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By: FEDweek StaffFollowing is the section of the MSPB’s annual report for 2022 on significant actions of the OPM discussing telework, including the MSPB’s comments on considerations for both employees and agencies about the long-term policies. (Note: The “MSP” references relate to merit system principles.)
Updated Telework Guidance. In November 2021, OPM released the 2021 Guide to Telework and Remote Work in the Federal Government: Leveraging Telework and Remote Work in the Federal Government to Better Meet Our Human Capital Needs and Improve Mission Delivery. This updated guidance replaced telework guidance OPM published ten years earlier and provides agencies with practical resources and information to help contextualize the continued evolution of telework as a critical workplace flexibility. The guide is made up of two distinct parts that include (1) an overview of telework arrangements, laws, agency roles and responsibilities, and guidance to develop telework policies, and (2) a review of implications, considerations, and strategies for the appropriate use of remote work arrangements.
Performance Management in Hybrid Workplaces. In February 2022, OPM issued tips for managing performance in a hybrid workplace. A hybrid workplace refers to a workplace that incorporates a mix of employees who are working in the office and those who are working from other locations. The dramatic increase in the number of Federal employees teleworking and working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the need for agencies to be equipped to manage both in-person and teleworking employees’ performance equitably and effectively. To support agencies in preparing for the workforce of the future, OPM issued these performance management tips for a “hybrid” workplace. OPM noted that effective performance management requires engagement and commitment from individuals at all levels of an agency. As such, the performance management tips were tailored to assist non-supervisory employees, supervisors, and leadership throughout the various phases of the performance management cycle. OPM stated that the workforce of the future will rely heavily on technology to facilitate effective communication and collaboration between employees and supervisors, and provided considerations for how to leverage technology to support a hybrid workplace were also provided.
Significance
Telework policies relate to the efficient and effective use of the Federal workforce (MSP 5). In addition, Federal employee performance management in any context relates to employees being advanced based on their relative knowledge, skill, and ability (MSP 1), fair and equitable treatment (MSP 2), Federal employees being retained based on the adequacy of their performance (MSP 6), and that employees should be provided effective training in cases where it would result in better organizational and individual performance (MSP 7).
In June 2021, OMB, OPM, and GSA released memorandum M-21-25, requiring agencies to submit a phased plan for reentry into the physical workspace, as well as for the post-reentry work environment. The guidance noted the expectation that decisions in these areas will be equitable and grounded in values that empower, respect, and galvanize the Federal workforce, while reflecting and emphasizing trust and accountability for the American people they serve. Agencies may also leverage issues such as telework as tools in their broader strategies for talent recruitment and retention. Additional guidance issued by OPM in July 2021 suggested that agencies start reassessing work schedules and frequency of telework based upon their experiences during the pandemic and reestablish them in a way that best meets mission needs.
MSPB’s report, Telework: Weighing the Information, Determining an Appropriate Approach, discussed issues and considerations that organizations should weigh when deciding how to integrate telework into their business strategies and operations. Many of the themes from the 2011 report continue to be relevant to today’s circumstances. The report discussed the various benefits and challenges telework can have for individual employees, as well as the overall organization. Below are some of the key issues agencies should consider as they identify how telework and other workplace flexibilities may be used to support their missions in the post-pandemic workplace.
Managers and supervisors should recognize that the optimal approach to telework will continue to evolve over time and may evolve differently within different work units. As part of their analysis, agencies may wish to consider supervisor and manager feedback, work quality and productivity measures, their own return-to-work surveys, and results of the annual Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) to make informed decisions about post-pandemic telework. Agency leaders must also ensure that supervisors are prepared for their role and can manage teleworkers and non-teleworkers effectively. Supervisors must have effective performance management skills to make sound decisions about telework eligibility and continuing its use, and to ensure fair treatment of teleworkers and non-teleworkers. Objective performance management practices can help supervisors exercise good and fair judgment and make decisions based on employee merit. OPM guidance related to managing performance in hybrid workplaces can help with this.
Employees also have an important role to play in agency telework programs. They should honestly assess their own work habits and preferred routines to participate in the discussion with their agency about what level of telework, if any, is right for them. Not all employees or jobs are suitable for telework. Employees who telework should maintain their performance and fully engage with their supervisors, coworkers, customers, and other relevant parties.
As we noted in a previous newsletter article, the use of post-pandemic telework may increase or decrease in Federal organizations based on the experience they gained with this workplace flexibility during the pandemic. To determine what level of telework is appropriate, agencies should carefully review a variety of indicators, including organizational data on employee productivity and performance during the period of maximum telework. Such important considerations should not be left solely to individual desires or beliefs that office productivity automatically improves when more employees are physically in the workspace, or, conversely, that teleworking does not have any negative impacts on individual or organizational performance and efficiency. In sum, OPM’s telework guidance and tips are in accord with MSPs and free from PPPs.
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