by Shane Henson — September 14, 2011—State and local governments as well as corporations searching for initiatives and strategies to promote teleworking as an avenue to decrease congestion on the road, improve air quality, and reduce companies’ energy needs can take notes from the state of Georgia, which is hosting its second annual Georgia Telework Week with the help of The Clean Air Campaign.
More than 600,000 employees across Georgia now telework, thanks in part to Georgia’s partnership with The Clean Air Campaign, a not-for-profit organization that works with Georgia’s employers, commuters and schools to encourage actions that result in less traffic congestion and better air quality.
To accomplish this goal, The Clean Air Campaign, along with its associate organizations, partners with more than 1,600 employers to create custom commute options programs, and annually helps thousands of commuters find commute alternatives that work for them, providing financial incentives to get them started. Each day, these programs reduce 1.6 million miles of vehicle travel and keep 800 tons of pollution out of the air Georgians breathe. Companies embracing telework have been key to this pollution reduction. Now, for example:
- Seventy percent of Vocalocity’s employees telework at least once per week;
- More than 40 percent of Georgia Natural Gas’s workforce participates in telework to avoid traffic and the costs associated with a solo commute;
- Ninety-five percent of teleworkers at Georgia Power believe telework increases employee morale and ninety-two percent of managers view telework as an added-value benefit to its company.
- More than 40 percent of Georgia Natural Gas’s workforce participates in telework to avoid traffic and the costs associated with a solo commute;
To keep up the momentum, Georgia and The Clean Air Campaign are in the midst of their second annual Georgia Telework Week, September 12-16. During this week, The Clean Air Campaign is asking commuters and employers to log onto its Telework Web site to show their support for telework. The organization is also encouraging employers to learn about and use its free consulting services. Resources are also available to commuters looking to make the case to employers about the benefits of telework for their company.
