The Foreign Service Journal, April 2012

A P R I L 2 0 1 2 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 23 teleworkers make their case. A Brigham Young University study last year, for example, found that teleworkers tended to put in more hours than their counterparts at the workplace. At the same time, they were also able to better balance work and family obligations. Another report, by the Telework Research Network, a firm that ad- vises companies on setting up tele- work plans, found that companies that allow employees to telework can save as much as $10,000 a year in real estate, electricity and other costs. It also helps companies avoid having to train new workers. Seeking such opportunities with the federal govern- ment, as Carl Henriksen did, is particularly promising. In 2010, Congress passed legislation requiring agencies to de- velop plans to encourage teleworking and ordered the White House’s Office of Personnel Management to report back annually on their progress. So far, the numbers are encouraging. Last year, OPM reported that 11,046 more employees were work- ing outside the office in 2009 than in the previous year, and that nearly 6 percent of all civil servants tele- worked on a regular basis in 2011. Entrepreneurship Another potential growth area is entrepreneurship. According to FLO, 144 family mem- bers were running their own businesses in 2011. And those who have taken the plunge say the experience has been rewarding and professionally satisfying. Consider Rebecca Grappo’s experience. When her husband joined the Foreign Service 26 years ago, she spent time working an embassy job as a community liaison officer and an administrative assistant, then took time off to raise a family before going into teaching. F OCUS Though the Family Liaison Office and other institutions can help, ultimately it is still up to each EFM to find his or her own way.