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