August 28, 2009 .
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 WF2010@law.georgetown.edu.
Articles
Thank God It's Thursday
“In an era when most of us seem to be working more hours than ever (provided we're still lucky enough to have jobs), 17,000 people in Utah have embarked on an unusual experiment. A year ago, the Beehive State became the first in the U.S. to mandate a four-day workweek for most state employees, closing offices on Fridays in an effort to reduce energy costs. The move is different from a furlough in that salaries were not cut; nor was the total amount of time employees work. They pack in 40 hours by starting earlier and staying later four days a week. But on that fifth (glorious) day, they don't have to commute, and their offices don't need to be heated, cooled or lit.”
Economy leaves some workers stuck in bad jobs
“With the U.S. economy mired in recession, workers are finding themselves stuck in bad jobs with such annoyances as managers who berate employees and bosses who hold meetings in bed. Unable to make a move when jobs are scarce and some 14.5 million workers are unemployed, many employees feel trapped and are seeking ways to cope, experts say. [. . .] Not only is the economy keeping people from changing jobs, but it's likely to mean fewer employees doing more work and bosses under pressure from above, the experts say. [. . .] Many workers would change jobs if they could, according to a survey this week that said many U.S. workers plan a switch when the economy improves. It said 18 percent plan to change employers, 14 percent plan to change careers, 13 percent plan to change industries and 18 percent plan to work fewer hours.”
Encourage employees to take vacation
“With many companies experiencing reduced sales and slower workloads, this may be a good time to let your employees take time off. Vacation or paid time off is typically an earned benefit, but it is amazing how many folks do not end up taking all their vacation time by the end of the year. Many companies now do not allow unused time to be rolled over into future years. We suggest you encourage your employees to take all their vacation time as it can help them be even more productive. They come back more relaxed and re-energized. Furthermore, a majority of employees seek even greater flexibility with their schedules than any other benefit. In fact, 38 percent of workers say that the summer benefit they would most like to have is a flexible schedule, making it the most coveted benefit, according to a survey by the staffing firm OfficeTeam. After flexible schedules, leaving early Friday (32 percent of respondents) was the second most coveted summer benefit. Company activities (6 percent) such as picnics and relaxed dress codes (5 percent) were less coveted.”
Opinion: Congress should pass law strengthening unions
“America's working families are locked in a time vise. Our work hours are getting longer, our paychecks and benefits are shrinking, and we are struggling to raise and care for our families. The surging unemployment rate is only adding to our anxiety about holding down a job while juggling work and family responsibilities. The challenges are grave. However, as a longtime advocate of family friendly workplace policies, I see a perfect opportunity to create new workplace standards that are good for the bottom line and for our working families. It's called the Employee Free Choice Act. In the coming weeks, Congress will consider federal legislation that would enact long overdue reforms to labor law, finally removing barriers that prevent workers from forming and joining unions.”
OPM proposes paid leave for care of flu, combat victims
“The Office of Personnel Management is proposing paid leave benefits for federal employees who must care for family members stricken by pandemic flu or other communicable disease, and advance sick leave for employees caring for family members injured in military duty. OPM this morning issued a proposed rule change in the Federal Register that would allow employees to use sick leave to care for a family member who has been exposed to or who has contracted diseases that could require a quarantine, such as smallpox, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), pandemic flu, infectious tuberculosis or cholera. Federal employees currently can use sick leave only if they themselves have been exposed to a communicable disease and risk spreading that disease to their co-workers.”
Overworked, Overextended And Overstressed
“The numbers are in. Women are working more than ever: They make up almost 47% of the labor force, a figure that may now be even higher due to a disproportionate number of male layoffs this year. Most American moms are working, too--at least 71% as of 2006. At the same time, women still do most of the work at home. A recent survey of 12,000 women in 21 nations by global management consulting firm the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), released in conjunction with the book Women Want More, shows that about 85% of women claim responsibility for the grocery shopping, meal preparation, laundry and household cleaning.”
Remote workers aren't going anywhere
“There's no stopping it. If the latest generation has its way, the work force that fuels tomorrow's small businesses may largely be a stay-at-home crowd. 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 percent 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 twentysomethings comfortable in the virtual world break down traditional nine-to-five work patterns.”
Blogs
As Daddy Bloggers Attract Readers, Marketers Follow
“Mommy bloggers, move over. It’s daddy’s turn in the spotlight. Many mommy blogs have gained avid followings. The blogs, like Dooce and The Pioneer Woman, are full of stories, often quite funny, written by mothers about raising children and other topics. Recently, fathers have been getting into the game, too, with blogs like DadLabs and Dad-O-Matic. Marketers quickly discovered the value of a post about their product on a mommy blog and started sending mothers free products to use and review. Now, brands are catching on to daddy bloggers as well.”
Social Media & Family: Finding the Balance
“In these hurried times it’s getting harder and harder to balance work, family & technology. Years ago, it was just work and family. Now, with blogging, social networking alongside gaming and other activities, technophile parents have found that balancing all that out with a competent family life has become something of a chore in itself. I’m sure the iPhone has an app for it though. We often get asked how we balance it all out. How we’re able to work full time, social network like fiends, blog, freelance, game and still have time for family. Sometimes we don’t have an answer, sometimes it’s not the one people want to hear. Some of us commute a to work, or go to the gym everyday. Many of us only have about two hours at most each night with the kids before they go to bed. So how do we balance it all out? How do we find time for ourselves, but still keeping family at the forefront?”
Sen. Ted Kennedy Dies; Friend to Working Women
“The youngest brother of President Jack Kennedy, Ted Kennedy seemed destined for the White House. But after the Chappaquiddick accident cast a shadow over his presidential aspirations, he turned his attention to the Senate, where he served 47 years. There, he advocated for the passage of the Family and Medical Leave Act, an increase in the minimum wage and up to his death was pushing for health care reform. As one of the most liberal senators, Ted Kennedy will especially be missed by union organizations and women's rights groups such as the National Organization of Women.”
More Parent-Child Quality Time? Think Harvard
“For three decades, beginning in the 1960s, the amount of time American parents spent on child care fell. But then, in the mid-1990s, it started to climb again. The trend seemed particularly driven by college-educated parents — even though such parents had a greater incentive to work more, given the sharp increase in the wages of college-educated employees. What gives? Was this the result of a widespread family values renaissance, or perhaps the so-called opt-out revolution among women?”
Paying New Employees to Quit?
“By now, I’ve heard just about every new strategy to engage and retain employees, so I am rarely surprised by organizational efforts to keep the keepers. However, here’s a unique idea implemented by the online shoe company Zappos that really got me thinking. Located in Kentucky (fulfillment center) and Nevada (corporate headquarters), Zappos is just 10 years young, employs more than 1,000 people, and generated more than $1 billion in gross merchandise sales during 2008. Here’s the idea: Zappos offers their new call center trainees a $1,000 bonus to quit at the end of their 4 week training period in addition to any salary earned for training participation. The thinking is that if you’d take a grand instead of work for them, you don’t have the level of commitment and enthusiasm that they are looking for in their new hires.”
Global News
575 companies receive subsidies to implement work-life balance
“575 companies received government subsidies to adopt flexible work arrangements in the first half of this year. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) gave up to S$10,000 per company to put in place equipment or processes that give workers more work-life balance, like working from home. The ministry said studies show that giving workers more time to manage their lives make them more committed. It also leads to greater productivity, lower costs and help companies overcome the current downturn.”
Women still face a steep climb to the top table
“Research commissioned by the Observer has revealed that UK boardrooms are still overwhelmingly male-dominated, despite the fact that more than nine out of 10 companies claim to have an equal opportunities policy in place. Women occupy only 242 out of 2,742 seats on the boards of FTSE 350 companies, according to a study by The Co-operative Asset Management as part of our Good Companies Guide series of reports into ethical and socially responsible practice in corporate Britain. More than 130 companies out of those surveyed had an all-male board and the vast majority of female directorships are non-executive. Women hold only 34 executive board seats out of a possible 970. As a result of this work, Co-operative intends in future to consider gender and diversity when it is assessing companies from an ethical, social and governance perspective.”