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The HR leaders from Ceridian HCM, ConAgra Foods, Meritor, and WPX Energy on:

Non-Traditional Hours: Key Strategies for Creating

Flexible and Productive Work Schedules

Charles B. Daye Senior Vice President HR/Site Relations, Ceridian HCM

John Cardella Executive Vice President, Chief People Officer, Ceridian HCM

Nicole B. Theophilus Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer

ConAgra Foods, Inc.

Larry E. Ott Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Meritor, Inc.

Marcia M. MacLeod Senior Vice President of HR and Administration, WPX Energy

Enabled by technology, more and more companies are now allowing — and, in some cases, requiring — employees to work flexible schedules. Of course, practices vary widely, from changing start/stop

times to telecommuting to taking every other Friday off. The benefits of such arrangements are palpable: companies can save overhead costs while employees do tend to be more productive, and engaged. This ExecBlueprint discusses how HR can support such initiatives. It starts with establishing company policy that outlines IT requirements, sets guidelines for equipment use, and ensures that basic rules are applied consistently. But HR’s role shouldn’t stop there; it is also uniquely positioned to attain senior leader-ship buy-in, highlight successes, and educate managers that the policy exists, and how to manage and motivate a distributed workforce effectively. This entails clearly communicating expectations, as well as the employee’s over-all role in the company. Also, even remote teams need to feel camaraderie. If they cannot meet in real life, managers should still convene informal virtual gatherings through technology such as Campfire. n

Action Points

I. How Can Flexible Work Schedules Benefit Companies and Employees?In this era of VoIP, Skype, cloud apps, and mobile devices, some employees really can be as productive (or more so) working off-site. The advantages for companies begin with more engaged, productive workers and lower overhead costs. The advantages for employees? Work schedules that better fit their lifestyle and enable a work–life balance.

II. The Bottom LineWhen assessing how flexible work arrangements are impacting your business, you should not only look at the savings on your electric bill or the increased output from your staff. In addition, look beneath these numbers to examine the relationship between flexible schedules and job satisfaction — and how this relates to heightened performance.

III. Must-Have Considerations for Flexible Work ArrangementsThere are many kinds of non-traditional work schedules: part-time hours, variable start/stop times, 9/80 schedules. Some companies may also allow (or require) employees to work from home for at least part of the week. Employees and managers must work out agreements ahead of time, and understand that they could change to meet business needs.

IV. The Golden Rules for Developing Flexible Work PoliciesWhen it comes to developing the central company policy on flexible work arrangements, HR should take leadership. This process will involve receiving approval from senior leadership, assessing technology requirements with IT, establishing data usage guidelines, and highlighting examples of how flexible work has benefited the company.

V. Essential Take-AwaysFlexible work arrangements can be challenging to some managers because they erode hierarchies. However, by trusting their employees, managers can cultivate deeper relationships with them. Effective practices include setting clear expectations, holding regular check-ins, and addressing poor performance proactively and privately.

Contents

About the Authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.2

Charles B. Daye and John Cardella. . . . . . p.3

Nicole B. Theophilus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.6

Larry E. Ott . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.8

Marcia M. MacLeod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.10

Ideas to Build Upon & Action Points . . . p.12

© Books24x7, 2014 About the Authors ExecBlueprints 2

About the AuthorsCharles B. DayeSenior Vice President HR/Site Relations, Ceridian HCM

John CardellaExecutive Vice President, Chief People Officer, Ceridian HCM

Larry E. OttSenior Vice President, Human Resources, Meritor, Inc.

Nicole B. TheophilusExecutive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer, ConAgra Foods, Inc.

Marcia M. MacLeodSenior Vice President of HR and Administration, WPX Energy

Charles Daye is a seasoned executive with 30 years of HR experience at Hanes, First Interstate Bank, Household

Finance, and Abbott Labs. During the last 15 years, he has worked at the senior vice presi-dent level with TSYS and Ceridian.

His skills and accomplishments can best be described as strategic and innovative with

strong communication skills. One of Mr. Daye’s key success factors is his ability to con-nect with all levels of an organization. He strongly believes that the common denomina-tor in all industries is the value of its human capital; consequently, the strength of any orga-nization is identified by its reputation, brand, and culture. The simplest way to achieve a high

performing, creative organization is underlined by having a clear purpose and expectation that is cascaded throughout the organization. His ability to drive and transform organizational culture is demonstrated by increasing revenues.

