Building Support for Workplace Flexibility - When Work · PDF file1 BUILDING SUPPORT FOR...

Building Support forWorkplace Flexibility

CONTENTSDefining Workplace Flexibility ... 1

Why Is Workplace Flexibility Important to HR Professionals ... 2

The History of When Work Works ... 3

SHRM-FWI Partnership ... 3

When Work Works—A National Initiative ... 3

Community Partner Benefits and Responsibilities ... 4

Overview of the Sloan Award ... 5

HR and the Sloan Award ... 6

The Community Business Case ... 7

Strategies and Objectives for Community Partners ... 7

Launching When Work Works ... 8

Identifying Champions and Potential Coalition Members/Collaborators ... 9

Additional Resources ... 11

Fact Sheet: The Sloan Award Process ... 13

Fact Sheet: Workplace Flexibility Benefits Employers, Employees and the Community ... 16

Tip Sheet: Responding to Skepticism ... 18

Tip Sheet: When Work Works Process Recommendations for Community Partners ... 20

Tip Sheet: Timeline for Sloan Award Process ... 22

Tip Sheet: Examples of Workplace Flexibility Educational Programs ... 23

Tip Sheet: Event Planning Checklist and Budget Worksheet for Sloan Award ... 27

Tip Sheet: Examples of Sloan Award Recognition Programs ... 29

Sloan Award Community Partner Press Release Template ... 30

References ... 32

BUILDING SUPPORT FOR FLEXIBILITYWORKPLACE

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This toolkit provides state and local volunteer leaders with the tools they need to build support for workplace flexibility in their communities and organizations. It includes discussions about why workplace flexibility is important to HR professionals and how they can promote flexibility. It also describes the When Work Works program and the Alfred P. Sloan Award for Excellence in Workplace Effectiveness and Flexibility and explains how promoting participation in this awards program can help employers, employees, and their communities be more successful.

DEFINING WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY

Workplace flexibility is an important business strategy that helps organizations respond to demographic, economic and technological changes in the workplace and to community needs.

Workplace Flexibility includes:1

• Choices in Managing Time includes control over one’s schedule and agreeing that the schedule or shift meets his or her needs.

• Flex Time and Flex Place includes traditional flexibility, daily flexibility (short-notice schedule changes), compressed workweeks, and working at home.

• Reduced Time includes full-timers who could arrange to work part time in their current position and part-timers who could arrange to work full time in their current position as well as part-year work.

• Time Off includes a lack of difficulty in taking time for personal or family matters, paid days off for personal illness, paid days off to care for sick children, time off for elder care without fear of losing one’s job, paid vacation time, paid holidays, time off for volunteering without the loss of pay, and caregiving leaves for birth, adoption, and seriously ill family members.

• Flex Careers enable employees to dial up or dial down their careers by taking extended time off for caregiving or sabbaticals. They also enable employees to phase into retirement.

Workplace flexibility is a dynamic relationship defining how, when and where work gets done as well as how careers are organized—that works for both the employer and employee.

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• Dealing with Overwork includes efforts to create reasonable work demands, to reduce unnecessary work and to create boundaries between life on and off the job.

• Culture of Flexibility includes not having to choose between advancement and devoting attention to family life, not having advancement jeopardized by asking for flexibility, and overall supervisor support when work-life issues arise.

WhY IS WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY ImPORTANT TO hR PROFESSIONALS?The workforce has changed. Increasingly, employees are experiencing a time famine.2 There are now four generations in the workforce and four in five of all employees who are married are in dual earner couples. One of every five employees currently provides elder care and this number will increase dramatically to almost half of the workforce over the next several years. It is no surprise that employed men are experiencing more work-life conflict than in the past.3 It is important for organizations to acknowledge and respond to these changes in the workforce.

The workplace is also undergoing important transformations. Jobs have become more demanding and less secure in the current economic climate.4 The average middle class family works 500 hours more than they would have in the 1970s.5 The global marketplace runs on a 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week economy. These factors contribute to greater intensity in the workplace today.

Human resource (HR) professionals can help their organizations respond to these transformations by building support for policies and practices that create effective workplaces. Increasingly, workplaces are recognizing that employees are an organization’s greatest resource and make a critical difference in an organization’s ability to not merely survive, but to thrive. To be truly flexible and effective, a workplace—its design, practices and policies—must benefit the organization and its employees.6

Organizations that provide more effective and flexible work environments have been shown to have more engaged, satisfied, and healthier employees with fewer intentions of looking for new employment.7 These effects can be seen in a variety of industries and across a range of employee groups. As workplaces become more intense, organizations find that they must become more flexible to support employees in effectively managing their demands at work and at home and to attract, develop, and retain the employees they need to succeed.

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ThE hISTORY OF When Work WorksFamilies and Work Institute launched When Work Works in 2003 in collaboration with the Institute for a Competitive Workforce (an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce) and the Twiga Foundation, with funding from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The centerpiece of the initiative has been the Alfred P. Sloan Award for Excellence in Workplace Effectiveness and Flexibility, a nationally recognized award for organizations that are using workplace flexibility as part of their business practice.

ShRm-FWI PARTNERShIP In February 2011, When Work Works became a joint project of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Families and Work Institute (FWI). Its goal is to translate research into action—to create more effective and flexible workplaces for the 21st Century.

