RTTUZYUW RUEWMCS0000 1002003-UUUU-RUCRNAD.
ZNR UUUUU
R 092003Z APR 08
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
TO NAVADMIN
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
BT
UNCLAS//N03000//
NAVADMIN 096/08
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/APR// SUBJ/TASK FORCE LIFE/WORK
(TFLW) UPDATE// REF/A/GENADMIN/TASK FORCE LIFE/WORK/19JUN07//
REF/B/GENADMIN/TASK FORCE LIFE/WORK UPDATE/14AUG07// NARR/REF A
ESTABLISHED TFLW TO DEVELOP, CREATE AND IMPLEMENT WAYS TO BETTER INFUSE
LIFE/WORK BALANCE INTO SAILOR' LIVES. REF B PROVIDED THE TFLW ROADSHOW
SCHEDULE AND WEBSITE ACCESS TO THE TFLW GOOGLE BLOG SITE TO CONTRIBUTE
FEEDBACK.// RMKS/1. THE PURPOSE OF THIS NAVADMIN IS TO CLOSE OUT THE
ASSESSMENT PHASE OF TFLW AND MAP OUT THE WAY AHEAD FOR CONTINUING
ACTION. WHEN WE STOOD UP TASK FORCE LIFE/WORK (TFLW) IN JUNE, I
PROMISED TO KEEP YOU UPDATED ON THIS TEAM'S IMPORTANT WORK. CNO
CHALLENGED TFLW TO EXAMINE THE POLICIES, PROGRAMS, AND CHANGES THAT
HOLD REAL POTENTIAL TO ENHANCE OUR SAILOR'S LIFE/WORK BALANCE. OUR
OBJECTIVES WERE TO SOLICIT FLEET FEEDBACK FOR IDEAS AND RECOMMENDATIONS,
EXAMINE INITIATIVES WE COULD INFLUENCE THROUGH POLICY CHANGE, AND
IDENTIFY EFFORTS THAT REQUIRE DOD/CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL FOR ENGAGEMENT.
-. BEFORE SUMMARIZING TFLW PROGRESS, I WANT TO SET THE CORRECT FRAME
OF REFERENCE WHEN DISCUSSING TFLW INITIATIVES: I FULLY REALIZE MANY OF
THESE LIFE/WORK BALANCE ENHANCEMENTS MAY NOT DIRECTLY APPLY TO THE
OPERATIONAL FLEET. LIFE ON THE TIP OF THE SPEAR IS DEMANDING, AND
IDEAS SUCH AS TELECOMMUTING OR MORE FLEXIBLE WORK SCHEDULES MAY NOT BE
POSSIBLE FOR CERTAIN UNITS. THERE ARE, HOWEVER, MANY WAYS COMMANDS CAN
SUPPORT LIFE/WORK BALANCE FOR SAILORS WHILE WORKING WITHIN THEIR
OPERATIONAL CONFINES. IF YOUR COMMAND HAS INSTITUTED INNOVATIVE QOL
PROGRAMS THAT WORK WITHIN YOUR DEMANDING OPERATIONAL SCHEDULE, WE WANT
TO HEAR FROM YOU. TAKE A MOMENT TO BRAG AND SEND YOUR INITIATIVES TO
MY POC'S BELOW.
3. IN PHASE I OF ASSESSMENT/DISCOVERY, YOUR SUPPORT OF TFLW ROADSHOWS
ENABLED US TO REACH OVER 11,000 SAILORS IN SAN DIEGO, JACKSONVILLE/
KINGS BAY, NORFOLK, HAWAII, PACNORWEST, AND FDNF. TOGETHER WITH
FEEDBACK FROM OUR TFLW ONLINE COMMUNITY (THE FIRST EVER NAVY-SPONSORED
BLOG), MY TEAM PROCESSED OVER 3,500 COMMENTS RELATING TO LIFE/WORK
BALANCE. THIS FEEDBACK WAS INSIGHTFUL AND ON TARGET, PROVIDING ME MANY
SUBSTANTIVE IDEAS TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE AND PUSH TOWARDS
IMPLEMENTATION.
