FLEXIBLE WORK OPTIONS
TRAINING MATERIALS

FOR
MANAGERS AND STAFF
1999

Division of Human Resources
Quality of Worklife Programs

 

Section 1

Flexible Work Option Task Force
Training Session Goals
Division of Human Resources Information

Section 2

FLEXIBLE WORK OPTIONS OVERVIEW

What are Flexible Work Options?
Why Are Flexible Work Options Important Now?
How Do We Know Flexible Work Options Work?
What Does Flexibility Look Like?
What Will Encourage Successful Outcomes?
Guidelines for Success

Section 3
Case Studies
Sample Flexible Work Option Proposal
Sample Flexible Work Arrangement Agreement
Manager's Flexible Work Options Tool Kit
School/Center Leadership
The Supervisor's Role
Working Through Challenges
Considering a Flexible Work Option Proposal
Staff Member's Flexible Work Options Tool Kit
Considering a Flexible Work Arrangement
Your Needs
Your Job
Benefits
Possible Challenges
Possible Supervisory Concerns
Staff Contribution

Section 4

Flexible Work Options Details
Flextime
Flexplace
Sample Flexplace Agreement Addendum
Compressed Work Schedules
Part-time Assignments
Job Sharing

Section 5

Frequently Asked Questions

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SECTION 1

FLEXIBLE WORK OPTION TASK FORCE

Salim M. Alani	Director of Audit/University
Donna Arthur	Recruitment Coordinator, School of Law
James Bean	Director of Operations, Facilities
Amy Bosio	Associate Treasurer
Glenn Bryan	Director of the Office of City and Community Relations
Christine Davies	Administrative Assistant, Academic Support Programs
Brenda Fraser	Associate General Counsel, Office of General Counsel
Dr. Stewart Friedman	Director, Wharton Leadership Program
Douglas Frenkel	Practice Professor of Law, School of Law
John J. Heuer	Vice President, Division of Human Resources
Marilyn Kraut	Director, Quality of Worklife Programs, Division of Human Resources
Dr. Robin Leidner	Associate Professor & Undergraduate Chair, Department of Sociology, School of Arts and Sciences
Marilyn Lucas	Executive Director, Medical Center Development and Alumni Affairs
Victoria Mulhern	Director of Faculty Affairs & Administrative Director of Post Doctorate Programs School of Medicine
Patricia Pancoast	Manager, Operational Services, School of Engineering and Applied Science
Susan Peterson-Pace	Office Coordinator, Vice Provost for University Life
Amy Reisch	Co-Director, Focus on the Health of Women
Jo Anne Saporito	Associate Director, Institute for Research on Higher Education
Dr. Susan Silverton	AADS Enid Neidle Scholar & ACE Fellow Assistant Professor Department of Oral Medicine, School of Dental Medicine
Margaret Hagans Smith	Director, Human Resources/Administration, Information Systems and Computing
Elaine Spiro	Senior Compensation Specialist, Division of Human Resources
Marie Witt	Acting Vice President for Business Services

TRAINING SESSION GOALS

Our Goals:

This session will cover:

1- An overview of flexible work options

2- Benefits and challenges of flexible work options

3- Guidelines for encouraging success

4- An approach for staff members to assess flexible work arrangements considering personal needs, preferences, strengths, and the work and work environment

5- An approach for managers to review flexible work proposals

6- Options for overcoming challenge

7- An overview of the manual as a resource tool

Your Goals:

Please take some time to consider why you are here, what brought you to this training, and what you hope to come away with.

Why are you here?

What would you like to gain from this training?

After completing this training, additional assistance is available through the Quality of Worklife Office at 898-0380 or from your Staff and Labor Relations Specialist at 898-6093.

If you have suggestions for improving this training, please provide this feedback on the training evaluation form provided at the end of this session. Your feedback will help us improve this training for future participants.

DIVISION OF HUMAN RESOURCES INFORMATION

This training session has been brought to you by the Division of Human Resources Training Department and Quality of Worklife Programs.

QUALITY OF WORKLIFE PROGRAMS

Quality of Worklife (QOWL) programs are designed to help Penn faculty and staff have productive, constructive and enjoyable work lives by offering programs and services for:

WORKLIFE BALANCE

- LifeBalance Dependent Care Resource and Referral Program (1-888-203-6847)

Free phone consultation and education in child care, elder care and education/schooling related issues, plus referrals to related programs and services.

- Snow Day Child Care Program (Call 898-0380 or see the QOWL web site)

Near campus drop-in snow day child care for registered families

HEALTH PROMOTION

- PENN-Friends Employee Assistance Program (1-888-321-4433)

Free, confidential counseling services for Penn faculty, staff and immediate family.

- Annual Health Fair (See Appreciation Days information on QOWL web site)

- Health promotion programs throughout the year, such as flu shots and health screenings (See QOWL web site and watch for Almanac announcements)

APPRECIATION AND RECOGNITION

- Fall Family Day (See QOWL web site and watch for Almanac announcements)

Saturday picnic and football game for Penn faculty, staff, family members and friends

- Spring Appreciation Days (See QOWL web site and watch for Almanac announcements)

Mid-week lunch and entertainment and Health Fair

- Service Recognition Program (See QOWL web site and watch for School/Center presentations) Gifts and letters of appreciation for length of service milestones

- President's Reception for Faculty and Staff with Twenty-Five (25) Years of Service

More details about these programs and services can be found at http://www.hr.upenn.edu/quality.

SECTION 2
FLEXIBLE WORK OPTIONS OVERVIEW

WHAT ARE FLEXIBLE WORK OPTIONS

Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures, flexible work arrangements, time worked does not equate to achieved outcomes. Outcomes are based on the staff member's achievement of results and use of competencies critical to achieving those results. Except in the case of conversion from full-time to a less-than-full time schedule, such as for a part-time assignment or job share, the total numbers of hours worked and expected productivity remain the same.

Typical flexible work options are:

Flextime: The most requested, easiest to manage and the most affordable FWO, flextime offers flexibility in arrival, departure and/or lunch times, typically with a designated core-time mid-day during which all staff are present.

Flexplace: This arrangement allows for a portion of the job to be performed off-site, on a regular, recurring basis. The majority of work time is spent at the office and the off-site work typically is done at home. It may be the most complicated flexible work option to arrange since it generally requires electronic equipment and technological support.

Note: Flexplace does not connote the professional or management practice of working at home after-hours to work on reports or presentations or to catch up on reading. For University purposes, Flexplace also does not represent an off-site work arrangement implemented by the organization to meet organizational goals and requiring use of electronic equipment and technology to complete the work assignment. This is referred to as Telecommuting assignment. Most or all of the work is performed at the off-site location.

Compressed Work Schedules: A traditional 35-40 hour work week is condensed into fewer than five days of work. This option is more easily applied to non-exempt (weekly paid) staff for whom maximum work hours are identified, but it is not ruled out for monthly paid staff who may work more than 40 hours during the work week. The Fair Labor Standards Act requires weekly paid staff to be paid overtime if they work over 40 hours in a work week.

Part-time work is a regular arrangement for between 17.5 and 28 hours a week. This is different from a temporary work assignment where an employee is expected to have a temporary, non-recurring relationship to the workplace and does not receive paid time off.

Job sharing allows two staff members to share the responsibilities of one full-time position, typically with a prorated salary and paid time off. This is not the same as a part-time job. Each staff member shares a specific proportion of a full-time position. Creative and innovative schedules can be designed to meet the needs of the job sharers and the office. Note: If one position is scheduled for less than 17.5 hours a week, it becomes temporary and cannot retain regular part-time status.

See Section 4 for more details regarding specific flexible work arrangements.

WHY ARE FLEXIBLE WORK OPTIONS IMPORTANT NOW?

Flexible work options respond to significant changes at work and home during the past few decades. Examples of these changes are:

Women with young children are the fastest growing segment of the work force.
Men are more involved in family and home care responsibilities.
Eighty-five percent (85%) of all workers have family care responsibilities.
Our society is aging. Twenty-five percent (25%) of all workers have elder care responsibilities.
More focus is being placed on work and personal goals and responsibilities.

Educational and research environments have not been immune to these changes. We feel their influence more strongly now at Penn than ever before. Flexible work arrangements respond to these issues by supporting efforts to manage the demands of work, personal commitments and individual needs.

HOW DO WE KNOW FLEXIBLE WORK OPTIONS WORK?

National surveys show that workers seek flexibility as the key response to the competing demands of work and personal responsibilities. A recent study found that the number one work factor correlating with workforce commitment was management's recognition of the importance of personal and family life and support for these obligations. Flexible work options provide the support and flexibility workers seek.

Many corporations with formal flexible work programs have reported positive outcomes:

a. To the Organization

Reduced tardiness and absence
Reduced turnover
Potential for increased productivity through:
Improved morale
Greater commitment
Work organized to respond to individual work styles (ex: early versus late energy)
Expanded coverage
Reduced work and/or parking space demands/costs

b. For the individual

Uninterrupted time for creative, repetitive, or highly detailed work
Reduced commuting costs and wear and tear
Reduced stress
Ability to work in alignment with personal work rhythms/styles
Improved morale

WHAT DOES FLEXIBILITY LOOK LIKE?

There have been many journal and newspaper articles written on flexible work arrangements, how they look and how they work. We could describe them here. Instead we are going to describe the many varied flexible work arrangements at Penn that we learned of during our focus group discussions. We found they exist in every type of work environment and for almost every type of job on campus in a broader way than we had imagined.

The focus groups involved 70+ individuals in the Schools of Medicine, Nursing and Arts and Sciences and the Divisions of Business Services, Development and Alumni Relations, Finance, Human Resources and Internal Audit. We found that each focus group contained individuals working flexibly now and many participants knew of colleagues with flexible schedules. 51% of focus group participants have either pre-school age or school age children. 26% have elder care responsibilities. 21% attend classes at Penn or are participating in long-term training. 35% had substantial community service commitments. These were drivers for interest in flexible work arrangements. Some examples of these arrangements are:

Staff with approved early or late arrival or departure schedules in order to deal with dependent care issues or to attend classes.

Several staff described four day (Compressed) work weeks, in one case to offset a very long and arduous commute, in another, to manage a complicated child care arrangement.

There were many examples of faculty, professionals and administrators telecommuting either regularly or occasionally, depending on the demands of the work and/or the need for time away from the hustle and bustle of the office to work on special assignments.

One center has moved all professional staff out of the office into home offices. They have gone completely virtual, with space on campus available by reservation if special meetings at Penn are required.

A job share and several part-time arrangements were described.