This partnership combines the research and expertise of a widely respected think tank specializing in workplace effectiveness with the influence and reach of the world’s largest association devoted to human resource management. By highlighting strategies that enable people to do their best work, the partnership promotes practical, research-based knowledge that helps employers voluntarily create effective and flexible workplaces that fit the 21st century workforce and ensure a new competitive advantage for businesses.

When Work Works — A NATIONAL INITIATIvEWhen Work Works (www.whenworkworks.org) partners with communities and states around the country to:

• Sharerigorousresearchandemployerbestpracticesonworkplaceeffectivenessand flexibility;

• RecognizeexemplaryemployersthroughtheSloanAwardbasedonsurveysofemployers and employees; and

• Inspirepositivechangesothatincreasingnumbersofemployersunderstandhoweffective and flexible workplaces can benefit both employers and employees, and use this information to make work “work.”

While several SHRM affiliates currently serve as When Work Works community partners, the SHRM-FWI partnership is focused on increasing the number of SHRM

http://www.shriverreport.com/awn/economy.php


http://www.whenworkworks.org

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State Councils and/or Chapters in this role. This toolkit provides SHRM members with information and resources on how to adopt this initiative in your state or community. In addition, if a community partner already exists in your community, this toolkit outlines opportunities for collaboration.

COmmuNITY PARTNER BENEFITS AND RESPONSIBILITIESSHRM’s nationwide network of State Councils and Chapters provides an ideal structure for disseminating information and educating HR professionals and employers at the local level about workplace flexibility.

Serving as a When Work Works community partner offers several benefits to SHRM State Councils and Chapters, including:

1. Leading a community effort on a key business issue that generates significant media interest;

2. Offering strategic educational programming to HR professionals on a critical people issue;

3. Supporting a SHRM strategic priority while increasing State Council/Chapter visibility on a timely HR issue; and

4. Meeting SHRM Affiliate Program for Excellence (SHAPE) initiatives.

State Councils/Chapters that implement When Work Works satisfy one focus area requirement under Section 2 of SHAPE—State Focused Council Initiatives or Community Based Chapter Initiatives—that supports the Core Leadership Areas of:

• DiversityandInclusion

• WorkforceReadiness

• Aself-definedareaotherthanthetwolistedabove

When Work Works community partners have three primary responsibilities:

1. Engage community leaders in workplace flexibility efforts

2. Educate employers about workplace effectiveness and flexibility

3. Promote the Sloan Award and recognize award recipients

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State Councils or Chapters interested in leading the When Work Works initiative in your state or community should complete the Commitment to Partner form. If a When Work Works community partner already exists in your state or community, SHRM-FWI encourage State Councils/Chapters to explore opportunities to collaborate with the community partner on education or recognition events and help raise awareness of the Sloan Award. For example, SHRM affiliates can:

✓ Include a link to www.whenworkworks.org on your affiliate website;

✓ Notify members when the Sloan application process is open via electronic newsletter or email communication;

✓ Encourage members to apply for a Sloan Award via a podium announcement at monthly meetings;

✓ Host a joint educational program with the community partner to attract potential new members; and

✓ Host a joint recognition event for Sloan Award recipients with the community partner or explore incorporating a recognition celebration in your state conference or monthly chapter meeting.

OvERvIEW OF ThE SLOAN AWARD The Sloan Award program is national in scope, and recognizes model employers of all types and sizes across the U.S. for their innovative and effective workplace practices. It is a worksite-based award honoring organizations that are using workplace flexibility as a strategy to make work work better—for both the employer and the employee.

The application process takes place in two rounds. In Round I, employers apply by completing an online questionnaire about the flexibility programs and practices at their worksites. Employers that rank among the top 20 percent of employers in the U.S., when compared with national data based on the Families and Work Institute’s National Study of Employers, are selected as finalists and move to Round II.

In Round II, employers are invited to have their employees complete a questionnaire that asks about their individual use of and experiences with flexibility and other aspects of an effective workplace, including the supportiveness of their workplace culture and whether they perceive any negative consequences for using flexibility at their workplace. The scoring used to select Sloan Award winners weights the employee experience most heavily. There is no minimum or maximum number of award recipients. More information about the Sloan Award can be found in this Fact Sheet: The Sloan Award Process.

http://www.shrm.org/Advocacy/GovernmentAffairsNews/HRIssuesUpdatee-Newsletter/Documents/012412%20Commintment%20to%20Partner.pdf


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hR AND ThE SLOAN AWARDHR professionals help promote workplace flexibility policies and programs that increase productivity, lower turnover, and strengthen employee engagement. The Sloan Award provides HR professionals with a unique opportunity to showcase their organization’s flexibility strategies and better understand how their programs compare to others. While there are lots of benefits to applying for this prestigious award, here are the “Top 10 Reasons to Apply for a Sloan Award:”

10. Provides a great opportunity to strengthen your organization’s brand.

9. Lets your customers know that you are an employer of choice in responding to the needs of employees and their families.

8. Gives you a tool to use to recruit, develop and retain top talent.

7. Involves you in a vibrant and engaging network of organizations that are using workplace flexibility as an effective business strategy.

6. Increases your organization’s visibility by being an expert source on issues of effective and flexible workplaces for the media.

