Workplace Flexibility in the News for the Week Ending 5/16/09

In the News

Workplace Flexibility Adds to National Debate (HR News – SHRM)

A new report from Workplace Flexibility 2010 outlines a comprehensive set of policy solutions that the Georgetown University Law Center-based think tank hopes will serve as a blueprint to expand Americans’ access to flexible work arrangements (FWAs).

Paid Sick Days Bill Teed Up; Groups Start Dialogue on Flexibility (Workforce Management)

The advent of the bill is part of a flurry of recent Washington activity on flexible work. On May 7, the Society for Human Resource Management issued a set of workplace leave principles that it hopes will form alternatives to bills like the paid sick leave measure.

On Wednesday, May 13, a group called Workplace Flexibility 2010 released a framework to guide the development of flexible work policy.

Governor Names Work-Life Balance Awards (Northwest Arkansas Times)

Winners of the Governor’s Work-Life Balance Awards were recognized at a luncheon this week at the Peabody Hotel in Little Rock.  Nineteen Arkansas employers received awards in the seventh annual ceremony, formerly named the Governor’s Family-Friendly Awards.

UH grads heed advice of ‘Oracle of Omaha’:  Aspiring entrepreneurs among college students nationwide who met with Buffett (Houston Chronicle)

He talked about the need for work/life balance. You can’t just work.

You have to have a personal life and balance the two.

Report Urges U.S. Government To Boost Workplace Flexibility (Washington Post)

A report issued yesterday by a public policy group calls on the Obama administration and Congress to make the federal government “a model employer” by increasing its support for flexible work arrangements such as compressed workweeks and telecommuting.

Leading Multiple Generations (Business Lexington)

Research surveys have shown that Gen Y has continued the shift toward an improved balance between work and family or leisure life that was begun by Gen X. Couple the Gen Y comfort with technology and this desire for a better work/life balance, and you get a strong desire to work remotely.

Why Women Lawyers Leave: A Quest for Flexible Work and Supportive Environments (ABA Journal)

Dissatisfaction with work-life balance is pushing women lawyers in New Jersey out the door and into new jobs, a survey has found.

Working Moms Have Advocate In Michelle [Obama] (USA Today)

President Obama is off to a positive start, but his 65% approval rating is a distant second to Michelle’s 79%. Her public appearances — focusing on military families, work-life balance, healthy eating and literacy — have been engaging.

What Gen Y Really Wants (Time)

With 85 million baby boomers and 50 million Gen Xers, there is already a yawning generation gap among American workers–particularly in their ideas of work-life balance.

Having It All:  Special Section on Work-Life Balance (CNN)

Calling For More Work/Life Balance (Human Resource Executive)

In a recent speech, First Lady Michelle Obama called for flex time, paid leave for family illnesses and life events, and work-site childcare. While she says such work/life benefits result in increased productivity, some observers say the timing isn’t right for new initiatives — especially if they are forced upon businesses by government mandates.

Working Mother Marks Three Decades of Change (Philadelphia Inquirer)

The magazine used to not pay attention to part-time workers or those who dropped out of the workforce for a few years. “Then we started to embrace all kinds of working mothers. Generation X, for example, wanted to move in and out of the workplace. Flexibility didn’t just mean going in early and leaving early. It meant that you could turn down a promotion because of home responsibilities but still be ready for it in five years.”

Is It Time for a New Workplace Structure (FP Posted)

For many dual earner families, being able to work remotely from the office is a desirable way to achieve work-life balance. Many executives and professionals testify that they are more productive when they occasionally are out of their office environment.

Satellite Telework Center opens in downtown Felton (The Mercury News)

Last month, the director of the federal Office of Personnel Management announced a plan to boost telecommuting by federal employees. That move came soon after First Lady Michelle Obama spoke to that office about the importance of work-life balance.

EEOC Recommends Employer “Best Practices” to Promote Work/Family Balance (FindLaw.com)

Recently, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency charged with implementing key federal civil rights laws, issued a “best practices” document for employers on work/family balance. This “technical assistance” document is designed not only to promote compliance with antidiscrimination laws that relate to or affect employees with caregiving responsibilities, but also to encourage employers to adopt policies that go beyond legal minimum requirements.

Companies Recognized for Offering Employees Work-Life Balance (Arkansas Business)

Those firms that make it possible for employees to balance the needs of work and family were recognized Tuesday at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock with the 2009 Arkansas Governor’s Work-Life Balance Awards.

Legal Talent at the Crossroads – Women Lawyers in New Jersey (Rutgers)

New research from Rutgers’ Center for Women and Work finds that women lawyers are taking control of their lives by choosing employers that support flexible workplaces.