Some jobs with late night and weekend demands included occasional time away from the job during the week as a compensation for these long hours, especially at certain times during the school year.

An administrator of a large clinical environment described implementing the full range of flexible work options to support staff needs, encourage productivity and expand service hours and availability.

These are just a few of the examples described during focus group discussions. You may know of others. At the same time, there may be many flexible work arrangements around you of which you are not aware. Many focus group members with flexible work arrangements had kept these arrangements quiet, so as not to jeopardize them.

WHAT WILL ENCOURAGE SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES?

The University is a decentralized organization with diverse work environments. No one flexible work arrangement can apply, and no practice can be appropriate for all situations. Therefore, this information is offered in the form of guidelines rather than policy. However, many Penn environments can utilize at least one flexible work arrangement successfully if the job, person, environment, and work situation are appropriate for the arrangement and recommended protocols are followed. These protocols are described below. They are gleaned from best practices in corporate and academic environments where flexible work options have been in operation for some time.

GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS:

1. The arrangement must support the organization's goals, including cost-effectiveness and customer service.

2. The assignment must be appropriate for the flexible work arrangement and equipment, systems or materials must be available during non-traditional hours or outside of the workplace.

3. The supervisor and School/Center leadership must approve the plan and be prepared to manage the work under the conditions of the arrangement. Each school and center will determine the appropriate individual(s) to approve these arrangements in addition to the immediate supervisor.

Note: The provisions of Policy #620: Staff Grievance Procedure, do not apply to decisions regarding flexible work options.

4. The individual's work style and history must support the demands of the arrangement.

5. Special arrangements for communication and accountability must be established.

6. An effort should be made to maintain a collegial environment, through special opportunities for unit members to have shared hours and constructive interactions.

7. Written plans must be developed for the flexible work arrangement to document the understanding between all involved parties.

8. A pilot time frame is often helpful for trying out a flexible work arrangement prior to making a long term commitment to it by either party (management or staff member).

9. All must be prepared to return to pre-flexibility arrangements if the situation requires.

SECTION 3

CASE STUDIES

While there are many benefits that have been documented for flexible work arrangements, it is acknowledged that there can be challenges to implementing and managing them. We will break into groups to discuss the three case studies outlined below. Each group will present on:

1- Analysis of the challenges. What are they?

2- What solutions could be considered for dealing with these challenges?

3- What resistance might exist for the solutions?

4- What approaches might reduce resistance to the solutions that could be proposed?

Case Study 1

A high volume customer service department has announced its support of work flexibility. When announced, all members of the staff request a compressed work week with Friday's off. However, this office needs to be open Monday through Friday providing service all week long. Consider this scenario as applying to a five (5) person office as well as a fifteen (15) person office.

[Trainer's notes: In this case, we discuss the approaches for finding scheduling arrangements that accommodate most if not all staff needs. It is helpful to have all involved staff participate in the discussion. The staff members may be able to work out a schedule that is satisfactory to each individual while assuring that the organization's needs are met.

Examples of solutions that are successful include: a) encouraging staff to negotiate among themselves until days off are spread out evenly to avoid disruption of work, and/or b) establishing a basis for who will be able to choose first a specific day off, such as seniority or personal need (although personal need is generally avoided in flexible arrangement requests as long as organizational needs are being met). The least successful approach is a management imposed rotation of each individual's day off. Often a compressed work arrangement is desired to meet a personal commitment that cannot rotate throughout the week.]

Case Study 2

Most of the staff in a specific office can utilize and perhaps benefit from flextime, flexplace and compressed work week arrangements. However, the two support staff are key to the work done by the rest of the office and if they are not there to take care of everyone's immediate needs, the flow in the office is affected. Is it unfair for all but the support staff to have access to flexible work arrangements? How might support staff benefit from flexible work arrangements? What can be done about potential complaints of unfairness that may arise?

[Trainer's notes: In this case we review the possibility of offering flexibility to all staff members, even if this means allowing for a fifteen, twenty or thirty minute adjustment to start/stop or middle of the day time for lunch. This small amount of flexibility may mean a lot to someone with personal commitments that are out of balance with the original work schedule. Generally, support staff can take advantage of flextime scheduling without disruption to the organization. When the support staff member is not in the work place due to the flexible schedule, operational needs are met by using methods employed when the support staff member is absent for paid time off, sick leave, training, etc. By offering some type of flexibility to all, the manager can defray complaints of unfairness. Individuals who need more flexibility than is feasible for the specific job assignment may seek professional development coaching on options for preparing for or finding job opportunities at the University that allow for more flexibility.]

Case Study 3

An individual has requested a flexplace arrangement to work from home one or two days a week. She has a very complicated commute and would like to reduce the number of days she has to make this trip. She does not have a computer or modem to be able to do the kind of work that would be most suited for work at home and would like the office to provide it. Additionally, she would like the office to pick up the expenses associated with working from home, including the cost for hooking up the equipment and costs associated with use of telephone lines when connected on line to systems that she needs to review to complete some of her work. The budget cannot cover these costs, which may be close to $4-5,000. The staff member has threatened to quit and seek a job closer to home if it can not be worked out.

[Trainer's notes: Commuting problems can be resolved through more than one flexible work arrangement. For example, a compressed work schedule or flextime arrangement to avoid rush hour traffic can reduce the demands of commuting. These options avoid the cost or need for a home office.

It is important for a staff member to realize that there are personal needs that the office may not be able to accommodate, and there are situations that make it infeasible for the office to do so. This position may not be deemed appropriate for a flexplace arrangement. Or it may be appropriate for this, and resources may be available for one home office set up, but not for all who may want the same type of support for a home office. If it is an appropriate flexplace assignment, and this is preferred to other flexible work options, the staff member can check with ISC's Computer Connection for clearance and special purchase options and/or contact the University's Credit Union for economical loan arrangements for these purchases, as alternative options for meeting the financial demands of setting up a home office.

SAMPLE FORMS

SAMPLE FLEXIBLE WORK OPTION PROPOSAL

A well written proposal lays out a plan for implementation that should be acceptable to all affected parties (supervisor, staff member and colleagues).

To: Supervisor's name

From: Your name

Re: Proposal for (FWO) arrangement

Date: Date

As a staff member of (name of division or department) for (X) years, I propose adjusting my work plan to incorporate (X option) into my work assignment. I have considered the needs of our (department/office/unit/etc.) and the expectations of my position and have identified several potential benefits to this arrangement:

Highlight opportunities for improved cost effectiveness and customer satisfaction, where possible.

I believe that this will be a successful arrangement because:

Describe aspects of the job that make this option feasible

Describe the way this arrangement will meet the needs of the organization, supervisor, colleagues, and customers.

This arrangement will be most successful if we:

List opportunities for enhanced communication and management of work.

I feel that my work record as a (personal characteristic(s)* needed to implement arrangement) will support this arrangement. To further ensure success, I plan to:

Discuss specific plans for implementation.

(*i.e.: self-directed, goal oriented, self-disciplined, reliable, independent, hard-working, etc.)

I would like to discuss this proposal with you further and address any concerns that you may have. I understand that you are responsible for the success of this organization and must determine whether or not this plan fits appropriately within the goals for the office. I also understand that approval of this proposal means that we will pilot the arrangement, and that we may need to make adjustments to this plan or I may need to return to my original work schedule/arrangement if this is not going well or the needs of the organization require this.

SAMPLE FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENT AGREEMENT

Once a proposal is approved, an agreement such as the one below is required to help clarify for all involved parties the specifics and expectations of the arrangement.

From: Supervisor

To: Requestor

Subject: Agreement for (pilot?) Flexible Work Arrangement

Date:

The following details the specifics and expectations of the flexible work arrangement which you will assume as of (date):

1. The details of your (FWO) arrangement are as follows:

2. The following changes in my approach to communicating work expectations and/or office policy and practices will be implemented to accommodate this change:

3. The following changes will be made in the way you communicate your questions about work, provide finalized work and maintain connections with this office to accommodate this change:

4. We will meet every ______ (period) to discuss how this arrangement is going and to make adjustments as needed.

5. (If piloted) This arrangement will be piloted for _____ amount of time, at the end of which time, we will review the arrangement and determine whether or not it will continue.

6. If at any time this arrangement no longer serves your purposes or the needs of the organization, the arrangement may be discontinued.

7. If, for any reason, the arrangement is terminated during the pilot period or at the end of this period, or at some future point in time, and if you decide that you do not wish to return to your former traditional work schedule/arrangement and leave the position, you will be considered as having resigned and will not be entitled to position discontinuation and staff transition benefits.

8. This work arrangement will have no effect on your salary, or job responsibilities. [The language for this point will be different if the position is converting from a full-time to a less than full-time assignment. In this case it is advisable to contact the Penn Benefits Center at 1-888-PENNBEN to determine benefits adjustments that may apply to this new arrangement.]

9. It is expected that this work arrangement will not reduce your productivity.

10. If organizational needs require, there may be times when it will be necessary for you to forgo your flexible work arrangement to support unusual projects or conditions in the office. It is expected that you will make every attempt to adjust your schedule accordingly. Similarly, I will take into consideration your flexible work arrangement when scheduling meetings or gatherings that require all staff to be in attendance or when distributing workload.

11. The following equipment will be necessary for this flexible work arrangement. It (will, will not) be provided by the University for your use:

12. You will have the following responsibility regarding equipment provided by the University for this flexible work arrangement:

• Maintenance costs
• Replacement costs in case of loss or theft
• Insurance deductible costs in the amount of $______ in case of loss or theft
• Return of this equipment to the University in the condition in which it was received, except for normal wear and tear, at the end of this flexible work arrangement or the end of employment by the University 
• Other:

13. Additional provisions for this arrangement include: (Please List)

I have read the above and discussed the terms and conditions with the undersigned supervisor and agree to all aspects of this agreement.

REQUESTOR______________________________________________ DATE ________

SUPERVISOR _____________________________________________ DATE ________

SCHOOL/CENTER APPROVAL _______________________________ DATE ________

MANAGER'S FLEXIBLE WORK OPTIONS TOOL KIT

SCHOOL/CENTER LEADERSHIP CONTRIBUTION

School and Center leadership can significantly impact the success of flexible work options in their environment. Research has shown that these programs are most successful when the following occurs:

1- Vocal support for the program. Stories of success due to these new work behaviors reinforce their use.

2- Modeling of the new behaviors. When leadership selects a flexible work behavior (e.g., leaving early one day after several days of extra hours for a special project, working at home to focus on a special task) and acknowledges this to the group, its use is endorsed for others.

