October 5, 2007
The Workplace Flexibility 2010 News Roundup is a compilation of the latest news articles, reports and other materials related to workplace flexibility. The News Roundup appears twice-weekly. If you have questions about any of the items, please contact Jennifer Hedrick at jlh62@law.georgetown.edu.
Articles
For Some Employees, Flexibility is Key
"Employees are looking for a lot more than a paycheck to keep them happy in today's competitive work environment. In fact, striking a balance between work and family life is one of their top priorities, according to a recent survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management in Alexandria, Va. The survey found that more than half of respondents cited flexibility to balance life and work issues as very important to their overall job satisfaction. So if you're looking to keep some of your most valuable players, it may be time to consider instituting family-friendly workplace policies such as flextime and telecommuting, say human resource experts. In the long run, it could mean the difference between losing and retaining some of your top talent.”
Top Small Workplaces 2007
"Think ‘great place to work,’ and big companies like Google typically spring to mind. But across the country, many small businesses and nonprofits have built workplace environments and cultures that rival -- or even outshine -- the big names. The Wall Street Journal teamed up with Winning Workplaces, an Evanston, Ill., nonprofit that helps small and midsize companies create better work environments, to spotlight 15 Top Small Workplaces. While each company is very different, we encountered some common themes: These small businesses tend to let employees at all levels make key decisions, and they groom their future leaders from within. They offer generous traditional and untraditional benefits (how about a six-week sabbatical?). And they constantly hunt for new ways to improve the employee experience or engage employees.”
A New Kind of Family-Friendly Workplace
"In today's economy, two-income families are a must for many households. But some first-time parents aren't facing the daycare dilemma, they're taking the baby to work instead. A small number of companies scattered across the United States are taking family friendly policies very seriously.” Mentions Sloan Work and Family Research Network.
SC Johnson Top Place to Work for U.S. Seniors: Study
"The best place in the United States for senior citizens to work is SC Johnson, the family-owned consumer goods maker, according to a study released on Tuesday. The AARP -- once a group for retirees only that now bills itself as the voice of people 50 and over -- in a related study released at the same time urged employers globally to prepare for a grayer work force. SC Johnson was ranked tops by AARP for seniors due to flexible work arrangements, generous health benefits, on-site education, paid sabbaticals and other perks.”
Reports
AARP Profit From Experience: Perspectives of Employers, Workers and Policymakers in the G7 Countries on the New Demographic Realities
A new report prepared for AARP looks at the demographic shifts related to older workers both in the U.S. and abroad. “Many forward-looking companies and governments around the world—some featured in this study—are recognizing the vast human capital of the 50+ worker by implementing policies that allow people to remain in the workforce and contribute positively beyond traditional retirement years. Some organizations have conducted sophisticated demographic analyses of their workforces, some have implemented flexible work policies, and others have redesigned workplaces to make work less physically strenuous.” The report can be found below, or click here to read the executive summary.