Juggling Career and Parenthood (Boston Globe)

I often say there’s really no such thing as work-life balance; it’s more of a juggle and, from time to time, you have to forget about keeping all of those balls up in the air and just try to catch them as they fall.

Career Woman, Remade (Wall Street Journal)

As you move forward with your reinvention, keep in mind that you don’t have to emulate superwoman. While you are setting up a situation that will provide you with better work-life balance in the long term, your focus may need to be primarily on your career. You shouldn’t feel guilty about asking for help.

New Jersey Women Lawyers Choose Flexible Workplaces (Rutgers)

“In the past, so many studies have shown that women were leaving law firms, or the legal profession altogether, but this study provides a new perspective: that women are taking action by seeking and finding better work/life balance at firms that provide flexibility and a positive environment for women,” says Dianne Mills McKay, chair of the council.  “In a field where women make up half of the talent entering the workforce, retaining and advancing women must be a priority for those firms who want to have the best talent.”

Release of Groundbreaking Report on Flexible Work Arrangements Sets the Stage for National Conversation (Earth Times)

On the heels of First Lady Michelle Obama’s challenge to find ways to encourage employers to provide more flexibility to employees, a new report from Workplace Flexibility 2010, a Georgetown Law-based think tank, provides the most comprehensive set of policy solutions to expand Americans’ access to flexible work arrangements such as compressed workweeks, predictable schedules, and telecommuting.

It’s Important to Have a Good Work Life Balance (Tampa Tribune)

It’s an ongoing struggle in the workplace: Striking a healthy work-life balance. Whether you’re prone to perfectionism or feeling pressured by a thinner staff and fear layoffs, here are seven tips to keep in mind.

Fixing the Leaky Pipeline: Work-life balance key to retaining women scientists (European Commission)

Already in 2003, the EU teamed up with businesses and universities in a working group looking at how to attract and retain women in science. According to the latest report, women abandon careers in research mainly because they find it too hard to balance work with personal life, especially if they are mothers.

Bullying at High Levels In County Police Force (Northhampton Chronicle & Echo, UK)

“However, over a period of time, such strong levels of commitment are unlikely to be sustainable if excessive workloads and lack of work-life balance prevail.”

Legal Eagles Find Ways of Riding Out Recession (Career FAQs, Australia)

Mallesons Stephen Jaques, a multiple award-winning law firm, understands the importance of workplace flexibility well. In 2004, it launched its Making work work, together initiative – a program which formalised flexible working options. Staff are able to work part time, work flexible hours, job share, swap pay for leave, telework from home or combine these options. This is an excellent example of how law firms can adapt to changing times and thrive as a result – and it certainly seems to have paid off for Mallesons.

Work-Life Balance (Guardian, UK)

Special Section with digest and links of several recent articles on Work-Life balance

How Expats Work and Balance Life (Radio Netherlands Worldwide)

Three-quarters of those surveyed believe that their organisation was not committed to helping expatriates achieve a healthy balance between work and home. Some flexible working practices were available to expatriates. For example, 44 percent reported having the option of working flexible hours or taking compensatory time off for working long hours; however, two-thirds believe their organisations expect them to work outside of normal hours. Over half (55 percent) did not take all of their annual leave entitlement.

June Cleaver Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (Lancaster Sunday News)

Kibler said that Americans don’t want to think of mothers as a collective group, lest they need to provide that group with societal supports, such as subsidized child care and workplace flexibility.

In the Blogs

Friday Wrap Up (World At Work Blog)

In other total rewards news, Workplace Flexibility 2010 released its Public Policy Platform on Workplace Flexibility.  WorldatWork was pleased to be able to participate in the process of drafting and review of the platform and will continue to participate with Workplace Flexibility 2010 in the public discussions of the platform ideas.  The document has some great ideas on workplace flexibility public policies and looks towards innovation, best practices and training in a blueprint designed to provide guidance to policy makers.

One Day We’ll Rule the Population (On the Record)

Dayton thinks the fundamental disconnect lies in the older generation’s “work comes first” mentality and the Millenials’ demand for work-life balance. As a hard-working member of Gen Y – who strives for that ‘balance’ – I agree.

Flexible working arrangements as the “new normal” in the workplace (WorkLife Nation)

The think-tank based at Georgetown University Law Center issued a report yesterday outlining a policy blueprint to “expand Americans’ access to  flexible working arrangements such as compressed workweeks, predictable schedules and telework.” Essentially, the goal of the non-partisan group is to make the implementation of Flexible Work Arrangements the “new normal” –  instead of the stepchild of the traditional workplace.

