Workplace Flexibility: A State Model

As October – National Work & Family Month – draws to a close, David Gray notes an important anniversary in an article on The Huffington Post.  Five years ago, California became the first state to offer wage replacement to workers who take time off for family and care giving responsibilities. The piece, titled “California: An Example of State Action of Workplace Flexibility,” notes the importance of additional legislation that will allow employees to reconcile family needs with workplace demands.

Here’s an excerpt from the article:

In 2004, California sought to meet these needs by using its disability insurance program to help fund wage replacement for workers who take time off to have a baby or care for a relative. Five years later, there are still many questions about the effectiveness of the California program. We don’t know if more workers took leave as a result of paid family leave. There are real questions of how other states or the federal government can afford wage replacement for time off in a great recession. We do know that very few workers took advantage of the program and that low-income workers were least likely to know about the program. Yet California acted and acted boldly, and more states should take notice.

Publications, research studies and toolkits on a host of other workforce readiness, flexibility, family economic stability, and work and family balance issues are also available on the Corporate Voices Web site.

By Allison Porton

 

Vacations: Who Needs Them?

October – National Work & Family Month – gives us an opportunity to discuss a variety of workplace issues affecting families. The importance of vacation time is the subject of a recent article on The Huffington Post.  In “Vacations – Who Needs Them?” Judi Casey explores both the health and productivity benefits of vacation time for workers and the value in employers making paid vacation available and encouraging its use.

Here’s an excerpt from the post:

Vacations — who needs them? We all do! What is it going to take to move us from a nation of overworked, unhealthy, stressed out Americans with no time to relax, explore our passions or engage with our families? Of course, we have to start by taking care of ourselves as much as that is realistic given our financial and employment situations these days. We definitely need to prioritize taking vacation time, but this can’t just be an individual responsibility. Supervisors and managers have to support our efforts to take a vacation, so we can return to work as more productive and healthier contributors.

Employers have to support the use — not just the availability — of vacation time. This requires changing the culture of the workplace and moving our thinking from vacation as a burden for the work team and for the organization to an opportunity for employees to recharge so they’ll return to work more creative and engaged.

Publications, research studies and toolkits on a host of other workforce readiness, flexibility, family economic stability, and work and family balance issues are also available on the Corporate Voices Web site.

By Allison Porton

 

Working Mother: “Getting Managers to Say Yes to Flex”

Donna Klein is featured as a “Thought Leader” by Working Mother magazine on its Web site. Donna’s post is titled “Getting Managers to Say Yes to Flex.”

Here’s an excerpt:

Here are some tips from a comprehensive study of flexible work options conducted by Corporate Voices in conjunction with WFD Consulting:

• Describe your proposed flexible work arrangement. Be as specific as possible.
• Consider your job performance objectives. How will your proposed flexible work arrangement change your ability to meet those objectives?
• Think about how you currently approach your job. Who do you communicate with and how often? What deadlines do you have?
• Document how you will accomplish your job responsibilities and objectives on your proposed flexible work arrangement.
• Consider potential challenges your flexible work arrangement might raise for your co-workers, manager(s) and customers/clients. What are some potential solutions to these challenges?
• Develop clear and measurable goals/or milestones for success.
• Describe any additional equipment/expenses that your proposed flexible work arrangement might require.
• Describe any short- or long-term costs savings for the organization that might result from your new flexible work schedule.
• When starting a conversation with your manager about a flexible work arrangement:
• Arrange a specific time to talk – rather than mentioning your interest in a flexible work arrangement in passing.
• Remember that this is flexibility! Remain flexible and be willing to make changes that meet business needs.
• And when approaching your manager about a flexible work arrangement, always consider that this is a win-win situation – for you and for the organization.

Corporate Voices Featured in Business Week Interview

Donna Klein is featured in a Business Week online interview with Lauren Young, the personal finance editor. The interview is posted on the “Working Parents” blog and is titled “How Corporate America Can Support Workers in a Recession.”

Here is the introduction and some highlights from the interview:

We all know times are tough. What, if anything, is Corporate America doing to support its workers—especially Working Parents—these days? I asked Donna Klein, executive chair and president at Corporate Voices for Working Families, for her thoughts.

Which companies in Corporate America today set the “gold” standard for programs to promote work and families?

Indeed, there are many U.S. corporations that are progressive in their support of working families. Many of the Corporate Voices for Working Families partner companies are among this elite group. Companies like Accenture (ACN), PNC (PNC), Merck (MRK), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), Baxter (BAX), JPMorgan (JPM), Ernst & Young and Allstate (ALL) are among the best of them.

