Two years into the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, most DC employees and managers are extremely familiar with working remotely. Although many of us would consider ourselves work from home experts, it’s probable that we’ve all picked up some bad work from home habits or have forgotten the tips we originally incorporated when first adjusting to remote work. In honor of this year’s Telework Week DC, we’re unpacking some oldies but goodies along with some NEW teleworking tips to help your employees continue to telecommute productively....

As teleworking continues into the new year, many remote employees are looking for space outside of their home or hotel rooms to telework occasionally or on a regular basis. Whether you need a change of scenery, to get away from distractions at home, or are visiting the area and need a place to work, the District has many free teleworking spaces that residents, commuters, and visitors can use....

Since the onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the District has experienced a decline in traffic due to many of us working from home. However, there's evidence that people may actually be driving more for non-commute trips. Many individuals have shifted to driving outside of work for recreation and to run errands, visit stores, workout at the gym, go out to eat, etc., leading to an increase in personal vehicle trips. And as people start returning to workplaces, our commute choice plays an integral role in helping to mitigate traffic congestion. goDCgo encourages you to do your part and travel sustainably by foot, bike, bus, scooter, Metro, or rideshare. Additionally, being able to telework has major implications for the environment, because in the U.S., transportation is the biggest source of greenhouse gases. So, if you have the option to work remotely, you can help fight climate change and improve the air quality in DC and beyond....

Over the past year, telework has certainly provided value as a safe alternative work arrangement in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Whether it’s one day a week or every day, teleworking can save you time and money, reduce air pollution, and even help stop the spread of COVID-19. We understand that many people can’t telework due to the nature of their job and recognize that the telework experience differs from that of pre-COVID times, however, we encourage everyone to take time for wellness which can start with recapturing the personal time that commuting to the office previously offered....

This new year brings a welcomed spirit of new beginnings and the perfect opportunity to rethink your commute. Will you be returning to the office full-time or a few days a week? Have you considered resuming your pre-pandemic commute? Are you exploring other travel options for getting to work? You should ask yourself these questions, among others, when considering the commute that best meets your needs....

As the District reopens, many businesses are developing plans to prepare for employees to return to the office. To help us better understand employer needs we conducted a telework survey in the fall of 2020 to enable us to support organizations with solutions and recommendations to effectively make this transition....

A common trend we hear from DC organizations with telework programs is a lack of participation, having less than 20% of employees working remotely. To help DC employers increase participation in their telework program, we’ve compiled a few tips below....

Since the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, telework has become a popular solution that allows employees to stay safe at home while maintaining business productivity and operations. This type of arrangement allows you to skip the commute to work entirely from home or another alternative worksite. To create an environment that is conducive to productive work, you'll need more than a desktop computer or laptop in order to perform your duties comfortably and efficiently. For the ultimate, ergonomically-friendly space, check out the goDCgo team's favorite telework tools below....

With the onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, many employers were quick to adapt to maintain business continuity by allowing employees to telework on a part- or full-time basis. Organizations that had formal telework policies in place pre-pandemic experienced a pretty smooth transition, while those with no policy or informal policies faced greater operational challenges. Creating a formal telework policy is a great way to keep issues from arising and to offer guidance to managers on how to handle issues when they do arise. What Is a Formal Telework Policy? A formal telework policy is a document that clearly lays out the details about teleworking, including when and for how long employees can telework and guidance for situations that emerge when working remotely. Informal policies are when managers allow telework based on their discretion and typically on a case-by-case basis. With an informal policy, there is no company-wide protocol or guidance. Why Should You Create a Formal Policy? Informal policies are subjective and can seem unfair. When a manager decides one employee is allowed to telework and another isn’t, it can cause confusion, lead to rumors of favoritism, and create animosity in the workplace. More importantly, it creates a looming uncertainty for those who have not been deemed eligible to participate. By taking the time to write down a policy that outlines specific guidance, related policies, and procedures employers create clarity and transparency. But it’s not just the teleworking employees who benefit; a written telework policy provides guidance to managers and supports the organization and its business continuity in emergency situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic. With a written policy that addresses common telework issues, managers can also feel confident letting their employees telework since they know what should and will be done if an employee abuses the independence of working remotely. Items Commonly Addressed in Formal Telework Policies...

Is your workforce prepared for natural disasters like flooding, hurricanes, and earthquakes; extreme heat or cold; snow or ice storms; or pandemics like the coronavirus (COVID-19)? The public health emergency requires new levels of preparedness to stay safe, even while workers are spending more time at home. Knowing what to expect ahead of time—and what’s expected of you—goes a long way toward protecting your business and keeping employees safe. Due to COVID-19, many organizations had to quickly adapt and allow employees to start teleworking without a formal policy in place. In fact, a growing number of employers plan to continue allowing employees to telework for the foreseeable future. Working from home may be the "new normal" moving forward. To help you better adjust, goDCgo provides complimentary assistance in developing a formal telework policy for your company as well as guidance on developing an effective transportation program for employees....