Telecommute America! week kicks off in Washington

October 23, 1995 -- WASHINGTON -- More than one million new telecommuters
are expected to begin telecommuting within the next year as a result of
Telecommute America! Week, launched here today to raise awareness of, and
participation in, this growing workstyle alternative. They'll be joining
the ranks of approximately nine million existing telecommuters throughout
the country.

Representatives from the U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. General Services Administration,
AT&T and other founding members of Telecommute America! spoke before more
than a hundred public and private sector representatives at a kick-off
briefing held at the G.S.A. offices.

Roger Johnson, director of the G.S.A., discussed the many hard and soft
benefits to the government, in terms of real estate costs, worker
productivity and employee satisfaction. He cited the federal government's
plans to establish telework centers throughout the country to enable
workers to telecommute from satellite offices. According to Johnson, more
than 60,000 new federal workers will be encouraged to telecommute in the
next three years, joining the thousands who currently telecommute.

"We believe telecommuting is an important strategy supporting the
administration's commitment to achieve a government that works better and
costs less. It does this by reducing the costs for government agencies and
improving customer service for taxpayers.

"Telecommuting also helps employees to better meet their family needs and
to spend more time with their children," he added.

Representing the private sector, AT&T Vice President Keith Springen
described the company's telecommuting program. AT&T, which currently
employs some 47,000 telecommuters and virtual office workers, was one of
the first companies to enact a formal telecommuting policy.

"Today's technology enables employees to work anytime, anywhere," said
Springen. "Employees report increased productivity, reduced stress and
greater flexibility in balancing their work and personal lives."

Surveys reveal gap

The results of two Telecommute America! surveys were also released at
today's briefing. The first surveyed 200 executives of Fortune 1000
companies, while the second, of current telecommuters and telecommuter
"wannabees," came from TCA's 800 number and web site. They revealed that,
while most executives from companies with telecommuting programs said
their organizations benefit, the majority of telecommuter wannabees are
afraid to even ask their management about telecommuting.

"Executives from business and government now depend on telecommuting as an
important way to reduce costs and to maximize their return on investment
in employees," said Faith Wohl, director of the Office of Workplace
Initiatives, U.S. General Services Administration. "Millions of Americans
and thousands of employers are making telecommuting work -- for employers,
employees and society."

Ms. Wohl, herself a veteran telecommuter, revealed the results of a survey
of 200 Fortune 1000 company executives, which showed that two-thirds of
the companies already have telecommuting programs in place, with 60
percent of the other companies planning to put such programs into place
within the next three years.

Telecommute America! Week events planned

Following today's event, many other activities are scheduled throughout the
country to mark Telecommute America! Week. They include seminars, telework
center openings, and a web site (http://www.att.com/Telecommute_America)
that offers telecommuting resource information, access to related web
sites and, soon, a chat room.

Support for Telecommute America! Week comes from numerous large and small
employers throughout the country -- including AT&T, Eastman Kodak, Johnson
& Johnson, IBM and the Federal government -- which plan to support
Telecommute America! Week activities internally and/or implement a
telecommuting program within the year.

In recent months, Telecommute America! held educational seminars in 14
cities throughout the country, attended by representatives of more than
350 corporate, non-profit and government organizations.

Telecommute America! is a public-private effort launched this year to
promote awareness and understanding of telecommuting and telework
arrangements. Founding members of the effort include the Association for
Commuter Transportation, AT&T, U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S.
Department of Transportation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and
U.S. General Services Administration. Additional sponsors include
Steelcase Inc., Mobile Office Magazine and Working Mother Magazine.

For further information, write to Telecommute!, Pueblo, Colo. 81009.

Telecommute America! backgrounder

Telecommute America! (TCA) is a public-private effort of representatives
from government, non-profit and corporate entities bound by their mutual
interest in advancing the nation's knowledge and understanding of this
workstyle option.

The mission of the TCA program is to encourage acceptance and growth of
telecommuting and related workplace arrangements through a nationwide
program of public awareness, education and active public-private
participation focused on workplace and workforce benefits.

The program was founded by the Association for Commuter Transportation
(ACT), AT&T, the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), the U.S. Department of
Transportation (DOT), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and
the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). They are joined by
sponsors Mobile Office Magazine, Steelcase Inc. and Working Mother
Magazine.

October 23-27, 1995 has been designated as Telecommute America! Week. A
different telecommuting work arrangement will be highlighted on each day
during the week (Monday: home-based telecommuting; Tuesday:
work-at-home/home-based business; Wednesday: remote worker/call center;
Thursday: mobile worker/virtual office; and Friday: satellite
offices/telework centers).

In an effort to acquaint the workforce with these new workplace
arrangements, TCA is distributing information through a variety of
channels. People wishing to receive a free Telecommute America! brochure
can write to the following address: Telecommute!, Pueblo, Colo. 81009.
Additional information can be downloaded through its World Wide Web site,
http://www.att.com/Telecommute_America.

Prior to Telecommute America! Week, TCA conducted one-day telecommuting
seminars in 14 cities beginning in August: Chicago; Baltimore; Washington,
D.C.; San Diego; Los Angeles; San Francisco; Denver; Phoenix; Dallas;
Boston; New York; Newark; Philadelphia; and Atlanta.
 
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