Is Teleworking Working? Benefits and Pitfalls of Virtual Work Sharon K. Epps ALA Annual Conference June 25, 2012

Overview My job description (Head of Access Services) University of Maryland’s Telework Program My experience as a teleworking manager Faculty and staff perception Advice to others

Head of Access Services Manage 5 units in McKeldin (Circ/Reserves, ILL, Stacks, Billing, and Late Night Services) 5 direct reports (supervises day-to-day operations) 25 fte staff and 17 fte student workers USMAI Resource Sharing Task Group

UMD Libraries Telework Program Mandated by State of Maryland (House Bill 870, Chapter Session) Established in April, 2002 State guidelines of 10% staff participation Eligible staff – faculty, staff (Non-Probationary), graduate students Performance evaluation of meets or exceeds expectations Must complete necessary paperwork/supervisor approval Telework arrangement up to 1 year (Renewable) Telework 1 day per week Currently 14 library staff are teleworking

Why I Telework… Job does not require physical presence or face-to- face interaction with users Live far away in Delaware (92 miles) Average commuting time one way is 3 hrs (car, train, bus) or 2 hrs (car) Saves on automobile wear and tear, travel expenses Teleworker since August, 2007

My Job Responsibilities favorable to Teleworking , voice mail (at least twice a day) Conference calls, committee meetings Committee work Project management Performance review documents, job descriptions Work proposals, budgets, reports, correspondence Research: data collection/analysis,writing/editing publications

How do I Manage Staff While Teleworking Maintain good communication Design and supervise work plans Set clear goals and objectives Create milestones and timelines Meet regularly to assess progress It’s all about TRUST!!

Benefits of Teleworking Less time wasted and less stress from commuting Some flexibility in my work schedule Able to access my office computer via Virtual Private Network (VPN) installed on my laptop Ability to concentrate fully on very detailed work without interruptions Being able to work on one project for more than an hour or two without a phone call and walk-ins Increased productivity due to not having to commute one day a week Able to meet deadlines, particularly for projects that involve considerable report writing or preparations

Benefits of Teleworking Being able to accomplish tasks that always went to bottom of list Having undisturbed time to be creative/do scholarly work No need to travel in severe weather Reduced dependence on auto, train, or bus Real cost savings and good for the environment If I’m late for a meeting, it’s not due to heavy traffic Ability to take laptop, cell phone, and mobile devices anywhere I feel comfortable working Saves my sanity!!!

Pitfalls of Teleworking Not available to library users who require immediate face- to-face interactions i.e. irate users More distractions at home (cannot find a quiet place where I won’t be interrupted) Must stay focused on completing work and be able to separate work from the rest of life Less opportunity to engage with co-workers spontaneously Lack of in-person access to colleagues (IT staff)

Colleagues and Staff Perceptions Most are accepting and comfortable with my teleworking 1 day per week (know my telework day) Some do question how I can be effective as a manager teleworking Must have supervisor’s support and cooperation Trust in the competency of my direct reports Staff know that I am available to them Lots of communication (phone, ) Long standing telework program, people have been teleworking for years

Advice to Others Take advantage of existing teleworking programs Clear understanding of expectations between you and supervisor Decide upon type of work Set goals and measurable objectives Research teleworking programs…have a clear picture of what you want to do and how you plan to accomplish it Write a proposal and meet with supervisor Be prepared to answer any questions the supervisor has If your supervisor is not open to teleworking, ask for a trial period.

Telework Statistics Telework Week of March 5-9, 2012 Federal government employees were encouraged to telework 2 days out of the week 71,324 Participants saved: 6,413,006 miles 251,774 hours 3,453 tons of pollutants 5.6 million dollars in commuting costs Telework Exchange. “Bank on Telework: The Telework Week 2012 Impact and Year-over-Year Benchmark” sponsored by Cisco Systems, Inc. May 2,

Teleworking Resources Articles: The Internet Librarian Telecommuting for Librarians by Andrea Delumeau The Untethered Librarian by Karen G. Schneider Telework.gov (Official Website of the Federal Govt Telework Program) Telework Exchange

Teleworking Resources Tools: Free Conference Calls Google + Hangouts Skype ilinc GoTo Meeting

Thank You! Sharon K. Epps University of Maryland