Originally Posted by kaputt

I currently work in DoD Acquisitions.

For already established teams, teleworking has done pretty well. We have not had a major drop off in work quality or any impacts to program timelines. However, we've started to find that integrating new people into the program has been really tough. Since this is the military, there is a fairly constant stream of personnel rotating in and out. The challenge with new folks coming on is not necessarily teaching them what their role in the program will be, but actually getting them to feel comfortable with the rest of the people on the team. It's a lot harder to get people together for lunch, or to have the non work related social interactions you have in the office between meetings. Zoom Happy Hour meetings are possibly one of the worst things 2020 has produced.

Any work that needs a secure system is still happening in person and on base. Also, travel did not decrease at all. Site visits and work with our contractor teams continued, all of which is out of state. I see telework as being used as a relief valve in the future. Make it an option for talented folks who might otherwise quit. A single mother or father, someone with a sick relative, etc... Also mixing in partial telework, where people may do one or two days a week teleworking to avoid a commute or just get a break from sitting at their desk. I can tell you that I have no desire to do full time telework ever again in my life (well honestly I don't want to do program management again in my life, why I'm on this forum, haha), but I wouldn't mind a day or two every other week to get a break from the office.

Regardless of what happens with telework, I don't see it reducing travel in the long term. We are a mission essential program, so unlike a private business we couldn't take a pause on travel, but honestly the increased telework still didn't reduce our need to travel, despite the pressure from leadership to do so if possible. Eventually businesses are going to need to get back to traveling as well. The ones who jump on it first are going to have an edge on their competition.