Changing Work Patterns Essay, Research Paper

If the workplace of today could be characterized by a single theme, it would most likely focus on the continual presence of change. Dramatic changes in technology, the marketplace and the workforce have compelled organizations to re-evaluate not only the competitiveness of their products, but also the core ways in which work is performed. It is out of this pursuit for continued survival that organizations have been faced with the notion of varying work-schedules beyond the traditional hours of nine to five. This paper will explore the societal and business changes that have led to a proliferation in flexible work patterns. This paper will also address the benefits and disadvantages of flexible work patterns for both employees and employers.

Demographic trends affecting the Australian labour pool have resulted in considerable workforce changes. The single most important change is the mass entry of women into the workforce, especially married women with children. Spurred initially by equal opportunity legislation, affirmative action and the women’s movement, the growth in women’s workforce participation has been sustained by increased education, a desire for personal fulfilment, economic necessity, and the high rate of divorce.

The percentage of women in the workforce has increased from 50 percent in the 1970’s to 75 percent in 1998. Sixty-two percent of mothers with children under the age of six are employed, while 75 percent of mothers with children between the ages of six and seventeen are employed. Concurrently, new family structures have emerged, as the traditional “nuclear family” (single-earner husband, homemaker wife and children) has declined to minority status. The nuclear family description fits only ten percent of working households today. Nearly half of all workers are now members of dual-earner families, and single-parent families are the fastest growing segment of the workforce. Fewer men have the support of a full-time homemaker wife who can both shield them from family-related work, and enable them to direct energies exclusively toward a career.

These figures demonstrate significant trends in the changing profile of today’s labour pool. Not only are companies forced to recruit and hire from an increasingly diverse workforce, but companies intent on succeeding also will have to retain, motivate and engage the most talented women. Flexible work arrangements are options for helping working mothers integrate work and family responsibilities, so that women can function better both at home and in the workplace.

Changes in the demographic characteristics and lifestyles of the workforce are occurring at a time when businesses are also in a state of flux. Global competitive pressures and the push toward greater productivity have resulted in a number of organizational changes that increase the appeal of alternative work arrangements.

The “lean and mean” organization resulting from downsizing has given way to emerging management concepts such as employee empowerment and self-managed work teams. These characteristics of the current workplace, in combination with a rise in the use of contingent labour, signify a serious cultural shift away from the traditional “pre-downsizing-era” workplace. Hierarchical, bureaucratic organizations which offered employment for life are becoming increasingly extinct, in an attempt to compete with organizations that are nimble, highly responsive and able to staff just-in-time. Rigid organizational structures and operating procedures that worked well in more predictable times are no longer appropriate for today’s changing business environment. The new corporate culture is one that is better designed to accommodate non-traditional working hours.

The global economy is a primary driving force in changing today’s workplace. Companies seeking to become more competitive on a global scale have had to look for ways to become more flexible in order to respond better to fluctuations in demand for products and services. Furthermore, the workplace has experienced an increased demand for non-traditional business hours to satisfy customer needs. Organizations must be able to provide timely, high-quality service in an environment where complex communication takes place across differing cultures, times and space.

In Australia, a shift has occurred away from blue-collar work towards managerial, professional and technical work. The number of professional and technical jobs has increased 300 percent since 1950. Additionally, a quarter of all new jobs currently being created in Australia are either professional or technical in nature. Consider that the business environment of corporate Australia developed out of its industrial, manufacturing origins. Highly structured working hours that benefited factory production are not necessarily optimum conditions for knowledge, information and services industries. Organizations are discovering that knowledge workers cannot be managed like blue-collar workers; compulsory scheduling will not necessarily generate commitment.

Increased use of new technology and telecommunications in business – fax machines, voice mail, cellular phones, videoconferencing, Internet, e-mail – has facilitated global communication. At the same time, these technological forces have blurred the boundaries about where and when work is done. Employees are increasingly accessible to their employers across space and time. Technology has helped to play a role in overcoming outdated attitudes about the perceived limits of various work arrangements.

Working parents face increasing family pressures to effectively handle childcare, elder care and household responsibilities. Corporations are preoccupied with profitability and survival in a highly competitive world. Employees feel this stress and attempt to juggle the demands of both home and work. For employers, the need is for Human Resources tools which meet two goals: 1) prevent employees from feeling overburdened by work or burnt out by their jobs, and 2) help to prevent family or home demands from spilling over into the workplace. Among the many work/family initiatives that can assist in accomplishing these goals (resource and referral services, on-site child care, employee assistance programs, seminars, tuition assistance, adoption assistance), alternative work arrangements are among the most vital aspects of post-downsizing Human Resources management.

What is flexibility? In general, it is an employee’s ability to adjust his or her work time or workplace when personal needs conflict with a current work schedule. Of the many opportunities which flexible work patterns provide, the most common include: Increased productivity. Organizations have noted productivity increases after having implemented flexible work patterns. There are several possible reasons; elimination of commute stress; working at home which can allow employees to avoid interruptions and distractions that often exist in the office; increased morale which may serve as a motivator; and work schedules which can be arranged to take advantage of the employee’s most productive work periods.

Lower use of sick leave. Flexible work patterns can reduce the amount of sick leave used by employees in two ways: escaping the pressure of commuting or tight daily schedules can make some employees less susceptible to illness; sometimes employees who are injured or ill, and otherwise not inclined to dress for work and make the drive to the office, may still feel able to work, if at home; flexible work patterns give employees an opportunity to conduct personal business during the day and reduce the amount of time off work.

Improved employee morale. Employers who have instituted flexible work patterns have noted some increase in employee morale. This may be due to the increased flexibility and time for personal business; improved work environment; ability to schedule work around “personally productive” hours, rather than adhering to an organizational norm (8am to 5pm); reduced expenses (e.g., commute, clothing, lunch), and/or the employee’s appreciation for the convenience, independence, and supervisory trust shown by such programs.

Improved recruitment and retention. It is important to be able to recruit and retain the best employees possible. Flexible work patterns can help in these areas. By increasing flexibility and autonomy, reducing commute time and work expenses, and by allowing employees a more pleasant work environment, flexible work patterns can make a place more attractive to work for both current and future employees.

Flexibility is not without its problems. It is clearly more difficult to supervise employees who have flexible schedules. Staffing/vacation/leave coverage. Having employees who do not work at the central work location, or who do not keep the same hours as others, may make vacation, sick leave, and other types of leave- coverage somewhat more difficult. It may be necessary, at times, for a manager to temporarily alter a flexible work pattern arrangement if staff coverage is necessary in the central work location.

Scheduling meetings. As with coverage, scheduling meetings can become more complex. Trying to accommodate meetings to days in the office- or flexible work patterns reduces the core period of time employees will be in the same place, at the same time. It may, at times, be necessary for an employee to adjust her/his schedule in order to be available for a meeting.

Loss of cohesiveness/interpersonal dynamics. Altering the dynamics of the work place, and the relationships that have been established, can have consequences (though not always negative). There can be a loss of “team” feeling; there may be feelings of increased isolation and loss of social contact for flexible work pattern employees; hard feelings can develop among employees whose positions or personal circumstances do not allow them to have a flexible schedule.

The benefits of flexible work arrangements, however, far outweigh these potential pitfalls. As more organizations begin to perceive these initiatives as strategic management tools, flexibility will move beyond its origin as an accommodation to working mothers. Simply put, companies intent on succeeding in the marketplace will be compelled to implement flexible work patterns. Such organizations will find that their potential for increased profitability is significantly affected by how skilfully they can integrate a variety of work-time and work-site options to create a climate of equitable flexibility for all employees.