Modernization

DOD's Commercial Virtual Remote Environment Officially Sunsets

The environment for collaboration that supported telework during the pandemic expired.

People

Is it time to go back to the office?

Steve Kelman considers the pros and cons of continuing maximum telework.

People

New White House guidance for feds returning to the office and the future 'hybrid' federal workforce

A new OMB memo provides instructions on how to bring feds back to government offices on a large scale and asks agencies to consider long-term planning for a drastically different workplace.

Ideas

The Psychological Benefits of Commuting to Work

Many people who have been working from home are experiencing a void they can’t quite name.

Cybersecurity

States Bolster Data Security Technology in Response to Covid-19, Survey Finds

Governments have faced significant technology challenges during the pandemic, with 79% saying they faced major issues adopting and expanding remote work, according to the National Association of State Technology Directors.

Modernization

Lawmakers Want IGs to Include Telework Vulnerabilities in Upcoming FISMA Audits

House Oversight Committee leaders want to know what vulnerabilities remote-access software introduced and whether agencies mitigated them.

Cybersecurity

Army rolls back short-lived IoT telework policy

The Army is "restaffing" the policy, which would have required teleworkers to turn off or remove smart devices, such as Amazon Echo speakers, from their remote workspaces.

People

White House seeks reopening plans from agencies

Guidance sent to agencies on Tuesday makes clear that agencies can't start phasing feds back into the workplace until they've satisfied collective bargaining requirements.

Ideas

Demystifying Access Control and Zero Trust

As agencies rethink making temporary remote arrangements permanent, officials should start with proven ubiquitous encryption technology.

Ideas

COVID-19 Compressed Government’s Digital Transformation Initiatives. Now What? 

With telework here to stay, federal agencies are investing energy and resources into long-term IT infrastructure solutions rather than quick fixes.

Acquisition

DOD oversight report tracks pandemic spending

A recent inspector general report looks at contractors who received COVID-19 reimbursement under a $1 billion allocation in the CARES Act

Cybersecurity

Connecting and supporting the post-pandemic workforce

After a year of emergency response, IT leaders are planning for a permanently changed operating environment.

People

CDC mask guidelines and the federal workforce

The White House-led Safer Federal Workforce Task Force is incorporating recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updates on COVID protocols into their guidance for agencies looking to accommodate vaccinated workers.

Ideas

Employees Are Feeling Burned Over Broken Work-from-Home Promises and Corporate Culture ‘BS’ as Employers Try to Bring Them Back to the Office

We found a disconnect between workers and management that starts with but goes beyond the issue of the remote-work policy itself.

Artificial Intelligence

NASA’s Modern Missions Lean on Emerging Tech 

The agency’s CDO reflected on how AI, machine learning and automation are being increasingly operationalized.

People

GOP rep wants feds back in the office

Rep. Jody Hice, the top Republican on the House Subcommittee on Government Operations, says that recent CDC guidance on masks, vaccination and social distancing means that it's time for the federal government to move away from the emergency pandemic footing.

Digital Government

Federal Employees Sing Telework’s Praises, Want to Continue After the Pandemic

Survey results show those who have been doing their jobs remotely are happier and feel they are just as productive. 

Ideas

To Future-Proof the American Economy, We Need 5 Million Digital Jobs in 5 Years

The challenge isn’t having enough workers to fill these roles: It’s that available workers aren’t trained in these high-demand areas.

Digital Government

Feds’ Engagement and Job Satisfaction Rises Despite—or Because of—Pandemic

Officials who administered the annual Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey warned against making sweeping conclusions about the 2020 results, due to changes in the survey's timing and some of its content.