Federal work-from-home caught in election year political crossfire

In the heated arena of election-year politics, the issue of federal employees working remotely has become an unexpected battleground.

Recent accusations by House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) against the Biden administration highlight a growing trend of politicization of workplace policies. This not only diverts attention from factual decision-making but also risks undermining productivity, engagement, morale, retention, and recruitment within the federal workforce.

In his interview with the Daily Mail , Comer accused the Biden administration of allowing telework for federal employees to secure their votes, saying that “Biden’s main objective with the federal workforce, in my opinion, is to keep them happy at all costs so they’ll go vote for him.” While Comer asserts that he is not inherently against remote work, he demands data to justify it. He believes that, in the absence of such data, the administration’s motives must be politically driven rather than based on what is best for the workforce and taxpayers.

The broader implications of these accusations are troubling. Decisions about telework should be grounded in empirical evidence and aligned with the goals of enhancing productivity, improving employee engagement, and maintaining morale. When such decisions are politicized, the focus shifts from what is best for the workforce (and the taxpayer) to what benefits someone’s political agenda.

Comer’s claim that we lack data on remote work is simply untrue. The White House Office of Personnel Management’s annual report, for example, revealed a significant advantage to telework in terms of employee retention and engagement.

Fully 68 percent of frequent remote federal workers expressed intentions to remain in their roles, compared to a mere 53 percent of those who do not telework. Engagement levels also soar among frequent teleworkers, with a staggering 77 percent reporting high levels of engagement, compared to just 59 percent among their office-bound counterparts. The performance benefits are equally striking, with more than 84 percent of employees and managers acknowledging improvements in work quality and customer satisfaction. These findings underscore the positive impact of telework on employee retention, engagement, and performance.

Separately, the same office’s Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey found that more than 62 percent of federal employees report being “very satisfied” with their current work schedules, and more than 26 percent indicate they are “satisfied.” Ninety percent either “strongly agree” or “agree” that their current work schedules enable them to work productively.

On the other side, there is truly no evidence that benefits will result from unsettling their current work arrangements, under which 39 percent of federal employees work remotely at least three days a week.

Beyond productivity, telework has also brought financial benefits. The Department of Education’s flexible remote work plan, for instance, saved the agency nearly $9 million in annual rent. This cost-saving aspect of telework further supports the argument for its continued expansion within federal agencies, if only to match the higher rates of working remotely that prevail among private sector employees.

We can contrast Comer’s oblivious comments to the recent advance of the Telework Reform Act in the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. In an era where political polarization often stymies legislative progress, this legislation stands as a beacon of hope and common sense. Spearheaded by Sens. James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), the bill represents a noteworthy instance of bipartisan cooperation aimed at modernizing federal work practices to better align with contemporary needs.

The best thing about the bill is that it largely retains existing flexible work arrangements, countering baseless arguments by Comer and others against telework. The Telework Reform Act is designed to codify federal workers’ use of remote work into the U.S. Code, providing a clear and standardized framework for telework and remote work across federal agencies. One of the key provisions of the Telework Reform Act is the requirement for agencies and employees to renew their telework and remote work agreements annually. This renewal process mandates a review of the employees’ duties, performance, and the evolving needs of the agency, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and accountability.

The legislation also introduces robust reporting requirements aimed at providing transparency and insights into the practice and effectiveness of telework. Agencies will conduct biannual surveys to gauge the prevalence and impact of telework and remote work, while the Office of Management and Budget will perform an annual review of telework guidelines.

The Office of Management and Budget has already put out annual reports finding a multitude of benefits result from flexibility. Overall, these assessment measures are designed to identify best practices, address challenges, and ensure that telework policies remain aligned with the goals of efficiency and effectiveness in federal operations.

In a positive departure from existing practice, the Telework Reform Act would grant federal agencies the authority to hire the spouses of military service members and federal law enforcement officers into remote work positions outside of the competitive hiring process. This provision, designed to support military and law enforcement families, not only recognizes the unique challenges faced by these families, but also leverages the potential of a highly skilled and adaptable workforce, thereby enhancing the diversity and capability of the federal workforce.

Additionally, by requiring employees to undergo annual telework training, the bill ensures that federal workers are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to thrive in a remote work environment, enhancing productivity and job satisfaction. Having worked as a consultant and trainer for several federal agencies in this domain, I have found the lack of training to be a serious obstacle.

The politicization of telework for federal employees during this election year by Comer and others is a tragic misstep. Decisions about workplace policies should be guided by facts and aimed at optimizing productivity, engagement, morale, retention, and recruitment. Playing politics with these issues not only undermines these goals but also risks creating a federal workforce that is less effective and more disillusioned.

Our leaders should prioritize evidence-based decision-making and resist the temptation to use telework as a political football. Only then can we ensure that our federal workforce is equipped to serve the public effectively and efficiently.

Gleb Tsipursky, Ph.D., serves as the CEO of the hybrid work consultancy Disaster Avoidance Experts and authored the best-seller Returning to the Office and Leading Hybrid and Remote Teams.