5. Shows your employees that an effective and flexible workplace is a priority for your organization.

4. Offers you the opportunity to be a winner and get national and local recognition.

3. Enables you to be featured in the Guide to Bold New Ideas for Making Work “Work”, the go-to source on best practices.

2. Provides an opportunity for you to learn what your organization is already doing well and how these efforts can be enhanced through the benchmarking report provided to all applicants.

1. Allows you to stand out from your competition as an organization whose leadership values its employees.

http://shrmstore.shrm.org/2012-guide-to-bold-new-ideas-for-making-work-work.html


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ThE COmmuNITY BuSINESS CASENot only do organizations and their employees benefit from implementing workplace flexibility policies and practices, communities benefit as well, and can be recognized as best places to work and live. Communities across the nation support workplace flexibility to address issues such as:

• promotingregionaleconomicdevelopment

• recruitingandretainingwomeninleadership positions

• respondingtochangingcommunityeconomic conditions such as structural unemployment, a changing industry base, or reducing poverty

• addressingenvironmentalandenergyconcerns such as reducing traffic congestion and commute times

STRATEGIES AND OBjECTIvES FOR COmmuNITY PARTNERSCommunity partners should strive to get as many local organizations to apply for the award as possible. To achieve this goal, consider what might motivate an organization to apply for the award. Here are some reported benefits of receiving the Sloan Award from previous award recipients:

• Recognizedatbothlocalandnationalevents;

• ProfiledintheannualGuide to Bold New Ideas for Making Work Work distributed nationwide;

• Includedinanacknowledgementtoelectedofficialsatlocal,stateandfederallevel;

• RecognizedandincludedinastatementintheCongressionalRecord;

• Eligibletoreceiveaframe-able,goldlinedcopyoftheCongressionalRecordstatement;

• recruitingandretainingamulti-generational workforce

• establishingthecommunityasa great place to live and work

• focusingoncivicengagementand the positive community impact that encourages volunteerism

• increasingcaregivingavailability, thus addressing family time-famine challenges


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• FeaturedinpublicationsbyFWI,SHRM,andotherpublicationsthataredisseminated across the country;

• AbletousetheSloanAwardlogoforpromotionalpurposes;

• Verylikelytoreceivepositivemediacoverage;

• Betterabletoattract,developandretainatalentedworkforce;and

• Involvedinanetworkofwinningorganizationsattheforefrontofthought-leadership surrounding workplace flexibility.

LAuNChING When Work WorksWhile educational/recognition programs along with efforts to promote the Sloan Award are unique across communities, here is a recommended set of steps to undertake to fulfill the three partner responsibilities:

• Complete the Commitment to Partner form and return it to SHRM-FWI.

• Host a State Council/Chapter program on workplace flexibility.

• Consider utilizing SHRM Speaker’s Bureau presentation on workplace flexibility, which is eligible for strategic credit from the HR Certification Institute.

• Promote the Sloan Award. Engage previous winners in the community as champions of the awards program and mentors for new applicants.

• Host an event to introduce members and local employers to the awards program and help them to apply (boot camps for the application process, panels with previous winners, one-on-one phone calls or meetings to walk applicants through the process).

• Gather local SHRM members to discuss forming a community coalition. Consider who else to include in your efforts to promote workplace flexibility in your area.

• Identify community champions or workplaces where workplace flexibility is already a strategy but not well known in the community.

• Host a coalition meeting with a wide variety of members from your community. This provides a place for talking about workplace flexibility from a number of viewpoints. Find out how you can collaborate and about workplace flexibility events you can co-sponsor.

• Include workplace flexibility programming in your state conference.

http://www.shrm.org/Advocacy/GovernmentAffairsNews/HRIssuesUpdatee-Newsletter/Documents/012412%20Commintment%20to%20Partner.pdf

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• Host a recognition event for Sloan Award winners in your community.

• Distribute press release announcing Sloan Award winners and details of your recognition event. Be sure to leverage social media.

• Share information about your recognition event with SHRM-FWI to generate additional attendance at your event.

• Promote the annual Guide to Bold New Ideas which highlights Sloan Award winners and their innovative workplace strategies.

• Publicize local workplace flexibility success stories in local media.

• Encourage Sloan Award recipients to distribute a press release announcing their accomplishment.

• Celebrate Work and Family Month in October. Ask your governor and/or mayor to declare October as Work and Family Month in your area.

• Provide an online forum for providing workplace flexibility information, resources and an exchange of ideas. Consider forming a local LinkedIn discussion group.

IDENTIFYING ChAmPIONS AND POTENTIAL COALITION mEmBERS/COLLABORATORSTo help ensure the sustainability of the When Work Works initiative in your community, it is important to involve key stakeholders and champions in the effort. These individuals and/or groups can increase the reach of the initiative and help influence how employers and others in the community think about workforce and workplace issues. Consider including:

Business Groups and Professional Associations

• Localchambersofcommerce

• Localleadershipgroups

• Localbusinessmagazine

• Rotary/Kiwanis

• Existingbusinessroundtablesor task forces

• WorkforceDevelopmentCouncils

• EconomicDevelopmentCommittees

Employers

• Largeemployers

• Midsizedandsmallemployers

• Employersthathavewonthe Sloan Award

• Non-profit,academic,andhealthorganizations

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Employee Groups

• Unions

• Women’sorganizations

• Diversityadvocacy

• Generationaldifferences

• TempAgencies

Media Groups

• Print,televisionmedia

• Businessmedia

• Editorialwriters

• Socialmedia

Government Groups

• Electedofficialsordesignees

• Governmentemployers

• DepartmentofEconomicDevelopment

• DepartmentofCommerce

• DepartmentofTransportation

• DepartmentofLabor

• DepartmentofHealthandHuman Services

• CouncilonAging

Community Service Groups

• UnitedWay

• ParentingGroups

• FamilyAdvocates

• CaregivingAssociations

Educational Groups

• Educationfromearlychildhoodto higher education

• Parenteducators

• Professors

• SchoolNurses

• Counselors

• AdditionalResources

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ADDITIONAL RESOuRCESThe following Fact Sheets, Tip Sheets, and important website links provide additional tools and information to help SHRM State Councils and Chapters build support for workplace flexibility and implement When Work Works in their state or community. SHRM and FWI, along with When Work Works project partner, the Twiga Foundation are also available to answer questions and provide additional guidance to SHRM affiliates interested in advancing workplace flexibility.

Society for Human Resource Management (www.shrm.org)

SHRM is the world’s largest association devoted to human resource management. Representing more than 250,000 members in over 140 countries, the Society serves the needs of HR professionals and advances the interests of the HR profession. Founded in 1948, SHRM has more than 575 affiliated chapters within the United States and subsidiary offices in China and India.

Contact: Lisa Horn [email protected] 703.535.6352

Families and Work Institute (www.familiesandwork.org)

FWI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization that studies the changing workforce, family and community. As a preeminent think tank, FWI is known for being ahead of the curve, identifying emerging issues, and then conducting rigorous research that often challenges common wisdom and provides insight and knowledge. As an action tank, FWI conducts numerous studies that put its research into action and then evaluates the results. Its purpose is to create research to live by.

Contact: KellySakai [email protected] 212.465.2044

Twiga Foundation (www.twigafoundation.org)

The Twiga Foundation is the voice for promoting family consciousness in our families, workplaces and communities. As a When Work Works partner, the Twiga Foundation enables community leaders to connect nationwide to share and develop the best practices for building community support for workplace flexibility.

Contact: PatriciaKempthorne [email protected] 208.343.1551

http://www.shrm.org

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.familiesandwork.org


http://www.twigafoundation.org


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Important Links

When Work Works – www.whenworkworks.org

SHRM Workplace Flexibility Resource Page – www.shrm.org/workflex

Video:Business Case for Flex in Less than 3 Minutes from LifeMeetsWork

Fact Sheets

The Sloan Award Process

Workplace Flexibility Benefits Employers, Employees and the Community

Tip Sheets

Responding to Skepticism

When Work Works Process Recommendations for Community Partners

Timeline for Sloan Award Process

Examples of Workplace Flexibility Educational Programs

Event Planning Checklist and Budget Worksheet for Sloan Award

Examples of Sloan Award Recognition Programs



http://www.slideshare.net/lifemeetswork/cfakepathlife-meets-work-word-video

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FACT ShEET: ThE SLOAN AWARD PROCESS

Who Should Apply?

Any organization that employs at least 10 people and has been operating for at least one year should apply.

In the number of employees you count for “worksite size,” you can include employees who travel frequently or work from home as long as these employees report back to the eligible worksite, but not contract workers or consultants who are not reported to the IRS.

What Is the Application Process?

Round 1:

• ApplicationprocessopensonlineinJanuary.

• Anemployerrepresentative,usuallysomeoneinthehumanresourcedepartment,completes an employer questionnaire about the flexibility programs and practices at their worksite:

Complete the registration form located at: http://whenworkworks.org/survey/reg.php to begin the application process. An organization may submit an application for each of its worksites.

For those organizations that apply from When Work Works communities (see 2012 When Work Works Community Partners for details), deadlines for completing the application fall between March and April depending on the location of your work site. For those that apply in the “at-large” category, the deadline is April 16, 2012.

• Responsesprovidedbytheemployerarecomparedtoanationalrepresentativesample of employers, based on Families and Work Institute’s (FWI) National Study of Employers.

• Employersthatrankamongthetop20%ofemployersintheUnitedStates,whencompared to this national data become finalists and move to Round II.

Round 2:

• Qualifiedemployersinviteemployeestocompletetheemployee questionnaire.

Theorganizationmusthaveatleast10participantsfilloutthesurvey(a40%response rate) to qualify for the Sloan Award.

http://whenworkworks.org/survey/reg.php

http://whenworkworks.org/survey/reg.php

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If there are fewer than 250 employees at a work site, all employees are asked to complete the questionnaire.

If there are more than 250 employees at a work site, a random sample of 250 employees are invited to complete the questionnaire. Employers can email [email protected] to determine how to create this sample.

• Theemployeequestionnaireasksemployeesabout:

their individual use of and experiences with flexibility and other aspects of an effective workplace.

the supportiveness of their workplace culture.

whether they perceive any negative consequences for using flexibility at their workplace

How Are Award Recipients Selected?

Oncethe40%responserateisreached,FWIcalculatesfinalists’scores.Whileone third of the final score depends on employer’s responses to the employer questionnaire, two thirds of the score is determined by employees’ responses to the employee questionnaire. There is no limit to the number of award recipients.

