4-day work weeks september 25, 2008 robert l. whiddon editor, employee benefit adviser\...

4-day work weeksSeptember 25, 2008

Robert L. Whiddon

Editor, Employee Benefit Adviser\

robert.whiddon@sourcemedia.com

202-504-1120

Today’s speaker

Rex Facer

Bringham Young University

Romney Institute of Public Management

rfacer@byu.edu

Rex Facer

Facer is an assistant professor of public finance and management and a Warren Jones Fellow in BYU’s Romney Institute of Public Management. His expertise includes city management, public finance, public management strategy and public policy analysis.

Research highlights include public budgeting and finance, municipal annexation, public service motivation, public and private organizational differences, and organizational change.

Facer received his PhD in public administration from the University of Georgia in 2002.

Implementing a 4-Day Work Week: Implementing a 4-Day Work Week: Maximizing the Benefits, Overcoming the Maximizing the Benefits, Overcoming the

ObstaclesObstacles

Rex L. Facer II, PhDLori Wadsworth, PhD

Romney Institute of Public Managementrfacer@byu.edu

lori_wadsworth@byu.edu

AgendaAgenda

ResearchResearch

Implementation Implementation Issues: 5 PsIssues: 5 Ps

BackgroundBackground

Phronesis: Phronesis: Practical WisdomPractical Wisdom

BackgroundBackground

• History of work schedules– 1840’s– Great Depression– FLSA – law governing workweek

• Introduction of Alternative Work Schedules

Alternative Work SchedulesAlternative Work Schedules

• Flex-time• Telecommuting/Teleworking• Job Sharing• Compressed Workweek

Forms of Compressed WorkweekForms of Compressed Workweek

• 3/36• 4/32• 9/80• 4/10

Our ResearchOur Research

Alternative Work Schedules and Work-Family Balance, Review of Public Personnel Administration, June 2008, pp 166-77 (available free of charge at rop.sagepub.com)

• Employee Surveys• Citizen Survey• HR Directors• Pre- and Post-change Surveys

Implementation IssuesImplementation Issues

• People• Purpose• Process• Performance• Perceptions

PeoplePeople

• Employees• Customers/Clients• Managers & supervisors

PurposePurpose

• Organizational economics • Impact of rising fuel prices

– Employee impact– Organizational impact

• Environmental impact• Employee recruitment and

retention

ProcessProcess

• How do you start?– Employee participation– Experience of others– Employee surveys– Pilot program

ProcessProcess

• Implementation considerations:– Mandatory or optional– Scheduling choices

• Office staggered• Employee staggered• Office closed down

– Technology implications

ProcessProcess

• Policy issues– Vacation & sick leave– Holiday pay

• Legal issues– ADA accommodations– FMLA– FLSA– State laws

PerformancePerformance

• Ensure accountability for performance

• Monitor performance• Periodic assessment• What to measure?

PerceptionsPerceptions

• Employees – extremely positive

• Clients/Customers – mixed, depends on service access

• Unions – mixed, but trend to greater support of AWS

• Managers – very positive• Organization – very positive

Perceptions: Employee BenefitsPerceptions: Employee Benefits

• Work-life balance• Stress• Transportation• Costs• Autonomy• Sick leave

Perceptions: Employee DrawbacksPerceptions: Employee Drawbacks

• Fatigue• Stress• Isolation• “Face time”• Child care/Elder care

Perceptions: Organizational Perceptions: Organizational BenefitsBenefits

• Employee morale• Work-life balance• Customer service• Productivity• Talent management• Absenteeism• Costs

Perceptions: Organizational Perceptions: Organizational DrawbacksDrawbacks

• Interfacing• “Face time”• Fairness• Payroll• Productivity• Customer service

Phronesis: Practical WisdomPhronesis: Practical Wisdom

• Phronesis comes from the work of Aristotle. It is the ability to make changes to enhance the quality of life.– Small wins– Organizational champion– Sufficient resources for success

Questions???

Stay tuned for our next edition of the Friday Fray – an occasional online discussion series, offering benefits

professionals the opportunity to interact with each other and leading experts on a variety of important subjects.

Next Friday (Oct. 3): Wellness Rx – How to create an effective and compliant wellness program.

Register online.

E-mail McLean.Robbins@sourcemedia.com with future Fray suggestions, questions, or comments.