Workplace Flexibility News for the week ending August 29, 2009

In the News

Creative Management Practices for Making Work Work (Business Week)

The 2009 Guide to Bold New Ideas for Making Work Work, just published by the Families and Work Institute (FWI), reveals that even in the midst of a turbulent economy, employers across the country are creating imaginative workplace approaches for improving the work environment and for helping employees navigate the shifting demands of their work and personal lives. They are offering assistance, for example, on how to manage job stress and overwork, welcome a new baby, or cope when a spouse loses a job. What is key (and perhaps surprising) is that these strategies help these companies achieve business results and respond to fluctuations in the economy. They help companies create effective and flexible workplaces, where work “works” for both the employer and employees.

Mr. Welch, you are out of touch (Financial Post)

His tired and irrelevant pronouncements about women’s career trajectories are given wide circulation in the business media, which in turn are read by the men who, for the most part, continue to run North American industry.  What they learned from Mr. Welch’s latest sortie is working women cannot have a family and also expect to get the top jobs in their company. Add his influence to the list of impediments to women’s advancement in the workplace.

Flexibility could be helpful in weathering a stormy economy. (ESB Journal)

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.

Study: Blackberry-using workers put in 15 extra hours per week (NECN)

Call it the Blackberry bridle. The iPhone leash. The smartphone shackle. A study from a British employment law firm finds that workers who have smartphones from their workplace spend as much as 15 extra hours per week checking email and responding to calls outside of work.

“Employees should be encouraged to take appropriate rest breaks if they do choose to continue working out of hours. Having a well rested employee with a good work/life balance is a lot more useful than a tired employee that put one too many hours in the night before.”

Comparisons to Madden inevitable for incoming analyst Collinsworth (SI.com)

In the Blogs

Remote workers aren”t going anywhere (Alanet news)

According to WorldatWork, a global human resources association, the number of full-time employees performing their jobs remotely at least part of the time rose 39 per cent from 2006 through 2008, tracking in at 17.2 million people.  A practice that is both loved and despised, telecommuting continues to take root, as high-speed Internet connections and sophisticated hand-held PDA devices become increasingly pervasive and affordable, and twenty somethings comfortable in the virtual world break down traditional nine-to-five work patterns.

Creative work life balance ideas from award winning employers (examiner.com)

Families and Work Institute published the 2009 Guide to Making Work Work: New Ideas from the 2008 Winners of the Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility.  This guide is filled with creative ideas for the small organization to organizations with 1000+ employees.

Australians Work Super Hard Despite Laid-back Reputation: Report (Huffington Post)

Recent studies have shown that Australia is a nation of strivers, not skivers (that’s Aussie slang for “lazy”). They are among the most overworked people in the world, more at home behind a desk than catching a wave. In a 23-country study, Australia ranked among the worst — alongside the U.S. and U.K. — in terms of long working hours, occupational stress and poor work-life balance.

Guest Post:  Should we change the way we work? (Larvatus Prodeo)

A recent Climate Progress post reported that “closing Utah state offices on Fridays has resulted in a 13 percent reduction in energy use as well as collectively saving employees between $5 million and $6 million annually in commuting costs.” (A 5×8 hr week was replaced by a 4×10 hr week) In addition, “employee surveys have shown that most state workers like the new schedule — absenteeism and overtime are down and customer complaints have steadily dropped. Even wait times at the Department of Motor Vehicles have decreased…”

Mothers Want Part-Time Work – Study (Your Balance)

The study, which sought to find out what women want in childcare, discovered instead that part-time work seemed to be desired by many mothers. The report suggests that improving the quality of childcare (a Rudd Government priority) might not be enough to convince parents to use it, since part-time work or flexibility of work is a common goal.

Work-life balance day 2009 (examiner.com)

The purpose of CBLT’s Work-Life Balance Day is to raise awareness about work-life balance as a business issue. The desired outcome of raising awareness is for companies to demonstrate their commitment to improving work-life balance for their employees by designing an initiative to be launched on work-life balance day.

Achieving a work-life balance: An endless quest? (examiner.com)

What is this elusive thing called a work-life balance and has anyone actually attained it? Research suggests that Generation Y-ers are, for the most part, quite an over-achieving group. If we are indeed such power workers, how are we making time for R & R? If you’re struggling to find that middle ground, consider these ideas to help guide you…

Bring a positive role model for work and life balance. (examiner.com)

But, that’s the point here, isn’t it? We can’t recapture lost moments. We must live those moments as they present themselves and appreciate them at the time. This applies to our personal life and our professional life, and we should teach others, through our role modeling, that balance between work and family life is one of the most important things we have the ability to create.

Press Releases

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