It is very hard to concentrate on last week’s news in the work-life happiness sphere with so much going on last weekend and today thanks to the Shriver Report. I’m not a fan of the title – it wasn’t “Man’s Nation” before and should not be “Woman’s Nation” now. It should be how to make work work for all…men, women, parents, non-parents. But how wonderful to see this issue being discussed all over the news, TV, radio and blogosphere! Of course you’ll see lots more here on this topic early and often. But first things first…the weekly digest of news from last week:
In the News
Healthy work-life balance can improve company performance (Personnel Today)
Businesses earn 20% more from their staff if they have a healthy work-life balance, according to new research from talent development firm Morgan Redwood.
Telework Rules (Government Exec)
Finding ways to allow employees to work outside the office is a hot trend in federal government. Whether it’s to ensure that employees can perform their jobs during an emergency, foster a healthier balance between their personal and professional lives, or acknowledge the changing work styles as a result of technology, for the most part, agencies are embracing telework. But as some are learning, even programs designed to enhance workplace flexibility need rules to make them successful.
Delta wins award for workplace flexibility (Atlanta Business Chronicle)
Delta cited some new policies it adopted almost two years ago to address specific needs of individual work groups:
A work-at-home program for Reservations Sales, giving call center employees company computers and phones in their homes to allow them to assist customers on flexible schedules.
Flexible shift opportunities for employees in many areas, with generous swapping and shift-trading policies, compressed work weeks with paid personal time off and personal leaves of absence.
A corporate telecommuting program for eligible employees, which gives them tools to work from home when necessary.
In the Blogs
One Year Later–Flexible Downsizing and Hard Choices Post-Recession, Pre-Recovery (Fast Company blog)
In March 2009, the nationally representative Work+Life Fit Reality Check survey found that 66% of full-time employees said work life flexibility in their organization stayed the same, and 19% said it actually increased. Only 13% said it had decreased. A couple of months later, Families and Work Institute released a nationally representative study of employers that reported an even more positive picture. FWI found that 81% of employers reported maintaining the workplace flexibility they had, and 13% were increasing what they offered.
‘Mompreneurs’ find healthy work-life balance in entrepreneurship’s flexibility (NEBS blog)
The last 20 years have seen a 200 percent increase in the number of women-owned Canadian small businesses, while the number of self-employed Canadian women has been rising in the past two decades and now stands at approximately one-third of all self-employed workers, Industry Canada reports. This growth is likely fueled by “lifestylers” – Canadian small business owners that choose entrepreneurship not for its growth opportunities but as a way to have a healthier work-life balance.
Flex Your Leadership Muscles with Workplace Flexibility (Venture Pad)
At the organizational level, leadership agility manifests itself in things like workplace flexibility programs. When you provide employees with options such as flexible hours, telecommuting and compressed workweeks, it gives them some control over their work environment while creating the sense of engagement they crave.
The Growing Burden of Workloads in the Workplace (Huffington Post)
As we celebrate National Work and Family Month, it’s important to consider how to begin tackling workload, which is the biggest barrier facing organizations that are committed to workplace flexibility and work-life effectiveness as a win/win business strategy.
Flu Season Shows the Need for Workplace Flexibility (New America Voices)
The swine flu draws attention for the critical need for more workplace flexibility for American businesses. Workplace flexibility is a concept that gives workers flexibility in the how, where and the quantity of hours they work. Now is the time for a national conversation and effort to increase that flexibility. Flexible work arrangements such as telework can allow workers to be productive when they are not able to be in the office. During the swine flu epidemic, it is likely that many workers will be sick enough that they will need to stay away from work, if only to keep their coworkers from being impacted, but they will be well enough to complete substantive work. Or many will be healthy themselves, but they will be needed at home to help care for a family member or a child. Schools across the nation will identify potentially sick children and many will have to stay at home for a week or more, so their working parents will be stuck at home.
It’s National Work & Family Month. Do you know where your balance is? (NW Jobs)
Among the usual pleas for flex time for working parents, improved telework plans to prevent the spread of swine flu, and ample vacation time for our overstressed workforce were a couple of atypical tips that caught my eye:
Press Releases
AAUW Provides Policy Recommendations for a True ‘Woman’s Nation’
Career Life Connection News and Events
Career Life Connection will be attending the OnRec/Kennedy Information Recruiting Conference in Chicago November 3 & 4th. If you’d like to meet Leanne Chase and talk work/life with her contact her at chase at careerlifeconnection dot com. You can also catch her and many HR professionals talking about how to fail spectacularly in business at this fun industry event.
Leanne Chase of Career Life Connection spoke about #work/life with Human Resources Professionals during the October 8th Episode of HR Happy Hour: The WorkLife Show.
Career Life Connection will be exhibiting at the Massachusetts Conference for Women on December 10, 2009 at the Boston Convention and Exhibit Center: Come on by and talk work/life balance/flexibility/fit at the annual conference where women can connect, be motivated, network, get inspired and build their skill base. Last year the event brought together more than 5,000 women for the day.
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
