Lynchburg Business

The Future is Flex-Time

Issue: February 2012 by Dr. Colleen A. McLaughlin in Human Resources, Inside The Magazine

Is working 9 to 5 for most organizations a thing of the past? Research indicates that more than half of all organizations have developed and implemented some form of flexible work arrangement (FWA). Many organizations in Central Virginia have successfully provided flexible workplace options for their employees that range from flexible mealtimes to compressed workweeks and personal-choice holidays to sabbaticals. Regardless of the forms of flexibility provided, organizations that are still operating via a traditional 9 to 5 schedule may be considered behind the power curve in the 21^st century.

Why Flex-Time?

Organizations that provide flexible work arrangements reported seeing an increased retention of employees, improved productivity, engagement, job satisfaction and quality of work, according to survey results conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management in “Workforce Flexibility in the 21^st Century: Meeting the Needs of the Changing Workforce” in 2009.  Additionally, organizations that are providing some form of flexible workplace arrangements experienced positive affects regarding the issues of absenteeism, maintenance of a diverse workforce, the company culture, and individual and family work-life balance satisfaction.

In addition to the positive outcomes of successfully managed FWAs mentioned, as baby boomers continue to head into retirement, many desire to reduce their workload while maintaining their benefits. This is a necessary action for organizations to consider as these valuable employees will need to have time to train their replacements while continuing to serve the organization and prepare for retirement.

Further, the integration of FWAs in organizations relates to the desirability of the organization as a workplace of choice, which improves the recruitment success rate of qualified candidates, and has been seen to improve corporate social responsibility (CSR) by providing the time and resources for employees to serve their communities. Many organizations in our area have found that investing in CSR has offered their employees an opportunity to team build while investing their time, effort and energy into the community. This investment, amidst the economic challenges facing people and companies today, provides these employees a feeling of satisfaction and life balance that bring positive results into the workplace.

Flex-Time Options

There are numerous options of FWAs organizations may provide that will result in positive outcomes. These options can be something as simple as providing flexible mealtimes to employees. By providing employees the personal discretion of when to take a break to eat, the employees will feel trusted and empowered. This simple gesture can result in a gain of increased work engagement, satisfaction and improved productivity all resulting in measurable gain for the employer.

Other FWAs may take additional commitment from the organization such as offering the option of a compressed work week, volunteer days, personal choice holidays in addition to the standard holidays provided, job-sharing, phased retirement and telecommuting to name the most common choices on a menu of options. Regarding telecommuting, this in and of itself offers multiple possibilities such as ad-hoc, part-time and full-time telecommuting.

Regardless of the form(s) of FWAs an organization provides, the issue at hand is to address what works best for both the employee and employer and integrating this initiative into the strategic plan of the organization. In doing this, organizations will need to address how to measure the results as well as manage the employees who opt for a flexible work arrangement. Assistance in identifying appropriate and feasible FWAs for your organization can be found at the Families and Work Institute (familiesandwork.org).

Measuring and Managing Flex-Time

The myth, when discussing flexible work arrangements, is that managers will lose control and organizations will lose money if employees are given the freedom of choice or are allowed to work outside of the traditional face-time arrangement. Employers who hesitate in offering FWAs often do so out of fear of a loss of productivity as well as having to manage the disruption in the workplace. It is important to remember there is not a one-size-fits-all answer, but the program needs to be designed taking into account the needs of the individuals while aligning the program with the strategic goals of the organization. Once established, methods of measuring results and evaluation will need to be designed.

Next, the organization must ensure there are established policies regarding the FWAs and that managers are not only trained on how to manage the employees who choose to adopt some form of flexibility into their schedule, but also support the culture of flexibility. Additionally, organizations will need to be prepared to provide the technological support for their workforce to be able to participate in the FWAs. The advancement of technology has greatly contributed to the success of FWAs through the ease of measuring results, increasing connectivity and improving effective communication.

Be a Flex-Time Leader

Finally, as organizations strive to gain or maintain a competitive advantage in their industries, the development and implementation of an FWA program may be the answer for companies to be branded as employers-of-choice while also being identified as leaders of workplace flexibility. According to a study reported by the Executive Office of the President: Council of Economic Advisors (2010) entitled Work-Life Balance and the Economics of Workplace Flexibility, “employers who address this challenge and help their employees work more flexibly are more likely to be productive, competitive and profitable in the 21^st century.” Adopt a culture of flexibility and lead your organization to success in 2012.