Telework Week totals more than 160,000 participants

More than 163,000 people – the vast majority of them federal employees – teleworked at least one day during Mobile Work Exchange’s fourth annual Telework Work, easily surpassing last year’s then-record participation of 136,000.

For the second straight year, Telework Week, held March 3-7, received an influx of federal teleworkers following a late winter storm, but its continued popularity signals the growing influence of the mobile employee in the federal workplace, according to Mobile Work Exchange Cindy Auten.

As evidence, she referenced Telework Week’s first official year, which drew 39,000 pledges, and it’s unofficial, more humble beginnings that saw just a few thousand teleworkers in government.

“We’ve come a long way,” Auten said. “Telework continues to be an important issue in government. It is becoming a serious driver.”

In terms of cost savings, Mobile Work Exchange calculates that this year’s 163,495 Telework Week participants saved nearly $14 million in commuting costs alone. Carried out for a full year, the savings would grow to nearly $700 million.

Over the next month, Mobile Work Exchange will break down data it collected from this year’s Telework Week, including performance metrics, and present findings at an April 10 Town Hall Meeting.