Joni Ernst pushes to relocate 30% of SBA employees across the country

In a significant legislative move, United States Senator Joni Ernst introduced a bill aimed at relocating at least 30% of the Small Business Administration's (SBA) headquarters workforce across the country. The bill follows a growing concern regarding the effectiveness and efficiency of SBA employees, who Ernst argues are too disconnected from the businesses they are meant to serve. According to Ernst, bringing employees closer to these businesses does not only enhance performance but can potentially provide better service and improve the work ethic of the SBA staff. This proposition is rooted in a recent assessment of the SBA's operational structure, which revealed that even if every employee were present in Washington, D.C., a significant portion of their office space would remain underutilized. Ernst's proposal also includes a mandate to reduce the SBA's headquarters office space by 30%. This drastic measure stems from the increasing trend of government telework, which has surged particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic. Ernst's detailed report on telework highlighted a substantial shift in the federal workforce, noting that only 6% of employees are now working in person full-time, while a significant percentage work entirely remotely. This shift poses challenges to agency operations and is viewed as contributing to a dilapidated work culture within the SBA. Crucially, Ernst’s bill necessitates that relocated employees must not engage in full-time remote work, aiming to promote in-person customer service and ensure adequate staffing across regional offices of the Administration. Ernst emphasizes that this change is essential for restoring the agency's connection with the communities it serves, particularly in rural areas. Critics of telework have raised various concerns about the effectiveness, accountability, and overall outcomes of federal employees working remotely. For instance, Ernst's report underscores the phenomenon of federal workers participating in leisurely activities during work hours as a direct consequence of telecommuting policies. With the goal of reversing what she perceives as government waste and inefficiency, Ernst is leveraging this legislative initiative to advocate for her vision of a more accountable and approachable federal workforce. This pushes against the grain of the telework trend that has become more normalized since the pandemic. As the bill proceeds through Congress, Ernst remains committed to driving measures that hold federal employees accountable to the same standards as private sector workers, striving for a more productive governmental operation.