Teleworking in RMS – Leading by example
Prepared 30/01/13
RMS and Teleworking
• RMS was the first government agency in Australia to develop a working
from home policy, and to identify the positive impacts of this on
employee travel behaviour.
• RMS maintains the NSW Teleworking Manual which is available to all
NSW workplaces.
• RMS currently operates two telecentres, in West Gosford and Penrith.
These are equipped as satellite RMS offices, with RMS network access
and other facilities to enable staff who live close to either location to
work there on one or two days each week when they do not need to
make a longer trip to their normal RMS work location.
Teleworking is a privilege not a given right
Current conditions for employees in RMS to telework:
1. Work can be completed efficiently and productively;
2. Internal and external client and customer service delivery is
maintained; and
3. Prior approval is obtained.
RMS Teleworking documents:
• Teleworking Policy
• Teleworking Agreement
• Home Inspection Report
Process
Participation
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14% of office-based RMS staff currently telework
Majority are teleworking less than a few days a month,
Most telework from home (62%) and have varying rather than set days.
Managers who telework themselves are more likely to approve
telework arrangements for their staff.
• A successful teleworking program, required a dedicated teleworking
coordinator and ongoing political support.
Main Benefits
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Improved productivity
Savings in office space
Less absenteeism
Easier staff recruitment
Reduce traffic, especially during peak time
Main Challenges
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Teleworking during a restructure
Management resistance
Establish ongoing trust between employee and his/her manager
Gaining and maintaining political support for the Teleworking program
Establishing evidence for the success of the program
Thinking big
• RMS signed to the Federal Government Telework Partners program
• I represent the NSW Transport Cluster on the Federal Telework
Advisory Panel
• The National Telework Week and the Telework Congress held in
November 2012 and were a big success in promoting Teleworking
across Australia.
Teleworking: the making of more productive
and happy employees
“I’m able to organise myself to do the chores which can only be done
close to home, on the day I telework. I am also less stressed and able to
allocate my time more productively, to work rather than travel.”
“I feel like I got my life back. I’ve reduced the number of hours that I
commute. Through working flexibly I’ve been able to fulfil a 20 year dream
of mine to complete a Bachelor of Management.”