3- A simple, well-communicated sign-off process. Agreements for flexible work arrangements must have School/Center leadership sign-off confirming the supervisor's decision to accept a flexible work arrangement proposal. The guidelines offered by the Division of Human Resource and FWO Task Force do not delineate a specific approach for this. Rather, each School and Center should develop a process for approving these agreements that is simple to implement and well understood by supervisors.

THE SUPERVISOR'S ROLE

Supervisors are responsible for maximizing resources and utilizing staff talents. They are best positioned to understand the demands of the work and individual capabilities. They must be comfortable with the request and prepared to manage the work under the conditions of the arrangement. Supervisors can improve the chances of a successful flexible work arrangement by:

1. Focusing on the organizational benefits derived by supporting flexible work arrangements, including reduced absenteeism and turnover and increased productivity and commitment.

2. Supporting the concept verbally and through personal modeling of balanced work practices.

3. Making an effort to work through problems and/or obstacles that may arise.

4. Communicating effectively defined tasks and expectations.

5. Assuring that written documentation of the arrangement is in place with signatures by all involved parties, including School/Center leadership.

6. Measuring performance by results rather than through direct observation.

7. Applying management skills that apply to everyday issues, such as assuring resources are available for the tasks at hand, supporting professional development, managing performance issues, and offering clear concise communication of organizational goals and expectations and their relationship to the overall mission of the University.

8. Providing regular feedback on performance.

9. Reversing a plan if it is not serving the organization's needs.

After you have completed this training, come back to this page and give some thought to any additional actions you can take to further encourage success of flexible work options in your work environment.

Please let the Quality of Worklife Office (898-0380, ) know of ideas you would like to see added to the FWO website.

WORKING THROUGH CHALLENGES

Discussion of the case studies found on pages 9 and 10 offered an approach for working through some of the challenges presented by flexible work arrangements. Of course, these case studies cannot cover all of the challenges that may be experienced. This exercise may have brought to mind other issues that are likely to come up when implementing and managing flexible work options. On your own, please take some time to think about other challenges that have concerned you or that you believe may arise and options for working through these issues to conclusions that may work for all parties. This will help prepare you for these challenges if they do come up.

If there are issues that you believe are likely to arise for which you have no solutions, please call the Quality of Worklife Office (898-0380) or Staff Relations (898-6093) for assistance.

CHALLENGE	POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

 

CONSIDERING A FLEXIBLE WORK OPTION PROPOSAL

When you receive a flexible work option proposal, it is important to utilize the guidelines for success (pages 8, 15, and 16) for reviewing, supporting and implementing these arrangements. To encourage high quality proposals, you may find it helpful to coach staff members on how to think through all of the issues and implications of the arrangement they are seeking and convey information that can be applied to the situation. In addition to improving the quality of the proposals you receive, this exercise will help candidates pre-screen themselves if their job, environment and/or work history are inappropriate for specific flexible work arrangements.

If the proposal is approved, you will need to arrange for documentation of the arrangement. The sample flexible work arrangement agreement on page 12 is provided for this purpose. It is designed to provide all the information you and your staff would need to know and understand about the way the flexible work arrangement will operate and the opportunities and limits of the arrangement. It also provides an area for documenting School/Center Leadership approval of the arrangement, if the School/Center designates additional levels of review. As mentioned above, each School and Center will determine its process for confirming approval of flexible work proposals.

The detailed information provided in Section 4 is offered to further help you consider the issues and benefits of specific arrangements and options for improving their success. This information is provided as reference material for you. Additionally, we have included the Frequently Asked Questions from the Introductory Guide for your information.

If the proposal is going to be denied, it is important to document the reasons for the denial in terms of objective criteria based on organizational needs and/or performance issues.

Remember, assistance for supporting either approval or denial of a request for a flexible work arrangement is available through the Quality of Worklife Office (898-0380) and from your Staff and Labor Relations Specialist (898-6093).

STAFF MEMBER'S FLEXIBLE WORK OPTIONS TOOL KIT

CONSIDERING A FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENT

The next several pages describe an approach for considering whether or not a flexible arrangement is appropriate for you, your assignment and your work environment. You may not have time to complete this exercise during the training. That is okay. You will be able to take home this guidebook and finish the exercise later. Our goal is to familiarize you with the process and offer some guidance on how to approach these tasks. You will want to give each of the following questions significant thought and attention. They will set the foundation for your proposal to your supervisor. They also will alert you to problems which must be solved before a flexible work arrangement is likely to be approved, or before it can work successfully.

Do not be surprised if, after careful consideration, you conclude that a flexible work arrangement is not for you. These arrangements are not appropriate for everyone. There are individuals who will not enjoy or need a flexible schedule because traditional arrangements work fine for them. There are individuals who need a great deal of supervision of prefer working in a collaborative environment when others are around. These individuals should not propose a flexible work arrangement, or should limit it to a small amount of flexibility.

There are positions that are not designed to operate flexibly and/or organizations in which your preferred arrangement will not work. You may decide this is fine, or you may keep your eye out for other positions at Penn that allow for more flexibility. Fortunately, many positions at Penn can be modified, even if slightly, to offer some modicum of flexibility.

When trying to determine your interest in a flexible work arrangement, consider the following:

1. What are your flexibility needs and what conditions create these needs?

2. What type of flexible work arrangement(s) would meet these flexibility needs? Why?

3. Think about your job. Briefly write down what you do (For example: answer phones, design programs, coordinate parties, manage finances for the team, unit, et.). Also think about how your job is viewed by your supervisor. Are there differences between your perspective and your supervisor's? Use the grid below to consider this:

	Through my eyes	Through my supervisor's eyes
Responsibilities (% of time)
My support for others
My support to my supervisor
Key meetings
Customer service issues

4. What aspects of your job can be handled within the type of flexible arrangement you described above? (during off-hours, from home, in a part-time assignment, shared with another?)

5. What benefits would your supervisor/office/colleagues experience if you worked flexibly?

NOTE: This is the most important aspect to your discussion with your supervisor. The benefits to the organization are the primary consideration for introducing a flexible work arrangement.

BENEFIT	WHO?	HOW?
Example: Extended coverage through flextime arrangements. Some work early, some late.	The organization's customers.	Flextime allows for the office to be open earlier and later than previously scheduled. Since there are students who would like to access our services before and after classes, this would improve our support to them.

6. What challenges may come up with this arrangement? Any suggestions for solutions?

Keep in mind that a flexplace arrangement may require equipment, technology, systems and support that can be expensive and complicated to arrange. University systems that you use may not be accessible during non-traditional work hours. Additionally, there are benefits changes that occur when moving from full-time to part-time work. For specifics regarding any impact to your benefits for part-time work (for part-time and job shared assignments), contact the Penn Benefits Center at 1-888-PENNBEN. All of these factors need to be considered before a flexible work arrangement can be finalized.

CHALLENGE	SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS	POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
Example: You would like to work a compressed work schedule with Friday off, however a colleague is requesting the same arrangement and one of you has to be here on Fridays.	Your colleague has seniority at Penn and a compelling reason for Fridays off. You also have a compelling reason for taking Fridays off.	The supervisor may resolve this conflict. Sometimes competing demands for the same arrangements are resolved by team consensus. Seniority may be the determining factor. You may be able to negotiate taking turns on Fridays off. Another person in the office may be selected to cover your work or key tasks on Fridays. All of this requires supervisor approval.

7. What concerns might your supervisor have with this proposal? Any suggestions for solutions? (If you are not sure what concerns might exist, colleagues may be able to give you a fresh perspective on this and help you to appreciate the organizational perspective on this.)

CONCERNS	SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS	POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
The supervisor needs your support throughout the day.	You feel you would be more productive if you could have some time in the office prior to the supervisor's arrival to catch up on projects.	One plan of action is to: 1- Determine when the workload has peaks and valleys during the day and design a flextime plan that assures you are available during peak times. 2- Determine the likely impact of your absence at the end of the day, you explore options for alternate support during the time you would not be in the office when the supervisor is. 3- Suggest methods for communicating during times when you are not both at work. 4- Ask to pilot the modified schedule to see the impact of this adjustment. Note: You may have to return to the original schedule if the pilot is not successful.

PROPOSING AND FINALIZING FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENTS

On pages 11, 12 and 13 are sample forms for proposing a flexible work arrangement to your supervisor and finalizing the arrangements. The information you have considered above should provide adequate information to complete the proposal. It should be completed as comprehensively as possible with information that will cover as many of the issues that you can anticipate.

If the proposal is approved, you will want to have a Flexible Work Arrangement Agreement. If you will have a flexplace arrangement, please see the Sample Flexplace Addendum on page 40. These spell out the details of flexible arrangements and the expectations that you each have for the plan. It also will make it easier for you to communicate to a new supervisor the basis for your special arrangement if there is a transition in leadership.

The Flexible Work Arrangement Agreement may be completed by your supervisor, however, you may want to prepare a draft for his/her consideration to help make this process go more easily.

In Section 4 you will find detailed information regarding flexible work arrangements. This information is provided as reference material for you. Additionally, we have included the Frequently Asked Questions from the Introductory Guide for your information. Both will serve to help you with your proposal and agreement details.

Remember, assistance is available through the Quality of Worklife Office (898-0380) and from your Staff and Labor Relations Specialist (898-6093). The more prepared you are for discussions with these Human Resources professionals, the more productive the discussion will be.

SECTION 4

FLEXIBLE WORK OPTIONS A MORE DETAILED LOOK

WHAT IS FLEXTIME?

Flextime is the most requested, easiest to manage and the most affordable flexible work option. Flextime offers flexibility in arrival, departure and/or lunch times. Flextime hours typically are built around central core hours if office coverage, customer service, or staff interaction considerations exist. However, not all jobs require the schedule to be built around core hours, or core hours may or may not be adhered to every workday.

WHY MIGHT FLEXTIME BE REQUESTED?

The following are examples of situations that spur requests for Flextime arrangements:

A staff member would like to start and leave thirty minutes earlier than the traditional office hours in order to retrieve his pre-schooler from day care and avoid late penalties that are being charged whenever traffic is bad.

A staff member would like to arrive fifteen minutes earlier than others in the office and leave thirty minutes later in order to have an extra forty-five minutes during lunch to exercise in the new fitness facility at Gimbel Gym.

HOW DOES FLEXTIME WORK?

Flextime scheduling options include:

a. Individualized starting and quitting times that remain constant throughout the workweek or longer (weekly, monthly, quarterly, or at some other logical interval).

Staff member 1 (on a 35 hour a week schedule) works 8:00 a.m. through 4:00 p.m. daily.

