According to the 2020 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) report by the Office of Personnel Management, more than two-thirds of the federal workforce teleworked during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the outbreak’s peak, 74 percent of federal employees worked remotely at least part of the week, while 59 percent said they did so every day and 10 percent said they worked from home three or four times each week. Before the pandemic, only three (3) percent of federal employees teleworked daily.
When it comes to federal employees who did not work remotely during this time, 16 percent claimed it was due to being physically present to perform their job duties. For example, law enforcement agencies and other federal security officials.
The 2020 survey also demonstrated how productive federal employees were while working from home. Eighty-seven percent of federal workers said they produced high-quality work last year and engagement across the government increased to 72 percent last year compared to 68 percent in 2019.
However, federal telework also presented some challenges. Out of the 75 percent of workers who needed and obtained expanded tech collaboration tools to do their jobs, 15 percent claimed they didn’t receive the expanded IT support they desired, and 14 percent said they didn’t receive the training required for remote work applications and tools.
The survey highlights how the federal workforce can still function despite being completely remote from traditional worksites. Therefore, federal-decision makers can use this data to identify how to foster and support a flexible workforce through workplace innovations that can withstand external disruptions.
At Pines Federal, we have more than 50 years of combined experience in federal employment law. If you are looking for skilled representation, contact us today at (800) 801-0598 and discuss your case with our experienced legal team.
Eric L. Pines is a nationally recognized federal employment lawyer, mediator, and attorney business coach. He represents federal employees and acts as in-house counsel for over fifty thousand federal employees through his work as a federal employee labor union representative.
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