Using Technology to Transform the Government Workforce

Government agencies, like many private sector organizations, have now embraced the hybrid, flexible work environment. The transformation started out of necessity, but new technology tools have demonstrated significant efficiencies and better business outcomes by optimizing how agencies operate.

The adoption of technology simplified redundant and manual workflows, which enabled work to get done faster, enhanced transparency, and empowered collaboration among staff.

“Much of the enhanced collaboration capabilities will come in the form of digitized solutions that will streamline teleworking and allow government employees to remain efficient and effective – from any location,” according to an article on The Future of Work in the State and Local Arena on Governing.com.

The new hybrid work reality ushered in a rapid adoption of technology to support a productive government employee experience. From remote onboarding of new employees to time-sheet management, HR forms and workflow went online. Local and state government departments adopted electronic signature technology for a number of HR related forms, including:

• Employee onboarding
• Employee time sheets
• Employee policies
• HR Forms like I-9s
• Remote work policies
• Vaccination records

We see continued investment in technology tools to simplify complex government processes across the agency’s departments. At the core of processes are agreements and forms that require signatures. Replacing paper-based processes with easy-to-use digitized forms can simplify complex workflows, drive process improvement, and as a result increase employee productivity, collaboration and satisfaction.

Here are our top three tips for agencies considering bringing more forms online. 

Three steps to adoption of electronic signature technology

1. Focus on ease of use: what is a simple and well-defined process or workflow in your department that would benefit from going digital? Often we accept that administrative tasks just take time, when there may be a solution that would save you, your team, and your employees hours each month. 
2. Get the signer experience right: ensure that your new electronic signature solution is easy to use for your team and for employees. Can you offer the signer a guided form type of experience so that they fill out required fields one question at a time? Can you pre-fill any of the required fields with data you already have in your systems? Once it’s submitted, will the signer receive a copy? 
3. Expand to other forms: Many departments start by digitizing paper-only forms, but the real staff productivity benefits are seen when you make every form digitally fillable, signable and searchable.

What are some other potential applications of electronic signature technology for state and local governments?

Electronic signatures can be used for many transactions that previously required a handwritten signature on paper. Potential uses include:

• Business permits
• Licensing 
• Purchasing contracts
• Supplier agreements
• Facilities contracts
• Patient consent forms
• Job applications
• College applications
• Liability waivers

The Government Finance Officers Association recommends “that state and local governments continue to improve electronic access to their services and information by other government entities and the public. When the identity of contact and/or the contents of the information received must be authenticated, the use of a secure form of electronic signatures is encouraged.”

More than 3,000 federal, state and local government agencies in all 50 states use DocuSign to work remotely with electronic forms, agreements, applications, correspondence management and approval processes. To learn more, check out the DocuSign Agreement Cloud for Government.

Thanks to Governing.com for allowing us to share excerpts from their original article, Future of Work in the State and Local Arena.