Human Resources official: telework widely used and tied to higher employee engagement

Montpelier — On Feb. 20 the Vermont House Corrections and Institutions Committee heard from the commissioner of the Department of Human Resources about the state's telework policy, the use of remote work since the COVID-19 pandemic and how telework affects office-space needs.

The discussion is significant because telework patterns influence demand for office space in state facilities and can affect Montpelier’s downtown traffic and municipal economies.

The commissioner, identified in the transcript as “Beth” (last name not clear in the record), told the committee the statewide telework policy was adopted in 2012 and is implemented at the discretion of appointing authorities. The policy is codified in state personnel policy 11.9 and employees request telework arrangements with supervisors; any change to the policy generally requires bargaining with the Vermont State Employees Association.

The commissioner summarized results from the department’s recent employee engagement survey. Among respondents who had any telework or hybrid schedule, more than 90% agreed they can collaborate effectively with colleagues while working remotely; about 90.8% said remote work positively affects their work‑life balance; and 82.8% said remote work positively affects their individual performance. Completion rates for the survey varied by department: the Department of Human Resources had roughly a 76% completion rate while Buildings and General Services had about 57% completion, the commissioner said.

The testimony also included usage patterns: roughly 16% of employees reported teleworking full time in the survey cohort referenced; hybrid schedules were common, with respondents reporting a mix of four‑day, three‑day and two‑day remote patterns. The commissioner cautioned that telework arrangements are job-specific and that many positions in corrections and direct-care facilities are not suitable for remote work.

The commissioner said telework has helped recruit staff from farther afield, allowing the state to hire people who live outside traditional commute areas. "Telework is here to stay," the commissioner said, while acknowledging how much telework is used varies by agency, by manager and by role.

Committee members pressed for productivity data and noted downtown Montpelier business and civic impacts from lower weekday foot traffic. The commissioner said the statewide survey measured employee perceptions of productivity and engagement rather than producing a single statewide productivity metric; some departments have more direct productivity measures (for example, call-center metrics). The commissioner offered to provide the committee with the survey instrument and report and pointed to a public dashboard with department-level results.

No committee action followed; the committee planned to reconvene after a floor session to continue discussion of House Bill 50 and related space-use questions.

The testimony did not change the state's telework policy; the commissioner emphasized telework arrangements remain subject to appointing authorities and collective‑bargaining requirements.