Missouri state agencies may soon have standardized guidelines for remote work, according to Chris Moreland, public information officer for the Office of Administration.
Departments are discussing standards for providing training, regular in-person meetings, mentors, onboarding and performance measures for employees working outside the typical office setting.
“Departments are developing plans that identify positions eligible for alternative work and how they will meet those standards,” Moreland said. “Those plans will be reviewed with the governor’s office prior to implementation.”
Kelli Jones, a spokesperson for the governor’s office, said some agencies have submitted their distributive work plans to Gov. Mike Parson, and they are being reviewed.
Many state employees began working remotely after offices were closed at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Parson ordered state employees to return to work in-person May 17, but he told reporters he hopes to have a distributive work plan implemented soon.
All state employees have performance objectives they must meet, so regardless of where a person is working, the attendance and work hours policies are in place.
The governor has been working with state departments since May to establish a firm baseline for what distributive work would look like for each agency.
