From Federal Times:
The Social Security Administration announced Monday that the agencies’ managerial corps will be required to work in-person four times per two-week pay period, starting in the coming months.
A spokesperson confirmed the announcement applies only to senior executives effective Oct. 2 and managers and supervisors with a headquarters duty station on Nov. 6. The agency did not elaborate on why that decision was made. ...
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“Already, we have begun holding in person meetings among our Deputy Commissioners, Associate Commissioners, Regional Leadership, and state Disability Determination Administrators. What has been very apparent in these meetings is the camaraderie that many of us have missed since the beginning of the pandemic.
Even more impactful has been the amount of knowledge sharing, planning, and forward movement that has been achieved during these in-person gatherings. This is the kind of collaborative effort that has is needed to address the challenges we are facing. What we have learned from meeting in person aligns with the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) M-23-15 Memorandum on Organizational Health and Performance that provides guidance for Federal agencies to increase their in-person presence.
Thus, effective October 2, 2023, Senior Executive Service members and Senior Leaders with a duty station of 250 E Street or our Woodlawn Headquarters campus (defined as Altmeyer, East High Rise, West High Rise, West Low Rise, Annex, Robert M. Ball, Perimeter East, Supply buildings) will report onsite at least four days per pay period.
This instruction will not impact the current status of telework eligible non-managers or non-supervisors including bargaining unit employees. Given that most SSA employees across the country are regularly reporting onsite, we will maintain our current telework policy for most employees. Consistent with labor agreements, managers will continue to ensure appropriate onsite activity, including training when in-person learning is beneficial.”
Zoom has recalled its workers, most large business have found that remote work is less productive over time than in office work and that workers do less the longer they work remote, so it makes sense that SSA employees want to do more telework.
Managers should work partially in-person. How to do you effectively "manage" remotely? I did not work well for my firm during COVID. Policy and regulatory seniors should also work hybrid. Even Zoom's CEO conceded that collaborative tasks are more efficiently completed if all of the relevant parties are in the office. But you need most of the collaborators in the office on the same day. It does not help if everyone is in the office on different days.
Quit assuming everyone else is as lazy as yourself.
"Given that most SSA employees across the country are regularly reporting onsite, we will maintain our current telework policy for most employees"
Translation: Non management employees will not have their telework cut. Nor should they. All available measures show that more work is being accomplished from home, and that SSA employees are more productive working from home.
This is also the Associate Commissioner telling the Republicans that federal employees will not be abused under her watch. Good for her.. Republicans have been falsely blaming telework for backlogs, when in fact it's lack of resources and not enough employees to handle the work.
They'll be bringing everyone else back in too, this is a test run so start making plans now. Biden is bailing out DC tax revenue on the backs of federal workers.
The vast majority of SSA's employees work outside of DC, so no I would not assume this is a test run.
The Biden Administration, unlike its predecessor, permits agency heads a significant amount of discretion in these matters.
This was the ACOSS asserting her discretion to stem a potential exodus of non-management employees from an already drastically understaffed agency. Good for her. Current levels of telework for non-management employees is here to stay until at least 10/2025.
@2:11
It has nothing to do with being "lazy." There are some types of tasks that cannot be as effectively completed while working remote.This is especially the case when a massive organization has to shift to remote work on the fly. Companies that successfully shift to hybrid/remote work carefully plan the transition and intentionally alter workflows to ensure their remote workers have all the capabilities of on-site staff. SSA did not do this, and still has not.
Why would a CEO of the largest video conferencing application make this same concession--because it certainly is not in Zoom's financial interest to claim that remote work with video meetings is less effective than in-person collaborations. Again it depends on the type of work. I'm not arguing that ALL SSA employees need to return to the office. I work hybrid myself as an attorney.
Remote work is not a 1 to 1 replacement for all white collar office work. I do not understand how this is offensive statement, and remote workers on this blog are not helping their cause when they cannot engage on the issue without resorting to personal insults.
You seem to be overlooking the fact that it is much better to have an employee working from home than having an empty chair in the office standing in for him or her when they resign/retire when forced to return to the office. SSA has an aging workforce with many workers waiting for the straw that breaks their back and pushes then into retirement, to be replaced by a mediocre off the street replacement who will receive totally inadequate training by the agency.
Pick your poison.
Outside of perhaps a replacement SSN card, I’m curious what tasks can’t be as efficiently completed remotely at SSA?
As a CS, I can’t think of anything that I do that is more efficient in person. I’m not opposed to being in the office, but the premise that the work is done less efficiently because it’s remote just isn’t accurate.
There is really no good reason to force SSA employees to commute to do the same tasks they can do at home. This is the case for most PSC, TSC and Central Office employees. There is little public interaction for these jobs and that little which there is, can be done by phone.
Managers can keep watch on employees working from home, about as well as they could if that employee was sitting in an office cubicle where managers can't see them anyway. Managers can see on paperless how many cases move per day, for example. There is also quality review to make sure cases are done correctly.
For field office employees, there are some duties that require them in the office, but most of the job can be done from home. .They deserve at least a couple of days per week telework. Much better for employee morale and retention.
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