Recent surveys reveal a significant disconnect between government agencies and their employees regarding telework preferences. A survey conducted by Eagle Hill Consulting found that, shockingly, 68 percent of federal, state, and municipal government employees say they have never been asked by their agencies about their telework preferences.
Given the raging debate about telework in Congress and in the Biden administration, you’d think that getting data about worker preferences represents a key question around telework.
Most likely, it’s because the agency leaders knew they wouldn’t like what they heard. The survey shows that 56 percent of respondents prefer remote or hybrid work arrangements. Moreover, 46 percent indicate they would consider leaving their jobs if remote work options were reduced — a figure that rises to 64 percent among Gen Z workers.
Remote work offers numerous benefits, including improved agency culture and enhanced productivity. According to the Eagle Hill survey, 68 percent of government employees believe remote work improves agency culture.
This suggests a substantial oversight by agency leaders, who may be avoiding the truth that employees overwhelmingly favor remote work. The reluctance to embrace telework seems at odds with the potential benefits. Employees value flexibility, citing better work-life balance, reduced stress, and lower costs as significant advantages of remote work. Yet agency leaders continue to push for increased in-person work, despite these clear preferences.
This disconnect points to a larger........