Telework and other work/life balance issues will have a huge impact on how the next generation of workers makes its employment decisions, according to a new report from Telework Exchange. The report is based on focus group discussions with members of a three-year fast-track internship program at the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) and provides insight into Generation Y opinions related to work/life issues, communication practices, and the overall Federal government operations, including telework.

“Generation Y in the Federal Workplace” concluded that the 70 million largely tech-savvy Americans born between 1977 and 2002 will base their job choices on flexibility and family-friendly workplace practices, including their ability to telework, a major change from the priorities of previous generations.

“We work to live, not live to work” is a familiar mantra among members of this demographic group, the report noted. Federal employees who hail from this generation are likely to be more mobile and also very technology-oriented, being largely unable to “remember a world without Google or text messaging.”

As such, the report predicted, Generation Y is likely to be attracted to the Federal government based on a number of factors, including: 1) a stable job environment, 2) family-friendly benefits (such as compressed workweeks, reasonable hours, flexible schedules, and generous vacation and personal leave), 3) opportunities to change jobs within the agency or government without losing cumulative benefits, and 4) growing support for telework.

However, the ability to telework is – and will continue to be – a top priority for Generation Y members, who also are known as the “Millennials.” They believe that telework will play a critical role in employee morale, quality of life, productivity, and their ability to save the time necessary to pursue additional opportunities, including advancing their education. Most participants, the report stated, are emphatic that being offered (or not offered) the option to telework “will influence future job choices.”

Participants See Telework Benefits: Morale Quality of Life COOP Productivity

Respondents noted that telework at DISA is, at present, getting very strong support from top executives, but see some mixed support from middle managers. “Participants believe support for telework is not tied to age, but to management style,” the report concluded. “Telework requires managers to have good management skills.”

The DISA Focus Group Report predicted that Generation Y workers who hire on with the Federal government would make their own progressive stamp on the workplace, including working to enhance telework and other work/life friendly practices, which will serve to help government organizations “remain competitive in the ongoing fight for talent.”

The report also predicted that Generation Y will try to steer procurement and development processes to become more like the private sector, enabling government to implement IT solutions faster. Generation Y will also focus on implementing knowledge management solutions, and use them – enabling government to maximize its resources and better connect its information.

To download the complete copy of the DISA Focus Group Report, please visit www.teleworkexchange.com/geny/ .