I see that Rep. Frank Wolf (R‑Va) has written some stiff penalties into a new spending bill for certain agencies to prove that their use of teleworkers is increasing. We at TCG have been advocates of teleworking for many years but have also seen first-hand the resistance to it in government as a mode of working. To a certain degree, we have come to agree with some objections to teleworking — it’s not adequate for some engagements and can prove to be a hindrance at times. Overall, however, we still believe that, in most situations, the benefits outweigh the disadvantages by a significant degree.

The challenge for telework advocates that aim to move government towards teleworking, such as The Telework Coalition and ITAC, is creating momentum in cultural change. Wolf’s leadership in this regard is very important. I guess we’ll see if his telework penalties survive to the bill’s signing.