John Cardella is executive vice president and chief people officer for Ceridian HCM where he is responsible for leading North

American human resources and employee engagement. For the previous 10 years, Mr. Cardella served in the same leadership roles for Ceridian Canada.

During his tenure at Ceridian, he was responsible for creating innovative manage-ment techniques and HR best practices to

reinforce the company’s reputation as one of the best companies to work for in Canada. Mr. Cardella led the company’s HR strategies and thought leadership for Ceridian’s overall stra-tegic business direction.

Prior to joining Ceridian, Mr. Cardella was responsible for leading HR teams at SHL Systemhouse and Compaq Canada. With expertise grounded in forward-thinking HR practices, he has successfully transformed

organizations into industry-leading Best Employers garnering several prestigious awards at Ceridian including Canada’s Top 100 Employers (10th consecutive year), the 50 Most Engaged Workplaces™, and Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures.

Larry Ott is senior vice president of human resources for Meritor. In this position, he is responsible for leadership

and management of the human resources func-tion for the company’s more than 9,000 employees. Mr. Ott, who joined Meritor in August 2010, provides strategic focus in employee leadership and development initia-tives, compensation, benefits and rewards systems, labor relations, and human resources systems, policies and practices.

Prior to joining the company, Mr. Ott most recently served as senior vice president of global human resources for Ally Financial Inc. (formerly known as GMAC Inc.) where he was responsible for the auto finance, insurance, and commercial finance businesses from a human resources and organizational development perspective beginning in January 2006.

Previously, Mr. Ott had more than 22 years of business experience working at General Motors where he held various management

positions with increasing levels of responsibil-ity in the human resources and labor relations functions, the vast majority of which were directly in support of GM’s global manufactur-ing operations.

Nicole Theophilus, executive vice presi-dent, chief human resources officer, is a member of ConAgra Foods’ senior

leadership team and is responsible for the people strategy for the enterprise. Ms. Theophilus joined ConAgra Foods in April 2006 as vice president and chief employment counsel and, in February 2007, added

responsibilities as VP of human resources for the commercial division. In 2009 she was pro-moted to her current position.

Prior to joining ConAgra Foods, Ms. Theophilus was a partner in the law firm of Husch Blackwell Sanders LLP.

Ms. Theophilus is an active volunteer in the Omaha community, most recently serving on

the board for the Omaha Symphony and the board for the American Heart Association Heart Walk.

Marcia M. MacLeod currently serves as senior vice president of HR and administration at WPX Energy.

Prior to WPX, Ms. MacLeod had been with Williams for a decade, serving in leadership over compensation, benefits, enterprise busi-ness services, information services, and most recently as vice president and chief information

officer. Before Williams, she was the managing director of global compensation and benefits for Electronic Data Systems.

Ms. MacLeod also has practiced tax and employee benefits law with a firm in Dallas and held management roles at JC Penney and HEB Grocers. Additionally, she is a member of Mott

Production LLC, a privately held company holding various oil and gas interests.

☛ Read Charles’s insights on Page 3

☛ Read John’s insights on Page 3

☛ Read Larry’s insights on Page 8

☛ Read Nicole’s insights on Page 6

☛ Read Marcia’s insights on Page 10

© Books24x7, 2014 Charles B. Daye and John Cardella ExecBlueprints 3

Charles B. DayeSenior Vice President HR/Site Relations, Ceridian HCM

John CardellaExecutive Vice President, Chief People Officer, Ceridian HCM

Implications of Increasing Numbers of Telecommuters Our future vision is that we will reduce our overall costs in brick and mortar. As we invest in our DayForce platform/cloud, our cus-tomer service will become more automated, allowing us to reduce our real estate footprint. This will increase the number of people who need to telecommute and/or use flexible work schedules to enhance productivity and retention.

In the era of VoIP and Skype; cloud apps; and lower-cost, high-performance laptops and tablets the physical location is less rele-vant. Giving employees more autonomy can yield positive bene-fits, but it is not without difficulties. Autonomy erodes traditional man-agement hierarchies: a manager’s role shifts from being supervisor to someone who creates the context for success. This requires that man-agers change controlling tendencies — which represents a bigger shift in behavior and mindset than many would expect. It requires a lot more effort.

