Feds on the Move

Cubicle farms are dying. Where can I send flowers?

We can work anywhere, but it takes IT smarts to ensure that an increasingly mobile workforce has secure access to whatever it needs, whenever it needs it.

Managing the mobile enterprise is critical, and it’s the focus of next week’s Citrix Mobility 2015 Government Summit, bringing together experts for a deep dive into enterprise mobility management – from mobile device management to secure network access and data security.

Beyond E-Mail
Mobility isn’t just a perk. It’s a prerequisite for getting more work done faster.

In fact, the first goal of the Federal government’s digital strategy is to “enable the American people and an increasingly mobile workforce to access high-quality digital government information and services anywhere, anytime, on any device.”

“Always-on” and “always connected” have become routine. It’s no longer about receiving and sending e-mail from anywhere. It’s also about having access to the documents, data, and applications workers need instantly, without having to return to their desks and without having to jump through hoops.

IT Heavy Hitters on Deck
Howard Schmidt, who served as Special Assistant to the President and the Cybersecurity Coordinator for the United States, will provide the keynote at the Citrix summit. The White House will send the inestimable Lisa Schlosser, who serves as serves as the Deputy Administrator, Office of E-Government and Information Technology, Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President and Deputy Federal Chief Information Officer, to discuss the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA).

Don’t miss the draft guidance on changes to FITARA.

The People Have Spoken
Telework is the original mobility initiative, and it continues to gain favor as it moves from concept to mainstream reality.

In 2014, 29 percent of Federal workers participated in telework programs, up from 26 percent in 2013 and 25 percent in 2012, according to the Office of Personnel Management’s Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey.

Technology is no longer much of a barrier. Among those who don’t telework, 5 percent said that’s because of technical issues, down from 6 percent in 2013 and 6 percent in 2012.

Down on the Farm
At the U.S. Department of Agriculture, our friend and fellow Iowan, Secretary Tom Vilsack, said increased telework has allowed $18 million of cost avoidance in transit subsidies to Agriculture Department employees.

That’s something to moo about. Maybe Secretary Vilsack can find a new use for all those empty cubicle farms popping up at Ag and at other agencies.

How is your agency doing? Does it have a progressive mobility initiative? Let us know. And let us know how your agency can improve mobility for its workforce.

The Citrix Mobility 2015 Government Summit is scheduled for Monday, June 8. Start the week off right by registering here to discover the best mobility strategies, meet interesting people, and hear some great new ideas.

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Bill Glanz is the content director for MeriTalk and its Exchange communities. In the past 14 years, he has worked as a business reporter, press secretary, and media relations director in Washington, D.C.