SubscribeLast week the Today Show featured a story on how some companies are reconsidering the traditional five-day work week in favor of four days in the office — either four longer days with one day off or five regular days with one of them being a telecommuting day.
While I would love to think that organizations have finally seen the light on the whole work-life balance / work-life integration conundrum that most working parents face, and lots of non-parents as well, this is not the case. The impetus is the rising cost of fuel. According to the piece, many employers are now feeling the pinch in the wallet themselves and are considering alternative work arrangements to create a favorable situation for employees and employers alike.
While some organizations have had such flexible work policies in place for some time, the piece reports that the programs are becoming even more popular in face of the economic crunch.
Whatever the cause, my hope is that the experience will be positive for organizations and employees alike; that all will see the benefits as relates to the wallet and the pump, and also in productivity, workplace satisfaction, employee retention, the environment, and other areas as well.
While it’s disappointing that the countless ongoing efforts of so many to create this shift in support of the challenges faced by working families was not the main motivator, I do hope this shift will be incorporated into the work landscape on a broader scale as a permanent alternative.
What’s your organization’s policy on flexible scheduling and/or alternative work arrangements?
