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Lockheed Martin, Inc.
Where is it better to work, at home or at the office? Before you answer,
consider that maybe there is a third choice.
The third choice combines the best advantages of the two and is called a Telework Center. It`s very near home, but it
has all the benefits of an office. All that`s missing is the long commute.
"Technology now makes it possible to book your office on demand," says Darryl
Dobberfuhl, Program Manager of Telework Services for Lockheed Martin, an
organization that, with George Mason University, runs telework centers in the
Washington DC area for the General Services Administration. Dobberfuhl says that
on any given day hundreds of commuters choose to work at one of the
GSA-sponsored centers, each one saving the time and expense involved with
commuting to their normal “downtown” office.
A telework center is typically only five or ten minutes from a worker’s home,
yet it offers all the amenities of a fully equipped and staffed office. These
include computers, high speed Internet access, printer capability, lockable
personal storage, fax machines, scanners, copiers, voicemail and, in some cases,
conference rooms, videoconferencing and even fully equipped kitchens.
The Telework Centers give both private and public sector workers the flexibility
to work whenever and wherever they need to work. They succeed in part by
providing workers with an easy-to-use system for reserving desk space called the
OnBoard Workplace Management Solution from AgilQuest Corporation.
"The OnBoard system," says Dobberfuhl, “allows us to manage our space in a
manner similar to the systems an airline or hotel uses to insure that you have
your reservation. That way, there is always a desk for someone who needs one.
And with OnBoard, we can tie it into the phone system so that the user has his
or her calls routed to whichever desk is assigned to them. Their phone follows
them wherever they go."
Dobberfuhl says the OnBoard system is easy for workers to use and very
intuitive. He adds: "It`s a web based system so people can access it from
anywhere they have access to the Internet. They can cancel, check, or make
reservations from their home, their office, or even when they are away on
vacation. They can have the option of making their own reservations or we can
make the reservations for them with our concierge service. From an
administrative standpoint it`s great because those of us that are operating the
center can check it from anywhere."
Dobberfuhl says the 15 telework centers are sprinkled around the greater
Washington DC metropolitan area. Seven of those are in Virginia, six are in
Maryland, one is in West Virginia and one in the District of Columbia itself.
He says the telework centers help workers and employers alike.
Workers obviously enjoy decreased commuting time, lower commuting costs, more
flexible work schedules and more time with their families. Studies among workers
at telework centers show a greatly increased level of satisfaction. They not
only enjoy their new flexibility, but they like having a support staff which is
available at each center to help with any technical issues.
Employers like the increased efficiency of having employees at work sooner and
spending less time on the road. Employers find they have reduced overhead and
occupancy costs and that employee attendance actually improves. Additionally,
employers can expand their recruiting base--bringing on workers from more far
flung locations. Society benefits too from less highway traffic congestion and
air pollution.
Dobberfuhl sees a bright future for the centers. He says the Washington region
has the third longest commute in the country and the most costly commute in the
nation. Regional forecasts for the year 2020 show a 70% increase in vehicle
miles traveled while highway capacity is only projected to increase by twenty
percent.
John Vivadelli, President of AgilQuest, concurs. He points out that people all
over the world have two options for coping with their sluggish transportation
systems. They can raise taxes to finance giant building projects, or they can
find creative ways, like these telework centers, to reduce and distribute the
demand for commuting.
Quality of life is finding its way into the workplace and the new watchword is
agility.
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"I have been impressed with the fact that AgilQuest really partnered with us in making this a success. They walked the talk, which is really important to me.”
- Russell Jay, Vice President, Equant
"The system is working so well, we are now recommending it to our own clients."
- Tom Hanszen, BearingPoint, Inc.
"Although there are several software companies that provide the management technology used for alternative office spacing AgilQuest Corporation offers the most sophisticated and popular programs available."
- Commercial Property News, November, 2004
"There are a number of workplace applications that address the operational aspects of the ‘employeecentric’ workplace. A leader in this space is AgilQuest."
- The Agile Workplace: A Research Partnership between Gartner, MIT and 22 Industry Sponsors.
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AgilQuest named one of world`s largest software and service suppliers.
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