Working Mother magazine annually highlights the 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers. And now to level the playing field between professional employee support and hourly employee support, Working Mother, in partnership with Corporate Voices, is shining the light on those companies who employ predominately hourly workers, with the same opportunity to brand their workforce supports for hourly working families.

The first edition of Best Companies for Hourly Workers will be published in Working Mother magazine in the spring 2010. The strategy is to use the competitive mentality of corporations to brand and encourage advancement of these supports for hourly workers who have been somewhat overlooked in the past.

Work-Life Tip Sheet for a Successful Workplace

Throughout October – National Work & Family Month – we have been looking at a variety of issues and topics affecting working families. Deborah Frett, CEO of the Business and Professional Women’s Foundation, recently wrote an article for The Huffington Post that makes suggestions to help all workplaces become more aware and in touch with their employees. “The Work-Life Tip Sheet: 10 Steps to a Successful Workplace” features flexibility,  an important aspect of Corporate Voices’ work, as one key to developing a successful workplace.

Here’s an excerpt from the article:

Publications, research studies and toolkits on a host of other workforce readiness, flexibility, family economic stability, and work and family balance issues are also available on the Corporate Voices Web site.

Throughout October – National Work & Family Month – we have been looking at a variety of issues and topics affecting working families. Deborah Frett, CEO of the Business and Professional Women’s Foundation, recently wrote an article for The Huffington Post that makes suggestions to help all workplaces become more aware and in touch with their employees. “The Work-Life Tip Sheet: 10 Steps to a Successful Workplace” features flexibility,  an important aspect of Corporate Voices’ work, as one key to developing a successful workplace.

Here’s an excerpt from the article:

Successful Workplaces Tip Sheet:

1. Flexibility. Maybe there’s no such thing as balance. But at least employers can offer their employees the tools–telecommuting options, shift exchanges, compressed work weeks–to better manage their life inside and outside of the workplace.
2. Diversity. It’s more than filling quotas. Define it as broadly as possible for a competitive advantage: race, age, gender, orientation, disability, religion. Because, according to a study out this summer, “the mere presence of social diversity makes people with independent points of view more willing to voice those points of view, and others more willing to listen.”
3. Equity. It currently takes 16 months for a woman to earn what a man makes in 12 months. And that’s not even adjusted for race. Make equity in both pay and access for positions and promotions a priority.
4. Sustainability. To be environmentally aware, it is no longer enough to recycle newspapers. Reducing one’s carbon footprint by telecommuting, printing documents sparingly and using dishwasher safe flatware are now imperatives to help protect the environment as well minimize operational costs. While we continue to wrestle with the definition of green jobs, we can all strive to work “greener.”
5. Care giving. Moms are not the only ones tending to the needs of their families. Care giving applies to the grandmother watching her grandchildren. Or the uncle watching over his injured niece coming back from Afghanistan. Or the father taking in his father to look after him. Allow for flexibility and compassion and your employees will reward you with their productivity.
6. Wellness. H1N1 anyone? Paid sick days allows for those that are sick to be sick. And not to have to make the choice between infecting co-workers, prolonged health problems and food on the table.
7. Multigenerational. Don’t fall for the hype. Gen Ys aren’t all cry-babies looking for awards. They want to impact the world, they are mission driven and they want your approval. Give it to them.
8. Social spaces. Fifty-four percent of employers outright ban the use of social networking sites during work hours. But, companies scoring the highest on an engagement scale saw 18% revenue growth in the past year. Those brands with the least engagement saw revenue decline 6%.
9. Retention. Provide mentoring, professional development, career advancement planning and continuing education to keep your talent working for you.
10. Practice. Use polices, don’t just have them on the books. Everyone should embrace them, from the CEO to the staff assistant.

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deborah-frett/the-work-life-tip-sheet-1_b_329975.html

Publications, research studies and toolkits on a host of other workforce readiness, flexibility, family economic stability, and work and family balance issues are also available on the Corporate Voices Web site.

By Allison Porton

Article Highlights Ill-Prepared Workforce Study

Stephen Jackson recently wrote an article for examiner.com, titled “Influential DC associations raise alarm on U.S. workforce skill gaps.”  The piece discusses recent research detailing the ill-preparedness of the U.S. workforce – and highlights the study prepared by Corporate Voices for Working Families and three other organizations.

