MANAGING THE 21ST CENTURY WORKFORCE

Tools and techniques for managers who manage teleworkers
For Government and Corporate Telework Managers


This course is available for On-Site Training. We will bring this course to your agency or company.
Contact Don Dickson, On-Site Training Manager at (301) 455-5633 or Don.Dickson@GovernmentTrainingInc.com

Accreditation – Compliance with Public Law 111-292 - The Telework Enhancement Act of 2010

"How to Manage Teleworkers" training offered by Government Training Inc meets all management training requirements as defined in the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010. Click Here to know more.

About this course

Reality is driving the use of telework. Long commutes, concern over the environment, rapidly rising facility costs and overhead, and geographically dispersed workforce are all contributors to management decisions leading to the establishment of telework programs.

However, along with telework itself, working in a teleworking environment raises many valid concerns for managers and supervisors. These include but are hardly limited to the need for teamwork and camaraderie; coordination of workload; performance monitoring and supervision; setting performance standards; and managing and balancing workload.

Along with helping to demystify telework, this course will address management concerns and outline a Five-Step Management Process designed to positively impact the ability of the organization to thrive, meet its mission and goals, and realize the many benefits of telework.

Tools & Take Aways

To increase student engagement and enhance learning, the course will include:
  • Interactive discussions
  • Brainstorming
  • Interactive exercises
  • Learning checks
Each student will receive the following "take-aways" to facilitate application of the course content upon return to office/duty station:
  • Case Studies:
    • Successful adoption of a telework policy
    • Results of a telework program
    • Labor Unions – how the best intentions can paralyze a telework program
  • Self-Evaluation forms for Employees and Managers
  • Sample interview questions for teleworker candidates
  • Sample Telework Contracts and Agreements
  • Sample status report
  • Teleworker Training Checklist
  • Home Office and Ergonomic Guidelines
  • Safety Guidelines
  • Security Requirements
Managing Teleworkers

Course Overview


Introduction – includes review of Federal Government Telework Trends report

Key Concerns – discussion with students on the areas most important to them – allows the instructor to spontaneously adjust focus, timing, and emphasis of the course material to best suit the needs of the students.

Preparing for Telework in Your Organization and Your Team
  • Advantages and disadvantages of teleworking
  • Myths/realities – a focus on management concerns
  • Manager benefits
  • Government legislation
  • Job roles suitable and unsuitable for teleworking
  • General skills for teleworkers
  • Common employee concerns
Keys to Success: Setting logistics and maintaining standards:
  • Successful strategies for creating a telework program
  • 5 phases of planning and implementation
  • Contracts and agreements
  • Home office setup and ergonomics
  • Safety and security requirements
  • Insurance and taxes
  • Keeping track of the telework operation
  • Overcoming resistance to telework - integrating teleworkers and office workers
  • Scheduling
  • When Programs Fail
  • Key training requirements for employees
  • COOP
Measuring Performance
  • Setting Goals (MARC)
  • Developing work plans
  • Status reports
  • Measuring productivity
  • Long-distance mentoring/coaching
Essential Communications Skills
  • Establishing communication procedures (who, when, how)
  • Communication tools
  • Meetings – teleconference
  • Interactive Team Exercise: Attending a Meeting Remotely
  • Other meeting tools
  • Doing business in different time zones or with different cultures
Maintenance: Insuring a smooth flow of operations
  • Helping your teleworkers avoid common problems: Adjusting to loneliness, maintaining a network, maintaining focus, avoiding burnout
  • Importance of trust
  • Performance appraisals
  • Spotting potential problems (red flags) and dealing with them
  • Disciplinary issues – how to talk to employee
  • Evaluating program success
  • Rewarding teleworkers
  • Looking ahead

About your Instructor


Nicole Bachelor is a professional, experienced telecommuter and has lectured and taught extensively on this subject. Her upbeat, positive style communicates her balanced approach to creating a win-win for telecommuter and manager. Her focus includes the development of management process and tools that enable successful telecommuting.

She has been telecommuting exclusively for over 4 years, and working from home at least a few days per week for many years before that. Nicole, who works at a large, high-tech company based in Silicon Valley, was able to rise to top ranking in her job while telecommuting full-time.

Nicole has written the book, “The Secrets of Telecommuting Success”, where she has placed the many lessons, tips, and tricks she has learned from her years of telecommuting experience.

Nicole is also the author of a new book, to be published in 2010 by Government Training Inc on the subject of "Telecommuting – Tools and Lessons-Learned for the Telecommuter and the Manager".

Student Feedback From Recent Training by Nicole


  • The course was VERY good and the instructor did a good job.
  • Excellent presentation style. I would attend a course with this instructor again
  • Intelligent, engaging teaching style. Very effective
  • No fluff – practical advice

Managing Teleworkers