings via phone
   --		Maintain contact on both routine and non-routine issues on daily basis by phone and/or email

5. Please provide your assessment or how this arrangement has worked?  Does this arrangement improve the service to your customers? 

   ALTERNATE DUTY LOCATION ARRANGEMENT
   EFFECT on CUSTOMER SERVICE

   Improved	No Change	Decreased	No Response
   6	2	1	3

All respondents stated that the alternate duty location arrangement is a positive one despite the problems noted. 

SUMMARY OF SUPERVISOR RESPONSES

The survey was emailed to 17 current "alternative duty location employees" and their managers (9 different managers).  We received 23 total responses:  13 employees and 10 managers/team leaders.  NOTE:  In addition to their own responses, several Supervisors asked their Team Leader(s) to respond to the survey.

The frequency column indicates the number of times the comment was made.  For example, under the "Cost" heading in question 1, 1 respondent felt the advantage of the arrangement was the elimination of PCS costs.

1. What are the advantages of the virtual office arrangement? 

   Comments	Frequency
   COST
   PCS costs eliminated	1
   PERSONAL CONVENIENCE
   Arrangement mostly for employee convenience	1
   Agency able to accommodate specific needs of employee and family	1
   AGENCY BENEFITS
   FHWA keeps a qualified, competent staff person	4
   no PCS costs	1
   Less office space required at organization office location	2
   "reality check" for HQ—alternate location brings field perspective to HQ	2
   Agency able to attract individuals with unique skills	1
   Improved morale of alternative duty location employee	1

2. Have you experienced any problems/issues with this arrangement?

   Comments	Frequency
   ADMINISTRATIVE/INITIAL SETUP
   Delivery of Statement of Earnings and Leave to correct address	1
   Loss of parking space	1
   PerDiemAzing does not work well remotely	1
   COORDINATION
   Quickly arranged meetings are an issue for remote employee, but work around this issue electronically	1
   Organization office must know when remote employee is on travel	1
   Loss of ideas, intent due to lack of face-to-face interaction though the employee involved via phone or electronic means	1
   Focused and immediate teamwork not accomplished well	1
   Office level:  building trust and working relationships among team members	1
   Organization office location staff complete routine collaboration and coordination of written materials for remote staff	2
   Difficult to engage alternate duty location staff in short-turn-around time assignments	2
   Integrating alternative duty location employees into their team-oriented office	2
   Alternative Duty location employee not able to attend meetings they otherwise would have been able to attend	1
   OTHER
   No problems/issues experienced with this arrangement	2

   
   

3. Please provide us feedback concerning costs or savings as a result of this arrangement? (ie,  travel, communications, etc).

   Comments	Frequency
   DIRECT COSTS
   PCS move avoided	2
   Aadditional travel costs due to need for face-to-face meetings or other activities	3
   Airfares generally cheaper from this remote office location	2
   Another agency picks up office space, computer/phone access costs	1
   Marked increase in travel in FY 01 for provide sufficient contact with management and teams	1
   Operating costs are higher:  support services, added time to promote team coordination, travel commitment to bring in remote staff for quarterly workshops	2
   Increased costs to bring employee into organization office location, but more than offset by travel savings to customer base from remote location	1
   Travel cost savings to primary customer locations	1
   OTHER
   Unknown/no add’l costs or savings	2

4. Please describe how you have been able to work with your remote supervisor/employee?  --how have any problems or issues been worked out?

   Problem	Frequency	Solutions/Suggestions
   COMMUNICATION/MISC
   Difficult to keep up with employee activities		Employee should travel to organization office location more often
   Major issue is teamwork aspect and tying into organization office location activities		None cited
   Perception of peers/others that virtual office arrangement is a "gift"/preferential treatment		None cited
   Appropriate use of remote staff for policy-level activities is a problem		None cited
   		Frequent communication (phone/fax/email/videoconference/mail) is critical
   		Quarterly meetings for staff and repetitive phone contacts between leadership and remote staff contribute to success of arrangement
   		Detailed unit work plan clearly defines responsibilities
   		it is good to know employee work ethic and habits prior to hiring them into virtual office positions

5. Please provide your assessment or how this arrangement has worked?  Does this arrangement improve the service to your customers?
   • arrangement has worked well, but cautious on further expansion of concept within Program Office as it is a service unit—employees should be where customers are located.  Expansion of arrangement depends on nature of specific work assignment, rofessionalism of employee and supervisor, and ability to serve customers.

   • arrangement very positive for Agency and Program Office.  It demonstrated Agency recognition, appreciation and reward for superior performance.  Internal and external customers are comfortable with arrangement and has allowed for innovative public/private partnerships

   • Arrangement can work, but not for everyone.  Employee must be mature, committed, and knowledgeable

   • alternative duty location arrangement must be evaluated and monitored to ensure value and customer service issues are addressed.

   • if/when virtual office is vacated, the position ought not be automatically backfilled as virtual office.  Needs of public, Agency and involved program(s) must be met

   • one respondent stated that they would not promote alternative duty locations for employees—significantly different issues from local telecommuting

   • arrangement is marginally successful. 

   • arrangement may not be best model to organize in that the location of each individual does not produce any known efficiencies for the agency.  If alternate duty location employees were technical specialists with a clearly defined role, location may not be an issue.  Integration of widely dispersed individual into team-based operation is more difficult