4. IN PHASE II, CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT AND LEADERSHIP AWARENESS, WE
CATEGORIZED FEEDBACK INTO FOUR DISTINCT AREAS. QUALITY OF WORK (QOW)
(40 PERCENT), QUALITY OF LIFE (QOL) (30 PERCENT), FINANCIAL (20
PERCENT), AND EDUCATION (10 PERCENT). WITHIN QOW, OPTEMPO AND
TRAINING/ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS WERE CONSISTENTLY RANKED AS TOP
PRIORITIES, FOLLOWED CLOSELY BY IA ASSIGNMENT ISSUES AMONG OUR JUNIOR
OFFICERS. IN QOL, FEEDBACK CONCENTRATED ON GEOGRAPHIC STABILITY,
PATERNITY LEAVE, THE NEED FOR MORE FLEXIBLE CHILDCARE AND ALTERNATIVE
WORK OPTIONS. TUITION ASSISTANCE AND MONTGOMERY GI BILL
TRANSFERABILITY DOMINATED THE EDUCATION FIELD (TAKEN SINGULARLY, MGIB
TRANSFERABILITY WAS ONE OF THE TOP ISSUES OVERALL). LASTLY, FEEDBACK
IN THE FINANCIAL CATEGORY FOCUSED ON PAY, BONUSES, AND POSSIBLE THRIFT
SAVINGS PLAN (TSP) ENHANCEMENTS.
5. IN TFLW PHASE III, CONTINUING ACTION, WE ARE WELL ON OUR WAY TO
ADDRESSING MANY OF THE ISSUES ABOVE. LAST JUNE, I SIGNED THE NEW
PREGNANCY AND PARENTHOOD INSTRUCTION, AUTHORIZING THREE WEEKS OF
ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE FOR ADOPTIVE PARENTS AND EXTENDED OPERATIONAL
DEFERMENT FOR NEW MOTHERS FROM 4 TO 12. WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH DOD/
CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP TO AUTHORIZE PATERNITY LEAVE, WHICH WOULD
GRANT THREE WEEKS OF ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE TO NATURAL FATHERS, AND ARE
WORKING WITH CNIC TO DEVELOP MORE FLEXIBLE CHILDCARE OPTIONS TO SUPPORT
MILITARY WORKDAY REALITIES.
6. AFTER A SUCCESSFUL PILOT PROGRAM, WE EXPANDED THE OPNAV N1
TELECOMMUTING PROGRAM TO MY ENTIRE MPTE STAFF BOTH IN WASHINGTON AND
MILLINGTON, ALLOWING MEMBERS TO TELECOMMUTE FROM HOME UP TO TWO TIMES A
WEEK WHILE REMAINING FULLY CONNECTED TO THE WORKPLACE. THE JAG
COMMUNITY HAS ALSO JOINED THIS EFFORT AND WE PLAN ON AUTHORIZING A
TELECOMMUTING OPNAVINST FOR FLEET IMPLEMENTATION THIS SUMMER.
7. OUR CAREER INTERMISSION PILOT PROGRAM (AKA "OFF-ON RAMP") HAS
RECENTLY BEEN APPROVED BY OMB FOR CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW THIS FALL.
THIS PILOT WILL ALLOW BOTH OFFICERS AND ENLISTED TO "OFF-RAMP" FROM AC
TO RC FOR UP TO THREE YEARS WHILE MAINTAINING HEALTH CARE BENEFITS, A
MONTHLY STIPEND, AND A PCS MOVE TO A CONUS LOCATION OF THEIR CHOICE AND
BACK AT THE END OF THE OFF-RAMP. THIS PROGRAM HAS THE FULL SUPPORT OF
DOD, AND WILL SERVE AS A DEMONSTRATION PROJECT FOR ALL SERVICES.
