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Commuter Challenge,
in partnership with federal, state and local governments, has awarded
King and Snohomish County employers over $717,000 in grant
funds to implement or enhance commute trip reduction projects in an
effort to reduce thousands of commute trips each month. Local employers
eligible for the grants are those affected by the state Commute Trip Reduction
Law and other work sites that voluntarily comply with the law.
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Employer:
Eddie Bauer
Location:
Redmond
Project
and Grant Award:
Telework pilot– $28,000
Be
a champion for telework and find someone at the highest level to
champion the cause with you.
—Sharon
O'Shea
Employee Transportation Coordinator
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Company
mission:
Eddie Bauer is a company renowned for its innovative spirit, authenticity
and passion for creating a superior customer experience. The company’s
mission is to become recognized and respected, worldwide, as the authentic-original
American lifestyle brand and the leading multi-channeled authority of
outdoor-inspired products of inherent premium quality and value, with
superior durability and functionality which will outperform customers’
needs and exceed their expectations.
Business
issues:
A survey in November of 2000 found that 90% of Eddie Bauer’s associates
would take advantage of a telework option if it were offered to them.
Respondents cited more flexibility, less stress, a better balance between
work and family, a quieter work environment and less office distractions
as reasons why a telework program appealed to them. Because the company
understood giving its associates that flexibility would impact productivity
and morale in a positive way as well as reduce drive-alone trips in the
Puget Sound region, Eddie Bauer applied for and was awarded an Employer
Service Grant to launch a telework pilot program.
Project description:
Eddie Bauer’s telework pilot project provided 12 laptop computers
for associates to check out and use on their telework days. The project
began in the summer of 2002 with a series of interviews to identify applicable
departments and associates for inclusion in the initial pilot test group.
Once participants were identified, a training program was developed and
implemented to instruct both teleworkers and managers of the program’s
purpose and how to use it. Time was spent determining which software applications
would be needed by those associates in the pilot group and loading those
programs on the laptops to ensure the seamless transition from office
to home.
Benefits and results:
Eddie Bauer has seen some bumps in the road as they implemented their
telework pilot program due to the economic downturn and management changes
over the last two years, but employee and management feedback to date
has been overwhelmingly positive and supportive.
Those associates who have participated in the telework pilot program say
they feel more control over their work environment and appreciate the
trust the company has placed in their ability to get their work done.
Some initial reluctance from managers was alleviated through training
that focused on the benefits of a results-oriented management strategy.
Management has been pleased that productivity among those employees who
telework has remained high and morale is strong as well.
Sharon O’Shea,
who is not only the Employee Transportation Coordinator at Eddie Bauer
but also the company’s Work/Life and Recognition Specialist, recommends
that others who plan to start a telework program at their work site find
another person in the company to help champion the program.
“When you hit
some roadblocks, and you will, don’t give up. Be a champion for telework
and find someone at the highest level to champion the cause with you.
If you have someone at the executive level that is ‘on board’
with the program, as I did, they can help to push it through all channels,”
says O’Shea.
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