Clients need to know that the
staffing firm relationship provides
that much-needed safety net
that can make a flexible work
program truly viable.
as it makes sense for their particular industry, work
structure, and overall company culture. It is important to be completely transparent with employees
from the start. If a client is merely testing out a
particular strategy, then the organization should
be clear about that at the onset to avoid disastrous
morale issues down the line. A seemingly small but
critical point: Organizations should know that if
they broach the subject of job flexibility, there may
be no turning back, so they should be prepared to
commit to this path in some way.
Here are six ideas for implementing flexible
work options within a company of any size:
1. Start by asking employees for their opinions—
your client will likely find that they aren’t asking for
much. Learn what works best for them to accomplish their work goals. Before the human resources
team launches into full program development,
Seriously Appealing to Parents
More than four in five working parents (82%) feel that flexible work options would
allow them to be better parents—and that finding is consistent among women and
men. So, while working mothers are often thought to be the impetus for workplace
flexibility programs, working fathers are also seeking these options. Additionally,
79% of working mothers and 77% of working fathers agree they would stay with a
company longer if it offered flexible work options.
provide a forum for teams to discuss and offer suggestions based on their needs and their job requirements. Company leaders should begin the dialogue
with questions about maintaining high productivity
levels, challenges they face with work–life balance,
and the best ways for them to work as a team.
2.It seems like a simple thing, but it’s critical:
Advise clients to define regular work hours for
both in the office and off site. For off-site days,
identify when each team member is available by
phone or e-mail. Utilize online calendars to schedule meetings to alleviate some of the back-and-forth. Set core hours when all staff works at the
office for a set amount of time on a specific day.
This can alleviate some anxiety around flextime
for managers who know they can plan around
those times to physically have their teams in one
place.
3.Clients, with the specific expertise of human
resources, should review company compensation models and policies to reflect flexible work
options to ensure that employees who participate
are not unfairly and inadvertently penalized. They
should adjust performance evaluations as needed
to acknowledge part-time, job-share, or telecom-muting schedules without negatively affecting an
employee’s career trajectory.
4.Company leaders shouldn’t just offer a flexible work program, they should encourage it and
lead by example. Remind your clients that this is a
cultural shift. When an organization first launches
a flexible work program, no one wants to be the
first to take the leap. Feature program success
stories via internal communications. Senior leadership and managers should participate in some
capacity whether they have a need for it or not.
It demonstrates that there won’t be an unspoken
consequence associated with those taking advantage of the program.
5.The organization should have a back-up plan
in place. Clients should consider adding a contingent, or contract, labor policy with pre-approved
partners. This is, of course, where staffing firms
come in—and where we as valued partners can
benefit from a business perspective. Clients need
to know that the staffing firm relationship provides that much-needed safety net that can make
a flexible work program truly viable. A customized
agreement can reliably cover labor needs in the
cases of special projects, temporary leave situations,
last-minute absences, and more—so employees can
maintain their flexible schedules and the organization can continue to see productivity. ➤
