DeVry’s CEO was skeptical, says Nancy Johnson, Sr. Director Talent Management, but most managers were supportive, and ultimately she did sell management on flex.
Johnson shared her flex tips at World at Work’s Total Rewards conference held recently in San Diego.
How Johnson Sold Flex as a Business Strategy
First of all, flexibility had been the #1 employee request every year for years, so it had that going for it. However, management needed to see clearer business reasons for the program.
In addition, the current informal system was frustrating to employees and managers, and it was inconsistent in its application.
Johnson hit management with the following other points in favor of flex:
Talent management—
- competitive advantage
- broader talent pool
- reduced turnover
- more women in leadership pipeline
Engagement—
- Increased employee satisfaction and commitment
- Better engagement
- Better company performance
- Increased shareholder value
Productivity—
- Increased output
- Increased efficiency and effectiveness
- Higher quality and customer service metrics
- Better staffing and coverage
Cost savings—
- Reduced real estate costs due to teleworking
- Reduced stress and related medical expenses
- Reduced turnover
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Current System Inconsistent and Informal
Johnson described DeVry’s current system as:
- One-off, ad hoc, individualized approach
- Inconsistent
- Personal accommodation
- No integrated, business-based resources and tools
- Abuse issues
- Equity issues
The desired system was described as a “well-communicated, consistent process for providing employees with flex options that contribute to organization and personal success.” Key factors:
- Business solution and talent management tool. The starting point is the business, not the employee.
- Reason-neutral. It’s not about why the employee wants flex; approval or denial is based on business requirements and individual performance.
- Formalized, more structured, eliminating the inconsistency
- Employees take responsibility for initiating and for result
- Managerial approach. The interaction is between the employee and the manager.
- Clear, equitable process. Well-communicated, well-understood.
One particularly important element, says Johnson, was setting up a system that was between managers and employees—they didn’t want HR to have to come between that interaction.
Flextime—a great idea, but one more thing for compensation to worry about. We asked our editors for a helpful tool to keep compensation challenges under control, and they came up with a unique collection of compensation checklists.
Why are checklists so great? Because they’re completely impersonal, forcing you to jump through all the necessary hoops one by one. They also ensure consistency in how operations are conducted. That’s vital in compensation, where it’s all too easy to land in court if you discriminate in how you treat one employee over another.
And checklists compel thoroughness. Take any one of the checklists listed below. You’d likely never think of all the possible trouble areas without a checklist; but with it, just scan down the list, and instantly see where you might get tripped up.
Here are the checklists you’ll find in this unique compendium:
- Administrative Exemption Checklist
- Administrative Exemption: Insurance Claims Adjusters Checklist
- Administrative Exemption: Financial Services Industry Employees
- Aligning Payroll Policies with the Family and Medical Leave Act Checklist
- Bonuses Checklist
- Break Time, Sleep Time, and Hours Worked Checklist
- Compensation Administration Checklist
- Combination Employees Checklist
- Computer Employee Exemption Checklist
- Correcting Improper Deductions Checklist
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- Creative Professional Exemption Checklist
- Disciplinary Deductions Checklist
- Drivers Who Sell Checklist
- Education Exemption: Administrative Checklist
- Education Exemption: Professional Checklist
- Emergency Work and Occasional Jobs Checklist
- Employee Classification Checklist
- Employer’s Teen Safety Checklist
- Executive Compensation Checklist
- Executive Exemption Checklist
- Federal Laws on Compensation Checklist
- Flexible Work Hours Checklist
- FLSA Exemption Checklist
- Garnishment Checklist
- Garnishments and Attachments Checklist
- Hours of Work Checklist
- Highly Compensated Employees Checklist
- Incentive Compensation Checklist
- Independent Contractors Checklist
- Job Analysis Forms Design Checklist
- Job Description Information Checklist
- Job Descriptions Checklist
- Joint and Dual Employment Checklist
- Learned Professionals Checklist
- Learned Professional Exemption: Nurses Checklist
- Loans and Payroll Advances Checklist
- Outside Sales Exemption Checklist
- Personal Leave, Disability, and Sickness Deductions Checklist
- Physical Requirements Checklist
- Safe Harbor for Improper Deductions Checklist
- Salary Administration Checklist
- State Laws on Compensation Checklist
- Time Off in Lieu of Overtime Checklist
- Trainees Checklist
- Training Time, Charitable Work, and Hours Worked Checklist
- Waiting Time, Travel Time, and Hours Worked Checklist
To download BLR’s Redi2use Library—Compensation Checklists or to find out more, go here.
BLR’s Instant Solutions Resource Library features hundreds of instantly downloadable aids for compensation and HR managers. Visit the Library.