Workplace flexibility in the news for the week ending Sept. 19, 2009

In the News

Recession Drives Women Back to the Work Force (New York Times)

Last February Trudi Foutts Loh felt compelled to find full-time work, some 20 years after she quit her job to care for her two children. Her job back then as a lawyer and three hours of daily commuting made balancing everything impossible.

Utah employers are recognized for workplace flexibility (ABC 4)

In a tough economy, working around your employees needs may not appear to be good business, but seven Utah employers have received a national award for doing just that. They say offering flexible work schedules, and allowing employees to work from home has never made more sense.

Flexible work tops agenda for crunch mums (Reuters)

Flexible working hours, homeworking opportunities and cover for emergencies or school holidays are the top concerns for working mothers, according to a British survey on Thursday.  The survey of 1,677 people by specialist employment advice website workingmums.co.uk showed that despite a tougher jobs climate, in which redundancies had risen dramatically during the recession, mothers clamored for a more malleable schedule.

Gap To Employees: Work Wherever, Whenever You Want (BusinessWeek)

Art Peck, president of Gap Outlet, a division of Gap Inc., in San Francisco, no longer hears about employees’ doctors’ appointments or parent-teacher conferences. And he couldn’t be happier. For the past year, Gap Outlet has piloted a Results-Only Work Environment (ROWE), the first major company to do so since Best Buy pioneered the practice six years ago. The pilot program included 137 headquarters employees and executives in merchandising, design, production, finance, HR and IT. Retail store employees are not eligible to participate.

New workplace laws failing Julia Gillard’s flexibility test (The Australian)

THE Rudd government has suffered a setback in its push to allow individual workers to secure more flexible working conditions, after Campbell’s Soup buckled to union opposition to Labor’s new workplace flexibility clause. In the first test of the flexibility of Labor’s workplace laws, Campbell’s dropped its bid to have its employees be able to strike individual flexible arrangements with the company, following a campaign by the left-wing Australian Manufacturing Workers Union.

How to manage the work-life balance (Globe and Mail)

Work-life balance is especially challenging for entrepreneurs because the choice is theirs. When you’re in charge of how much or how little you do, how do you find the right balance?  Sure, there’s flexibility for personal time, but what about customer expectations? With current technology enabling people to work 24/7, must you always be available? And if you pull back, what’s the cost?  Incubator talked to three Toronto entrepreneurs, each with different priorities and solutions that work for them.

Tennis champion Kim Clijsters is proof we working mothers really can be superhuman (Daily Mail)

Inevitably, coverage has focused on the fact that Kim Clijsters is a mum – the first to win a Grand Slam tournament since Evonne Goolagong Cawley way back in 1980.  Certain male commentators seem to find it hard to believe that a woman who has so much as heated a bottle of formula can ever be more than an also-ran on a professional tennis court.  Notice that no one mentioned the possible impact of Roger Federer’s young twins on his surprise defeat in the men’s final. The popular view remains that becoming a parent drains ambition and ability from a woman, though a man remains as virile as ever, maybe more so.  That’s why women back at work after maternity leave can still find themselves put on the Mummy Track, a bumpy road to Nowhere.

However, 65 per cent feel that the values at their workplace are not in tune with their personal values and only one in four are convinced that work-life balance is possible.  That’s a warning sign for employers, said Toronto psychiatrist Irvin Wolkoff.

“If employees do not feel that they can balance their work and their personal priorities, such as their families, we are going to see more Canadians struggling with mental health issues,” Wolkoff said in a release.  “We are also going to face an employee base who are resentful, disengaged and stressed.”

Sarkozy attacks focus on economic growth (Guardian)

• French president urges more emphasis on quality of life – Arguing that gross domestic product (GDP) – the standard means of measuring a country’s economic growth – ignores other factors vital to the well-being of its population, the report proposes a new indicator which would be calculated with GDP but take into account a broader view.  A new indicator would look at issues such as environmental protection and work/life balance as well as economic output to rate a country’s ability to maintain the “sustainable” happiness of its inhabitants.

Wanted: work-life balance (Straits-Times)

In looking for a new job, she has added a criterion to her checklist: work-life balance. ‘The firm I join needs to be supportive of work-life balance and care about its employees’ well-being,’ she said. Increasingly, Singaporeans like Ms Lee are putting more emphasis on life beyond work.

In the Blogs

Seven Ways You Can Win the Battle to Control Your Own Life (The Huffington Post)

In the business environment, work-life effectiveness success is defined by measurable gains across seven clusters of people practices known as the work-life portfolio. 20 years of empirical research shows that an investment in any one of them provides a positive return, just like a financial portfolio, and investment in most or all of them yields a cumulative effect that all stakeholders prize: a more productive, engaged and healthier workforce. Ask any “employer of choice”–they know that the strongest weapon for this battlefield is a flexible leadership philosophy, but full battle gear requires a lot more than flexibility.

