Talent Management - September 2008 - (Page 38)

recruitment & retention assessment & evaluation compensation & beneﬁts performance management learning & development succession planning consistent policies and procedures in place to manage these programs.” There is no one-size-ﬁts-all model for creative work solutions. Perhaps the best place to start creating policies and procedures is by researching best practices in the literature and among peers at other companies. Here are a few general guidelines: 1. Set clear expectations. Flexible arrangements call for extra clarity in setting deliverables, objectives and expectations and giving performance feedback. Communication frequency and quality are critical. When managers make their messages explicit, associates will know what is expected and can deliver accordingly. Clear and honest communication also is crucial in recruitment. Companies sometimes make the huge mistake of asserting their support of ﬂexible working arrangements without demonstrating it in action. When a company Web site or job announcements proudly proclaim ﬂexibility, a new hire had better not be told he or she is expected to work 8 to 5 Monday through Friday, without exception. 3. Invest in technology. Companies that choose to embrace a telecommuter model need to provide wireless laptops and PDAs. Individual employees cannot be expected to purchase these items. Remember, investments in technologies may be small compared to the savings realized from a reduced real-estate footprint or less ofﬁce equipment. 4. Consider generational differences. Different generations have different comfort levels using e-work technologies. Older workers may need extra encouragement to use instant messaging and text messaging, which can be second nature among younger workers. If 50-yearold managers are not comfortable communicating with direct reports who are in their 20s using the latest technologies, they may believe ﬂexible arrangements are not working. 5. Measure success. According to the Hewitt study, 71 percent of the employers surveyed did not measure the effectiveness of ﬂexible work programs, and only 14 percent measured results formally. It’s important to keep asking which ﬂexible practices contribute to retention and satisfaction and which do not. Further, where a substantial investment in technology has been made, continued measurement of the ROI and beneﬁts of ﬂexible arrangements will ensure these programs can be improved over time. Flexible working arrangements can include ﬂexible work hours, alternative schedules or work settings, telecommuting, job sharing and similar nontraditional ways to work. 2. Communicate honestly. Only 48 percent of the employers in the Hewitt study provided education and communication about their workplace ﬂexibility programs to all employees. If ﬂexible work arrangements are not managed and communicated well, resentment may arise when some workers are perceived as contributing less, whether that is a reality or not. If some business units or employees enjoy ﬂexible arrangements while others do not, be very clear in communicating the needs of the business and its customers to explain why differences in treatment are necessary. Giving people the ﬂexibility to work when and where they want is a compelling value proposition. The next step in the evolution of ﬂexible work is for e-work and other alternative work arrangements to replace corporate cubicles that are really just a step above the workhouses of the industrial revolution. Leading companies already are taking advantage of the vast beneﬁts of ﬂexible arrangements as modern society and the rise of the knowledge worker demand that talent managers change how people work and how performance is measured and rewarded. Ron Lawrence is vice president of organization development at VF Corp. He can be reached at editor@talentmgt.com. 38 September 2008 talent management magazine www.talentmgt.com http://www.talentmgt.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Talent Management - September 2008

Talent Management - September 2008 Editor's Letter Contents Human Performance: Stop Wasting Money on Training Leading Edge: No Whining, No Excuses Learning Connections: Do You Get It? The Untapped Resource Reinventing HR Doing Compensation Right: The Winning Spread Managing Performance in the Knowledge and Innovation Worker Age Stop-The-Clock Time Management Preparing for the Future in the Public Sector SAS: Connecting People, Process and Products Talent Transformation at Textron The Price of Finding the Right Gen Y Candidate Advertiser's Index Editorial Resources Full Potential: Do What You Love, Love What You Do

Talent Management - September 2008

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