GAO discovered that although most DoD civilians have returned to the office, the Pentagon lacks comprehensive data regarding employee use and the impact of telework or remote work.
The Pentagon currently lacks precise figures on the number of civilian employees engaged in telework or remote work within the Department of Defense, according to insights from the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
While the DoD maintains solid data regarding which positions qualify for telework or remote work, it fails to consistently monitor employee participation in these programs. A recent GAO report reveals that official statistics have at times inflated remote work usage, as they were based on eligibility rather than actual participation.
For example, in May 2024, during the timeframe reviewed in the GAO report, the Pentagon reported 61,549 remote employees. However, a month later, the Defense Department revised this number to just 35,558. This discrepancy emerged because the Pentagon was reporting on position eligibility rather than the actual number of employees participating in remote work.
Alissa Czyz, director of defense capabilities and management at GAO, explained, “They had good data on position eligibility but lacked adequate information on who was actually utilizing those telework programs.”
Interestingly, Czyz’s findings indicate that most DoD civilians were already working in person before the current return-to-office policy took effect, with fully remote workers constituting only a small portion of the workforce. “Our analysis showed that around 81% of civilians were on-site, while only about 1% engaged in remote work,” Czyz commented. This challenges the widespread perception of high telework rates within the Department of Defense.
No Formal Assessments of Telework Impact
Guidelines from the Office of Personnel Management emphasize that agencies should evaluate the effects of telework and remote work programs on mission success, employee recruitment and retention, and overall operational costs. However, the GAO found that the Department of Defense has not conducted a thorough evaluation of these programs’ impacts.
While there were isolated efforts to assess certain components of telework and remote work across the department, there was a lack of a comprehensive, departmentwide examination of the benefits and drawbacks associated with these programs. Notably, the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey used to gather telework-related data was discontinued this year, further limiting the available information.
Though anecdotal feedback from DoD officials suggested certain advantages of telework, such as improved communication and recruitment for challenging positions, officials could not provide concrete evidence of cost savings or other measurable outcomes. “The fundamental issue was the absence of formal evaluations of telework and remote work,” Czyz stated.
The Pentagon made updates to its telework policy in 2024, the first revision since 2012, with aims to promote telework and eliminate execution barriers. However, the department has since retracted this policy amidst ongoing changes.
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Department of Defense Lacks Comprehensive Data on Telework Usage
GAO highlights significant gaps in tracking telework among DoD civilians.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has revealed that the Pentagon lacks accurate information regarding the number of civilian employees utilizing telework and remote work within the Department of Defense (DoD).
While the DoD possesses reliable data on which positions qualify for telework, it falls short in tracking actual employee participation in these programs. This inconsistency has led to inflated reports, where eligible positions are counted rather than the actual number of employees engaged in telework, as highlighted in the latest GAO report.
For instance, in May 2024, the Pentagon reported a figure of 61,549 remote employees. However, just one month later, the Defense Department acknowledged only 35,558 remote workers, illustrating a significant discrepancy in data reporting.
Alissa Czyz, director of defense capabilities and management at GAO, explained, “They were reporting position eligibility, not individual employees. We found that while two-thirds of positions in 2024 were eligible for telework, data on individual usage was lacking.”
Employee Attendance Trends
GAO’s findings indicate that most DoD civilians had returned to in-person work well before recent policies mandated such changes. The analysis revealed that approximately 81% of the workforce was physically present on-site, while only about 1% were working remotely. This challenges the common perception that a significant portion of federal employees was teleworking.
Impact of Remote Work Policies
Since the termination of remote work options for federal employees during the Trump administration, approximately 62,000 DoD civilians — accounting for around 8% of the workforce — have not resumed in-person work. Additionally, about 45,000 employees opted for deferred resignations and did not return to their positions.
Need for Formal Evaluations
Office of Personnel Management guidelines stipulate that agencies should evaluate the effects of telework and remote work on various operational aspects. However, GAO found that the DoD has not conducted a formal assessment of how these programs influence mission effectiveness, employee retention, or cost reductions.
While there are fragmented efforts to analyze certain facets of telework, comprehensive evaluations of its benefits and drawbacks have not taken place. The Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey previously asked about telework but was canceled this year, further complicating data collection efforts.
Anecdotal Insights on Benefits and Drawbacks
GAO’s team gathered anecdotal evidence highlighting both the advantages and downsides of telework. DoD officials noted benefits such as enhanced communication and recruitment for hard-to-fill roles, while challenges included diminished in-person collaboration and lower morale among non-eligible employees. However, concrete data demonstrating cost savings and other measurable outcomes were lacking.
Future Prospects and Policy Adjustments
The Pentagon updated its telework policy in 2024, encouraging greater promotion of remote work and aiming to eliminate execution barriers. However, recent adjustments to the policy have seen a rollback of some of these initiatives, leaving many questions about the future of telework in the Department of Defense.
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