Alternative Work Arrangements.

 

Beyond redesigning work itself and including employees in decisions, another approach to motivation is to alter work arrangements with (1) flextime, (2) job sharing, (3) or telecommuting.

 

Flextime

Sometimes company simply open their offices for example from 6 AM until 7 PM. Now it is up to you how you will schedule your 8 working hours. This is an example of flextime, short for flexible work time. Employees must work a specific number of hours per week but are free to vary their or work within certain limits. Each day usually consists of a common core, usually 6 hours, with flexibility band surrounding it. All employees are required to be at their jobs during the core period but they can accumulate their other 2 hours before, after, or before and after that.

 

The claimed benefits are numerous. They include reduced absenteeism, increased productivity, reduced overtime expenses, reduced hostility toward management, reduced traffic congestion around work sites, any of which may increase employee job satisfaction. The drawback is that it is not applicable to every job. It is not viable option for receptionists or sales personnel in retail.

 

Job Sharing

Job sharing allows two or more individuals to split a traditional 40 hour-a-week job. One might perform the job from 8 AM to noon and the other from 1 PM to 5 PM, or the two could work full, but alternate, days.Job sharing allows an organization to draw on the talents of more than one individual in a given job. Some describe it as an opportunity to get two heads but “pay for one”.

 

From the employee´s perspective, job sharing increases flexibility and can increase motivation and satisfaction when a 40 hour-a-week job is just not practical. But the major drawback from management´s perspective is finding incompatible pairs of employees who can successfully coordinate the intricacies of one job.

 

Telecommuting

It might be close to the ideal job for many people. No commuting, flexible hours, freedom to dress as you please, and few or no interruption from colleagues. It is called telecommuting and it refers to working from home at least 2 days a week on a computer linked to the employer´s office.

 

What kinds of jobs lend themselves to telecommuting? There are three categories: routine information handling tasks, mobile activities, and professional and other knowledge based tasks. Writers, attorneys, analysts, and employees who spend the majority of their time on computers or the telephone - such as telemarketers, customer service specialists or reservation agents - are natural candidates