First Choice Commute Profile

Telework solves office space crunch
First Choice Health is a health insurance company owned by hospitals and physicians throughout Washington. First Choice Health has 180 employees and began experiencing a shortage of office space in 1999.

Jan. 30, 2002 Awards Ceremony

Accepting First Choice's Diamond Award are Shannon Snider, Telework Coordinator; Jessica Johnson, Employee Transportation Coordinator; and Gary Gannaway, CEO.

Instead of leasing additional space or relocating, the typical but expensive solutions, First Choice Health introduced a telework program. The program started in 1999 with seven employees working full time from home. Today, First Choice has 14 full-time and eight part-time teleworkers.

With 12 percent of its employees teleworking, First Choice far exceeds the state average of .7 percent. This excellent program has earned First Choice Health a Commuter Challenge Diamond Award for telework.

“There was little hesitation from management,” said Employee Transportation Coordinator Jessica Johnson. “I worked directly with our Human Resources Director who took the proposal to our CEO. After we were able to show a benefit to staff and cost savings for the company, it was a cinch.”

Establishing clear telework guidelines was important in addressing any management concerns and in setting expectations of employees. Addressing potential issues up front helped get First Choice Health's telework program running smoothly in a short period of time.

In addition to saving money on the lease of office space, telework is a great employee retention tool for First Choice Health.

First Choice Health plans to keep its telework program at the current level for the time being. “Eventually, we may expand it, but for now, it's still a young program and we'd like to keep it simple,” Johnson said.

In addition to a strong telework program, First Choice Health offers each employee a transit and ferry subsidy of up $65 a month per month. It also provides Guaranteed Ride Home in case employees who rideshare need to leave work unexpectedly or have to work overtime.

“The telework program is holding strong and continues to be a great retention tool,” said Kristine Bruce, Human Resources director. “First Choice is proud to offer a commute trip reduction program that benefits not only our company, but our employees."

*Some definitions: An “ETC” is the staff-level employee transportation coordinator responsible for the daily administration of the transportation program; “PM” is the transportation program manager; and “CEO” refers to the top management-level person at the worksite. “SOV” stands for single-occupant vehicle, and “CTR” for commute trip reduction.