Once the final status (winner, honorable mention recipient or non-winner) is determined for each applicant in a community, FWI releases the results to each community partner. Community partners and FWI develop a strategy to communicate the final results to the winners. Applicants in the “Other” category receive notification of their final status from Families and Work Institute via email.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q:IsthereafeetoapplyfortheSloanAward?

A: No.

Q:CanIpreviewthequestionsfortheemployeesurvey?

A: Yes. A PDF of the survey is available to view online at www.whenworkworks.org.

Q:Myorganizationisveryflexible,butweareasmallcompanywithoutmanyformalpoliciesinplace.Areweeligibletoapply?

A: Yes. The process is designed to look at the flexibility to which employees have access, regardless of whether there is a formal policy or not. In addition, there is an emphasis on the overall culture of flexibility in the workplace.

For more information, please visit www.whenworkworks.org.



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FACT ShEET: WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY BENEFITS EmPLOYERS, EmPLOYEES AND ThE COmmuNITYLeading the When Work Works Initiative in Your Community

Communities prosper when they become great places to work and live. Increasing the culture of workplace flexibility within a community ultimately benefits employers, employees and the overall community.

Employers recognize workplace flexibility as a strategic business initiative that responds to demographic, economic and technological changes in the workplace.

Studies have found many benefits when organizations provide flexibility that works for both the employer and the employee.

Employers benefit by having employees who:

• areengagedandproductive• aresatisfiedwiththeirjobs• focusonachievingdesiredbusinessoutcomes• providehigher-qualitycustomerservice(customerretention,expandedhours

of operation) • wanttoremainwiththeiremployers,thusreducingturnovercosts• areinbetterphysicalandmentalhealth• havefewerunplannedabsences• providebusinesscontinuity(disasterplanning,technicaloutages,

inclement weather)

Studies have also found that many employees are struggling to meet the demands of their work and their lives and workplace flexibility initiatives help employers respond to these challenges employees face, yielding many benefits.

Employees benefit by:

• havingabetterfitbetweentheirworkandfamilylives• beingmoreengagedandproductiveatworkandathome• reducingstress• improvinghealth• beingmorelikelytocareforthemselves• beingmorelikelytocareforchildren,elderlyfamilymembersorotherfamilyor

friends in need of assistance

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• spendingtimewithfamilyandfriends• participatinginparenteducation• pursuingadditionaleducationalorvocationaltraining

• havingtimeformorecivicengagementandvolunteerism

The community business case reflects workplace flexibility as a tool in the integration of leadership, education and recognition that addresses a community’s needs related work, family, diversity, environment and culture. When Work Works has found many benefits for communities.

Communities benefit by:• beingrecognizedasdesirableplacestolive• attractingnewcompaniestotheircommunity• attracting,developingandretainingtalentedemployees• reducingtrafficcongestion• havingresidentswhoareabletovolunteerforawidevarietyofcommunityneeds• beingabletorespondbettertoemergenciesordisasters• addressingenvironmentalandenergyconcerns

It is imperative that organizations keep in mind that offering flexible work arrangements to employees is an important tool in attracting top talent and retaining the best people—often even above compensation. Since attracting and retaining top talent is currently one of the biggest organizational challenges, it important for employers to learn how to make flexibility part of their workplace culture in order to remain competitive.

Clearly, community leaders and employers are natural partners in promoting flexibility. Building support for workplace flexibility in communities nationwide is a means to achieving greater success for everyone by creating great places to work and great communities to live in.

*******When Work Works is a national initiative, led by the partnership of Families and Work Institute (FWI) and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), to help organizations of all sizes and types become more successful by transforming the way they view and adopt effective and flexible workplaces. When Work Works is one of the foremost providers of resources, rigorous research and best practices on workplace effectiveness and flexibility in the nation. The initiative administers the prestigious Alfred P. Sloan Award for Excellence in Workplace Effectiveness and Flexibility annually, which recognizes exemplary employers for using flexibility as an effective workplace strategytoincreasebusinessandemployeesuccess.Visitwww.whenworkworks.org and follow us on Twitter @FWINews and @SHRM.


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TIP ShEET: RESPONDING TO SKEPTICISm

Comment: “We don’t have the time or the staff to go through the application process.”

Response: “I understand. This application is much less time consuming than others. The employer application takes less than one hour and is all done online.”

Comment: “We’re concerned about confidentiality.”

Response: “Answers on the survey are kept confidential, and if your organization is selected as a finalist and decides to continue with the employee survey, the employee responses are also confidential and anonymous. FWI, the organization conducting the surveys, is happy to sign a confidentiality agreement if needed. All employee email addresses are deleted upon completion of each award cycle.”

Comment: “We have a low-profile approach to such things.”

Response: “That’s understandable and that’s true of many of the other applicants. They apply because they know that other companies can follow their example if they know about it.”

Comment: “We don’t have a flexible workplace.”

Response: “Your workplace may be more flexible than you think. The application itself can be a useful assessment of how flexible and supportive your work environment actually is. You will receive a personalized benchmarking report comparing your organization to other applicants of the Award and employers nationally. If your organization proceeds through the second round of the Award, your report will also include assessments from your own employees with comparisons to employees from the other applicants and a nationally representative sample of employees. This personalized benchmarking report is complimentary for applicants of the Sloan Award.”

Comment: “Our internal processes always make it difficult to get a decision on these kinds of things.”