Staff member 2 (on a 35 hour a week schedule) works 9:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. daily.

b. Individualized starting and quitting times that vary daily but retain the same number of total hours worked daily.

Staff member 3 (on a 40 hour a week schedule in an environment with 9:30 a.m. through 4:30 p.m. designated as core hours) works 7:30 a.m. through 4:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and works 9:00 a.m. through 6:00 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday.

Staff member 4 (on a 40 hour a week schedule with no core hour requirements) works 7:30 a.m. through 4:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and works 12:00 noon through 9:00 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday.

c. Individualized starting and quitting times daily with the same number of hours worked weekly.

Staff member 5 (on a 37.5 hour a week schedule with 9:00 a.m. through 4:00 p.m. core hours) works 8:30 a.m. through 5:30 p.m. Monday and Wednesday, 8:00 a.m. through 4:00 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, and 8:30 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. on Fridays.

d. Extended lunch times offset by adjusted start or end to the day.

Staff member 6 (on a 40 hour a week schedule with no core hours) works 8:00 a.m. through 6:00 p.m. daily, with lunch scheduled for 11:30 am through 1:30 p.m.

ADVANTAGES

Flextime has proven to enhance an organization's ability to attract and retain quality staff. It is popular workers dealing with family responsibilities, for whom these programs were designed, as well as for individuals with professional development, community service and avocation responsibilities.

Examples of advantages to Flextime arrangements include:

Enhanced recruitment. Flextime is very popular and some individuals will seek positions that allow flexible scheduling to respond to their personal needs and preferences. Applicants may ask if an organization has a flexible scheduling program and use this as a factor in their decision about a job.

Reduced stress through the ability to better balance work and personal responsibilities. It is very stressful to try to be in two places at one time, such as at work and at a child's school conference, family member's doctor appointment, or a special community service activity. Meeting both demands through a minor work schedule adjustment makes for a much less stressful day.

Reduced paid absences and tardiness. Tardiness is greatly reduced when staff use their flexible schedules rather than time off to manage personal life demands. For example, late arrival due to commuting problems or unexpected crises, like electrical outages or school closings, can be accommodated by later departures. Doctor appointments, errands and personal urgent tasks are managed without a loss of productivity.

Improved coverage and scheduling. Varied, individualized schedules can allow for expanded office hours to provide service during a greater number of hours each day. This can be particularly helpful in areas that interface with different time zones or in meeting the needs of individuals who cannot access the service during traditional 9:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. hours. Extended hours may be implemented for limited time periods to accommodate special work cycle demands.

Increased productivity. Early and late people know who they are and when they are most productive. By scheduling work at a time that responds to personal work style, when and if work demands allow, individuals can contribute their very best to the job. Additionally, extended access to equipment also can increase productivity.

Reduced turnover. Individuals faced with a recurring, unresolvable conflict between work and a personal responsibility may leave the position. Flextime may offer a solution that enables the individual to solve the problem at hand. For example, it may allow for additional time in the morning to prepare an elder or handicapped relative for the day. Without this option, the individual may have had to leave his/her job. Today's tight labor market and the estimated replacement cost of 100%-150% of an individual's salary makes it desirable to retain good workers when possible.

CONSIDERATIONS

Is the arrangement right for the office/job?

Before Flextime is implemented for one or all staff members, the following must be considered:

Can the job be done at hours outside the range of traditional work week hours?

Will the organization's overall mission be met with this adjustment in place?

Is it necessary for all staff members in a similar job or in a unit to work the exact same schedule?

Will customers' needs be met?

Is staff interaction an important component of the work?

Is the arrangement right for the individual?

Does the staff member require supervision or access to a supervisor at all times?

Will it be necessary to monitor arrivals and departures?

Before starting:

Review guidelines for success (on page 7) and utilize all that are applicable.

To avoid confusion and misunderstanding, work out and communicate flexible schedules in advance so that conflicts or problems can be identified and resolved.

Flexible schedule conflicts between staff members should be resolved in advance. This may be accomplished through group discussion, with or without supervisor facilitation, or by supervisor oversight.

Schedules must be reviewed to assure that adequate coverage is planned for phones and internal and external customer service

Staff members should be advised that:

- The same standards of performance and attendance apply to Flextime workers as apply to traditional schedule workers

- There may be times when they will need to work traditional hours, (i.e. to attend a meeting or training seminar)

- Supervisors may need to cancel a Flextime schedule or switch to a different mutually agreed-upon Flextime schedule in order to meet business needs

These details should be covered in the Flexible Work Arrangement Agreement.

MAKING IT WORK

Developing trust, encouraging staff responsibility and independence, and managing outcomes are important aspects of successful Flextime management. Supervisors have found that staff with Flextime schedules are more inclined to practice self-management, work productively and experience improved morale. In order to achieve these results, special attention should be paid to the following:

Supervision. When staff arrange to be in the workplace for more than eight hours in a day, supervisors often feel they must put in more hours to monitor the program. Supervisors should be encouraged to think of themselves as a resource for their staff members, rather than an overseer, and to delegate or rotate some of the oversight responsibilities. Supervisors should attempt to delegate more responsibility or schedule work in such a way that the work can be done independently. Systems should be in place for obtaining guidance through e-mail or telephone interactions or through individuals identified for providing leadership in the supervisor's absence. Supervisors should be prepared to work on possible glitches in the start-up stages and be willing to try to work them through before abandoning the plan.

Communication. Co-workers need to be kept informed of their colleagues' typical schedules. This calls for extra attention to communication for the first few weeks. After that, problems with customers or co-workers should diminish. A weekly work schedule should be posted in a prominent visible place. If staff member schedules change often on a regular basis, communication about the changes needs to be constant and consistent.

Availability. There may be fewer workers in the workplace at the same time due to a shorter span of hours when everyone is working. Meeting times and interaction between staff members need to take this into account and be scheduled into core hours.

Coverage. Thinner coverage may result in some work challenges. Turnaround time may need to be adjusted, or special tasks/projects may need to be distributed differently. This must be a consideration when reviewing requests for adjusted schedules.

Overtime. Weekly paid staff members must receive prior authorization from supervisors before arranging for more than forty (40) hours of work in a work week, as required by the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Remember: out of sight does not mean not at work. One of the most difficult aspects of managing staff working during non-traditional work hours is maintaining confidence in the staff member's commitment to work and productivity even when you cannot observe the work being done. It can be challenging to overcome the mind set that work is done more effectively during traditional work hours. Individuals who care about their performance and are committed to the organization will alter a flexible arrangement if it is not working. Individuals with productive work histories typically will remain productive with a changed schedule, especially one requested to meet a personal need or preference.

Manage for results. In order to effectively manage for results, criteria for success should be established at the beginning of the arrangement, as well as prioritization of which tasks are most critical and which can be deferred. By setting outcome goals, milestones and time lines, production can be measured and fears of lost productivity allayed.

Establish review periods. Set intermediate reviews to determine progress on tasks. Intervals can be set based upon completion of certain tasks or on a recurring convenient basis.

COMMON QUESTIONS

"Everyone will be coming and going when they please. How will we be able to get the work done?" The business needs of the work unit remain the primary issue. Most staff understand and support this priority. In practice, most staff do not vary their schedules much when offered the opportunity to do so.

"Won't I have to work longer hours in order to supervise everyone on Flextime?" Some supervisors feel that they must be on site during the entire period. This is clearly not the way to manage flexible schedules. Additional benefits of benefit of Flextime work is that staff members can be encouraged to self-monitor and supervisors can be a resource for staff rather than overseers.

"What if no one is here to answer the phone?" If everyone appears to want to 'flex' at the same time, the schedules must be revised in order to assure coverage.

"What do I do if staff members come in late or leave early without making up time?"

Flextime is a privilege, not a right. If staff members abuse the system they can be required to return to a standard schedule.

"Who is responsible for establishing flexible scheduling?" Both staff members and supervisors can propose implementing flexible scheduling. However, supervisors should have the final say when implementing Flextime on either a case-by-case basis, or as a program within their departments. Because Flextime is so popular, however, they are encouraged to experiment with a program approach.

"How will this affect benefits and compensation?" Staff members on Flextime earn the same rate of pay and are eligible for the same benefit programs as those working on a traditional schedule. Overtime and bonus eligibility are on the same basis as for traditional schedule workers as well.

WHAT IS FLEXPLACE?

Flexplace allows for a portion of the job to be performed off-site, on a regular, recurring basis, usually at the worker's home. The majority of work time is spent at the office and the off-site work typically is done at home. It may be the most complicated flexible work option to arrange since it may require electronic equipment and technological support.

Based on operational needs, a Flexplace arrangement is most appropriate for work with clearly defined tasks, measurable work activity, and the individual's presence is not required in the work place. Conversely, many assignments are not suitable for a Flexplace arrangement, either because of the type of work to be done, the need for frequent supervision, the lack of necessary technology at home, or the need to be present in the office. Examples of positions typically unsuited for Flexplace assignments are receptionists, counselors, and individuals whose work materials are on-site, such as researchers and clinicians. In addition, it should be kept in mind that some individuals do not like the isolation of a Flexplace arrangement.

Note: Flexplace does not connote the professional or management practice of working at home after hours to work on reports or presentations or to catch up on reading. For University purposes, Flexplace is not intended to represent an off-site work arrangement implemented by the organization to meet organizational goals. This is referred to as a telecommuting arrangement. Telecommuting requires use of equipment and technology and most or all of the work is performed away from the office.

WHY MIGHT A FLEXPLACE ARRANGEMENT BE REQUESTED?

The following are examples of situations that spur requests for Flexplace arrangements:

A staff member would like to work at home two days a week so that she can get her two school age children to gymnastics class after school. While this would disrupt her normal workday for about a half hour, she is able to make this up easily with the time saved by avoiding commuting.

A staff member would like to work at home one day a month to focus on a special report due at the end of the month. Without this time away from the distractions of the office, it is very difficult to complete this report within the required time line.

HOW DOES A FLEXPLACE ARRANGEMENT WORK?

In a Flexplace arrangement, workers are given the option of spending all or part of a day or week working at home or at an alternate work location. As in any flexible work arrangement, individuals working under a Flexplace arrangement are still expected to manage the workload. There is likely to be a requirement to be at the office at specified times or on specified days. At all other times, if the type of work permits, the staff member is able to work from a pre-approved location, typically a home office, communicating with supervisors or other staff members by telephone or by e-mail.

With Flexplace, as with other flexible work arrangements, time worked does not equate to achieved outcomes. Outcomes are based on the staff member's achievement of results and use of competencies critical to achieving those results. Some Flexplace arrangements stipulate work during certain core hours for communication and integration of work.

