Virtual Office Toolkit Training

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Virtual Office Toolkit Training
February 19, 2008

• A Collaborative Effort
• The Office of Efficiency Review, Governor Janet
  Napolitano
• The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System
  (AHCCCS)
• The Arizona Department of Economic Security
  (ADES)
• The Arizona Department of Administration (ADOA)

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Virtual Office Toolkit Training
Agenda Item Presenter Introduction of Virtual
Office Diane Shook, AHCCCS Virtual Office
Toolkit Overview Melissa Brickey,
ER Implementation Steps Diane Shook,
AHCCCS Testimonial Linda Skinner,
AHCCCS Resources Melissa Brickey, ER
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Introduction of Virtual Office

• Diane Shook on behalf of Tony Rodgers, Director
• The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System
  (AHCCCS)

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Introduction of Virtual Office
Virtual Office Concept Virtual Office (VO) is a
telecommunication and electronically distributed
work environment that enables employees to be
fully functional by connecting them to their work
via a secure web communication infrastructure
that allows the work process to be performed in
home or at a remote worksite, which ever is the
most advantageous setting.
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Introduction of Virtual Office, Cont

• Questions Facing AHCCCS Management
• How can we address increasing workloads with
  reduced resources?
• How can we improve retention of our knowledge
  workers and key contributors?
• How can we make our job more attractive and
  competitive?
• How can we reduce the daily stressors of the
  workplace and improve employee work life balance?

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Introduction of Virtual Office, Cont

• We Must Think Differently About Employee
  Workspace
• Recruiting and retaining generation Y and
  generation X (Millennials are coming into the
  workforce).
• Multi-generational workforce is creating
  conflicting work cultures and work expectations.
• Private sector is increasingly offering greater
  work flexibility.
• Work life balance to generation X and Y is more
  than a buzz word it is an expectation.
• Technology has enabled employers to create
  virtual office or workspace as more than just a
  telecommuting day or flex work schedule.

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Introduction of Virtual Office, Cont
The Workforce Issue The population of the State
of Arizona continues to grow at record-breaking
rates, which will continue to contribute to
significant growth of the pressures on State
operations to do more with less. Some key
issues related to the States workforce include

• An Aging Workforce The average age of State
  employees is 45.7 years and half of the larger
  state agencies are expected to have over 25 of
  their active workforce eligible to retire in the
  next five years.
• Absenteeism and Turnover The State of Arizona
  experiences higher rates of absenteeism and
  turnover than the private sector and other state
  governments. The States turnover rate in SFY
  2007 was over 17 and the cost is estimated at
  57.7 million.
• Compensation State operations and programs
  continue to expand within the context of budget
  constraints that limit full-time positions and
  salaries and challenge recruitment and retention
  efforts.
• Changes in Job Complexity As technology replaces
  routine work, a shift toward higher-skilled
  knowledge worker jobs is occurring.

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Introduction of Virtual Office, Cont

• Savings resulting from
• No Gasoline expenses related to commuting
• No unnecessary wear and tear on personal vehicles
  
• No need for costly business attire
• No need for after school care for children
• No unnecessary time tax
• Other benefits
• Increased morale due to trust, flexibility,
  comfort, less stress and improved work life
  balance

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Introduction of Virtual Office, Cont

• Previous Goal Achieved
• In May 2007, AHCCCS achieved the goal of having
  160 virtual office workers, eight months earlier
  than the projected date of December 2007.

AHCCCS now has over 300 virtual office workers,
which is more than 24 of its workforce.
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Introduction of Virtual Office, Cont

• Setting the Bar Higher
• AHCCCS plans to have approximately 350 virtual
  office workers by June 2008, over 27 of its
  total workforce.

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Virtual OfficeToolkit Overview

• Melissa Brickey, Deputy Director
• The Office of Efficiency Review, Governor Janet
  Napolitano

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Virtual Office Toolkit Overview
The Virtual Office Toolkit was designed to
provide all state agencies information about
virtual office concepts and to provide the tools
necessary to implement it in a flexible way,
without each agency having to reinvent the
wheel.
The Virtual Office Toolkit was prepared by the
Office of Efficiency Review, Governor Janet
Napolitano, in conjunction AHCCCS, ADES, and ADOA.
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Virtual Office Toolkit Overview
Summary of Contents Virtual Office Overview
Virtual Office Policy Analysis for the State
of Arizona Virtual Office Implementation Implem
entation Checklist Other Tools for
Implementation Business Case Example Virtual
Office Policy Template
The Toolkit is available on Arizonas Telework
Website at www.teleworkarizona.com.
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Implementation Steps

