Workplace Flexibility News for the Week Ending August 22, 2009

In the News

Survey to gauge parents, students’ work/life balance (Tri-City News)

A consortium of Canadian and U.S. universities is collaborating on an international survey to find out how parents of middle school-aged children are handling the work/life balance.  The goal is to provide information to governments, agencies and even middle schools to assist them in planning and policies for families.

Louisville-area employers recognized for ‘flexibility’ (Triangle Business Journal)

Twenty-one Louisville-area businesses have received the Alfred P. Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility…According to a news release, examples of workplace flexibility included giving employees four Fridays off in the summer in lieu of raises, providing employees with information that helps them better manage finances and allows employees to work at home one or two days a week to save on commuting costs.

How can agencies get the most from their investments in telework programs? (Federal News Radio)

Radio show discussing how agencies can lower costs and increase employee productivity through virtual work options.

Work/Life Programs Thrive During the Recession (Diversity Inc)

“Being a flexible employer tends to pay off for the business.” Employer-based survey results, actual practices and several new bills support this notion advocated by Ellen Galinsky, president of the Families and Work Institute.

The Sunday night e-mail check (Seattle Times)

On Sunday, a source I hadn’t been able to reach during the workweek for an article I’m writing about labor laws and work/life balance called. She’d just picked up my voice message and was calling from her vacation in the San Juans.  Amused by the irony, I posted as much on Twitter: “Just interviewed a work/life balance advocate. On a Sunday. She called me from her vacation.”

Working with Gen Y (The Star – Malaysia)

We want to live for more than work. We like to feel that we are living for more than just ourselves. Corporate social responsibility initiatives make a company more attractive to us, creating the perception that by not just living selfishly, employers are somehow better people.

In the Blogs

Making the Workplace Work for You (Napsnet)

Flexibility could be helpful in weathering a stormy economy. That’s the news from a new study by the Families and Work Institute (FWI), The Impact of the Recession on Employers, showing that 81 percent of U.S. employers are maintaining and 13 percent are increasing the flexibility they offer during the recession.

Is There a Future for Work/Life Balance? (ERE.net)

The concept of work and life being somehow distinct from each other is a recent construct. There was no work/life balance in the 17th, 18th, 19th, or for most of the 20th centuries. Work and life were integrated and no one would have even thought to separate out what portion of farm life, for example, was “life” and what portion was “work.” Wives and husbands and children worked together as family units, producing food, clothing, or operating a small family business. Roles were assumed and cast off as needed and whoever had the ability or skill needed at a particular time did what was needed to be done.

The Balancing Act (Marquette University Law School Faculty Blog)

I don’t have any advice in this regard, just the observation that achieving true balance does not seem realistic for someone in this position, particularly on a daily or even weekly basis.  That is not to say a law student with a family can’t have a productive career, do well in school, and have a happy home life.  Rather, I just suggest the term “balance” doesn’t seem to accurately capture my reality in managing these dynamic priorities.

Striking the Work-Life Balance Pays Off (Current Mom)

Having personally benefited from such a supportive environment, I’ve often asked myself –- somewhat guiltily –- whether it is fair to allow some employees flexibility that it seems others may not have.  But I always come back to the same answer: I would give this flexibility to any employee who needed it for whatever personal reason. That’s who I am, and the policies of the company, not to mention federal law in some cases, call for it. But also, it turns out it makes good business sense.

Momentum for telework and work life balance: balancing act of 2009 (Examiner.com)

The findings listed in the bill provide a snapshot into the new norm for families in America. In the segment of married families with children, in 2/3 of the families, both parents work full-time.  The number of mothers with children under the age of 18 that work full-time is 71%.  Further, the bill reports that 70% of employed parents say that they don’t have enough time with their children.  Parents reported that the primary obstacle preventing them from spending more physical activity time with their children is their work schedules.

Press Releases

Local Businesses Recognized for Workplace Flexibility and Effectiveness (Spokane, WA)

Littler Mendelson Recognized as a Leader in Female-Friendly Workplace Initiatives (San Francisco, CA)

Heritage Bank Named the Silver Award Winner of Washington’s Best Workplaces by Puget Sound Business Journal (Olympia, WA)

Career Life Connection News and Events

Career Life Connection is excited to announce that IWearYourShirt.com’s September 10th show will be streamed live from their booth at the ERE Expo on Sept. 10th.  Stop by booth #205 to meet Jason Sadler and talk with him about how he achieved social media ROI success.

Career Life Connection at ERE Expo Sept. 10-11, Hollywood, Florida

Career Life Connection will be in booth #205 at the ERE Expo.  We will be talking about workplace flexibility and video taping interviews with companies and workers who flex.

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