When Flexplace arrangements require use of computing technology from an off-site office, it will be necessary to arrange through the School/Center/Department/Office specific and detailed arrangements for support of the technology, as well as appropriate access to PennNet. Consideration should also be given to possible working hours and the comparable availability of various administrative systems. Additionally, it is important for managers and staff to be aware of the costs that will be incurred for establishing appropriate hardware, software, and connectivity; costs that will be incurred operating and maintaining that setup; and costs of providing support for that setup.

Flexplace arrangements involve special issues, such as worker's compensation considerations and purchase and/or management of equipment and systems away from the workplace. Use of University equipment, products and materials involves responsibility for University property, guided by the following policies:

Policy # 002 Safeguarding University Assets

Policy # 003 Uses of University Resources

Policy # 009 Acceptable Use of Electronic Resources

Policy # 624 Return of Property

Following, on page 32, is an Flexplace addendum to use with the Flexible Work Option Agreement found on page 16. This addendum specifically addresses the issues of a Flexplace arrangement.

ADVANTAGES

As workdays and commutes lengthen in many urban areas, staff members are coming to value the option to work at home on occasion as a way to offset these changes. When the nature of the work allows, this arrangement can respond to a range of personal needs and preferences. Specific benefits to be gained from Flexplace arrangements include:

Enhanced recruitment. Applicants may seek positions that allow for work at home part of the work week. The option of this type of work arrangement may become one of the factors in the decision to accept a job.

Uninterrupted time for creative, repetitive, or highly detailed work. As described in the Flexplace work example above, some tasks are managed better in an environment away from the mainstream of activity.

Improved morale, commitment and productivity resulting from support for personal work style preferences. Flexplace arrangements may also respond to a staff member's preferred work style. Some individuals are more productive in a work environment with less distractions.

Potential for more office space options. In areas where office space costs are high, desk sharing can reduce the cost of office space. Staff members working in the office on different days can share office space, and a number of staff members may be able to share a general open area.

Reduced absenteeism and lateness. While Flexplace arrangements are not a substitute for dependent care, they can increase a staff member's ability to manage these responsibilities. Working from home may make it easier to be close to a care center and to make lunchtime visits, if desired. Additionally, these arrangements can offer more time for errands, handled during time required for commuting on the days when work is in the office.

Improved transportation and parking challenges. A reduction in commuters can reduce traffic and air pollution. Flexplace is a favorite way of addressing these urban complications.

Improved retention. The ability to work from home or a satellite office in the neighborhood may overcome a personal issue that may have encouraged the individual to leave the job otherwise.

CONSIDERATIONS

Is this right for the office/job?

Not all jobs are appropriate for Flexplace. In general, jobs that are appropriate are those that:

Can be measured. Supervisor and the staff member must be able to identify specific objectives and performance standards.

Require relatively little face-to-face communication. The job must permit the substitution of telephonic and/or electronic communication for face-to-face contact on days when the work is conducted from home.

Are truly portable. They do not require access to off-line equipment or files.

Involve thinking tasks (writing, researching, programming, analyzing, and massaging information).

They generally do not require managing people.

Also, the following should be considered:

Can the job be done at a location outside of the office?

How will peers, other units, or customers be affected by home-based work?

What is the maximum number of staff members in the unit who can work at home at any one point before work flow or productivity suffer?

Is this arrangement right for the individual?

Is the individual highly motivated and a self-starter who can work independently without on-site supervision and physical proximity to co-workers and others with whom the staff member interacts?

Are the plans adequately worked out to assure that necessary equipment and systems are in place for home-based work and there is an understanding of how the costs associated with these arrangements will be covered?

Before starting:

Review guidelines for success (on page 7) and utilize all that are applicable.

Work out and communicate flexible arrangement schedules in advance so that conflicts or problems can be identified and resolved.

Resolve flexible arrangement conflicts between staff members. This may be accomplished through group discussion, with or without supervisor facilitation, or by supervisor oversight.

Schedules must be reviewed to assure that adequate coverage is planned for phones and internal and external customer service.

Staff members should be advised that:

- The same standards of performance and attendance apply as for traditional work schedules.

- There may be times when they will need to work traditionally (i.e. to attend a meeting or training seminar).

- Supervisors may need to cancel the flexible arrangement or switch to a different mutually agreed-upon arrangement in order to meet business needs.

Consider which aspects of the job will be best done at home and which need to be done at the office. As a rule, independent projects are good choices for home-based work arrangements. However, work requiring significant face-to-face interaction is best done at the office.

A workable plan must be developed to handle the flow of assignments and final products between the office and the home-based staff member. Flexplace workers rely on computer or phone centered communications.

The home-based staff member must be equipped to communicate with management, co-workers and customers. Consideration should be given to whether installation of a telephone line, fax machine and/or a computer modem in the home is needed, if there will be designated hours when external customers can reach the home-based staff person, and how mail will be reviewed when received in the workplace on day's when the individual is working from home? In addition, a contact person for the home-based staff member should be identified when special communications are required, such as notification of a change in meeting plans or to help with requests for files, information and/or supplies.

Home-based staff members are expected to set up a space conducive to productive work which is well lit and safe.

Supervisors should determine what, if any costs for equipment or supplies will be covered by the department/division.

The absence of on-site supervision for home-based workers requires that supervisors clarify and reiterate standards for accomplishing objectives at the beginning of each work-at-home arrangement. Supervisors also must develop a plan to measure productivity and assure it is commensurate with that of other staff members working at the office.

MAKING IT WORK

The decision to authorize Flexplace arrangements, either on an individual or a group basis, should be carefully considered in terms of coverage and communication. It is also a good idea to make final approval contingent upon a trial period, after which any adjustments can be made to areas that are not functioning smoothly. In addition, supervisors should consider the following tips to improve the likelihood of a successful arrangement:

For the supervisor:

Remember: out of sight does not mean not at work. One of the most difficult aspects of managing staff working from home is maintaining confidence in the staff member's commitment to work and productivity even when you cannot observe the work being done. It can be challenging to overcome the mind set that work is done more effectively in the work place than from a home office. Individuals who care about their performance and are committed to the organization will alter a flexible arrangement if it is not working. Individuals with productive work histories typically will remain productive in a changed environment, especially if the changed location has been requested to meet a personal need or preference.

Manage for results. In order to effectively manage for results, criteria for success should be established at the beginning of the arrangement, as well as prioritization of which tasks are most critical and which can be deferred. By setting outcome goals, milestones and time lines, production can be measured and fears of lost productivity allayed.

Establish review periods. Set intermediate reviews to determine progress on tasks. Intervals can be set based upon completion of certain tasks or on a recurring convenient basis.

Provide support and guidance to off-site staff members. Both the supervisor and the staff member are likely to feel less connected at the beginning of a Flexplace arrangement. Supervisors can help this situation by making sure that there is regular, but not intrusive, communication in the early stages and throughout the Flexplace experience.

Establish review periods. Set intermediate reviews to determine progress on tasks. Intervals can be set based upon completion of certain tasks or on a recurring basis, such as once a week on a particular day.

Communication. Co-workers need to be kept informed of their colleagues' typical schedules. This calls for extra attention to communication for the first few weeks. After that, problems with customers or co-workers should diminish. A weekly work schedule should be posted in a prominent visible place. If some arrangements for working off-site change on a regular basis, communication about the changes needs to be constant and consistent.

Availability. There may be fewer workers in the workplace at the same time due to the absence of Flexplace workers. Meeting times and arrangements for interaction between staff members need to take this into account and be scheduled into mutually available times.

Coverage. Thinner coverage may result in some work challenges. Turnaround time may need to be adjusted, or special tasks/projects may need to be distributed differently. This must be a consideration when reviewing requests for Flexplace arrangements.

Overtime. Weekly paid staff members must receive prior authorization from supervisors before working more than forty (40) hours in a work week whether at home or at the work site. This is a strict requirement of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

For the staff member:

Beware of isolation. Because most people tend to focus on the potential advantages of staying at home, they are completely surprised by how isolated a Flexplace arrangement can feel. Nor have they anticipated how much willpower and self-discipline it takes to be productive when the temptations of home are just a few feet away. Supervisors, too, find the adjustment difficult; they tend to be uneasy when their staff members are not in sight at all times, even if deadlines are met and productivity is maintained. Some staff members feel uneasy being out of their supervisor's line of sight for fear that it removes them from opportunities to stay on the fast track. Many people are reluctant to utilize Flexible Work Options or continue with them if they feel that it will interfere with their career advancement opportunities.

Accessibility. Off-site staff members should be accessible during specified periods or within a reasonable amount of time. Some staff members use beepers to facilitate this, others schedule specific communication times. Supervisors need to remember, however, that not even on-site staff members are accessible at all times.

Accommodate changes in circumstances. When jobs change either in their nature or in their interrelationship with the overall objectives of a department, aspects of the Flexplace arrangement may have to be adjusted or it may signal that it is time to return, at least temporarily, to a standard schedule.

COMMON QUESTIONS

"How can I evaluate how well a staff member is working if they are off-site several days a week?" Whether managing staff members on-site or off-site, supervisors must specify job responsibilities, tasks and objectives as clearly as possible. Emphasis should be placed on quantity and quality of results achieved rather than on the number of hours worked. This will provide the basis for evaluation.

"How can I keep an off-site staff member in the loop?" Most regular staff members who work at home do so only part of the time--two or three days a week. This allows staff members to attend meetings and to maintain their office relationships, although on an altered basis. Communication is the key to staying >in the loop=. To ensure effective communication with off-site staff members, regular contact, whether by phone or during scheduled office workdays, should be maintained. Bulletin boards and periodic work review meetings with staff members can add to essential contact.

"Whose insurance covers an accident if a staff member is working at home?" Since Flexplace just means flexibility in the place of work, an accident may be covered by worker's compensation if it occurred in the dedicated work space of the home work site during the identified regularly scheduled hours. Staff members should specify these work conditions in advance, and commit to setting up a safe and appropriate work space. This will encourage observation of safety rules and provide a basis for differentiating between a work-related accident and one that is non-work related.

"Who is responsible for a Flexplace arrangement?" Arrangements may be initiated by either interested staff members or their supervisors. If a Flexplace schedule is agreed upon, supervisors will need to monitor the arrangement, assess how it is working and provide support to the staff member(s) so that he/she will not feel isolated and disconnected from the organization.

"How will this arrangement affect compensation and benefits?" Unless there is a change in the work hours of the assignment, compensation and benefits should not be affected. Any questions regarding benefits should be directed to PENN-Ben at 1-888-736-6236.

