In a memorandum, dated January 7, Air Force Lt. Gen. Charles E. Croom Jr., director of the Defense Information Systems Agency, approved an expansion of the DISA telework program, allowing employees to telework up to three days per week on a "regular and recurring" basis with supervisory approval.

This is a one-day increase from the previous DISA telework policy that authorized employees the opportunity to telework for a maximum of two days per week, and it represents DISA's continuing goal to be a leader in telework within the federal government and, in particular, within the Department of Defense.

"I encourage all managers and supervisors to aggressively adopt telework within the workplace," Croom stated in the memo.

The Manpower, Personnel, and Security (MPS) Directorate is always looking to improve DISA telework program, according to Aaron Glover, a human resources specialist within MPS. He is responsible for many of the efforts to get the telework policy approved. More than 2,000 DISA employees are now teleworking either on a "regular and recurring" or "ad hoc" basis, and participation continues to grow.

"Telework is a big part of our strategy [at DISA]," said Jack Penkoske, director of MPS, during the recent director's all-hands meeting.

The agency will be tracking participation and the establishment of telework performance goals for employees who telework on a regular and reoccurring basis via the corporate-level Balanced Scorecard. A successful telework program requires proper work-performance measures, management, and awareness by employees and managers.

Work performance when teleworking can be measured using what is called a telework plan. A telework plan captures all the tasks an employee has been assigned to perform while teleworking. The supervisor and teleworker must discuss and agree upon the specific tasks and any expectations about the assignments, required products, and deadlines. The telework plan should be in alignment with an employee's performance goals and objectives as denoted on their annual performance plan.

"If it's done in the right manner and we have the right measures in place, telework should increase productivity [within the agency]," Penkoske said.

Glover explained that teleworking is simply working at an alternate location. He said that employees who telework are completing agency assignments in their home or at a convenient telework center. As a result, they are less likely to encounter distractions. Fewer distractions for these employees allow them to focus more time and undivided attention on completing their work.

However, there are some managers who are still leery of teleworking. Such managers express concerns and fears that employees are likely to accomplish less or nothing while teleworking because a manager is not present to physically manage them as they work.

Glover said that those managers or supervisors who question the merits of teleworking would do well to reframe their way of thinking. Employees must also be fully aware of their responsibilities when teleworking.

"Managers [within DISA] today, with the implementation of our new appraisal system should now have expectations and goals established for the employee that can be used no matter where the employee is working, whether teleworking or working in the office," he said. "These [established and measurable] goals should easily be translated to someone teleworking."

"Telework will make managers manage," added Glover.

Glover and other MPS staff have developed training specifically for managers to increase their knowledge about telework from historical, legislative, and practical perspectives. The training provides suggested telework performance plans for managers to coordinate with employees who telework. Managers are also provided recommended ways to effectively manage teleworkers whether they telework once, twice, or three times per week. Telework training sessions for employees are conducted on a regularly scheduled basis.