Twitter: #workplaceflex January 23, 2014 Agenda nda Introduction - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Nat ation ional al Workp

• rkplace

lace Fl Flexi exibili bility ty Stu tudy dy Rev eveals eals Bes est t Pra ractices ctices fo for r Man anag agers ers Le Lead ading ng Fl Flexi exible ble Te Team ams

Twitter: #workplaceflex

January 23, 2014

Agenda nda

• Introduction
• Why study managers?
• Study Process
• Manager concerns about flexibility
• Flex Team Blueprint
• Study findings
• Next steps

Jennifer Sabatini Fraone Associate Director, Marketing and Communications Kyra Cavanaugh President Kathy Kacher President

Na National ional Wo Workplace kplace Fle Flexibi ibility lity Te Team

Na Nation ional al Wo Workplace kplace Fle Flexibi ibili lity ty Study udy Partners tners

Overal erall l Ma Manager ager and Te Team m Benef efits its

Fle Flexibi ibili lity ty Tr Traini ining ng for r Ma Managers gers

• Is training provided to managers about how to successfully manage

employees with flexible work arrangements? (n= 455)

Manager Training

Yes No

Poll lling ing Quest stion ion

What does workplace flexibility look like at your organizations?

Goal:

• Middle manager resistance identified in past studies as

barrier to full scale implementation

• Reduce manager resistance and improve business results by

providing managers with a process to apply flex at a team level

• Determine role of support activities for managers in culture

change

Na Nation ional al Wo Workplace kplace Fle Flexibi ibili lity ty Study udy Purpose pose

Process

• cess

• Tech support/help desk for remote work
• Negative impact on productivity
• Policies are ambiguous or unclear
• Negative impact on customers
• Don't understand how to evaluate requests
• Staying connected as a team
• Managing employees on flex makes my job more complicated
• Not sure if employees are working when I can’t see them
• Perception of playing favorites
• Flexibility is used inappropriately

Phase ase 1: To Top Ma Manager ager Co Concerns cerns About ut Fle Flex

• Flex Team Agreement (Values & Behaviors)
• Communication and Team-Building Tactics
• Performance Management Strategies
• Culture Map
• Technology Optimization
• Individual and Team Metrics

Phase ase 2 : Fle Flex Te Team m Tr Traini ining g

Phase ase 3: Fle Flex Te Team m Blue lueprin print

• Weekly Reinforcement Emails
• 2-Weeks Post Training/Coaching: Manager

Blueprint for Flex

• 6-Weeks Post Training/Coaching: Where are Your
• n the Flexible Manager Scale?
• 12-Weeks Post Training/Coaching:

Best Practice Sharing

Phase ase 4: Ma Manager ager Support port Acti tivities vities

• Managers feel more knowledgeable and better prepared to

lead flexible teams.

• Manager concerns related to flexible work decreased.
• By engaging managers in flex activities/ communications,

employees’ attitudes about flex changed as well.

• Employees perceive their managers to be more supportive of

flexibility.

• Perception of leadership support for flexibility improved.
• Organizational culture shifted in a positive direction.
• Engagement scores increased.

Study udy Fin Findings ings

Managers’ Understanding of Flexibility Increased

Ma Manager ager Co Concerns cerns De Decreas reased ed

Emp mployees' loyees' Perception rception of Fle Flex Imp mproved roved

Th The Cu Cult lture ure Around und Fle Flex Imp mproved roved

Overal erall l Ma Manager ager and Te Team m Benef efits its

“Regardless of how well-designed a company’s approach to workplace flexibility is, if managers aren’t

• n board and don’t have the skills to manage

effectively, it will flounder. It’s as simple as that this study is proof positive that it is possible to properly equip managers, even those who might be resistant, to succeed in leading a flexible team.”

Quote

• te from
• m De

Delt lta a Eme merson, rson, Ch Chief ief of Staff, aff, Ry Ryan n LLC

Your r Ne Next t Steps ps

• Assess the attitudes of managers in

your organization

• Engage managers to build flex culture
• Invest in training and support activities
• Show managers how flex can help

them improve performance

• Speak their language

Questions estions

http://workplaceflex.org