Workers more satisfied, productive with flexible hours

[The Straight Story]

Workers more satisfied, productive with flexible hours
November 14, 2011 By Jared Wadley

(PhysOrg.com) -- Employers can expect higher worker satisfaction and production if the company offers flexible hours that allow employees to handle crises and short-term family commitments, a new University of Michigan study indicates.

When the demands of personal and family life come up against rigid company policies, workers often feel compelled to maneuver around these formal rules.

Lawrence Root, a professor at the School of Social Work, and the Alford Young, Jr. chair of the Department of Sociology in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, examined how Midwest factory workers created opportunities for short-term flexibility at their jobs.

The workers were able to cope with their family situations, such as dealing with child care or attending their child's sporting event, when they had sympathetic supervisors and supportive co-workers, the research showed.

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-11-workers-productive-flexible-hours.html

[redqueen]

1. Perfect Demotivational image for this headline.

:thumbsup:

[supernova]

2. Used to have flex time

when I worked in IT. It was a godsend. I didn't have family committments, but most of my colleagues did. For me it was more about, being able to schedule dr appts during normal hours, being able to run errands in the morning and not be considered "late." Ditto for traffic jams that had me sitting on the asphalt for an hour.

Here's the thing though, most people will naturally fall into a sort of schedule anyway that is right for them. The company only had one rule: you had to be there during "core" hours, 10-3 mostly so meetings could be scheduled. Other that that, we were free to schedule our day the way we needed.

If you're normal habits will change, let your colleagues know. That was it. it's the best way to do office work that I know of.