The Seven Deadly Sins of Work-Life Balance (Rejuvenation Lounge)

Now, almost eight hundred years later, people are still committing these seven sins in Work Life Balance. So let me share with you the Seven Deadly Sins of Work Life Balance … and how to avoid them.

Will Obama tackle entire spectrum of Workplace Wellness? (WorkLife Nation)

How Workplace Flexibility Arrangements might allow for a less stressed and more productive employee

News to Know:  A Change Will Do You Good (ShAARP Session AARP Blog)

The study shows that amongst those who switched careers after age 50, 91% of people enjoyed their new jobs. Researchers attribute the increased happiness to a reduction of stress and greater workplace flexibility.

Hiring a VA – Regain Your Work-Life Balance (Business Protocol)

This is really a very common scenario. Any form of work-life balance is very hard to achieve if you’re stuck between ‘a rock and a hard place’. You want to get out of it, yet you feel like you can’t because there is just too much on your plate at the moment, or you simply can’t afford to be taking the time off.

Corporations, Obama and Health Care Reform (Live Journal)

Oh, I think there’s no doubt that health care companies are scared. For another great example of industry being scared, take this press release (pdf) from the Society for Human Resource Management, in which they say that workplace flexibility and paid leave are the wave of the future.

Michelle Obama and Work-Life Issues (PR on the Run)

The First Lady talked to the gathering of primarily business managers about a host of issues about how working families — men, women, single parents and so on — have to struggle these days to balance responsibilities at home and on the job. She is an advocate for working families — and most likely work-life are the issues that she will tackle most directly and personally during the next few years.

Corporate Voices: Workplace Flexibility Benefits Hourly Workers/Businesses (Corporate Voices for Working Families)

In conjunction with Mrs. Obama’s talk, Corporate Voices released a comprehensive study that looks at workplace flexibility options and programs involving hourly employees, Innovative Workplace Flexibility Options for Hourly Workers.

The 21st Century Mom Lawyer: A Life Without Seams (Myshingle.com)

Today, my behavior seems silly, but for that era, compartmentalization of work life and home life; the professional and personal was common place for lawyer-moms.   Work meant business suits and talking shop, home meant babies and juggling play dates and park outings and other kinds of child-related activities.  Rarely, if ever did the twain meet.

Where Do People Feel The Most Positive About Life (Talking Stuff)

Another factor in the study was work life balance. While countries such as Denmark with a high score of 90.1 boast a high GDP per capita of $68,000, the average workweek in that part of the world is no more than 37 hours. But in countries such as China which received a low score of just 14.8, the workweek is 47 hours and the GDP per capita is just $3,600.

Met among four police forces slammed for failing to improve officers’ work-life balance (Personnel Today, UK)

The Metropolitan Police Force has been ‘named and shamed’, together with three other forces, for failing to improve officers’ work-life balance.

Finance Professionals Hit Pavement to Beat Stress (Let’s Grow Dynamic Business, Australia)

“These survey results suggest that many of our candidates are striving to have a good work/life balance,” says Aequalis Consulting Director Simon Boulton.

“Creative hobbies and individual pursuits are a great way to de-stress outside working hours. They can also assist with performance.”

Press Releases

Bright Horizons Recognized As One of the ‘Best Places to Work’ by the Boston Business Journal

The Best Places to Work list is based on surveys completed by employees who live and work in Massachusetts. The survey assesses employee opinions of work environment, work/life balance, job satisfaction, advancement opportunities, compensation, and benefits.

Access Development Joins Utah’s Best Places to Work

The highly competitive award is bestowed by the Utah Department of Workforce Services Office of Work & Family Life and is heavily based on employee feedback. Winning companies create exceptional workplaces that effectively balance employee work/life needs.

Career Life Connection News and Events

Small Business Expo and Career Fair, May 21, Quincy, MA

Leanne Chase of Career Life Connection to speak on Social Networking:  Linked In, Facebook and Twitter

Career Life Connection Founder featured on Workplace Flexibility teleseminar

Flexibility Isn’t All About Mommies: Why Flex is a Cross-Generational and Gender-Neutral Issue; summary of teleseminar discussion on Workplace Flex.

Advice Isn’t Always Good For You (MSNBC)

Leanne Chase, president of Career Life Connection, was excited about attending a SCORE meeting in Boston, but didn’t end up with much help. Despite that, she plans on attending again next week.

New Nanny Math (Forbes)

Leanne Chase, 40, mother of a 3-year-old and owner of a business, Career Life Connection,

Twitters Work-Life Balance Tips (BusinessWeek.com)

It takes many villages – 1 at home to help with family life, 1 at work to fill in as needed, 1 full of friends to keep you sane #worklife

Career Life Connection on You Tube