Response: “I know what you mean. The award application really requires very little time and would be a great honor for your company. The application is also available for review online as a PDF before you even start an application, allowing easy dissemination to leadership to facilitate decision-making.”

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Comment: “We offer flexibility on a case-by-case basis but we don’t have a formal policy.” / “Not all of our departments offer the same degree of flexibility.”

Response: “The questions on the application are deliberately worded NOT to include formal policies or programs—they are intended to find out about what actually happens in your workplace and the culture of the workplace because we know that it is the practice not just the policy that really matters. And the benchmarking report you will receive for applying will provide valuable information for you about just how prevalent these practices are in your organization as well as how they are viewed by employees.”

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TIP ShEET: When Work Works PROCESS RECOmmENDATIONS FOR COmmuNITY PARTNERS

Step 1: Getting Started

✓ Review the toolkit to understand the overall program and the Sloan Award process

✓ Select one of the application timelines available for the Sloan Award process

✓ Determine your goal for the number of applicants from your community

✓ Convene a committee to work with you to promote the award and honor applicants and recipients

✓ Develop an outreach strategy to obtain applications

✓ Develop a budget for implementing your outreach strategy, including educational events and the awards ceremony

✓ Develop a communications strategy to get the word out about workplace flexibility and what you are doing

✓ Identify funding sources to meet budget requirements

✓ Build a contact list of prospective applicants

✓ Experience the Sloan Award application process firsthand by filling out an application for your organization

✓ Plan When Work Works educational events (meetings, presentations, webinars)

Step 2: Implement Your Strategy

✓ Hold at least two educational events on workplace flexibility and effectiveness

✓ Host regularly scheduled conference calls with your Sloan Award committee

✓ Post information about the Sloan Award on your website with links to the application, on the local Chamber of Commerce website, on other local professional groups websites, and on other suitable sites in your community

✓ Post information about the Sloan Award in local newsletters, newspapers and business journals

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✓ Utilize social media to post information about the Sloan Award

✓ Create ways to have ongoing contact with your list of prospective applicants

✓ Develop ways to network former applicants and winners with prospective applicants

✓ Distribute information about the Sloan Award at local meetings and conferences

✓ Distribute public service announcements to local radio stations

✓ Distribute press releases to local media outlets, make follow-up phone calls

✓ If committee members have relationships with local media outlets, arrange to be interviewed about the Sloan Award and the application process

✓ Send a letter to your government officials (Senators, Members of Congress, state Senators, legislators, mayors, representatives from government agencies) telling them about the Sloan Award, including the deadline for applications, and inviting them to the awards ceremony

✓ Post ads in local business journals and newspapers

✓ Add application deadlines to business calendars

✓ Plan your award event

✓ Document your efforts

Step 3: Final Steps

✓ Finalize plans for your award event

✓ Notify honorees

✓ Arrange for press coverage of your award event

✓ Do social media and business outreach to notify others about the winners

✓ Thank all organizations who applied for the Sloan Award

✓ Thank all members of your committee, volunteers, and event sponsors

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TIP ShEET: TImELINE FOR SLOAN AWARD PROCESS

Community Partners

Application Process Steps Date NotesApplications Open The employer application is

available online at www.whenworkworks.org

Applications Close Did you meet your goal for thenumberofapplicants?If not, you may have the option to extend your deadline.

When Work Works National Team

Application Process Steps Date NotesRound I Notification Applicants will be notified

by FWI about whether they qualify for Round II, the employee questionnaire

Employee Survey Begins Finalists will be asked to complete an employee questionnaire

Employee Survey Ends FWI works with employers to help achieve the required 40%responserate

Round II Notification Finalists will be notified of final status by FWI

Community Leader

Application Process Steps Date NotesAward Event Celebrate! Community

leaders recognize Sloan Award recipients (honorable mention and applicants too) at an event.


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TIP ShEET: EXAmPLES OF WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY EDuCATIONAL PROGRAmS

Example 1 – Richmond SHRM

Wisdom from the Winners - 2011 Employer All-Star Winners Share Best Practices

Thursday, July 21, 2011 (7:15 AM - 9:00 AM)

This program has been approved for 1.00 (Strategic Business) Credit towards re-certification of a PHR, SHPR or GPHR certification. The use of this seal is not an endorsement by the HR Certification Institute on the quality of the program. It means that this program has met the HR Certification Institute’s criteria to be pre-approved for recertification credit.

Our Sponsor

Chapter Meeting - Wisdom from the Winners - 2011 Employer All-Star Winners Share Best Practices

7:15 AM to 9:00 AM (breakfast, networking and education included) 7:15 to 7:50 AM registration, breakfast and networking 7:50 to 8:00 AM announcements and sponsor message 8:00 to 9:00 AM educational program

Presented by: Panel of 2011 Employer All Star Award Winners

Richmond SHRM will be hosting the senior HR leaders from selected winners of the 2011 Employer All Star Awards to talk about their award-winning entries. Presenters are:

• EllenVance,VicePresidentandChiefHumanResourceOfficerforShelteringArmsRehabilitationCenters, winner of Best Recruitment, Engagement and Retention; Workforce Development; and Employer of Choice awards in the medium-sized company category.

• TammyCummings,SeniorVicePresident,HumanResources–FederalReserveBankofRichmond,winner of Best Recruitment, Engagement and Retention; and Diversity awards in the large company category.

