City To Cut Costs By Allowing Work At Home
The City of Ottawa will try to cut costs and boost efficiency this year by allowing some employees to stop making the daily trek to their desk in an office building.
It’s part of an electronic government initiative being cheered on by Mayor Larry O’Brien that is aimed at helping the city cut $100 million in operational costs over the next three years.
Councillor Rick Chiarelli, vice-chairman of the city’s long-range financial planning subcommittee, said one of the best ideas being planned is a pilot project for up to 150 staff members. The employees will work from home and the field, and use computers to keep in touch with managers and citizens. Employees will be able to book time in an office for meetings. The potential positions to be in the pilot will be identified shortly, then submitted to the task force and council.
Social service caseworkers, engineers and planners, public health nurses, building inspectors and communications staff are some of the staff members who could take part in the pilot project, said Mr. Chiarelli. He said it will require some changes in thinking but he said the city has to measure employee output not on the time they spend at their desks, but on the work they produce.
Photo by genie.uottawa.ca.
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