• Diane Shook, Assistant Director
• The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System
  (AHCCCS)
• Human Resources and Development

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Implementation Steps

• Determine Management Readiness
• Assess Technology Requirements
• Complete an Operational Review
• Develop Metrics
• Consider the Educational Component
• Create Pilot Proposals
• Implement, Evaluate, and Adjust

Page 13 of the Toolkit includes an Implementation
Checklist for agencies to use as they move
through the Implementation Steps.
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Implementation Steps, Cont
Implementation Checklist (Page 13)
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Implementation Steps, Cont

• Determine Management Readiness
• Workplace Flexibility (Page 14)
• - What level of flexibility does my agency
  currently have?
• Organizational Readiness Questionnaire (Page 15)
• This questionnaire prompts thinking about
  multiple topic areas including workflow, policy,
  communication, etc.

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Implementation Steps, Cont
Assess Technology Requirements (Page 17)
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Implementation Steps, Cont

• Complete an Operational Review
• Review Agency Policies
• Job Analysis Checklist (Page 20)
• What jobs are better suited to become virtual?
• Contact with the Public
• Office Hours
• Nature of Duties
• Productivity Measurements
• Equipment to Perform Work
• Sensitive Documents

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Implementation Steps, Cont

• Develop Metrics
• Standard Measurements Guide (Page 21)
• ADOAs Telework Program Office highlighted the
  following four standard measurements that should
  be addressed by each agency that implements
  virtual office
• Turnover
• Sick Leave
• Productivity
• Space Reductions
• Other measurements include reductions in
  pollution, fuel cost savings, and commute time
  savings.

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Implementation Steps, Cont

• Educational Component
• The Arizona Government University (AZGU) is
  working to ensure that E-Learning is available
  for all mandatory classes and is willing to work
  with agencies to establish agency specific
  on-line training classes.
• AHCCCS has developed training materials for VO
  workers.
• - VO Supervisor and Worker Training Materials
  (Page 24)

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Implementation Steps, Cont

• Pilot Proposal
• Each position or group of positions should be
  proposed as a pilot before full implementation to
  ensure the possibility of success. A proposal
  will help address any challenges or needs that
  may need to be worked out before hand and create
  a formal decision process for executive staff to
  approve Virtual Office Efforts.
• AHCCCS Pilot Proposal Example
• Pilot Action Plan Guidelines

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Implementation Steps, Cont

• Implement, Evaluate, and Adjust
• Implement the VO pilots approved by management.
• Survey VO participants and non-participants -
  Each position transitioned into Virtual Office
  should be evaluated after an adequate amount of
  time (1-3 months) as to the effectiveness of
  making the transition permanent.
• Make Adjustments (i.e., technological changes,
  additional training for employees, new
  measurements, etc.), if needed, can be made
  during this evaluation.

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Virtual Office Testimonial

• Linda Skinner, Assistant Director
• The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System
  (AHCCCS)
• Division of Member Services

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Testimonial

• Initially Managers and Supervisors are Hesitant
  to Take on VO
• Switching from visual performance cues to
  managing through data.
• Some employees dont see their work as
  measurable. It is!
• Developing electronic communication skills.

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Testimonial, Cont
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Testimonial, Cont

• Tips for Implementation
• Create a Steering Committee with motivated
  executive level managers to meet regularly for
  the purposes of controlling all aspects.
• Start with jobs that have easily identifiable
  productivity measurements.
• Consider the training and travel components.
• Validate benefits with an external review.
• Establish policies and procedures for all aspects.

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Where to Find the Virtual Office Toolkit

• The Virtual Office Toolkit is located on
  Arizonas Telework Website at www.teleworkarizona.
  com, along with additional information on VO and
  telecommuting.

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Virtual Office Contacts
Visit www.teleworkarizona.com
Diane Shook, Assistant Director Human Resources,
AHCCCS Telephone Number [phone] E-Mail
Address diane.shook_at_azahcccs.gov
Kayelen Rolfe, Travel Reduction Programs Manager,
ADOA Telephone Number [phone] E-Mail
Address kayelen.rolfe_at_azdoa.gov
Melissa Brickey, Deputy Director, Efficiency
Review Telephone Number [phone] E-Mail
Address mbrickey_at_az.gov
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Thank you for your participation