TELEWORK DEMONSTRATION PROJECT Task 1: Research and Outreach Final Report
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TELEWORK DEMONSTRATION PROJECT Task 1: Research and Outreach Final Report March 2013 IBI GROUP Table of Contents Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 1 Study Purpose .................................................................................................................................... 1 Purpose of Task Report ..................................................................................................................... 1 Review of Research ............................................................................................................................... 1 Focus Groups ......................................................................................................................................... 5 Telework Focus Groups Summary of Findings Public Sector Employers ........................................ 5 Telework Focus Groups Summary of Findings Private Sector Employers .................................... 12 Exercises .......................................................................................................................................... 15 Interview Findings ................................................................................................................................ 18 Purpose ............................................................................................................................................ 18 Procedural Issues ............................................................................................................................. 18 Summary of Telephone Conversations ............................................................................................ 19 Survey Findings ................................................................................................................................... 20 Survey Sample ................................................................................................................................. 21 Summary of Key Survey Findings .................................................................................................... 21 Demographic Analysis ......................................................................................................................... 25 Successful Telework Models ............................................................................................................... 31 2050 RTP Absorption Rate .................................................................................................................. 35 Identifying the Current or Baseline Rate of Telework in the SANDAG Region ............................... 35 Defining ―Telework‖ .......................................................................................................................... 36 Telework Potential in the Region ..................................................................................................... 37 The Federal Opportunity .................................................................................................................. 37 State and Local Government Opportunity........................................................................................ 38 Recommendations ........................................................................................................................... 39 Strategies to Address Barriers ............................................................................................................. 40 Appendix A – Focus Group Report Appendix B – Interview Report Appendix C – Sample Survey Report i TELEWORK DEMONSTRATION PROJECT TASK 1 FINAL REPORT List of Figures Figure 1 Major Occupational Categories – San Diego County Employees ....................................... 29 Figure 2 Zip Codes with Highest Educational Attainment among Residents ..................................... 30 List of Tables Table 1 Potential Telework Benefits for Public Sector Employers ..................................................... 10 Table 2 Potential Telework Challenges for Public Sector Employers ................................................ 11 Table 3 Potential Telework Benefits for Private Sector Employers .................................................... 17 Table 4 Potential Telework Challenges for Private Sector Employers ............................................... 18 Table 5 Largest Employers in San Diego County .............................................................................. 27 Table 6 Educational Achievement for Various Telework-Suitable Job Types in San Diego County Employees Age 25 and Above ............................................................................................................ 29 Table 7 Highest Educational Attainment in San Diego County by Zip Code ..................................... 31 Table 8 Summary of Telework Program Models ................................................................................ 33 Table 9 Methods to Address Barriers to Telework ............................................................................. 42 ii TELEWORK DEMONSTRATION PROJECT TASK 1 FINAL REPORT Introduction Study Purpose The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) has adopted trip reduction goals as part of the 2050 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. One of the actions to support the achievement of these goals is increasing the number of teleworkers in the region. SANDAG commissioned the Telework Demonstration Project to conduct research on issues related to telework and design a demonstration project that would enable SANDAG to assist interested employers in initiating and expanding their use of telework. Purpose of Task Report The purpose of this report is to document the many aspects of the research that was conducted to better understand the use of telework in the San Diego region and the issues related to its potential expansion. The report includes documentation of the research review, results of the focus groups, a summary of one-on-one interviews, results of the scientific survey, and the demographic analysis. In addition, information on successful telework models is provided, along with an analysis of the viability of the telework adoption rate in the RTP, and potential strategies for address barriers. These data will be used in the development of the demonstration project in Task 2. Review of Research The consultant team, with SANDAG input, developed a set of recent research and information related to telework issues. The references are listed below along with summaries of their key information. Bailey, D. and Kurland, N. ―A Review of Telework Research: Findings, New Directions, and Lessons for the Study of Modern Work,‖ Journal of Organizational Behavior, 23,383-400. The authors have conducted a thorough review of the telework literature. They provide the following conclusions. Male professionals and female clerical workers appear to be the dominant teleworkers. The development of telework programs is inhibited by the reluctance of managers who are concerned about control and cost. Managers also do not perceive that there is a need for teleworking. Employees’ motivation for teleworking is unclear and requires further research. Georgia Telework Program: Top Lessons Learned, The Clean Air Campaign (Mike Williams), ACT Conference, 2012. This PowerPoint Presentation explains what has been learned about telework from various telework programs throughout the United States including those in the state of Georgia. Data show that telework is a cost effective alternative to the daily commute and has enormous benefits for both employers and employees. A major lesson to be learned is that the benefits of telework must be explained to employers so that they can readily understand that it is an alternative that is in their interest. Hawkins, M. Soe, L. and Preiser-Houy, L. ―The Effectiveness of Telecommuting for the Employee, Employer, and Society‖, www.csupomona.edu/~jis/1999/preiser-houy.pdf. Telecommuting is one of the fastest growing trends in the world of business. However, in spite of its popularity, some businesses are still reluctant to offer this option to their 1 TELEWORK DEMONSTRATION PROJECT TASK 1 FINAL REPORT workforce. The findings of the study, which includes data collected from various surveys of telecommuters and their managers, provide strong evidence that the benefits of telecommuting outweigh the costs. The key obstacles to telecommuting are technological problems, loss of personal interaction with coworkers, and legal issues pertinent to labor laws. In spite of these drawbacks, the findings suggest that most telecommuters have a high level of job satisfaction and view the telecommuting arrangement as a positive force in their careers. Home-Based Workers in the United States: 2010, U.S. Bureau of the Census, by Peter J. Mateyka, et al, October, 2012. Based on the Survey of Income and Program Participation and the American Community Survey, this report examines recent historical trends in the number of people who work from home as well as socio-demographic and economic characteristics and metropolitan variation in home-based work. How to Make Telework Work, www.blogs.cio.com/it-organization/16694/how-make-telework- work Teleworking has the potential to save money and the environment, but it is still underused. This article asserts that a major part of the