SAMPLE FLEXPLACE AGREEMENT ADDENDUM

The following defines the terms and conditions of a Flexplace arrangement for an individual employed by the University of Pennsylvania.

1. Work Space

1.1 Staff member agrees to use a Flexplace work space that is conducive to working, free of hazards and other dangers to people and equipment. The alternative worksite (the Flexplace work site), is defined in Addendum A.

1.2 Provided staff member is given at least 24 hours advance notice, staff member agrees to permit inspections of the worksite by the University at periodic intervals during staff member's normal working hours to ensure proper maintenance of University-owned property and worksite conformance with safety standards and other specifications in these guidelines.

1.3 Costs for the work space will be allocated between the staff member and the University as agreed upon by the parties (as specified in 7.3. below).

2. Staff Member Responsibilities and Obligations

2.1 The staff member remains obligated to comply with all University rules, policies, practices and instructions that would apply if the staff member were working at the primary work site.

2.2 Work products developed or produced by the staff member during Flexplace work away from the main work site remain the property of the University.

2.3 The staff member will be responsible for determining any tax implications of maintaining a Flexplace site.

2.4 The staff member will be responsible for complying with any and all local township codes, rules, regulations, and zoning ordinances which could affect the ability to use the designated Flexplace site.

3. Conditions of Employment (Pay Status)

3.1 All job responsibilities and conditions of employment, e.g., compensation, benefits, rights, privileges and obligations, apply as if the staff member were working at the primary worksite.

3.2 The staff member works in a regular pay status while working at the Flexplace worksite. However, Flexplace does not exclude the staff member from reimbursement entitlements for authorized and pre-approved expenses incurred while conducting business for the University, as provided for by University regulations.

3.3 Work hours, overtime, compensation and vacation schedules conform to applicable policies. Requests to work overtime, use sick leave, vacation or other leave must be approved by the staff member's manager in the same manner as when working at the primary work site. Requests for changes in the work schedule should, likewise, be approved by the staff member's supervisor.

4. Work Assignment & Supervision

4.1 Staff member will consult with the supervisor, in person or through other agreed upon methods of communication, to receive assignments and to receive feedback on completed work. Responsibility for related travel costs incurred by staff member for these meetings is defined in Section 11. below.

4.2 When conducting work at the Flexplace work site, staff member agrees to limit performance of officially assigned duties to approved Flexplace area. Staff member will complete all assigned work according to work procedures mutually agreed upon by the staff member and the supervisor and according to guidelines and expectations stated in the staff member's performance plan.

4.3 Staff member's job performance will be appraised during the introductory, interim (optional) and annual performance periods based on criteria and expectations established by the supervisor and communicated in advance to the staff member. Staff member will provide record of work accomplishments and other relevant documentation, as requested by the supervisor to allow feedback and assessment of performance.

4.4 Management has the right to terminate the Flexplace arrangement at any time, for any reason. Such action will be accomplished through written notice by the supervisor with an explanation of the reason for the change. If termination of the arrangement results in termination of the individual, this action will be handled in accordance with pertinent Human Resources policies regarding separation. Likewise, staff member may terminate the Flexplace arrangement at any time unless to do so means quitting the job, in which case, notice of resignation is expected in accordance with Human Resources policies regarding resignation.

5. Accidents/Injuries

5.1 Any accident or injury occurring a the Flexplace worksite must be brought to the immediate attention of the supervisor and will be investigated immediately following notification in accordance with Human Resources Policy 714: Occupational Injury or Illness. Staff member may be covered under Human Resources Policy 714 if injured in the course of performing official duties at the Flexplace worksite, but this liability will be limited to injuries resulting directly from the Flexplace assignment and only if the injury occurs in the designated work area, within the designated work schedule.

5.2 The University may be responsible for any work-related injuries in accordance with The Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Act. In the event of an injury call 1-877-335-5213 to report the injury and get the location of available medical providers, then immediately notify your supervisor.

6. Liability

6.1 It is understood and agreed that the staff member remains liable for property damages and injuries to the staff member, third persons and/or members of the staff member's family at the staff member's alternative worksite, except as provided for under 5.1 above. The staff member agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the University and its staff members, agents, officers, trustees, successors and assigns (in their official and individual capacities) from and against any and all claims, demands, judgements or liability (including any related losses, costs, expenses and attorney fees), resulting from, arising out of, or in connection with any injury to persons (including death) or damage to property, caused directly or indirectly, by the services provided hereunder by the staff member or by the staff member's willful misconduct or negligent acts or omissions in the performance of the staff member's duties and obligations under this Agreement, except where such claims, demands or liability arise solely from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the University.

7. Equipment and Systems

7.1 Equipment loaned by the University for use at the Flexplace worksite will be maintained in good working order and used only by the staff member and only for work related tasks. The cost for maintenance of this equipment will be covered by the University, if approved by the supervisor in advance. Upon termination or resignation from the Flexplace position or discontinued need of the equipment, equipment supplied by the University will be returned in good working order and comparable to the condition in which it was received. (See Addendum A for University equipment supplied.) If staff member provides own equipment, he/she is responsible for servicing and maintaining it.

7.2 The staff member is responsible for the safety and security of University equipment, software, data, supplies and furniture at the staff member's home. This includes maintaining data security and record confidentiality to at least the same degree as when working at the primary work site. The staff member may not duplicate University-owned software and will adhere to the manufacturer's licensing agreement.

7.3 The following outlines the type of equipment and systems that are required for this arrangement and who will be responsible for costs associated with their purchase, set-up and maintenance.

7.3.a. (Name of Division or department) will provide: (Please list all equipment and supplies that will be provided) if needed for the staff member to do his/her job.

7.3.b. Expenses will be covered as follows:

EXPENSES
ITEM	PAID BY
Space Set Up Costs: (i.e. telephone lines)
Other Flexplace Site Expenses:

7.3.c. The staff member will be reimbursed for: (Please list.)

8. Home Space

8.1. (Name of Division or department) strongly recommends the staff member set up a separate area for work in his/her home. Equipment should be placed where it is adequately supported. Electronic equipment should be plugged into properly grounded electrical outlets. The staff member should contact the University's Risk Management Office for guidance with respect to safe placement and installation of equipment. The university has the right to visit the staff member's home/off-site work area to be sure it meets university standards for safety, security, and working conditions. Such visits would be scheduled in advance.

9. Taxes

9.1. It is the staff member's responsibility to determine any income tax implications of maintaining a home/off-site office. (Name of Division or department) will not provide tax guidance nor assume any additional tax liabilities. It is recommended the staff member consult a qualified tax professional to discuss income tax implications.

10. Meetings

10.1 Attendance at meetings at the worksite will be required (describe frequency here). The costs associated with travel to attend these meetings will be covered by (fill in who will be expected to cover these costs and describe any special circumstances that may apply to the assignment of these expenses).

11. Additional Provisions

11.1. Additional provisions for this arrangement include: (Please List)

I have read the above and discussed the terms and conditions with the undersigned supervisor.

EMPLOYEE SIGNATURE _____________________________________ DATE ________

SUPERVISOR SIGNATURE ____________________________________ DATE ________

SCHOOL/CENTER LEADERSHIP________________________________ DATE ________

WHAT IS A COMPRESSED WORK SCHEDULE?

A Compressed Work Week is arranged so that a traditional work schedule is condensed into fewer days, typically compressing 35-40 hours of work into less than five week days. This flexible arrangement is more easily applied to non-exempt (weekly paid) staff for whom maximum work hours are identified, but it is not ruled out for monthly paid staff who may work more than 40 hours during the work week. Weekly paid staff will be paid their regular hourly rate for hours worked above their regular schedule up to 40 hours in a work week. The Fair Labor Standards Act requires weekly paid staff to be paid time and a half for work over 40 hours in a work week.

WHY MIGHT A COMPRESSED WORK SCHEDULE BE REQUESTED?

The following are examples of situations that spur requests for Compressed Work schedules:

A staff member is interested in working four 9-hour days and one 4-hour day (typically Friday) in order to leave early on the weekend to join her husband who works in another community. If this arrangement cannot be put in place, she may leave the position.

A staff member would like to work four 10 plus-hour days in order to attend an executive MBA program that runs Friday and Saturday. This is not a weekly paid position, i.e., it is exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act, and the individual can work over 40 hours a week without receiving overtime.

HOW DOES A COMPRESSED WORK SCHEDULE WORK?

Typical Compressed Work schedules are:

a. Longer than normal hours for four days per week and no work on the fifth day.

For a forty (40) hour per week position: ten hour days (plus one hour each day for lunch) Monday through Thursday with Friday off.

b. Much longer than normal hours three days per week and no work during two traditional work days each week.

For a thirty-five (35) hour per week position, eleven 2 (plus one hour for lunch) hours per day Monday and Tuesday, a twelve hour day (plus one hour for lunch) on Wednesday.

c. Somewhat longer than normal hours four days per week and a half day on the fifth day. The balance of the fifth day is not worked.

For a thirty-seven and a half (37.5) hour work week, nine 2 hours Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesday is a four 2 hour work day with the morning off.

d. Somewhat longer than normal hours for nine days in a ten day/two week period with the tenth day off.

For a forty (40) hour a week assignment, nine days at nine hours (plus an hour for lunch) with the tenth day off.

ADVANTAGES

Compressed Work schedules have been promoted as a way to extend service hours, reduce shift turnover, or maximize an investment in expensive equipment or high-priced office space. Additionally, these arrangements have supported time off during summer months in order to offer employees more week-end leisure time. More recently, these arrangements have been seen as a way to comply with corporate support for reduced traffic and pollution.

Typical advantages of Compressed Work schedules are:

Enhanced recruitment. A compressed schedule is very popular with some employees. Although it requires longer workdays, it provides larger segments of personal or leisure time.

Expanded use of equipment. Expanding the number of hours in a work day can mean longer use of expensive equipment. This can be very helpful in functions like data entry or reproduction where access to equipment may be a problem.

Improved scheduling for peak workloads. Compressed Work week shifts can be overlapped to relieve peak activity times during one part of the day or part of the week.

Response to individual work preferences. In addition, staff members who like to work on projects with longer-uninterrupted time will do well with concentrated doses of work during fewer, longer work days.

Increased cross training. If the work unit does not decrease the number of business days, coverage may be lighter. This often encourages cross training and increased job knowledge across more individuals.

Reduced tardiness and absenteeism. Supervisors generally report a reduction in tardiness and absenteeism, attributed to the staff member's ability to travel to work during other than rush hours and to have more personal time for appointments and errands.

More personal time during the work week without a reduction in full-time income and benefits.