8. BOTH EXPANDED FUNDING FOR SPOUSE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS AND MGIB
TRANSFERABILITY WERE RECOGNIZED RECENTLY BY DOD AND THE WHITE HOUSE
DURING THE STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS. OUR TFLW FEEDBACK AND RESEARCH
ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THE RECENT BILL SUBMITTED IN THE SENATE ON MGIB
TRANSFERABILITY WHICH ALREADY HAS MORE THAN 22 BI-PARTISAN SIGNATURES
AND HAS GAINED TREMENDOUS MOMENTUM ON THE HILL.
9. OTHER PHASE III INITIATIVES WILL FOCUS ON REESTABLISHING THE
ENLISTED EDUCATION ADVANCEMENT PROGRAM (EEAP), CREATING VIRTUAL
COMMANDS TO IMPROVE GEOGRAPHIC STABILITY, SOCIAL ENTERPRISE FELLOWSHIPS,
A PART-TIME PAY FOR PART-TIME WORK PILOT PROGRAM, AND LEADERSHIP
RECOGNITION PROGRAMS FOR THOSE COMMANDING OFFICERS DEMONSTRATING
OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP IN THE FIELD OF LIFE/WORK INTEGRATION THROUGH
OUR CNO'S "TOP 50" AWARD EFFORT.
10. WHILE THESE AND OTHER TFLW EFFORTS WILL SIGNIFICANTLY CONTRIBUTE
TO
IMPROVING THE LIFE/WORK BALANCE OF OUR SAILORS, WE FULLY RECOGNIZE THAT
OPERATIONAL MISSION REQUIREMENTS PLACED ON SAILORS MUST BE MET. LET ME
BE VERY CLEAR - IT IS MY FUNDAMENTAL BELIEF THAT WE WILL HAVE TO ADAPT
HOW WE DO BUSINESS WITH OUR PEOPLE TO REACH AND KEEP THE NEXT
GENERATION
OF SAILORS. THE CHANGING NATIONAL DEMOGRAPHICS AND GENERATIONAL
DIFFERENCES WE SEE REFLECTED IN OUR NAVY DEMAND THESE CHANGES. FOR OUR
NAVY TO COMPETE AND WIN THE BATTLE FOR TALENT, WE MUST POSITION
OURSELVES TO BE A "TOP 50" EMPLOYER OF CHOICE.
11. REMEMBER, WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR THE EASY BUTTON, BUT THE BETTER
BUTTON; WE?RE MAKING PROGRESS BUT YOUR THOUGHTS, OPINIONS, AND VISION
ARE ESSENTIAL TO KEEPING THIS INITIATIVE ON TRACK. THE TFLW ROADSHOW
EVENTS REVEALED STORIES OF CREATIVE LIFE/WORK BALANCE PRACTICES ALREADY
IN PLACE AT MANY INDIVIDUAL COMMANDS. THESE LEADERSHIP INITIATIVES ARE
THE CATALYST FOR MORE DRAMATIC CHANGE IN THE FUTURE. PLEASE REPORT
YOUR
BEST PRACTICES TO THE TASK FORCE TO HELP CAPITALIZE ON LESSONS LEARNED.
SUGGESTIONS CAN BE SUBMITTED TO THE POINTS OF CONTACT (POCS) BELOW, OR
VIA THE TFLW GOOGLE GROUP.
12. POINTS OF CONTACT:
- CAPT KEN BARRETT, OPNAV N134, AT (703) 695-3936 OR EMAIL AT
KEN.BARRETT(AT)NAVY.MIL; AND
- LT STEPHANIE MILLER, OPNAV N134, AT (703) 695-3373 OR EMAIL AT
STEPHANIE.P.MILLER(AT)NAVY.MIL.
13. RELEASED BY VADM J. C. HARVEY, JR., N1.// BT #0000 NNNN
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