Team Analytical Report - Rough Draft
MEMORANDUM To: English 311 Research Team From: Regina Wilkinson Date: May 22, 2018 RE: Flexible Work Schedule Introduction In the last decade or so a shift has happened in the business world in the way that many people view their work-life balance. This is a top priority for many when looking for a job, they want to be able to work remotely if they need to or possibly work a flexible work week. In research conducted by Sloan Center on Aging and Work at Boston College, there are many different reasons for this change in thinking; some of these are better health, by having a flexible work environment this can reduce stress and stress related health issues. Many workers seemed to have a better disposition both at work and at home when they felt less pressured to have to choose between the two. In all of the companies that they talked to one of the main reasons that they mentioned for implementing these programs is that is that it kept their employees happy and that enabled them to keep top people in their fields. (Sloan Center on Aging & Work, ND). This seems to be the way of the future for many business, especially those in the tech field. Statement of Problem With many other companies moving to a flexible work policy this company needs to stay competitive or we could lose current employees and potential new talent. This company needs to plan and implement a flexible work policy. According to Sloan Center on Aging and work, “According to a 2009 survey of employers and employees, "86% of workers say work/life balance and fulfillment are top career priorities, while only 12% of employers believe these to be crucial to hiring and retention” (Sloan Center on Aging and Work, ND). There are many different types of alternate work schedules that have already been conceived and proven in many different companies. Our task is to figure out what will work best for our company. Proposed Solution A possible solution is to talk to companies similar to ours and find out what type of policies that they have in place and see what is working for them. Also find out what type of issues, if any have come up because of these new work environments. In the article by Darley she shares some questions that you can ask to see if a flexible environment is right for you, “is this a job where remote work is even a option?, Is the specific employee ready to work remotely?” she goes on to list a couple more. (Darley, 2017). There are also many tools on the internet to help with setting up our own unique program, the article by Diab she offers a few different tools for deciding what type of policy is right for you, she also has a sample flexible work schedule checklist that you can have an employee fill out when deciding if flexing is right for them. (Diab, 2016). Scope To present to best flexible work plan we need to look further into the below questions.
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● How will this improve morale throughout the company ● In what ways will this help attract new talent and keep our current employees
● What tools should we / do we need to provide for a work from home environment ● What type of flexible work policy will work best for our company ● What kind of restrictions need to be put in place to make this happen ● Will there be a cost to the company to implement any of these policies
Methods If this proposal is accepted we will use the following types of data to provide the adequate information to be fully informed on the subject matter. The study by Sloan Center on Aging & Work from Boston College has a lot of great information that will be vital in proving our need for this change. We will also use sources to look at the tools that we may need to use to provide a great home work environment, a few of those are an article by Enderle called 8 must-have tools if you work from home, this goes over some basic office items you should have that you might not even think of. (Enderle, 2015). Another great source is Work from Home: 13 Tools to Help Your Team by Lola Barbier, this goes over apps that can help your teams feel connected even while they are not in the same office. (Barbier, ND). Qualifications I have worked in the IT field for the last three years, our company has always had a flexible schedule and has recently implemented a work from home program. I feel I can use my knowledge of our policies and procedures and be a great resource. Limitations The only foreseeable limitation would be the fact that this is more of a trial and error type of policy. You will not know for sure how it will work for your company unless you try it out. We can provide research on how it works for other companies and what they are using and what policies that they have in place but ultimately it will come down to deciding what is best for you. Conclusion In conclusion we need to put in place some sort of flexible work policy to stay competitive with similar firms. I have listed six questions that need to be addressed to help move forward with this project. I feel that this can be a fairly straightforward and simple process if approached in the correct way. Once I have received your approval I will begin my research.
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References Barbier, L. (ND). Work from Home: 13 Tools to Help Your Team. Retrieved from https://aircall.io/blog/work-from-home/ Darley, L. (2017, September). The Future Of Work: Flexible Work Arrangements. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2017/09/21/the-future-of-work-flexible-work -arrangements/#73712b7bff3f Diab, A. (2016, March). 5 Flexible Work Strategies And The Companies That Use Them. Fast Company. Retrieved from https://www.fastcompany.com/3058344/5-flexible-work-strategies-and-the-companies-who-use-t hem Enderle, R. (2015, August). 8 must-have tools if you work from home. CIO. Retrieved from https://www.cio.com/article/2966017/telecommuting/8-must-have-tools-if-you-work-from-home .html?page=2 Sloan Center on Aging & Work at Boston College. (ND). Why Employees Need Workplace Flexibility. Retrieved fromhttp://workplaceflexibility.bc.edu/need/need_employees
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