Corporate Voices for Working Families released a new workplace flexibility study last week (the same day Michelle Obama spoke at their forum in D.C.) that once again demonstrates the importance of flexible work in meeting business objectives. The new angle? Flexibility matters for hourly workers too.

From the findings…

• Flex has a positive impact on personnel costs, particularly overtime
• Flex works well for companies that need staffing beyond 9 to 5
• Flex allows companies to tap a wider labor pool
• Flex helps recruitment in a tough labor market
• Flex helps with retention in high turnover positions
• Formal or informal – it doesn’t matter as long as employees can flex

Apologies and all due respect to Corporate Voices (and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation which funded the study), but haven’t we already proven the business case for flex? When are we going to shift from rationale to implementation? What we really need to figure out is how to create change in the least disruptive, least threatening way possible.

We need to focus on TRAINING and HANDS ON SUPPORT for managers. We need to get out from behind our desks and fund a little more hand to hand combat in the workplace. Show our business leaders how to make these changes. Enable them. Empower them. Model and mentor the way.

How about an AmeriCorps style program for workplace flexibility??  Hire flex consultants and seasoned leaders and station them in communities all over the country and charge them with providing one-on-one support for flexible workplaces.

How many workplaces could have been mentored, how many families affected…for the cost of one more study?

Posted by Jaime