Microsoft technology solutions make telework practical for government agencies

Until recently, telework—work conducted from locations other than traditional office environments, such as employees’ homes or the field—was frowned upon by many businesses and government agencies. However, with the rising cost of fuel, long commutes on congested roadways, and innovations in mobile and Internet technologies, telework has become an attractive and practical alternative for government workers. Some agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service, The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and the U.S. Department of Defense, are already implementing telework programs with positive results.

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White paper: Addressing the Challenges Facing the Distributed 21st Century Business Through Telework
Portable Document Format, 340 KB
Microsoft helps government accelerate telework
Portable Document Format file, 109 KB
Security for telecommuting and broadband communications
Portable Document Format file, 3.68 MB
Meeting the Telework Imperative
Portable Document Format file, 7.2 MB
White paper: Telework and the U.S. Federal Government
Portable Document Format file, 276 KB

Products and technologies

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Historically, even the most progressive employers had concerns about allowing staff to work away from the office. These concerns included the possibility of reduced productivity, loss of control over sensitive data, and inefficiency due to network and application issues. The Microsoft telework solution addresses these concerns with a cost-effective, security-enhanced approach that you can apply to help your agency:

Maintain network and data security with interrelated encryption technologies that can help protect even highly sensitive data, no matter where it goes.
Share information from remote locations using a range of devices, including laptops, computer kiosks, and smartphones.
Collaborate and respond rapidly to emergencies, such as natural disasters, terrorist acts, and disease outbreaks, from backup locations.
Ensure accountability with the same Microsoft technology used in the office.

A telework solution can provide flexible work arrangements that may increase productivity and job satisfaction and reduce turnover, lower transportation costs for your agency and your employees, and reduce traffic congestion. You may also find that telework solutions help you to recruit and retain top talent.

You can get started now by contacting Microsoft Services (AskFed@microsoft.com) or a Microsoft partner:

If it’s vital to government, it’s mission critical to Microsoft.

The partners listed below can help you implement a Microsoft telework for government solution.


	Partners
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Dell provides cutting-edge teleworking solutions allowing your employees to work from virtually anywhere, stretching your technology dollars and increasing productivity. Military operations overseas can count on Dell Federal to help establish complete wireless communications for remote bases. We also make it easy to set up and secure remote workers in some of the most remote places.

GTSI is government's source for IT infrastructure solutions delivered by professional and financial service experts using a technology lifecycle management (TLM) approach. TLM allows government agencies to implement solutions of national and local significance quickly and cost-effectively. GTSI uses proven, repeatable processes to design, deploy, manage, and support each solution.

Nortel Government Solutions offers unified communications solutions for telework that help remove the barriers between voice, e-mail, conferencing, video, and instant messaging. For the hyperconnected enterprise, this means reduced time to decision, increase productivity, and the ability to provide a simple and consistent user experience across all types of communications.

Planet Technologies helps clients around the world develop telework solutions ranging from VPN and intranet access to the provisioning line of business applications to home or mobile users in a more secure, flexible manner. A Planet Technologies facilitator and a team of technology experts work with each client to define specific telework requirements, leveraging as much of the client’s existing technical platform as possible. Planet Technologies then crafts a telework roadmap that provides a solution that can be implemented immediately and then be augmented, in phases over time, to deliver a richer and more rounded set of functionality.

Polycom's comprehensive portfolio of voice, video and data collaboration solutions enable dispersed teams to stay connected from remote locations while maintaining daily and open, face-to-face communication. Our industry-leading collaborative solutions deliver the highest quality of communications to any office environment—whether it’s mobile, desktop or a conference room. Polycom solutions enhance the quality of daily communications and enable agencies to maintain their essential functions in the event of an emergency situation. Our voice solutions integrate with leading wired and wireless telephony platforms to help agencies work efficiently and effectively. Polycom’s visual collaboration solutions enable face-to-face interactions and unite dispersed teams with as little as two users and scaling to thousands. Regardless of the environment, Polycom delivers solutions that will transform the future of government communications.

Tandberg's Expressway solution enables remote workers to connect across multiple firewalls without compromising security, features and functionality. Offering the option to telework versus requiring employees to commute or relocate allows an organization to retain their best asset — the employees. Staying connected via video is the next best thing to being in person, and allows managers and staff the personal connection they need. Simply plug any TANDBERG MXP endpoint into a DSL or cable modem and you are instantly connected.

Microsoft Services helps customers maximize the potential of their Microsoft technology investments. Through architecture, implementation, and support services, customers receive a level of vision, expertise, and insight that only Microsoft provides. Microsoft Services, together with key partners, understands agency requirements and delivers results with direct access to the Microsoft teams that develop both the products and future product direction. Contact AskFed@microsoft.com to talk with a services representative for federal, state, and local government or for education.

Find a partner

Search for additional partners in the Microsoft Public Sector Partner Solution MarketPlace, an easy resource for finding technology partners that offer a broad range of products, services, and solutions based on Microsoft technologies. The marketplace includes packaged software, solutions offerings, and training from Microsoft Gold Certified Partners, Microsoft Certified Partners, and registered members.

Microsoft makes no representations or warranties, either expressed, implied or statutory, regarding any company presented herein or its products or services. The inclusion of a company does not imply endorsement by Microsoft of the company or its products or services. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.