• MariaCurran,ChiefHumanResourceOfficer–VirginiaCommonwealthUniversityHealthSystem,winner of the Employer of Choice award in the large company category.

After hearing brief presentations from each speaker regarding the key initiatives that earned their organization the award(s) they received, we will have a facilitated panel discussion focused on these leaders’ philosophy regarding HR’s role in the organization, and how they have positioned HR as a strategicpartner.ThiswillbefollowedbyanopenQ&Asession.

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Example 2 – Rochester Chamber of Commerce

When Work Works – Best Practice Roundtable

Category: Foundation Events Date: Thursday, January 19, 2012 – 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM Location: America’sBestValueInn(formerlyLaQuinta),1625S.Broadway Cost: $15 Members only, includes lunch

This is a collaborative roundtable with HRA. HRCI credits pending.

Register

MSV – Maximum Stakeholder Value

No matter your business, stakeholders expect that you’ll deliver the greatest value. That means you need a workforce that is fully committed to delivering that value. Cardinal of Minnesota will share its “formula” for maximizing stakeholder value by building an engaged workforce through a culture of Flexibility, Empowerment and Innovation. Join us on January 19th as Cardinal explores their approach to employee engagement and shares best practices.

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When Work Works roundtables focus on organizations and employees committed to organizational excellence and “making work work” in the 21st century workplace—for the employer and employee. Members of the roundtable:

• Engage(orconsideringactiveengagement)inourSloanAwardprocessandWhen Work Works initiative

• Sharebestpracticesandspecificchallengesyourorganizationfaceswhenimplementing flexibility

• Haveinterestinthelargestresearchonworkplaceflexibilityforbusinesseffectiveness

• Ideatewithorganizationsonnovelapproachestoaddressaneffectiveandflexibleworkplace culture

• Interactwithotherbusinessleaderswhowanttoincreaseandenhancetheirnetwork and innovation

http://www.rochestermnchamber.com/form/event-424

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How the Roundtable Works

1. Discussion topics are determined by the needs of the group. Topics may include: intergenerational differences and caregiving leave, enhancing productivity and profitability, driving down healthcare costs and promotion of health/wellness, optimizing talent, enhancing communications, etc. Specific topics will be posted one month prior to each session.

2. Participants benefit from the advice and mentoring of other members around the table, as well as outside experts as appropriate, on the business topics pursued by the group to achieve excellence in workplace flexibility and business effectiveness.

3. The When Work Works roundtables convene four times per year (November, January, March and August) at 7:30 a.m. on the first Wednesday of each that month. The exceptions being the November roundtable which will meet at 11:30a.m. on November 16, 2011 and this January roundtable. It is not mandatory that you attend every session, but the roundtables are built on a small-group concept, where members attend regularly.

4. For specific questions about the When Work Works roundtables, please contact Jess Ihrke – [email protected].


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Example 3 – Greater Providence Chamber / Rhode Island SHRM

Workplace Flexibility: The Next Imperative for Business Success and HR Leadership

Date: Wednesday, February 29, 2012 Time: 8:00 AM - 10:30 AM

The Crowne Plaza Hotel 801 Greenwich Avenue Warwick, RI 02886

WhyWorkplaceFlexibilityandWhyNow?Tocompeteandsucceed,andnotjustsurvive, organizations must adapt to the new realities in today’s global economy, as the traditional 9-5 workday is a thing of the past. Simply put, workplaces need to be flexible to fit the way people live and the way organizations operate in the 21st century. Creating more flexible work environments—such as job sharing, flexible scheduling, phased retirement, and telecommuting—that give people greater autonomy to decide how, where and when they do their best work, can drive employee engagement, productivity, retention, and benefit the bottom-line. Now, more than ever, bringing out the best in employees means creating an effective and flexible workplace; making workplace flexibility the “next” business imperative.

The keynote address will be presented by Lisa Horn, Senior Government Relations Advisor—Washington D.C.; Co-Leader, SHRM Workplace Flexibility Initiative; and on staff at the Society for Human Resource Management’s national corporate office. Also, a panel of experts—business leaders from organizations that have won the Sloan Award for Excellence in Effective and Flexible Workplaces—will share best practices and models for implementation. Our panelists represent: Atrion Networking Group, Embolden,andKPMG,LLP.The Presenting Sponsors of this event are KPMG and 360 Corporate Benefit Advisors.

This program, offered as a partnership with the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce and Rhode Island State Council of the Society for Human Resource Management, has been certified for two HRCI Strategic Credits.

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TIP ShEET: EvENT PLANNING ChECKLIST AND BuDGET WORKShEET FOR SLOAN AWARD

When planning your recognition event, consider the following tasks and how your volunteer committee may contribute to completing them.