There are big cost-saving and environmental benefits to flexible working, such as reduced over-heads, cheaper fuel and energy

bills, and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Also, people with flexi-ble arrangements tend to work

longer hours and are generally hap-pier. Burn-out rates drop from 48 percent to 5 percent among employ-ees allowed to work remotely, and drop to just 3 percent among home workers.

Using Technology Wisely As technology underpins the most successful shifts to more flexible work schedules, it’s not too surpris-ing that many pioneers of virtual offices are in the technology

John CardellaExecutive Vice President, Chief People Officer

Ceridian HCM

“Different managers may deal differently with issues, so ensure basic rules are consistent.”

• Previously executive vide president, chief people officer, Ceridian Canada

• One of Canada’s Top 100 Employers for 10 consecutive years

• Member, George Brown College Advisory Board for Human Resources

• Honors degree, Organizational Psychology, York University (Toronto)

Mr. Cardella can be e-mailed at john.cardella@execblueprints.com

Charles B. DayeSenior Vice President HR/Site Relations,

Ceridian HCM

“The most recent recession may, in fact, have hastened our company’s move toward a more mobile workforce made up of telecommuters, freelancers, and globally distributed teams.”

• 30 years of HR experience (and 15 years at SVP level)

• Experiences includes positions at Hanes, First Interstate Bank, and Household Finance

• Philosophy: common denominator is human capital

Mr. Daye can be e-mailed at charles.daye@execblueprints.com

Expert Advice

Globally dispersed teams may enjoy even greater advantages. A study of 80 software development teams with programmers from four continents proved that virtual teams can lead to increased efficiency and better business results, but only if they are managed to maximize the potential benefits while minimizing the disadvantages. Access to a wider range of talent, and the elimination of downtime, can give globally dispersed teams the edge, while the resulting cultural diversity adds richness to creative work and arguably, enhances a brand locally.

© Books24x7, 2014 Charles B. Daye and John Cardella ExecBlueprints 4

Charles B. DayeSenior Vice President HR/Site Relations, Ceridian HCM

John CardellaExecutive Vice President, Chief People Officer, Ceridian HCM (continued)

industry. But non-techie small- to medium-sized enterprises can be equally successful, as long as they invest wisely in laptops, mobile devices, and infrastructure to sup-port a distributed workforce. A technical audit will help companies determine what they can keep or virtualize. Cloud-based services such as Yammer, WebEx, and Skype are inexpensive and mostly effec-tive, but don’t downgrade service efficiency in pursuit of cheap options. Poor VoIP quality or slow server speeds can result in wasted down time, frustrated employees, and dissatisfied customers.

The bigger issue for managing remote workers is maintaining the security of data and hardware. This raises insurance and data security concerns and will demand clear policies regarding who can access what and what happens if an employee leaves. Remote access technology is one solution, but some prefer to provide office lap-tops and smartphones.

Designing a Structure to Accommodate a Distributed WorkforceAutonomy may dissolve existing management hierarchies, but some structure is essential to managing mobile workers. Standardized pro-cesses and procedures will lay the ground rules for mobile workers and will, ideally, be co-created with individual employees. These should sit alongside HR policies on flexi-ble working. You must develop an IT policy that defines data owner-ship, governs employees’ own

devices, and determines acceptable usage: what are Facebook, stream-ing, or downloading limits? We track frequently visited sites, but it’s equally important to enforce rules. Any policy should be simple, clear, and widely disseminated. Develop a timetable for meetings and prioritize tasks. Put HR forms and training documents in one place on the corporate intranet or on a wiki.

Set employee-specific tasks with clear objectives and expectations. To good managers, this may seem like common sense, but there are still plenty of business leaders who equate performance with presence. Does everyone know what is expected of them and where their work fits into the bigger picture? Given clear goals and oversight, flexible workers will achieve as much or more than their

Key Strategies for Managing a Distributed Workforce

Put HR forms and training documents in one place on the corporate intranet or on a wiki.

Establish standardized processes and procedures for mobile workers that address:• Data ownership• Bring your own device• Social media use• Streaming and downloading limits

Develop a timetable for meetings, and indicate which meetings are mandatory.

