Telework to Help Clear the Air
To capitalize on the large-scale trial of telework during the COVID-19 pandemic, UCAIR and its partners have assembled this one-stop, simple collection of resources for employers interested in continuing to telework into the future.
Telework Resource Center
Sample Telework Tools For Your Organization
Telework and Gov. Cox’s One Utah Roadmap
TravelWise
TravelWise Telework Promotion
Telework Beyond the Pandemic
In June 2020, UCAIR and a number of partners came together to ask 7,500 employers and employees about their use of teleworking during the pandemic and what it might look like afterward.
We found that prior to the pandemic:
66% of employees had a positive attitude toward teleworking.
57% of employers had a positive attitude toward teleworking.
During the Stay Home, Stay Safe initiative:
97% did some sort of teleworking.
Because of that major shift, attitudes changed. After being immersed in teleworking:
86% have a positive attitude about teleworking.
93% of employees said they want to continue teleworking, specifically on poor air quality days.
94% of employers said they are likely to continue to allow their employees to telework moving forward, specifically on poor air quality days.
When to Take Action
Winter PM2.5
Utah Division of Air Quality Health and Action Forecasting
- The Utah Division of Air Quality (DAQ) continually monitors air quality levels to provide current conditions and future air quality forecasts to Utahns. Based on this information, employers can make decisions about when to allow their employees to telework to reduce emissions.
- Below is a sample air quality forecast, which includes both information about potential health impacts of predicted air quality along with suggested actions people can take to reduce emissions.
- Employers should consider allowing their employees to telework when the action alert shifts from “Voluntary” to “Mandatory.”
- To learn more about air quality forecasting and the DAQ health and action alerts, visit https://air.utah.gov/forecast.php?id=slc.
Sample Forecast
Current Air Quality
Can’t telework? Consider using other TravelWise strategies:
