Workplace Flexibility:
The Next Imperative for
Business Success and
HR Leadership
Nancy Conway
Field Services Director
March, 2013
Business Leaders are Now Flex Fans
“Perhaps the most important reason that
work flexibility is a business imperative is
because it produces better business
results… specifically, by engaging and
retaining the talented people who produce
the high-quality work and competitive
advantage.”
“So where can we go from here -- we or
any business? In my view, just as far as
the flexibility of our thinking can take us.”
Sharon L. Allen
2003-2011 Board Chair
Deloitte LLP
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Today’s Agenda
1) What is Workplace Flexibility?
2) Why is it So Critical Today?
3) Why is it a Business Imperative?
4) HR Leadership and Flexibility Strategies
5) Case Studies
6) SHRM/FWI Partnership When Work Works
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What is Workplace Flexibility ?
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What is Workplace Flexibility?
Workplace flexibility is a way to define how, when and where
work gets done and how careers are organized. It is
essential that flexibility work for both the employer and the
employees to be effective.
Flex-Time
Flex-Careers
• Traditional flextime
• Daily flextime
• Compressed work week
• Sabbaticals
• Options for moving on and off the
“fast track”
Reduced Time
Flex Place
• Part-time work
• Part-year work
• Telecommuting on an occasional
or regular basis
Flex-Leaves
Phased Retirement
• Arrangement for employee
•
•
•
•
Time off during the workday
Time off for personal illness
Paid time off to care for children
Parental Leave/ Elder Care
nearing retirement age to work
reduced hours to transition into
full-time retirement
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Effective Workplaces
Workflex = Perk
Workflex = Effective Workplace
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Why is it So Critical Today?
Work-Life Fit is Complicated
• Time Famine
• Increasing eldercare
responsibilities
• Dual-earner families
• More male work-life conflict
• Diverse, multi-generational
workforce
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Why is it So Critical Today?
Challenge: Time famine
According to FWI and Princeton University research,
employees are increasingly experiencing a feeling of “time
famine” or “not enough hours in the day”
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Why is it So Critical Today?
Challenge: Increasing eldercare responsibilities
2011 Metlife Study
20% US adults provide care to a parent
Lost wages, pension, and Social
Security benefits
Average losses
$324,000 - women
$284,000 - men
Care givers aged 50+
“fair” or “poor” health
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Why is it So Critical Today?
Challenge: More dual-earner couples
Dual-earner couples
• 79% in 2008
• 66% in 1977
US Workforce
• 50% female
• Mothers primary breadwinners:
4 in 10 families
2006
• women earned 58% bachelor’s degrees
• 60% of all master’s degrees
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Why is it So Critical Today?
Challenge: More work-life conflict among fathers
Percentage of fathers and mothers in dual-earner
couples reporting work-life conflict (1977-2008)
Sources: 1977 QES, 2008 NSCW, FWI
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Why is it So Critical Today?
Challenge: Diverse, multi-generational workforce
US workforce aging 40+
68% in 2008
39% in 1977
4 generations:
Traditionalists
Baby Boomers
Generation X
Generation Y (Millennials)
??? million Baby Boomers reached 65
Workforce entrants lack basic skills
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Why is it a Business Imperative?
1) Employees are Happier, Healthier
July 2011, survey by Staples Inc. of telecommuters
 25% reduction in stress
 28% increase in happiness
 80% = better work/life
balance
 76% = put in extra time +
more loyal
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Why is it a Business Imperative?
2) Employees are more productive, engaged
SHRM 2009 survey of HR professionals
 67% = impacted job satisfaction and engagement
 32% = increased employee productivity
 42% = absenteeism decreased
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Why is it a Business Imperative?
2) Employees are more productive, engaged
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Why is it a Business Imperative?
2) Employees are more productive, engaged
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Why is it a Business Imperative?
3) It is a key recruitment, retention tool
August, 2010, SHRM-EIU survey:
C-suite executives - two biggest challenges
in next ten years:
1. Retaining and rewarding the best people
2. Attracting the best people
Best strategy to address this challenge:
60% = “creating flexible workplaces”
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Why is it a Business Imperative?
3) It is a key recruitment, retention tool
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Why is it a Business Imperative?
4) It helps the bottom line
Cost of hiring/training new
employees:
1.5 times employee’s salary
Reducing turnover by 200
employees:
$30 million in savings
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HR Leadership and Strategies
HR must take the lead on flexibility
"Flexibility is not an accommodation
or favor, it's the linchpin. People have
two things to give: their talent and
their time. Flexibility is the equalizer
that allows the talent we develop to
deliver superior performance. HR is in
a position to provide the advice that
will help leaders to win.“
-- Ted Childs, Principal of Ted Childs LLC
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HR Strategies and Leadership
FWI 2012 National Study of Employers:
Organizations increased options for when and
where employees may work
Employers reduced options on how much time
employees may work
Flex time with changing starting and quitting
times rose = 66% in 2005 to 77% in 2012
Employees allowed to return to work gradually
after childbirth or adoption decreased =
86% in 2005 to 73% in 2012
Access study at: www.familiesandwork.org
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HR Leadership and Strategies
Challenge: Resistance to flexibility
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HR Leadership and Strategies
10 HR Strategies for Success
1. Recruit top management as flex champions
2. Position flexibility as a business strategy
3. Make the business case, focusing
on ROI
4. Develop flexibility for all
5. Build management support
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HR Leadership and Strategies
10 HR Strategies for Success
6. Listen to what employees say works best
7. Develop clear guidelines
8. Incent managers to support workflex
9. Track metrics
10.Communicate
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Case Study #1 – gDiapers
Direct-to-Consumer Retail Diaper Business
Portland, OR – 18 employees
www.gdiapers.com Twitter: @gDiapers
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Case Study #2 – TURCK Inc.
Manufacturing and Product Development
Twin Cities, MN – 167 employees
www.turck.com Twitter: @TurckInc
For Hourly Jobs, White-Collar Perks
Factories and Other Employers Seek to Offer Workers More Control of Schedules
Wall Street Journal Oct. 3, 2011
T.C. Worley for The Wall Street Journal
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Case Study #3 – Bon Secours
Medical Services
Richmond, VA -- 12,000 Employees in the U.S.
www.bonsecours.com
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SHRM / FWI Partnership
www.whenworkworks.org
 Program to educate employers
locally about business benefits of
flex through community partners
 Share research and employer best
practices
 Recognize exemplary employers
through the Sloan Award for
Excellence in Workplace
Effectiveness and Flexibility
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When Work Works
Guide to Bold New Ideas
 Joint guide with best practices
by winners of the Sloan
Awards for Excellence in
Workplace Effectiveness and
Flexibility
 Features 262 unique
employers (450 worksites) of
all sizes and industries
 Available through the
SHRMStore at
http://shrmstore.shrm.org/
 Use promo code WFP-12 to
get 10% off the price of the
Guide
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SHRM Workplace Flexibility Resources
Workplace Flexibility Resource Page at www.shrm.org
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Summary and Take-aways
1) Workplace flexibility is a way to define how, when and
where work gets done and how careers are organized
2) Flexibility is more critical today because of complicated
work/life fit and other new challenges
3) Flexible workplaces are a business imperative because
they help the bottom line by promoting happier, healthier,
more engaged, and more productive employees
4) Follow ten key HR strategies to develop and implement
successful flexibility programs
5) Learn from best practices cases studies
6) Take advantage of SHRM and SHRM/FWI flexible
workplace support resources
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Final Message
“All of us want and need engaged employees
– the ones who have an understanding of
what must be done to add value to an
organization. Workplace psychologists
assure us that such engagement doesn’t
come from a need to comply. It grows from a
freedom to choose.”
“That spells what’s next – a flexible
workplace. Together with FWI, we’ll help you
get there.”
--Hank Jackson, SHRM President & CEO
March, 2011 issue of HR Magazine
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Continue the Conversation Continue the Conversation
#workflex
@SHRMNancyConway
#SHRM
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Questions?
Nancy Conway, SPHR
North Central
Field Services Director
(IA, MN, ND, NE, SD, WI)
nancy.conway@shrm.org
703-535-6455
3900 Old Cheney Rd, #201-313
Lincoln, NE 68516
Twitter: @SHRMNancyConway
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