Today, while you and I are at work (or working from home or watching the kids), the White House will be hosting a forum on workplace flexibility where, according to the site, “The President and First Lady will discuss the importance of creating workplace practices that allow America’s working men and women to meet the demands of their jobs without sacrificing the needs of their families. The forum will be an opportunity for labor leaders, CEOs, small business owners, and policy experts to share their ideas and strategies for making the workplace more flexible for American workers and families.”
While you and I won’t be at the table, we can actually watch as the entire forum will be streamed on WhiteHouse.gov/live at 1:15 EST. (Not that I really have time for that either.)
We want to know, what would you tell the people attending about how they can improve workplace flexibility?
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12 Responses to What would you tell the White House?
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I would love for part-time 20-30 hours a week to be viewed in a different light by my employer and co-workers. To be able to arrange a shorter work week, and still be considered an asset to my team, would be an awesome improvement to my quality of life.
I think employers should have incentives to offer flexible schedules to all employees, not just parents. I would cut down the stigma and make everyone happier, including the bosses. It’s so easy to work from home now, more people should be able to do it.
Every one is valuable except for the employees who are there for a check but don’t work to earn it. I have two part time jobs and I know I am an asset to both jobs no matter how many hours I work. I give them 100% each and every day. If I had a chance to voice my opinion today I would say part timers should be able to receive health benefits just like full timers do. I’m sure some companies do provide this benefit but it should be every company across America.
I wish all employees were guaranteed paid maternity and paternity leave and would go so far as to hope for longer standard leaves for all moms (six months to a year!).
I would love to see employers be more open to non-traditional work schedules.
There is no such thing as ‘balance’.
I would agree with all who say a flexible work schedule. I work part time, now, but it will be highly unlikely I will be able to do the same in the future. I also agree that there should be performance standards and if you don’t meet them actions have to be in place that can be taken to remedy the situations. I have worked too many jobs where someone isn’t really doing the work, just “pretending” and collecting the paycheck. Wish I could have watched….
I would tell them to work on the ‘stigma’ and negative perceptions that surround those of us on flexible schedules. I work 4 x tens and sometimes take time out of the office for doc appts, lunch errands or whatever, and I know that some of my associates perceive me to be working less than my fair share. But I’m committed, I’ve worked at my company for 8+ yrs and have put in LOTS of OT, and I’m available 24×7 and always work from my phone or laptop on my day off. I feel no guilt because I put in more than 40 every week but still I have to overcome the negative perceptions.
Most importantly I think people need flexibility in their hours (obviously it is easier with some jobs), secondly is health insurance, thirdly ability to take paid leaves for family leave (for children, care of family members etc). Paid time off for parent teacher conferences and childen’s school events would be even better.
Employers adding in paid paternity leave along w/ the maternity leave.
I know dads can take the time off, but most of the time it’s not paid time off. For so many families that results in NOT taking the time off.
Yes, yes, yes! Flexible schedules at the least; why should people care if you work 7-4 instead of 8-5, or take a half hour lunch instead of a whole hour, as long as you get the work done?
But I think the most important thing is a change in attitude. Many workplaces have the attitude that work should ALWAYS come first, no matter what the impact on home or health (work when you’re sick, work when your kids are sick, work all the time!). But that’s what makes miserable, burned out employees. People need to start treating each other as people, even (especially) at work.
I’d like to see flexible schedules more the norm.
Flexible schedule, to be sure. Encouraging teleworking (and providing a tax incentive for companies that do) would also be high up there. That benefits everyone. The company gets more time from the worker, the worker doesn’t have to commute so he/she has more time with her family, it’s better for the environment, and the people who are commuting in have less traffic to deal with. WINS across the board!