Set employee-specific tasks with clear objectives and expectations.

Invite collaboration through live or virtual informal gatherings.

Give people the opportunity for one-on-one discussions.

Allocate and prioritize tasks according to individual working styles.

Motivate people from a distance, but don’t over-communicate.

© Books24x7, 2014 Charles B. Daye and John Cardella ExecBlueprints 5

Charles B. DayeSenior Vice President HR/Site Relations, Ceridian HCM

John CardellaExecutive Vice President, Chief People Officer, Ceridian HCM (continued)

desk-bound peers, leaving manag-ers time to improve their own skills. But for flexible work to func-tion, it is vital for managers to motivate people from a distance. When employees understand their overall role within the company, 91 percent will work toward that suc-cess — but the number plummets to 23 percent if they don’t.

Creating Collaboration Across DistancesOversee, don’t over-communicate. Mobile-work managers need to balance autonomy and observation by scheduling regular check-ins and combining formal meetings, using tools such as Huddle, and informal exchanges through venues such as IM, phone, or e-mail. Beware of over-compensating for lack of proximity with copious e-mails, particularly if your team is part mobile, part static. Be clear about which meetings are mandatory and ensure everyone understands how to use the technology if you’re

using virtual meeting tools. Tackle poor performance quickly, and pri-vately, before resentment sets in — weak links often stand out more in virtual settings, and people can be less sympathetic to struggling colleagues if they’ve never met.

Research demonstrates that peers often heavily influence employee productivity. However, creating camaraderie among dis-persed teams can be a challenge. Getting people together for infor-mal gatherings creates a sense of shared mind set, but if you can’t meet in real life, use collaboration

software to encourage friendships, and create virtual water coolers using software such as Campfire. Managers also need to be aware of the need for one-to-one discus-sions, and should make themselves as accessible as possible. Be pre-pared that some people will need more hand holding than others. Allocate and prioritize tasks accord-ing to individual working styles, and use variations in the pace people work to benefit team performance. n

Tackle poor performance quickly, and privately, before resentment sets in — weak links often stand out more in virtual settings, and people can be less sympathetic to struggling colleagues if they’ve never met.

Charles B. Daye

Senior Vice President HR/Site Relations, Ceridian HCM

John Cardella

Executive Vice President, Chief People Officer Ceridian HCM

© Books24x7, 2014 Nicole B. Theophilus ExecBlueprints 6

Nicole B. TheophilusExecutive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer, ConAgra Foods, Inc.

Current Guidelines for Working Non-Traditional Hours We recently instituted a new flexi-ble work policy that allows employ-ees to work with their managers in order to agree on a work schedule that works for the employee, the manager, and the company. Our guidelines for working non- traditional hours are pretty open-ended. Options include varying start and stop times during a par-ticular day or throughout the week, i.e., an employee could come in early so they can leave early. Or, an employee could telecommute from home, or another location, a day or more each week. Or, the employee can work a traditional part-time schedule.

Because our policy is new, we have seen a few cases where a man-ager is resistant to change; however, those circumstances have been lim-ited. In these cases, the manager, the employee, and their human resources partner have reached an agreeable solution together.

Although we offer flexible work schedules, we do have employees who, because of the nature of their jobs, are not eligible. Some posi-tions require people to be at work during very specific hours. Con-versely, we have other groups of employees who are required to work a flexible schedule. One of

those groups has limited office space and instead of moving to a new location or building a new building (which would have incurred increased costs), we estab-lished a flexible work policy so that the group could efficiently share office space. This particular group worked out a system in which employees work remotely a day or two a week and then work in the office the remaining days.

Reasons for Seeking Non-Traditional SchedulesEmployees seek out non-traditional work schedules for a variety of reasons. For example, they could include simple work schedule pref-erences, such as to start the work-day later and work into the evening. Other employees have personal obligations outside of work, such as to take care of children or aging parents. Work–life balance is another reason that some employ-ees cite for seeking a non- traditional work schedule.

Likewise, from an employer’s perspective, flexible work schedules can have multiple advantages. Employers could have physical space limitations, or are trying to manage the costs of maintaining multiple physical locations. Most employers can leverage technologi-cal advances so that employees can work just as efficiently from a

remote location. Their employees appreciate the flexibility and employers get to reduce their costs for infrastructure and overhead. Employees also can save money on gas and all other expenses associ-ated with going to a physical work location.

