Business Continuity and Teleworking Elham Shirazi eplanning

1
Business Continuity and TeleworkingElham
Shirazie-planning

• April 11/2006

2
Defining Telework

• Extends the workplace beyond the traditional
  office
• Is a voluntary arrangement and not an entitlement
• Replaces a commute trip

3
Teleworking is not..

• Always a full time arrangement
• A replacement for child care or dependant care
• Sending people home and never seeing or hearing
  from them again
• A substitute for managing personal or other
  activities
• Always expensive

4
Telecommute America Survey says

• Over 40 million teleworked in 2005.
• 8.5 million teleworked in 1995.
• Teleworkers drive on average18 miles to work.
• Teleworkers are on average married, well
  educated, in managerial or professional rank.
• Productivity gain is 1,850 per tw.
• Productivity gain w/ broadband 5,000 per tw.
• Absenteeism savings are 2,086 per tw.
• Companies save 7,920 per tw annually on
  recruitment/retention costs.

5
Fact and Not Fiction

• Productivity increases by 20. (ITAC)
• Overhead savings of 25-90. (ITAC)
• Absenteeism decreases by 2-4 days per
  telecommuter per year. (County and City of LA)
• Recruitment and retention improved (50 of
  employees cite telework as important to their
  jobs). (ITAC)
• Teleworkers save about 29-32 miles and 1.1 trips
  per telework occasion. (ITAC)

6
Recent Events

• Rita and Katrina
• Fluctuating gas prices
• Pandemic Flu
• Transit Strike
• SARS
• Power Outages
• Snow Storm
• 9/11 and related
• Earthquakes

7
Observations from Recent Disasters

• New York and DC-9/11/2001
• Increases in webconferencing and voice
  conferencing
• Increased interest in videoconferencing
• Decentralization of workforce
• Quick investments in portable technology
• Introduction of new technologies
• Overnight implementation of teleworking
• Merrill Lynch, Empire Blue Cross, American
  Express, and Others

8
Observations from Latest Disasters

• North America 1999 and 2003
• Power outages for millions
• Roadway infrastructure not usable
• Many employees worked because power did not go
  out for everyone
• Dial up and lap tops worked.

9
Observations from Recent Disasters

• Northridge- 1/14/1994
• 26 percent of operations closed at least one day
• 39 percent losses and work disruption, were
  result of damages to transportation
  infrastructure
• Teleworking increased from about 9 percent to 12
  percent
• Many were forced into virtual working overnight
• Alternative locations were important

10
Telework Disaster Preparedness Implementation

• Gain management support
• Develop lists of employees who could work from
  home or other locations.
• Locate alternative facilities.
• Develop remote access to office network.
• Train employees and managers on telework
  procedures.
• Establish a pilot program and monitor results.
• Conduct an emergency drill.

11
Guidelines for Disaster

• Communicate with your employees and customers.
  Reinforce managements support of teleworking and
  remind employees of the emergency plan of action.
  Let your customers know how they can reach you.
• Build on the experiences of the pilot program and
  expand participation. In time of crisis,
  managements support and flexibility will be
  needed in getting teleworkers in place as quickly
  as possible. Experienced teleworkers can help
  orient other employees.
• Contact emergency resources.

12
Lessons Learned from Recent Disasters

• Telecommunications infrastructure may be more
  robust than the roadway infrastructure.
• Decentralized approach to business makes sense.
• Organizations with existing remote access are
  more resilient.
• Pre-planning is key to quick recovery.
• Quick fixes do not always stand the test of time.

13

• For additional information and assistance on
  designing and implementing a telework program,
  contact Donna Dailey with the RideArrangers
  Program at the Denver Regional Council of
  Governments.
• Donna Dailey, Telework Coordinator
• Telephone [phone]
• E-mail ddailey_at_drcog.org
• www.drcog.org