 

CONSIDERATIONS

Is the arrangement right for the office/job?

Before a Compressed Work Schedule can be implemented, the following must be considered:

Can the job be done over three, four, or four and one-half days rather than the traditional five day week and/or outside the range of traditional work week hours?

Will the organization's overall mission be met with this adjustment in place?

Is it necessary for all staff members in a similar job or in a unit to work the exact same schedule?

Will customers' needs be met?

Is staff interaction an important component of the work?

Can staff members cover for each other on days off?

Will there be a common time for staff meetings?

How will issues of accountability be addressed?

Will the extended schedules create any issues regarding supervision, including time of arrival and departure?

Is the arrangement right for the individual?

Does the staff member require supervision or access to a supervisor at all times?

Will it be necessary to monitor arrivals and departures?

Before starting:

Review guidelines for success (on page 7) and utilize all that are applicable.

To avoid confusion and misunderstanding, work out and communicate flexible schedules in advance so that conflicts or problems can be identified and resolved.

Flexible schedule conflicts between staff members should be resolved in advance. This may be accomplished through group discussion, with or without supervisor facilitation, or by supervisor oversight.

Schedules must be reviewed to assure that adequate coverage is planned for phones and internal and external customer service.

Staff members should be advised that:

- The same standards of performance and attendance apply as for traditional work schedules

- There may be times when they will need to work traditionally (i.e. to attend a meeting or training seminar)

- Supervisors may need to cancel the flexible arrangement or switch to a different mutually agreed-upon arrangement in order to meet business needs.

MAKING IT WORK

The decision to authorize a Compressed Work week, either on an individual or a group basis, should be carefully considered in terms of coverage and communication. It is also a good idea to make final approval contingent upon a trial period, after which any adjustments can be made to areas that are not functioning smoothly. In addition, supervisors should:

Support your staff. As with other flexible work arrangements, the supervisor's support is critical. Work scheduling and communication problems constitute the major reasons for the failure of Compressed Work schedules. Supervisor contribution to the design of the schedule can help resolve these issues in advance.

Consider coverage issues. Without careful planning, coverage problems can emerge. Assess coverage needs and schedule overlapping teams or a mix of Compressed Work schedules with standard schedules. This can help ensure that sufficient personnel is on hand for critical functions.

Communicate. Communication between teams or between supervisors and staff members can be a problem. Formal communication plans can resolve this issue.

COMMON QUESTIONS

"I need five day a week coverage, how can I authorize a four day work week?" Compressed Work weeks are often used in conjunction with other scheduling arrangements. There may be some staff members who prefer a standard work week; or you may have two overlapping shifts--one Monday through Thursday, the other Tuesday through Friday or Wednesday through Saturday. In some places, staff members have designed a rotating coverage system.

"Some staff members are worried about fatigue or getting home too late. What can be done for them?" Piloting an arrangement can allow for the quickest assessment of where problems lie. Adjustments can be made to the arrangements to overcome these concerns. If a Compressed Work schedule is not working, the individual can return to the former traditional schedule.

"How will compensation be affected by this arrangement?" Individuals in weekly paid positions (those that are not exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act) can work more than eight hours in a day without having their pay affected as long as they do not work more than forty hours a week. Individuals in FLSA exempt positions can work as many hours a day or week as necessary to complete the job without impact on their salary.

"Will benefits be affected by the Compressed Work week?" Benefits are not likely to be affected by this arrangement, since a full-time work schedule is maintained. Any questions regarding benefits should be directed to PENN-Ben at 1-888-736-6236.

"How will my paid time off be affected?" Tracking and use of paid time off are best checked with the Staff Relations office at 898-6093.

WHAT IS PART-TIME WORK?

Part-time work is a regular hiring arrangement for between 17.5 and 28 hours a week. Part-time workers are differentiated from temporary workers, who are employed for fewer than 1000 hours in a fiscal year with an expectation of a short term relationship with the University.

WHY MIGHT A PART-TIME ASSIGNMENT BE REQUESTED?

The following are examples of situations that might encourage interest in a Part-time assignment:

A staff member has requested to work four days a week, five hours each day, in order to care for an invalid relative.

A staff member has applied to work three 8-hour days. He has a masters in Art and spends over half his time creating sculpture, his other profession.

HOW DOES A PART-TIME ASSIGNMENT WORK?

Individuals on Part-time schedules work any combination of hours during the work week to total 17.5 to 28 hour a week. Some individuals have the same schedule weekly, some modify their schedule as their personal situation requires, and some modify their schedule to respond to work demands.

ADVANTAGES

Helps retain quality people. Recognition of the relationship between the availability of Part-time options and reduced turnover is the basis for much of the current increase in Part-time work at all levels. Often individuals working full-time request Part-time assignments for a specific time period to accommodate a life cycle need, such as new parenthood or pursuit of a new activity or profession during the balance hours.

Enlarges the labor pool. Many qualified applicants cannot work a standard, full-time schedule. The ability to offer good Part-time work increase the pool of quality recruits.

May improve productivity and commitment. The reduced work week and ability to meet personal obligations may translate to increased energy on the job, more efficient use of time, and lower rates of absenteeism.

Allows schedules to be redesigned. Jobs, like people, do not always work best in a 9-5 format. Using a combination of full and Part-time employees provides more staffing options, particularly in service areas where demand is uneven.

Facilitates education and training. In some situations, a full-time work schedule can be a barrier to continued growth and learning. The option of temporarily reducing a work schedule can make pursuing education and additional training possible.

CONSIDERATIONS

Is this right for the office/job?

When choosing a Part-time work schedule for a currently full time employee or for a new position, the following questions require consideration:

Can the job logically be done in less than a standard work week?

Will Part-time availability affect customer service?

Is continuity and quality of service ensured under this arrangement?

MAKING IT WORK

The decision to authorize a Part-time position must consider the following to assure that the work will be done as planned and organizational needs will be met. In addition, supervisors should:

Choose an appropriate schedule. Supervisors and staff members should work together to construct the most appropriate schedule and format, one that will meet both the business needs and the personal needs of the staff member. This is the most effective step a staff member and supervisor can take to ensure success. The initial schedule may need to be evaluated and altered if found that coverage is inadequate.

Develop a well-defined job description. Jointly defining specific responsibilities makes for better understanding of what is expected on both sides.

Beware of heavy workloads. Reduced work schedules need to be carefully evaluated in terms of establishing the appropriate workload. Some employers even recommend under-scheduling in order to allow for unforeseen demands. Be sure to jointly monitor the actual workload, perhaps by having the staff member track his/her actual hours for a period of time, so that adjustments can be made if necessary.

Communicate the new schedule. Each person the Part-time staff member works with needs to be made aware of his/her schedule. Any changes need to be communicated promptly. Posting the Part-timer=s schedule in a convenient location is a good way to keep people informed.

Help the Part-time staff member stay in the mainstream. Often Part-timers feel left out or >second class.= Supervisors and other staff members can help them feel connected by looking for, and correcting patterns in the work or the schedule that create unnecessary isolation, by making sure that meetings are scheduled at times they can attend and providing positive feedback on good work. Proper communication of important developments is also very important.

COMMON QUESTIONS

"Will Part-time workers be as committed as full-time staff members?" Often, because they feel that their supervisor has responded to their needs, Part-timers have increased commitment to their jobs.

"Should the option only be available to top performers?" Although performance and other qualities such as the ability to work with less supervision should be taken into consideration, supervisors should remember that if a staff member's weak performance is due to stress, burnout or conflicting personal obligations, a reduced work schedule may improve the quality of his/her work. Strong, full-time performers who request a change to Part-time generally are equally as effective with meeting new reduced schedule goals.

"How will benefits be affected by this arrangement?" Benefits for new Part-time employees of the university will be different than for former Full-time staff members who convert to Part-time schedules. Any questions regarding benefits should be directed to PENN-Ben at 1-888-736-6236.

WHAT IS JOB SHARING?

Job sharing allows two staff members to share the responsibilities of one full-time position, typically with a prorated salary and paid time off.

A Job Share arrangement is different from a Part-time position which has a workload that can be managed within 17.5 to 28 hours a week. Working in a shared job also differs from a Part Time arrangement in the following ways:

It requires a team approach to performing job responsibilities; this means that potential sharers must be cooperative and have good communication skills.

If partners are allowed to trade time, it can shift the responsibility for daily scheduling from the supervisor to the sharers.

If partners have significantly different skills and experience it can provide cross training and lead to skills expansion.

Job Sharers tend to supervise one another's work and reduce errors; this provides a built-in form of quality assurance and encourages self-supervision.

WHY MIGHT JOB SHARING BE REQUESTED?

Situations that may encourage a request for Job Sharing are:

A staff member left a position after several years in the job to start a family. After being home for two years, she is ready to return, but would prefer a Part-time schedule. The individual who had taken over the position is pregnant and would like to return to a Part-time position after maternity leave. Since they both knew the job and were well-respected by the supervisor, they were an ideal match for a Job Share arrangement. They split the job, added to each job some additional work the supervisor always hoped to have done and they each work 24 hours a week.

Two members of an organization have taken on demanding community service commitments. The first individual would prefer to reduce to a half time position working mornings. The other individual would like to reduce his hours and work afternoons. They discussed their goals and went to their supervisor to request a shared position. They each had experience with the work and would be able to take a hiatus from the community service obligations when the other is on vacation. The office never will experience absence since they each have committed to fill in for the other during paid time off.

HOW DOES JOB SHARING WORK?

The way to structure a Job Share is described below. There is no formal method of establishing a Job Sharing arrangement. Responsibilities and time can be split evenly or unevenly depending upon the demands of the job or the needs of the sharing team. Note: If one position is scheduled for less than 17.5 hours a week, it becomes temporary and cannot retain regular Part-time status. Innovative schedules can be designed to meet the needs of the Job Sharers and the office. Some common variations include:

Evenly Split days: Overlap of 30 minutes per day for transition and communication)

Worker 1: 9:00 a.m. - 1:15 p.m., M-F

Worker 2: 12:45 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., M-F

Evenly Split Alternating Weeks: Overlap of 30 minutes each Wednesday

Week 1:

Worker 1: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.: Monday, Tuesday

9:00 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.: Wednesday

Worker 2: 12:45 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., Wednesday

9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.: Thursday, Friday

Week 2:

Worker 1: 12:45 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., Wednesday

9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Thursday, Friday

Worker 2: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday, Tuesday

9:00 a.m. - 1:15 p.m., Wednesday

Unevenly Split Alternating Days: Methods of communication outside of the work site must be established to enable smooth transitions.)