Technology’s Role in Creating Flexible Work SchedulesCommunication technologies like smartphones and computers that have video conferencing capabilities

Nicole B. TheophilusExecutive Vice President,

Chief Human Resources Officer ConAgra Foods, Inc.

“Our employees and managers have a variety of options for flexible work arrangements and wide discretion to use as long as they can work out a mutually agreeable schedule.”

• With company since 2006; promoted to current role in 2009

• Previously partner, Husch Blackwell Sanders LLP

• B.A., Drake University

• J.D., University of Nebraska College of Law

Ms. Theophilus can be e-mailed at nicole.theophilus@execblueprints.com

In addition to higher employee engagement scores, flexible work arrangements also enable us to lower our costs by maintaining less infrastructure if we organize properly.

Nicole B. Theophilus

Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer

ConAgra Foods, Inc.

© Books24x7, 2014 Nicole B. Theophilus ExecBlueprints 7

Nicole B. TheophilusExecutive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer, ConAgra Foods, Inc. (continued)

have greatly enabled the imple-mentation of flexible work sched-ules. Those capabilities allow employees to work from any-where. In the case of our company, because we have multiple loca-tions, we have technology in place that allows us to effectively com-municate between our various locations. For example, we have multiple videoconference capabili-ties, which can be used in the office or from remote locations with a laptop computer or a tablet.

The other interesting side effect of technology is that employees have the ability to connect 24 hours a day. While that can certainly be an advantage for both employees and employers, employers also need to be very deliberate about giving permission to their employ-ees to unplug. Encouraging employees to unplug and get away from work helps maintain a healthy work–life balance, and this encour-agement should be a part of any comprehensive flexible work policy. n

1. Has senior management signed on? Do employees know that they truly have permission to use the program?

2. How can you be sure that employees are not taking so much advantage of the “flexibility” that they are becoming disengaged and non-productive?

2 Top Challenges of Utilizing a Flexible Work Schedule

Return on Investment of Flexible Scheduling Policies

To date, our employees have uniformly provided positive feedback on the flexible work policy. The feedback that we have routinely received from surveys about this and similar programs is that anytime employees are given a great degree of control over their own work schedules, they are more engaged in their work. As a company, we have long known that more engaged employees are more productive employees, so anything that we can do to increase satisfaction is usually worth the investment. In addition to higher employee engagement scores, flexible work arrangements also enable us to lower our costs by maintaining less infrastructure if we organize properly.

© Books24x7, 2014 Larry E. Ott ExecBlueprints 8

Larry E. OttSenior Vice President, Human Resources, Meritor, Inc.

Policy Governing Flexible Work Opportunities and SolutionsMeritor’s policy toward working non-traditional hours consists of a flexible work solutions policy. Flexible work options, which rec-ognize that Meritor employees have different work styles, life-styles, and business and profes-sional needs, can help individuals achieve a better balance between work and personal life, minimizing the distractions that prevent maxi-mum productivity. This policy sup-ports the Meritor guiding principle of managing work and life, and covers all flexible work options other than for part-time employ-ment. It applies to all salaried and hourly non-represented employees.

Under our policy, approximately 5 percent of our workforce has requested non-traditional work hours. However, there are many more that practice flexibility more informally, as agreed upon with their leaders. Non-traditional schedules are typically requested by women, primarily due to family needs and childcare. Other com-mon requests include a compressed work week and telecommuting. Our telecommuting policy allows employees to perform some, or all, of their work from an agreed-upon alternative worksite (typically the

employee’s home). This arrange-ment implies that the employee is connected to the office via the proper equipment (e.g., fax, com-puter, telephone) needed to complete their work. We currently have approximately a dozen formal telecommuters.

Employees on non-traditional schedules are provided the appro-priate technology to be able to conduct their business from any location. For each technology, we provide access to our systems and e-mail via any Internet connection.

