ABC Inc.: Benefits Flexible Work Scheduling

Employers should provide a flexible working environment for their employees due to the fact that every employee has a different home life, religious beliefs and responsibilities out side of work. Everyone’s day begins with a third of the hours in our day at work, a third sleeping and another third getting on with the rest of our lives.

If the workplace of today could be characterized by a single theme, it would most likely focus on the continual presence of change. Dramatic changes in technology, the marketplace and the workforce have compelled organizations to re-evaluate not only the competitiveness of their products, but also the core ways in which work is performed. It is out of this pursuit for continued survival that organizations have been faced with the notion of varying work-schedules beyond the traditional hours of nine to five. This paper will explore the societal and business changes that have led to a proliferation in flexible work patterns. This paper will also address the benefits and disadvantages of flexible work patterns for

Work-life balance has been a popular topic for employees across all age and occupations for years, representing a rising concern of contemporary human resource management and labor policies. This topic has attracted the attention from the millennium generation, who is stepping into the market and beginning to grow a career. Therefore considering the increasing demand, well-designed workforce planning with diverse scheduling options offered to employees appears to be extra credits for most companies. This research paper aims to communicate the positive effects of four-day workweek, and providing support for why employers should adopt this schedule for employees and themselves through 1) introducing background and history of four-day workweek as a work schedule option and 2) demonstrating benefits of four-day workweek from both employer and employees’ perspectives.

-Flexible workday guidelines to encourage people to start each day at whatever time is best

Flexible work shifts have been on the rise due to changes in demographics such as higher amounts of females in the workplace and dual income households (Idris, 2014). In most health care industry positions, employees may be required to work long hours and shift hours. These shifts can be very hard on employee morale and welfare. Strenuous and difficult shifts can lead to burnout and high retention rates (Mathis, Jackson, & Valentine, 2014). Alegent Health offers flexible work schedules in order to help employees gain a balance between their work and personal lives. Alegent Health’s willingness to be flexible with their employees increases their retention

Everyday people struggle with setting correct work hours. When schedules are constantly changing and employers are calling other workers in, it can be stressful and difficult for the employees. Trying to balance work and other priorities such as children, require a set work schedule. When schedules are disorganized, it makes it difficult for employees that rely on child care. Employees that are also parents have to attend some school events such as parent-teacher conferences or children's doctor appointments (Vallas, R., & Boteach, M., 2014). When these employees know that there is going to be planned events such as these, they need to report to their employer so they can have time off to attend to their personal needs. While balancing work and family on a strict schedule it will help the employee and their coworkers. Having a set schedule helps reduce poverty because it creates strict schedules for the employee so they are still getting paid. Following schedules also alleviates poverty because if a person were to have two jobs, the jobs will not clash because the schedules are set. Therefore this creates a strict schedule so the people can work and get paid so they aren’t facing

Answer this question to yourself: When an employee is on the clock at ABC Corporation, what exactly are they expected to be doing? While “working” will seem like the obvious answer to most people reading this, a recently-completed study endorsed by upper-management has discovered that many employees seem to think that “updating my Facebook status” or “beating my high score on Flappy Bird” are acceptable answers. Maybe a utopian world would include paid social-media and gaming time, but we simply cannot afford this any longer at ABC Corp.

The scheduling of hours of work is undoubtedly one of the major social problems of industrial society. Statistic estimates that 30% of Canada's workforce are involved in some kind of shiftwork. Of those, 33% work irregular shifts, just under 30% work rotating shifts, 17% work long term evening shifts, 10% work on call, 3% work split shifts, 3% work long term night shifts and just over 3% are classed as "other". Present estimates tell us that before the trend slows, fully 35% of the workforce will work some type of shiftwork (Siroonian 123). Companies are feeling the need to maximize their efficiency by spreading their operating costs over 24 hours. However, on the other hand, working other than the standard

* Nearly 80% of workers say they would like to have more flexible work options and would use them if there were no negative consequences at work

In Atkinson and Meager’s model of flexible firm, there are 5 different types of industrial flexibility that a company and the human resources department focus on when deciding to choose if they want to allow their employees a flexible schedule or keep them working their normal 8 hour

Their solution was ATLAS, Ann Taylor Labor Allocation System which would compare sales associate’s performances in categories such as average sales per hour, units sold, and dollars per transaction. The idea was to give more hours to its better-selling sales associates and fewer hours to those poorer-performing associates. What happened was ATLAS scheduled the best associates frequently for shorter shifts during its busy periods and its poor-performing associates for short shifts just once or twice a week during the slower periods. This caused resentment between employees and animosity towards ATLAS and because of the scheduling associates began to steal sales and clients from each other. Yet employee turnover did not increase which may have been due to most of its work force being part time. It has yet to be determined how this scheduling will effect customer satisfaction.

More than 50% of the participants worked the same amount of time as a full work week with no change to the four day compressed work week. Most participants either spent extra time on class preparation, running errands, grading, recruitment, meetings, etc. Approximately 35% of the staff from Canino School of Engineering Technology felt there was no break in classes and it was difficult to find time for office hours. Approximately 49% of staff from the School of business and Liberal Arts and the School of Science, Health, and Criminal Justice felt there was not time for committee meetings. About 55% of overall participants felt there was no change in the ability to get work done. Approximately 56% of the participants felt the student academic performances were not impacted. An overall 53% were satisfied with the four day compressed work week.

America has an ineffective and problematic work week. Employees have an arduous time fitting in the rest of their life with their schedules, and businesses find that many employees aren't happy because of this. Many employees are leaving the companies they work for, or aren’t working to the best of their abilities. Converting to a four-day work week will benefit America by developing stronger businesses and increasing employee morale and production. Despite the fact that there are losses when transmuting to this timetable, the advantages this timetable offers are justified, despite the trouble.

There are benefits that the employee, the employer and the community obtain from alternate work schedules.

1. In response to the annual employee survey conducted by Lopez Vending, the Cleveland, Atlanta and San Diego offices implemented suggestions from their senior managers and initiated pilot program to offer flexible work schedules. (2)