Flexible schedules
What are the benefits to me as an employer?
You can boost employee morale and productivity by implementing flexible work hours at your company. Research shows that employees who have control over choosing their work hours are more motivated and less likely to leave, thereby reducing turnover costs. A flexible schedule allows employees to better balance their work life and other responsibilities so that tardiness and absence due to personal commitments is reduced. For example, a flexible time arrangement allows for a parent to arrive after school carpooling responsibilities. For companies that span different time zones, flexible time schedules allow the company to extend their business day and facilitate company operations. Flexible schedules can be good for the company's financial health.
What can my company do?
- Screen and evaluate which positions are appropriate for flexible work hours; focus on performance not the number of hours on the job.
- Survey employees to determine level of interest in flexible work hour arrangements.
- Design and implement a promotional campaign that indicates managers and supervisors are supportive of employees who choose to work flexible hours.
- Create an incentive and/or award program that acknowledges individuals who work flexible hours and thereby reduce the number of cars on the road during peak traffic hours thus improving air quality. Don't forget to reward the managers/supervisors of employees using flexible time options.
Case Study: Rio Tinto, South Jordan, UT
The flexible work schedules program at Rio Tinto includes staggered shifts, job sharing and modified work schedules. Implementation of this program has reduced turnover savings by $800 thousand and raised productivity by 3%.
Source: Human Resource Department, Rio Tinto
Case Study: The Container Store
The Container Store, a national storage and organization company, feels that flexibility is one of the keys to their success. They operate retail locations open seven days a week. While 100% turnover is commonplace in the retail industry, The Container Store's turnover for full-time employees is approximately 8%. The reason, "flexibility is the key to a great work environment," indicates Garrett Boone, chairman and co-founder of the company. "It's important to recognize employees as unique individuals," and schedule and train accordingly. The Container Store is doing something right because they have been awarded FORTUNE magazine's Best Companies To Work For at least nine times.
Source: "Flexible work hours can benefit both employers and employees", Lisa Tanner, Dallas Business Journal, Mar. 14, 2003; http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2003/03/17/focus1.html
Weblinks
www.opm.gov/oca/aws -- Handbook on Alternative Work Schedules
www.hr.upenn.edu/quality/worklife/flexoptions/training.aspx - Flexible Work Hours Training Materials
www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm15.htm - Victoria Transport Policy Institute - Alternative Work Schedules