Ensuring Effective Communication of Flexible Work Policy GuidelinesOur human resources team is con-sistently focused on ensuring that the guidelines of our flexible work policy are kept visible to our busi-ness unit leaders. Our corporate policy has been in place for several years however, because the demands on employees, both personally and professionally, continue to change, the education around our policy and related options becomes more important. In our regular staff meetings with leadership, our HR team continues to report on situa-tions where a flexible work model is successful. As we discuss employ-ees and their needs, we highlight these successes, challenging where

we think other accommodations/considerations could be made. In addition, our flexible work sched-ule policy is communicated via our intranet site as a part of our policy sections.

These non-traditional schedules drive productivity in our employ-ees, which ties into our overall corporate strategy. Telecommuting provides a good example of how

Larry E. OttSenior Vice President, Human Resources

Meritor, Inc.

“The increased productivity and performance that non-traditional schedules yield will continue to drive employee engagement scores in a positive direction and affirm how we want to invest in our people.”

• With company since 2010

• Previously SVP, global human resources, Ally Financial Inc.

• Over 22 years of business experience at General Motors

• Bachelor’s degree, Business Administration and English (minor in Economics), University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

• M.B.A. (concentration: Organizational Behavior/Industrial Relations and Marketing), University of Michigan in Ann Arbor

Mr. Ott can be e-mailed at larry.ott@execblueprints.com

Flexible work options, which recognize that Meritor employees have different work styles, lifestyles, and business and professional needs, can help individuals achieve a better balance between work and personal life, minimizing the distractions that prevent maximum productivity.

Larry E. Ott

Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Meritor, Inc.

© Books24x7, 2014 Larry E. Ott ExecBlueprints 9

Larry E. OttSenior Vice President, Human Resources, Meritor, Inc. (continued)

these schedules increase productiv-ity. A pocket of our employees works one day a week from home. When commutes exceed an hour, we eliminate two hours on the road that employees can, instead, spend working.

Anticipated Changes To and Uses of the Flexible Work PolicyIn the next 12 months we do not expect to make many changes to our policy. However, we do expect that we will continue to drive edu-cation and visibility around these options. Part of the reason to dis-seminate flexible work policy options is to show specific exam-

ples of how non-traditional work schedules can result in heightened productivity and engagement over the short and long term. In doing so, we also further educate our leadership team as to how this approach can be successful for both

employees and the company as a whole. Our view is that our “broad” and “flexible” approach covers several different options, and it is doubtful that we will need to make a change. n

At Meritor, How Does HR Support a Flexible Work Policy?

Shares guidelines of the policy with business unit leaders and others

Educates all stakeholders about the policy

Ensures management understands the provisions of the policy

Highlights successes achieved by the flexible work model

Discusses other situations that could accommodate flexible work schedules

Expert Advice

When determining the flexibility of hours for each company division or group, each operating facility is encouraged to support employee needs for flexible work; however, these flexible arrangements can be modified or discontinued at any time to accommodate business demands. It is the responsibility of the local human resources representative to ensure that the provisions of this policy are understood by management and applied where applicable. Employees interested in pursuing a flexible work solution must discuss desired changes in their scheduled work hours or days with their manager/supervisor prior to initiating the change. Each Meritor facility is responsible for designating a block of time that constitutes the core business hours for that facility.

© Books24x7, 2014 Marcia M. MacLeod ExecBlueprints 10

Marcia M. MacLeodSenior Vice President of HR and Administration, WPX Energy

Flexible SchedulesDue to the type of business we’re in, the majority of our employees do not work the traditional 8-to-5, five-day-a-week job. In our Tulsa and Denver offices, most people work traditional hours, though we are not sticklers about exact start and end times. This type of flexibil-ity is especially helpful to employ-ees with young children, because it allows them to drop their kids off at school, and leave early for school events when necessary. We provide the option of 9/80 schedules, which allow employees to work nine-hour days and take every other Friday off. The decision to adopt a 9/80 schedule depends on the type of work the employee is performing, and requires approval of the man-ager. I have found the more flexibil-ity I give employees, the more productive they are. On occasion someone may abuse the system, but in general, flexible hours increase work engagement.

Our operations in the field, in contrast, require much different hours than our offices. Finding employees willing to work in North Dakota is sometimes challenging. Although it is a beautiful state, North Dakota does not have a

great deal of infrastructure and it is often difficult to find people with the necessary skill sets who already live there. As a result, we some-times fly employees and contractors on our shuttle from Denver to our North Dakota rig on a space- available basis. We have essentially created a system of off-shore duty: employees fly in for a number of days, stay in on-site housing, then fly out again for a number of days. Creative solutions like this are a part of our business.