Here’s an excerpt from Jackson’s article:

Earlier this summer a report highlighting the struggle U.S. employers are having finding new hires having the necessary basic and applied skills reflects the fact that employer-sponsored training is not up to the challenge. The report called, The Ill-Prepared U.S. Workforce; Exploring the Challenges of Employer-Provided Workforce Readiness Training was jointly produced by local associations, the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD), the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) – both of Old Town Alexandria – and the Corporate Voices for Working Families in Washington DC. The Conference Board headquartered in New York also participated.

American business and workers, more than ever, must be able to adapt to a rapidly changing marketplace in order to succeed. Demand in the U.S. for educated and skilled workers is rapidly exceeding the supply – from nurses to technicians to engineers. To compete and succeed in an international marketplace for talent, U.S. workers need a 21st century approach to lifelong learning that enables them to develop and refresh the skills needed for high-skilled service and manufacturing jobs. We must call for the development of a modernized, streamlined, and effective system that provides universal access to workforce training to maintain a nimble and productive workforce. The United States needs a strong education system and lifelong learning opportunities to prepare today’s workers as well as the next generation of workers for the ever-changing economy.

The specifics of The Ill-Prepared U.S. Workforce report conducted by Corporate Voices for Working Families, as well as other information on this topic can be found in the Workforce Readiness section of the Corporate Voices website.

Publications, research studies and toolkits on a host of work/life and work and family balance issues are also available on the Corporate Voices Web site.

Stephen Jackson recently wrote an article for examiner.com, titled “Influential DC associations raise alarm on U.S. workforce skill gaps.”  The piece discusses recent research detailing the ill-preparedness of the U.S. workforce – and highlights the study prepared by Corporate Voices for Working Families and three other organizations.

Here’s an excerpt from Jackson’s article:

Earlier this summer a report highlighting the struggle U.S. employers are having finding new hires having the necessary basic and applied skills reflects the fact that employer-sponsored training is not up to the challenge. The report, “The Ill-Prepared U.S. Workforce: Exploring the Challenges of Employer-Provided Workforce Readiness Training,” was jointly produced by local associations, the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD), the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) – both of Old Town Alexandria – and the Corporate Voices for Working Families in Washington DC. The Conference Board headquartered in New York also participated.

American business and workers, more than ever, must be able to adapt to a rapidly changing marketplace in order to succeed. Demand in the U.S. for educated and skilled workers is rapidly exceeding the supply – from nurses to technicians to engineers. To compete and succeed in an international marketplace for talent, U.S. workers need a 21st century approach to lifelong learning that enables them to develop and refresh the skills needed for high-skilled service and manufacturing jobs. We must call for the development of a modernized, streamlined, and effective system that provides universal access to workforce training to maintain a nimble and productive workforce. The United States needs a strong education system and lifelong learning opportunities to prepare today’s workers as well as the next generation of workers for the ever-changing economy.

Publications, research studies and toolkits on a host of other workforce readiness, flexibility, family economic stability, and work and family balance issues are also available on the Corporate Voices Web site.

By Allison Porton

“A Woman’s Nation” and Flexibility

Throughout the month of October — National Work & Family Month — we have been looking at a variety of issues and topics involving working families. Here’s a recent article on The Huffington Post by Chai R. Feldblum and Katie Corrigan, “A Woman’s Nation Demands Workplace Flexibility.”

Here’s an excerpt:

This week, Maria Shriver released a report on the status of women in America – and on the radical transformations that have taken place in our society as a result of women’s entrance into the workforce. “The Shriver Report: A Woman’s Nation Changes Everything” examines the tremendous impact women have in the 21st century economy. But it also reveals the implications of women’s changing economic status on the social and cultural institutions that define us – from government, business, and faith-based organizations to our individual communities and families.

And more:

Workplace flexibility is one of the priorities for the White House Task Force on Middle-Class Working Families and First Lady Michelle Obama’s Office. Indeed, at the Corporate Voices for Working Families Annual Meeting in May, Mrs. Obama called for a broad, national conversation on how we can best support working parents – particularly through policies providing sick leave, increased maternity leave, and flexible work arrangements.

Mrs. Obama’s call for increased workplace flexibility rings in harmony with Maria Shriver’s report. If women – and men, for that matter – are to reach their full potential in the workplace, then workplace structures must evolve to allow them full, meaningful participation in their families and communities. Our hope is that the Shriver Report will help spur a high-level, national conversation on the need to shift the structures of our workplaces to meet the realities facing working families today. Our goal at Workplace Flexibility 2010 is to move that conversation forward – toward common-sense public policy solutions that will weave workplace flexibility into the fabric of the American workplace.