Whether you’re an employer or an employee, during National Work & Family Month, dedicate yourself to these seven principles of work-life effectiveness.

The Achiever (This Magic Moment)

Because that little girl and eventually that little boy… they’re watching everything we do and imitating it, now in play and later in life. So I have to finally get it right. The balance between accomplishment and fun. The science of rest. The art of living in the moment.

Work-life balance ‘most important equality issue’; pay second (Thomsons.com)

An equal rights questionnaire carried out by a leading employment organisation has found that work-life balance guidance is the most requested equality issue in the workplace.  In the TUC 2009 Equality Audit, it was found that 65 per cent of unions under the Trades Union Congress (TUC) umbrella were consulted over the matter, while women’s pay and reward alongside employee benefits polled second with 63 per cent.

State(s) Your Case (Life Meets Work)

The workplace flexibility storm has been brewing and we’re starting to hear some might loud thunderclaps…like these:  Two states are offering free telecommuting resources. Minnesota’s program is based on the ROWE (Results Only Work Environment). Connecticut’s program is outstanding, including what looks like a good deal of FREE consulting services.

Can you get FIRED for breast feeding at work? (Who’s The Boss?)

The bigger problem is that although this seems to be an issue of gender discrimination, it really relates to the larger problem of work-life balance, which is totally unrelated to gender. At some point in adult working lives, most of us will have personal challenges that may require us to alter our work shifts, take extra breaks, work from home, etc. This is true for both men and women.  Married or single.  Childless or breeders.  When companies recognize that we need work-life balance and accommodate those needs, the company will have a stronger, more productive, loyal workforce.

Work-life balance top priority for both men and women (Insider Media Group)

An issue that has been talked about for ages, but is only recently becoming more relevant in North America, is work-life balance. And those in the workforce are not the only ones sitting up and taking notice.  Many companies are implementing new measures such as holding information sessions for women looking to pursue careers in finance and even providing paternity leave (yes boys, keep reading as this is an issue for you too!).

How Technology Helps Attain Work-Life Balance! (Entertainment Journal)

The new-age employer understands these problems and since higher productivity is what interests them the most, they are willing to achieve this through ensuring work-life balance for their employees.  Such employers, who use technology to enhance working arrangements are looked at as better employers, and employees are more likely to experience job satisfaction and stay in the organization longer.

Press Release

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts (The White House)

Chai R. Feldblum, Nominee for Commissioner, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission - As Co-Director of Workplace Flexibility 2010, Feldblum has worked to advance flexible workplaces in a manner that works for employees and employers.

Career Life Connection News and Events

ERE Interviews:  Career Life Connection (JobRadio.fm)

Last week we stalked some of the job search vendors at the ERE Fall Expo in Hollywood Florida. This is the first of several interesting interviews from the expo floor. Meet Leanne Chase from Career Life Connection, an online community all about finding flexible work.

The Final Wrap – ERE Expo (Human Race Horses)

There was a large social media presence at the event with plenty of live blogging and tweeting going on.  You can find a summary of the tweet stream here.  Great reviews of the conference have been written by Jonathon Goodman, Leanne Chase , Sharlyn Lauby,  my amazing friend Stephanie A. Lloyd, Jason Buss,   Jason Buss,  another “Jason” – my buddy Jason Blais,  the swanky and eloquent  Jennifer McClure, and the always scintilating Laurie Ruettimann

ERE Expo Fall ‘09: The next killer recruiting app (HR Marketer Blog)

Career Life Connection had the most innovative booth – stocked with four inflatable chairs that provided a welcome break from standing, a surprising degree of comfort, and a great place to start a conversation

Conference Recap: 2009 ERE Expo (HR Bartender)

I really enjoyed spending time at the Career Life Connection booth.  Career Life Connection was not only an exhibitor but one of the conference sponsors.

Leanne Chase, president of Career Life Connection, shared with me a special offer for ERE Expo attendees and said that I could share it with you.  Just fill out their employer form and get a 3-month board listing.  Be sure to check it out along with their blog.  Lots of great info about workplace flexibility and balance.

Sunday HR Shout-Out: Women of #EREExpo (PunkRock HR)

I am lucky to connect with great women in my life. I spent some time with Leanne Chase who is always interested in talking politics, gender issues, and work/life balance.

Career Life Connection from ERE Expo in Fort Lauderdale

The first leg of my travels for the next two weeks brings me to the ERE Expo courtesy of Leanne Chase (@leanneclc) of Career Life Connection. I think I fit the description as someone with a flexible job and that’s what Career Life Connection is all about it. It’s a site devoted to spreading information about job flexibility and the waves of changes going through corporate america as employers everywhere are finding out people work harder when they can have flexible (NOT 9-5) schedules. Keep up with industry news and find/post jobs on the CLC Job Board.

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