Benchmarking Flexibility SatisfactionOur employees are not shy about giving us feedback, which is an informal way to assess satisfaction. To gauge employee satisfaction with the company’s work schedule, we conduct annual employee engagement surveys that ask for opinions on our flexible hours. Through these surveys, we learned that they preferred the option of working longer days in order to take every other Friday off. We also benchmarked competitive benefits and practices and the 9/80 came about through both informal and competitive external benchmark-ing. We immediately instituted this

Marcia M. MacLeodSenior Vice President

of HR and Administration WPX Energy

“By understanding their employees have personal lives and non-work commitments, and trusting them to get their work done on their own time, supervisors can cultivate deeper, more dependable relationships with their staff members.”

• Previously VP and CIO, Williams

• Former managing director, global compensation and benefits, Electronic Data Systems

• Practitioner of employee benefits law

• Degrees in Law and Communications, University of Tulsa

Ms. MacLeod can be e-mailed at marcia.macleod@execblueprints.com

We do not have many employees who work from home, except during extreme weather conditions. Because we are a very relationship-based culture, we find value in encouraging face-to-face discussions during meetings rather than listening to a disembodied voice on a loudspeaker. WPX Energy is a very social company, and our CEO can frequently be found walking around the office, visiting with employees and modeling this for our leadership team. Alternatively, many of our field employees work virtually out of a truck with their laptops.

Marcia M. MacLeod

Senior Vice President of HR and Administration, WPX Energy

© Books24x7, 2014 Marcia M. MacLeod ExecBlueprints 11

Marcia M. MacLeodSenior Vice President of HR and Administration, WPX Energy (continued)

policy for those employees whose job allowed that type of flexibility.

We basically have a policy of flexibility where it is possible based on job demands, as determined by the manager.

Constant CommunicationIn today’s digital age, we are all tethered to our smartphones. To promote constant communication both in and out of the office, we issue iPhones to employees, though many already have their own iPhones and iPads. If employees are granted a flexible work schedule, they are still expected to communi-

cate regularly with their main office. Due to our various loca-tions, I expect everyone to be sensi-tive to time zone changes when communicating with each other, and this does require a bit of give and take.

Flexible work schedules are effective tools for helping employ-ees achieve work–life integration. A “one-size-fits-all” schedule is not

possible in our company that has dispersed geographic locations for both corporate operations and field operations and, in some cases, must meet around-the-clock demands. We continue to monitor employees’ needs and benchmark industry practices, and encourage our employees to engage in open dia-logues with their managers concerning flexible schedules. n

I have found the more flexibility I give employees, the more productive they are.

Marcia M. MacLeod

Senior Vice President of HR and Administration, WPX Energy

© Books24x7, 2014 Ideas to Build Upon & Action Points ExecBlueprints 12

Ideas to Build Upon & Action Points I. How Can Flexible Work Schedules Benefit Companies and Employees?As operations become more automated, many organizations will no longer need to have their entire workforce assembled under one (or many) expensive roofs at the same time to get work done. Also, chances are, many employees, with their differing work styles, lifestyles, and business/ professional needs would prefer to have at least some choice over when and where they work. Consequently, these days, as more employers are trusting employees to get work done outside of traditional set-tings, they are finding that both parties benefit in the following ways:

Companies:

• Reduced real estate costs

• Lower fuel and energy bills

• Fewer greenhouse gas emissions

• More engaged, productive workforce

• Access to a wider range of talent

• Elimination of downtime (with global teams)

Employees:

• Reduced commuting expenses

• Less likelihood of burnout

• Work schedules that better fit lifestyle and other responsibilities

• Enhanced work–life balance

II. The Bottom LineBelieve it or not, the return on investment of allowing employees to work more flex-ible hours from differing locations is mea-surable, often in very palpable productivity gains and reduced expenses. But softer numbers can help paint a fuller picture of how a company can tangibly benefit by instituting flexible work arrangements. Areas to measure include:

• How do flexible work arrangements contribute to job satisfaction?

• How do higher rates of job satisfaction translate into job performance and productivity?

• How do employees use the time they save in commuting to the office?

