2003 Telework Focus Groups in Hampton Roads/Richmond

Telework Focus Groups

Discussion Guide

A. Introduction (10 minutes)

Moderator will:

1. Introduce herself

2. Explain the topic to the group

3. Describe the ground rules of the group discussion

talk one at a time
no right or wrong answers
honest responses
okay to disagree

4. Explain that the groups are being audio/video taped and that colleagues who are interested in listening to the group are behind the mirror/watching from another room.

5. Have group participants introduce themselves

· name

· company and number of employees

· description of job responsibility

· length of time business has been in area

B. Attitudes toward employee commute (10 minutes)

1. Do transportation/daily commute issues affect your employees? If yes, in what way? [Probe for specific problems, etc.]

2. Who should help employees solve their transportation problems? Probe:

Þ employee’s responsibility

Þ employer’s responsibility

Þ local government’s responsibility

Þ state government’s responsibility

Þ federal government’s responsibility

3. Is it to the employer’s advantage to help employees solve their employee’s transportation problems? Why, why not? [If yes to previous question, ask:]

4. What can employers do to help employees with their work commute? Probe for EBT programs

5. Is your company currently offering any programs like this? Why or why not? What programs are you offering?

6. Awareness of air quality issues.

7. What is employer’s role in helping solve congestion and air quality problems?

C. Recruitment/Retention - Quality of Life - New Programs (10minutes)

Let’s switch gears a bit.

1. Is attracting and retaining qualified employees a problem? If yes, in what way?

2. Is your company doing anything specifically to help retain your existing employees?

3. What about quality of life issues, does your company do anything in particular to improve your employees’ quality of life?

4. Are there any employee benefit programs outside of the standard ones of healthcare that you offer your employees? (i.e. annual picnic, etc.)

5. Are new employee benefit programs like these typically introduced as a result of employees coming to you, direction from senior management, or ideas that you take to your company?

D. Attitudes toward Telework (10 minutes)

There are a number of ways that employers can help their employees with their work commute. Tonight, however, we are going to focus on telework programs.

1. Is everyone familiar with teleworking or telecommuting?

2. Are you more familiar with the term telework or telecommute?

3. Tell me what you know about telework arrangements.

4. What, if any are the benefits of teleworking? How about the barriers?

5. Has your company had any experiences with telework arrangements? If yes, probe for details:

a. Formal/informal program? Is there a perceived need or value in having a formal program vs. an informal one?

b. How many people took part in the program?

c. Was it a positive experience? Why or why not?

6. What is your management’s current attitude about programs like telework? Probe.

7. What is your employees’ current attitude about programs like telework? Probe.

E. Developing a Telework Program in Hampton Roads (15 minutes)

The state of Virginia is planning to put a Telework program in place in the Hampton Roads/Richmond area. The objective of the program is to help manage traffic congestion and air pollution. This program would be designed to help employers develop and implement or expand a telework program for their company. I’d like to get your input on what elements the program should offer to businesses like yours.

1. What would encourage businesses in Hampton Roads to set up a telework program for their employees? Probe for responses.

2. What if the state brought in a telework expert to help you personalize a formal telework program for your employees?

3. What if the state provided documents on the Internet to help you develop a formal telework program with your employees?

4. What about an IT consultant to help with the technical set-up?

5. Do you think you would benefit from telework training and education? PROBE ACCEPTABILITY OF OFFERING TRAINING ON-LINE (REMOTE LEARNING) AVAILABLE ANYTIME VS. SEMINARS HELD TWICE A YEAR.

5. Are there any other things that would encourage telework programs?

6. Based on the list the group develops, the moderator will ask them to rate the relative importance of each attribute.

F. Proof of Performance and Evaluation (Asked only if Incentive Is Suggested) (5 minutes)

If the state provides money to businesses to start or expand a telework program, how should these businesses be held accountable? Probe.
What kind of proof of performance should be required to show whether the programs are being used?

G. Response to Telework!VA Program (20 minutes)

I want to tell you about a telework-incentive program that is already in place in another region of the state. It is called Telework!VA.

1. Has anyone heard of the Telework!VA program? [hand count]

a. Do you recall how you learned about the program?

b. What do you know about the Telework!Va program? [Probe for perceptions about the program.]

DISTRIBUTE HANDOUT

How the program works (show table below)

Attribute	Telework!VA Program
Incentive Level	Up to $3,500 reimbursement per telework employee based off 80% leased costs (currently up to 10 employees or $35K)
Technical Assistance	Technical consultant selected from a list of providers
Educational Assistance	On-line educational resources about telework programs
Equipment Lease	Funds may be used to lease equipment but not buy it
Program Development Assistance	Person to help develop telework policy for your company

*Accountability*
Contract period	2-Year Commitment
Telework requirement per employee	8 days per month
Participating businesses	Private businesses or non-profit organizations; minimum of 20 employees
Reporting	Quarterly expense reports and final surveys

2. What do you think about this? What are your overall impressions of the program? Probe for positive and negative responses.

3. Compared to the program we designed earlier in the session, which program do you prefer? Which do you think would be more effective in Hampton Roads?

4. If financial incentives are part of the program, ask: Do you really think that there has to be a financial incentive to encourage companies to adopt a telework program? Why or why not? Is the quarterly paperwork worth doing for the reimbursement?

5. What do you think of the annual employee survey?

6. What is the most attractive part of this? Equipment lease/reimbursement; (up to 80%), IT consultants; program consultants, or on-line educational resources? What are the critical elements?

H. Willingness to Use Program (10 minutes)

The following questions will reference the program most liked by the group.

1. To what extent would this program be an incentive for your company to begin a telework program? [Probe]

2. Who would be the principle person to decide to go forward with a telework program?

3. What would be the best approach to introduce this program to that person? What information would they need?

4. What do you think would be the chief concerns of that person and your senior management?

5. What kind of businesses do you think would be most interested in this program?

6. Do you think this program would be used by employers in Hampton Roads? Why or why not?

I. Communication (10 minutes)

1. What is the best way to reach employers about this program? [Probe for relative usefulness of mail, employer outreach, business association meetings, TV, radio, etc.] PROBE

2. Probe for using employee targeted communications to reach upper management

3. What should the key messages be?

4. In what associations do you currently have membership?

J. Check for additional questions and wrap up (5 minutes)

PANEL LIST