And here’s the post by Donna Klein — “How We Have Failed Working Families, And What We Can Do About It“ – that appears on The Huffington Post in conjunction with National Work & Family Month.

Publications, research studies and toolkits on a host of work/life and work and family balance issues are available on the Corporate Voices Web site.

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chai-r-feldblum/a-womans-nation-demands-w_b_325984.html

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chai-r-feldblum/a-womans-nation-demands-w_b_325984.html

Burden of Workloads in the Workplace

October is National Work & Family Month. And throughout the month we have been looking at various issues involving working families and work and family balance. Here’s an article on The Huffington Post by Diane Burrus, “The Growing Burden of Workloads in the Workplace.”

Diane is Senior Consultant for WFD Consulting, and Workplace Flexibility, Team Effectiveness Practice Leader. Here’s an excerpt from the post:

Escalating workload is an issue facing all of us, as individuals, managers, and employers, and it’s getting worse in this challenging economic environment. The stress is building for employees lucky enough to have a job, who are putting in longer hours, having to do more with less, and under increased pressure to perform. As we celebrate National Work and Family Month, it’s important to consider how to begin tackling workload, which is the biggest barrier facing organizations that are committed to workplace flexibility and work-life effectiveness as a win/win business strategy.

And here’s the post by Donna Klein — “How We Have Failed Working Families, And What We Can Do About It“ – that appears on The Huffington Post in conjunction with National Work & Family Month.

Publications, research studies and toolkits on a host of work/life and work and family balance issues are available on the Corporate Voices Web site.

The Recession and Work and Family

As we continue to examine various issues during National Work & Family Month in October, the Sloan Work and Family Research Network is an excellent source of research, position papers and briefings, and other information.

For instance, the Sloan Network recently published a policy brief, “The Impact of the Recession on Work and Family.”

And here’s the post by Donna Klein — “How We Have Failed Working Families, And What We Can Do About It“ – that appears on The Huffington Post in conjunction with National Work & Family Month.

Publications, research studies and toolkits on a host of work/life and work and family balance issues are available on the Corporate Voices Web site.

Healthier Employees and Cost Savings

As we continue to examine important issues involving working families during National Work & Family Month, here’s an article by Ellen Galinsky on The Huffington Post, “Healthier Employees and Cost Savings: Expanding our Definition of Wellness at Work.”

Ellen is President, Families and Work Institute and a member of the Corporate Voices Board of Trustees. Here’s an excerpt from her post:

In her recent piece celebrating National Work & Family month, Donna Klein of Corporate Voices notes that “progressive personnel policies and a work culture supportive of occasional flexibility” offers companies “enhanced recruitment, retention, engagement, cost control, productivity and financial performance.”

Here’s another reason to support an effective and flexible work culture for all employees: It could actually help your employees stay healthy.

Employers understand that investing in employee wellness is smart business, but as Cali Yost says, most think “wellness program” equals an employer-subsidized gym membership. A recent SHRM survey shows that even though 60% of responding HR professionals report that the recession has had an impact on their employers’ benefits offerings, many employers plan to increase benefits in health and wellness. To wit, 10% of respondents plan to implement rewards or bonuses for achieving or completing certain health and wellness goals/programs, and 8% of respondents plan to add health/lifestyle coaching in the next 12 months.

If we really want to make a difference in working families’ lives, our definition of wellness needs to expand. Employers are less aware that creating what we at Families and Work Institute call an “effective” workplace,” (based on six measurable criteria that include a climate of respect and trust, economic security, autonomy, job challenge, a supervisor who supports your work, and work-life fit) should be considered an integral part of promoting wellness.

Families and Work Institute (FWI) just released The State of Health in the American Workforce study revealing that American employees are getting less healthy each year. Beyond their potentially terrible impact of employees, we know that health problems are very costly for employers and society at large. Our study finds that 38% of employees in workplaces ranked in the “high overall effectiveness” category report “excellent overall health.” By contrast, only 19% of employees in workplaces in the “low overall effectiveness” category report “excellent overall health.”

The new FWI study is fully downloadable at www.familiesandwork.org.

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ellen-galinsky/healthier-employees-and-c_b_313106.html

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ellen-galinsky/healthier-employees-and-c_b_313106.html