| Federal agencies have out-paced private sector employers by a three-to-one margin when it comes to allowing teleworking, according to a new survey by the CDW Corp., which sells computer hardware and software.
Forty-four percent of federal employees indicated they have the option to telework this year, up six percentage points from last year.
Just 15 percent of private-sector employees have that option this year, according to the survey. About 35 percent of federal teleworkers started teleworking during the last year, compared to 10 percent of private-sector teleworkers.
Federal IT departments have shown a higher degree of support for teleworkers. Forty-two percent of federal agencies said they started or expanded their telework programs during the last year, and 62 percent have written IT policies for telework in place now, up from 46 percent last year. In contrast, just 25 percent of private-sector companies have started new program in the last year, and just 40 percent have written telework policies.
Broad adoption of telework policies could significantly decrease traffic and pollution in congested cities and foster a better work-life balance for employees, CDW concludes. It also could ensure the continuity of operations after a natural disaster, terrorist attack, snowstorm or other major disruption.
Eighty-seven percent of federal workers who telework reported being able to continue to work in the case of a displacing event, compared to 66 percent of non-teleworking respondents. In the private sector, 74 percent of teleworkers said they could continue working if operations had to be shut down, compared to just 28 percent of non-teleworkers. | 