Event Planning Checklist

Task Volunteer DeadlineDecide when and where the event will take place and who will make arrangements with the contact person at the facility hosting the eventOutline the program and who you wish to speak at the event or present the awardsContact speaker(s)Contact person who will distribute the awardsDecide who will order the awards personalized with the organization’s name Create the invitationCreate list of whom to invite including contact informationSendinvitations/trackRSVPsWrite and send press releases to local media, or call local media- follow up with important media by phone or emailPrepare and print the program agendaPreparenametags&welcometable,greet attendeesPrepare thank you notes Track the budget and pay expenses

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Budget for the Awards Ceremony

Expense Amount NotesFacilityInvitationsAwardsAV/ITequipmentRefreshmentsThank you notesSpeaker feesTravel expenses for speakers arriving from out of town

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TIP ShEET: EXAmPLES OF SLOAN AWARD RECOGNITION PROGRAmS

Example 1 – National Association of Mothers’ Centers

https://www.motherscenter.org/images/pdfs/Work_Life_Conference/RGB_090711_WORK_LIFE_NAMC_BROCHURE_Reduced_size_for_Web.pdf

Example 2 – Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce

http://www.chicagolandchamber.org/wdk_cc/wcm/resources/documents/event_documents/workplace_excellence/1136_6931160_01481/sloan_awards_8.10.11.pdf

Example 3 – TCT Enterprises

http://www.flexworks.org/fw-news/success4.shtml





http://www.flexworks.org/fw-news/success4.shtml

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Media Contacts: (Insert organization contact.)

KellySakai Families and Work Institute (212) 465-2044 x211 [email protected]

(Region/State) Employers Honored for Excellence in Workplace Effectiveness (Name of community partner) to present Alfred P. Sloan Award at (name of event)

City, state (Month, Day, 2012) – The (name of community partner) announced today the (Region/State) winners of the 2012 Alfred P. Sloan Award for Excellence in Workplace Effectiveness and Flexibility for their exemplary workplace practices.

Given by Families and Work Institute and the Society for Human Resource Management, the Sloan Award recognizes employers that have distinguished themselves in (Region/Sate) and across the country. Winners are identified through a rigorous selection process, which involves an evaluation of employers’ flexibility programs and practices (from telecommuting to job sharing to phased retirement programs) and a confidential employee survey.

(Name of community partner) is the official host of the Award in (Region/State).

(Quotefromorganizationsuchas:“Theseemployersuseflexibilityasaneffectiveworkplacestrategy and, in doing so, help their employees meet their work and life needs and help the organization achieve strong business results,” said (name) of (community partner). “We congratulate them for being a role model for other businesses.”

(Name of community partner) will recognize recipients of the Sloan Award for Excellence in Workplace Effectiveness and Flexibility at the (name of event) at (time) (date) at (place). (Optional: add a sentence about event speakers or a description of event.)

The (Region/State) recipients of the 2012 Alfred P. Sloan Award are:

• (Nameofwinner)

• (Nameofwinner)

• (Nameofwinner)

An initiative of Families and Work Institute (FWI) and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the Alfred P. Sloan Award for Excellence in Workplace Effectiveness and Flexibility is part of When Work Works, a national project to educate the business community on the value of workplace effectiveness and flexibility.

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Award winners will be featured in the next edition of the Guide to Bold New Ideas for Making Work Work. Information about innovative workplace practices will also be showcased at a national work-life conference and will be included in business education programming by FWI and SHRM.

Media: Press coverage of (name of local event) is welcomed. For more information, contact (name) at (contact information).

For more information about the When Work Works project and the Alfred P. Sloan Award for ExcellenceinWorkplaceEffectivenessandFlexibility,contactKellySakaiat212.465.2044ext.211or [email protected]. Or, visit www.whenworkworks.org.

###

About (name of community partner)

(Insert boilerplate)

About When Work Works

When Work Works is a national initiative, led by the partnership of Families and Work Institute (FWI) and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), to help organizations of all sizes and types become more successful by transforming the way they view and adopt effective and flexible workplaces. When Work Works is one of the foremost providers of resources, rigorous research and best practices on workplace effectiveness and flexibility in the nation. The initiative administers the prestigious Alfred P. Sloan Award for Excellence in Workplace Effectiveness and Flexibility annually, which recognizes exemplary employers for using flexibility as an effective workplace strategy to increase business and employee success. Visitwww.whenworkworks.org and follow us on Twitter @FWINews and @SHRM.

http://www.shrm.org/Conferences/worklife/Pages/default.aspx




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REFERENCES(Endnotes)

1 Families and Work Institute (2011). 2012 Guide to Bold New Ideas for Making Work Work. New York:

Families and Work Institute and the Society for Human Resource Management, 3-6.

2 Galinsky,E.,Sakai,K.&Wigton,T.(2011).WorkplaceFlexibility:FromResearchtoAction,Future of

Children 21(2), 141-161.

3 Aumann,K.,Galinsky,E.&Matos,K.(2011).The New Male Mystique. Retrieved from

http://familiesandwork.org/site/research/reports/newmalemystique.pdf

4 Bond,J.&Galinksy,E.(1997).National Study of the Changing Workforce Executive Summary.

Retrieved from http:// familiesandwork.org/site/research/summary/1997nscwsumm.pdf

5 Boushey, H. The new breadwinners. Retrieved from The Shriver Report web site: http://www.

shriverreport.com/awn/economy.php

6 Aumann,K.&Galinsky,E.(2008).The State of Health in the American Workforce: Does Having an

Effective Workplace Matter? Retrieved from http://www.familiesandwork.org/ site/research/reports/

HealthReport.pdf

7 Aumann,K.&Galinsky,E.(2008).The State of Health in the American Workforce: Does Having an

Effective Workplace Matter? Retrieved from http://www.familiesandwork.org/ site/research/reports/

HealthReport.pdf









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