December 2, 2008

Get a Life!: Inaugural holiday?

With some 4 million people expected to come to Washington, D.C, for Inauguration Day on Jan. 20, and with only 600,000 hotel rooms, that day promises to be a commuting nightmare for federal workers. So will the federal government close offices for the inauguration?  

Some commentators are even suggesting that people avoid the Metro subway system, which is likely to be overwhelmed. Walking from nearby but outlying neighborhoods to the parade route is suggested as one alternative.

Closure of federal offices could even be a test of continuity-of-operations plans. Perhaps some essential workers could be on hand by telework. Others would necessarily have to be present in person, especially if they are involved in security. Regardless, whoever comes to Washington to be at work in the office stands a good chance of being caught up in the massive crowds.  

On the other hand, if a closure of government offices occurs, should it be only in Washington or should it be nationwide as a kind of federal holiday? After all, maybe federal workers from other locales want to travel to the inauguration festivities too, or at least be able to watch it on television.  

For inaugurations in recent years, government offices have remained open for some and closed for others. Depending on the location of an agency, the view to the parade route can be pretty good. Of course, it can be even better watching it at home on television.  

The historic quality of this inauguration makes a case for a different approach, even if it sets a precedent.  Do you think government offices should be closed for this inauguration or, considering the current economy, should the occasion be a massive test of telework?  

Judy Welles
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November 24, 2008

Get a Life!: Don't let the turkeys get you down

Last year at this time, I wrote about finding stores jammed at the mall and shoppers trying to get ahead of the holiday rush for gifts. Amazing how quickly things change. 

Malls still have shoppers, but they are not nearly as crowded as other years.  Parking is easy to find in the store lots. This year at Thanksgiving, we are worried about the economy and dealing with another kind of stress. To spend or not to spend, that is the question. 

Stress over money and the economy is taking an emotional and physical toll on many of us as we approach the holidays, but especially among women. Women of the baby boomer generation and older are most likely to report the economy as a significant stressor, according to a survey released last month by the American Psychological Association.  

Those at younger ages are not immune. Generation Xers (ages 30 to 43) are the women most concerned about money (89 percent report money as a source of stress) and Millennials (ages 18 to 29) are most concerned about housing costs (75 percent report housing costs as a source of stress).

The survey also included findings from several cities, including the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. In contrast to Americans overall, D.C. area residents are more likely to cite work demands and less likely to cite the economy as a source of stress. They mention co-workers or bosses and also uncertain or undefined job expectations as sources of stress.  

According to APA, the health consequences of extreme stress are most severe when people ignore symptoms and fail to manage their stress well. The best advice is to find healthy ways to manage stress and, if you are feeling overwhelmed, reach out for support from family, friends or professionals.

Above all, at Thanksgiving, don’t let the turkeys get you down.

Judy Welles
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November 18, 2008

Get a Life!: Sooner than later

It might be a quicker transition than those of the past and than many of us expected.  It may also come sooner, judging from the agency review teams already assembled by the Obama-Biden Transition Team. 

There are more than 140 people on the review teams. A number of them have been there, done that before. They were part of the Clinton administration. Some held very high-level positions, such as Jane Garvey, former administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, and Sally Katzen, former deputy director for management at the Office of Management Budget and previously administrator of OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.

They know generally how government works from firsthand experience. Also, some of them have been nestled in lobbying firms or working for consulting firms. Still, most of them have worked with government agencies and pretty much know the scene. In fact, some might have even worked at one time on the briefing books that everyone is working so hard these days to compile.

Their job is to complete a thorough review of key departments, agencies and commissions to provide the president-elect, vice president-elect, and key advisers with information needed to make policy, budgetary and personnel decisions prior to the inauguration. Their review is also intended to ensure that senior appointees have the information necessary to complete the confirmation process and lead their departments.

President-elect Barack Obama may also be taking some notes from FDR. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was known for quick, decisive action when he first took office as president to beat back the Great Depression and renew public confidence.The first 100 days of the Obama administration could be full of activity and so could federal agencies.

Has the transition come near you yet at your office?

Judy Welles
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November 12, 2008

Get a Life!: Beyond the news

Beyond the news that President-elect Obama had support from all sectors of the nation and the population, I came across it first-hand on my trip this week to Colorado and New Mexico. 

From several encounters, I learned that the reason that many working-class families, professional couples, and some Republicans in those western states voted for him was simple:  the economy. Their votes carried their belief and their hopes that he could do something about it, better than the current administration. They also admired the quality of campaign that he ran.    

With the election results known, there was a palpable excitement at the prospect of an Obama administration in Washington. News of the president-elect’s family checking out the White House on an initial visit had everyone glued to news reports at dinner time. 

Even at the airports, whenever a view of Obama appeared, people gathered near the television screen. On the plane, people sitting nearby wanted to talk about Obama.

Another general view emerged that whatever he did in office, it would be different – perhaps dramatically so – than anything we had seen before.  As one example, we know already from his campaign and from news reports that he will continue to make more use of Internet. 

What remains to be known is what impact all of this will have on federal agencies. What are your hopes for the changes an Obama administration will bring? Post a comment on this blog (registration required) or send an e-mail to letters@fcw.com and we will post it for you.

Judy Welles
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November 5, 2008

Get a Life!: A transition like no other

With this election, history is the present and the future. It is an amazing time, and federal workers have some of the front seats, if not drivers’ seats, to what will happen.
 
This time, this transition, will not be ‘here we go again.’  In fact, in my 30-plus years in government, I can’t recall a transition that could involve so much change. 

Federal employees who have worked through at least one and maybe more transitions usually think they know what comes next. And transitions are often not as interesting as the election process that led up to it. But this one is certainly going to be different.

First of all, not only will agency leadership change but heads of key Senate and House oversight committees will change too. Federal executives will be dealing with a whole new crowd on Capitol Hill and in the White House.

Sure, there will be plenty of wait and see, and there will be time to adjust. The dimensions of change are yet to unfold, but clearly change will bring some adjustment.  

As you wait to hear what changes will occur, it can be a time of some trepidation. What has become familiar in the way things are done, how leaders act and react, or the initiatives you support may become unfamiliar and different. 

While some may cheer that change will take place, when the outcome is not clear, it’s hard to move ahead. Dealing with uncertainty, dealing with change are some of the most unsettling tasks we undertake. Change can bring out the best and the worst in people at work.

The best advice is to use the time when things may go at a slower pace to continue to do your job, clean up and organize as you can, and above all be positive. It’s an old idea but true that change is also opportunity. Change brings with it new ideas and new urgency. This can be a fresh start for your colleagues and for you. 

What do you think will be the best or worst part of this change to a new Administration? Post a comment on this blog or send an e-mail to letters@fcw.com.

Judy Welles
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