Worker 1: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday, Wednesday, Friday

Worker 2: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Tuesday, Thursday

In addition to split time, other Job Sharing variations include split skills and split responsibilities.

ADVANTAGES

Retaining quality people. There are a growing number of instances where valued employees have requested a reduction in work hours but the requests must be denied because of lack of Part-time opportunities at specific levels of responsibility. Job Sharing offers opportunities for expanded availability of Part-time employment to all levels.

Better coverage and continuity. Job Sharing can be arranged so that sharers trade time, covering each other's absences and vacation time. This affords an unusual amount of coverage. In addition, Job Sharing can help reduce training time for a new staff member if a replacement is hired for one of the positions. He/she can be trained by the remaining partner.

More efficient scheduling. Many jobs have peaks and valleys of activity or require extended service hours. Sharer's schedules can be designed to overlap when demand is heavy or provide a gap period which expands the work day and takes the work flow into account. This allows supervisors to improve service and to eliminate downtime periods.

Increased productivity. Increased productivity often is associated with Part-time assignments (whether for traditional Part-time jobs or Job Share arrangements) because time is used more efficiently and absenteeism is low.

Broader range of skills and experience. Some jobs require a broader range of skills than one full-time staff member generally has. Pairing two people with complementary skills and experience is possible with Job Sharing.

Expanded possibilities. With Job Sharing, the staff member gains a partner not only to share responsibilities, but also to share thoughts and ideas with. The possibilities for creative and innovative results are therefore expanded. In this case, two heads are definitely better than one.

CONSIDERATIONS

Is this right for the office/job?

When a staff member requests a Job Share, supervisors will need to consider the following issues:

Can the job be logically split on a time, task, or customer basis?

Can customer and peer contact be handled effectively if the job is shared?

What skills and experience are needed for the job and is it possible to find two partners who can complement each other?

Are the potential sharers willing and able to be flexible in terms of the demands of the job to ensure and enhance continuity?

Do the staff member's previous work records indicate that they will be able to handle their Job Sharing responsibilities?

If the job is a supervisory position, can the sharers project their authority as a single unit?

MAKING IT WORK

If carefully planned and managed, Job Sharing can work very effectively for the supervisor, the Job Sharers and the work environment.

Creating a Job Sharing arrangement. If a staff member requests a Job Sharing arrangement, it is more effective if that individual identifies a Job Share partner. The supervisor can support this effort by consulting with a Human Resources representative and posting the opening for a Job Sharer.

Structuring the position. It is highly recommended that the Job Sharers be involved in structuring the Job Share from the very beginning. The first step is to analyze the job to be shared and get a detailed feel for the responsibilities of the job as well as the skills and experience required to do the job. Then, a decision must be made as to how best to split the job.

Reviewing tasks. Once the two sharers have been identified, the following should be reviewed.

Responsibilities of each partner

Coverage for each other

Communication with co-workers and customers

Means of communication with each other on a daily basis, whether via phone, voice mail, written notes, etc.

Individual consultation. Supervisors should meet with each sharer individually to discuss performance expectations and the effect of Job Sharing on salary, benefits, performance appraisal, promotional opportunity and the various circumstances under which the Job Sharing arrangement might end.

Responsibility toward the job if one of the Job Sharers leaves. The supervisor may require Job Sharers to commit to return to a full-time schedule or depart the job voluntarily if one of the Job Sharers is not working out from a performance standpoint, or decides to leave for other reasons. In this way, the supervisor will be more likely to support the request for a Job Share arrangement. Individuals leaving Job Share arrangements for any of the reasons described above will be considered to have ended employment voluntarily and will not be qualified for benefits under the Position Discontinuation and Staff Transition Policy.

COMMON QUESTIONS

"Will Job Sharing require more supervision?" When asked, most supervisors of sharers say that, after initial training and coordination, there is less need for close supervision, particularly if emphasis is placed on the sharers' responsibility to make the arrangement work.

"If I let one person do it, won't everyone want to?" In reality, most people either prefer a full-time job or are not interested in the coordination necessary to maintain a Job Shared assignment. However, when the right conditions exist, these arrangements can be very successful.

"How is the work divided?" Employees may be jointly responsible for all aspects of the job, assigned specific areas of the position with expected ability to fill in for each other, or have a mixture of some joint and some specific responsibilities. The key to success is the team's ability to fulfill the responsibilities of the job.

"Who is responsible for initiating the Job Sharing request?" Job Sharing opportunities may be identified and requests developed by prospective sharers and/or supervisors. The most successful Job Sharing arrangements are the result of collaboration among Job Sharers and their supervisors.

"How will benefits be affected by this arrangement?" Since a Job Sharing arrangement is a variation of Part Time work, benefits are affected in much the same way. Any questions regarding benefits should be directed to PENN-Ben at 1-888-736-6236.

SECTION 5

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q1. What if it is appropriate to approve one person's request for flexibility and, based on other factors, deny the request of another. How should this be handled? Can it be grieved?

A: All decisions should be focused on organizational needs and objective criteria related to work performance and job demands. A consistent approach to analyzing the situation should be applied. Then, it is important to communicate to each requestor the decision and its rationale. Documenting the basis for these decisions is always a good idea in case questions arise later. The Division of Human Resources Office of Staff and Labor Relations can help you develop objective criteria to use and a strategy for communicating your decision. The Grievance procedure (Policy #620) does not apply to decisions regarding flexible work option requests.

Q2. What if all of my staff want to work compressed work weeks with Friday's off. No one will be there on Friday and we need to staff this office every day of the work week. I do not want to get anyone mad at me and I also am not sure how to rate the needs of the requesters to decide who deserves this more and who less. Help?

A. Other organizations with experience with flexible work options have reported that this problem has rarely arisen, even though it is assumed that it will be a serious problem. Decisions for approving flexible work requests should not be based on personal need but rather on organizational needs. However, if similar proposals are presented, it may be appropriate to consider personal issues to resolve competing needs. Objective criteria, such as seniority, special skills or specific office needs, may serve to resolve these conflicts. Often, a group discussion and team approach helps.

Q3. Most of my staff can utilize and perhaps benefit from flextime, flexplace and compressed work week arrangements. However, my two support staff are key to the work done by the rest of us and when they are not there to take care of everyone's immediate needs, the flow in the office is affected. It seems unfair to let everyone else benefit from these arrangements and deny the two support staff this option, but I do not know what else to do. Any suggestions?

A. Often practices already exist for managing workflow when support staff are not available. These practices evolve when support staff are out on sick leave or paid time off, or on special training or task assignments. Using these practices on a regular, recurring basis rather than on occasion for the above listed situations, can allow support staff to enjoy flexibility in their work. This may not have to be for large amounts of time. Often a fifteen or thirty minute adjustment in arrival, lunch or departure time can provide meaningful flexibility. Work at home once a month may allow for concentrated time on special projects, and this absence may cause less disruption in the workplace than may have been anticipated. However, if none of these arrangements are feasible, an objective explanation often will suffice.

Q4 . My friend and I work for different departments of the same school. She was recently changed to a compressed workweek, working four days instead of five. I brought up the subject with my supervisor about a similar arrangement for myself, but was turned down. Is this fair?

A: Alternative work schedules, including compressed workweeks, are not an across the board benefit for employees. Managers and supervisors know the operations of their unit(s) best and are responsible for final decisions on how to get the work accomplished. Using the materials in the Flexible Work Options Guide may help you communicate more effectively your reasons for believing that this would be a sound organizational decision. But keep in mind that supervisors and managers have the authority to say yes or no to a flexible arrangement, or to postpone consideration of flexible options to another time. Since every job, worker and situation are different, it cannot be assumed that the same decision is appropriate for two similar positions. Staff Relations is available for discussing your concerns regarding this matter. As mentioned above, the Grievance procedure (Policy #620) does not apply to decisions regarding flexible work option requests.

Q5. How can flexibility apply to me considering the fact that I have trouble keeping up with my workload now and I work over fifty (50) hours a week?

A. While some flexible work arrangements, such as compressed work, may not be feasible for your situation, other flexible work options may work well. For example, your work may be appropriate for a flexplace arrangement and you would benefit from saved commuting time or an opportunity to focus on a special project. This will not reduce your hours worked, merely where the work is done. Adjusting your arrival and/or departure time occasionally may provide a break from the routine and enable you to start fresh the next day. Other than job share or part-time arrangements, flexible work options are not designed to impact the number of hours worked, although productivity often increases, according to research on the subject. With supervisory approval, you may want to experiment with a few options to see if any help you to balance better your work and personal responsibilities. Keep in mind that a flexplace arrangement may be difficult to pilot if your work requires use of technological systems. It may be costly and complicated to set up an appropriate work environment at home. The Information Technology staff in your School/Center can assist you with these deliberations.

Q6. Can a supervisor mandate a flexible work arrangement. If I like my 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. job, can management require me to work a different time schedule to accommodate others who want to work flexibly.

A. It is in the supervisors interest to consider individual scheduling preferences and to make the best effort to respond to these, to avoid reduced productivity or the challenges and costs of turnover. However, management may change work schedules and arrangements to accommodate organizational needs at any time. If an individual is not comfortable with the change, he/she may choose to leave the position. This does not qualify the individual for position discontinuation or staff transition benefits.

Q7. Can Flexible Work Options be used for a limited time to meet fluctuating work demands, such as the need for expanded hour coverage at the beginning of a semester or at the end of the fiscal year, or to allow for more flexibility when work demand is less, such as during the summer?

A. Yes. For example, if it would be useful for an office to have extended hours during the beginning of a semester to accommodate special demands, flextime could be implemented. Some staff could have the opportunity to work an early schedule (such as 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. or 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.), while others would work a late schedule (such as 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.). At the end of the specified time frame, traditional hours may be resumed. Likewise some offices may choose to offer compressed work schedules during slower summer months, with longer mid-week hours and early departure on Fridays or late arrivals Monday. In the fall, this revision may no longer be appropriate for the demands of the office and traditional work hours could be resumed. It is very important for the supervisor to establish clear expectations on the time frame limits of this arrangement before it begins.

Note: Non-exempt staff should maintain the same number of hours worked weekly during the revised schedule as well as when more traditional hours are worked. Remember, over time pay is required for non-exempt staff work in excess of normal work week hours up to forty hours a week. Above forty hours a week, time and half pay is required.

Q8. How are holidays and paid time off calculated under a flexible system?

A. Tracking paid time off is complicated by part-time, job share and compressed work arrangements. This document [pdf] provides details and suggestions about how best to track paid time off and holidays for nontraditional work arrangements. For additional assistance, please contact the Division of Human Resources Compensation Office at 898-1317.