• What type of flexible arrangements is the competition offering?

III. Must-Have Considerations for Flexible Work ArrangementsBecause policies for non-traditional sched-ules can be so broad, often it’s incumbent upon the employee and supervisor to work out a precise, mutually agreeable arrange-ment. Usually, there’s a built-in understand-ing that these agreements can be modified or discontinued at any time to accommo-date business demands. What are typical arrangements? Options can include:

• Varying start and stop times during a particular day or throughout a typical week

• Telecommuting from home or another location

• Sharing of office space, with people rotating on- and off-site on scheduled days throughout the week

• Adopting 9/80 schedules that allow employees to work nine-hour days and take every other Friday off

• Working part time

IV. The Golden Rules for Developing Flexible Work PoliciesPrecise work schedules may ultimately be between an employee and their supervisor, but HR should work with senior leadership to establish the overarching company pol-icy governing flexible work arrangements. This role can encompass:

• Attaining senior leadership buy-in so that policies are taken seriously, and employees know they have permission to use the programs

• Ensuring that basic guidelines are applied consistently

• Collaborating with IT to determine the infrastructure and devices required to support a distributed workforce

• Defining acceptable usage policies for company- and employee-owned devices that address social media use, download and streaming limits, and data ownership

• Distributing the policy and ensuring that management understands — and is enforcing — its provisions

• Continuously evaluating and reporting on short- and long-term examples of how the policy is benefiting the organization

V. Essential Take-AwaysWhile there are many benefits to offering flexible work arrangements, you may also have to address challenges raised by resis-tant managers and underperforming employees. After all, when employees are allowed to work non-traditional hours and/or at off-site settings, they naturally have more autonomy, which erodes traditional hierarchies. In such situations, the man-ager’s role shifts from being a supervisor to someone who must create a motivating context for success. Effective practices for ensuring that remote employees stay engaged and productive are:

• Informing them of their overall role within the company and how their work fits into the larger picture.

• Allocating and prioritizing tasks according to individual working styles and strengths.

• Setting employee-specific tasks with clear objectives and expectations.

• Ensuring they know how to use requisite technologies, such as virtual meeting tools.

• Scheduling regular check-ins, combining formal meetings with informal exchanges, but avoiding over-communicating (and be sensitive to time-zone differences).

• Being clear about which meetings are mandatory.

• Monitoring progress and tackle poor performance quickly and privately — before resentment sets in.

• Creating camaraderie among teams through live or virtual informal gatherings.

• Encouraging them to unplug at appropriate times. n

© Books24x7, 2014 Ideas to Build Upon & Action Points ExecBlueprints 13

Ideas to Build Upon & Action Points (continued)

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10 Key Questions and discussion Points

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1 What are your current guidelines governing which employees can work non-traditional hours? Do the rules vary by company division or group? How much flexibility do managers have in setting guidelines for their direct reports?

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What are the reasons employees most commonly seek non-traditional schedules? Family obligations? School/classes? Difficulty commuting?

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What percentage of your workforce currently works hours other than the standard 9-5, Monday through Friday? Do these employees work non-standard hours by choice or assignment?

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What policies do you have in place regarding telecommuting? What percentage of your workforce telecommutes? Do most of them telecommute full or part-time? Which positions are best suited to telecommuting?

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What are your best practices for ensuring that guidelines around non-traditional schedules are communicated effectively throughout the organization? How do you seek feedback? Have you incorporated suggestions from managers or employees into your policies?

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How do you benchmark employee satisfaction with your non-traditional work policies? Do you track trends in the use of these programs? Do you ask about these policies in employee engagement surveys?

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In the next 12 months, do you plan to make any changes to your flexible work schedule policies? What will you change? Will you change the requirements for participation in these programs?

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How do you ensure that there is adequate communication within groups when some employees are working different hours? Do you require employees to maintain any core hours? How have new communications technologies (e.g. smartphones) affected the viability of flexible work schedules?

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What are the top challenges of utilizing flexible work schedules? How do you handle communication issues? Do these policies affect response time to customers? Have flexible work schedules led to interpersonal issues within groups?

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What is the ROI of flexible scheduling policies? How have they impacted your turnover? Have you been able to attract new employees with your policies? How have your policies affected employee engagement and productivity?

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