Workforce Prospective Articles

Large corporations have been providing flexible work schedules (also known as "flextime") to employees for a while now. It's a great setup for working parents that need to get kids off to school, and a low-cost incentive for folks who hate commuter traffic. Can small- to medium-sized businesses reap benefits from flextime too?

In addition to helping the community-at-large by relieving traffic congestion and conserving fuel, flexible work hours can lead to increased productivity, happier employees and less absenteeism due to personal appointments.

But before you jump on the bandwagon, it's best to do your homework:

• Seek staff input. Is anyone interested? What type of flextime arrangement do they suggest?
• Evaluate your business process. Flextime is most effective at sites where staff reduction has little impact on work functions or client/customer contact.
• Remember that "flextime" can mean different things to different people. Traditional flextime allows employees to select their starting and quitting times within a range of hours surrounding core-operating hours. A compressed workweek enables employees to work their allotted hours over fewer days (for example, four ten-hour days instead of the standard 9 to 5).
• Set core hours. You may want to create core hours when everyone is expected to be on-site. That way, you can schedule meetings and events that everyone can attend.

To learn more about flextime possibilities, check out the following links:

• Workplace Flextime Becoming Popular for Building Morale (Phoenix Business Journal)
• Flex Tips for Employees Supervisors and Companies (When Work Works)
• Balancing Work and Life: Flextime for Employees (AllBusiness.com)\
• More East Valley firms Flexing Their Schedules (East Valley Tribune)
• Is Flextime Right for Your Organization? (HR World)