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  • 1.  Rethinking work schedules

    Posted 07-10-2020 07:46

    As people go back to work many organizations are rethinking who needs to be where when. Can we be safer? Can we be more flexible? Can we offer better work/life balance?

    I read an article in Harvard Business Review (https://hbr.org/2020/07/rethinking-work-schedules-consider-these-4-questions?ab=hero-subleft-3) on work scheduling as people go back to work. The article poses 4 questions you should ask:

     

    1. How does my organization's scheduling practices affect employee effectiveness and well-being? 
    2. Can we better align our work schedules with the needs, desires, and personalities of our employees?
    3. What are the implications of creating customized schedules or giving employees more control over their schedules?
    4. Can we effectively balance the needs and desires of both the organization and employees?

     

    I might add for Product Management and Development organizations: Does it impact the innovation of the organization?

    What do you think? Does it make sense to realign work schedules as people go back to work? If so, what needs considered?



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    Rose Klimovich
    Manhattan College
    Riverdale NY
    9083134641
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  • 2.  RE: Rethinking work schedules

    Posted 07-10-2020 16:27
    Hi Rose,

           Thank you for sharing this. I believe that the regular working mechanism that many organizations still work with is truly ineffective and is designed not for the welfare of the business but to control employees and have an oversight over them.

    That being said, I believe people work to deliver results not work to do 8 or 10 hours a day and leave to home and come back the next morning to do the same thing and additionally for jobs that doesn't need physical existence and can be done remotely, I believe it is very strange that until now they haven't implemented this. All studies shows that working from home provides on average better productivity and less costs where you are able to save more space, utilities and provide the employee with the time that he/she would lose in transit and so on.

    That being said, we all know that for some positions it is impossible to be remote as production line workers and in some industries sales people and some innovation teams on need basis, but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't give employee more autonomy over their schedule. They should be paid by delivering tasks not by working 8 hours a day. 

    I can tell you from experience that in the end we all measure based on results and if this is the case why are we forcing the hours and restricting working from home.

    Yes organizations should retain some control and employee who abuse such system should be warned and if no comply fired.

    For innovation and product management, the current digital tools and video conferencing have enabled and reduced the effect of remote work difference with in office work but I believe that on regular basis innovation teams should meet in person during the month for at least of two times, this will enhance their communication and remove the feeling of disconnect.

    I hope that answers your questions

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    Seif Abdelghany
    Local Category Manager
    Electrolux Major Appliance
    10th of Ramadan
    seif.abdelghany@gmail.com
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Rethinking work schedules

    Posted 07-11-2020 18:01
    Hello Rose,
    Adding to the point-of-views here.
    Regardless of the success, or lack thereof, of social distancing, I believe that human inclination to group and work together will prevail over time, making existing predictions for post-pandemic somewhat 'unpredictable'.

    Some companies have implemented 'work from home' and 'flexible schedules' some years ago (I worked for one) with a mixed bag of results. I particularly like one of the Agile Manifesto that promotes group co-location (Individuals and interactions over processes and tools).

    Daniel Lago

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    Daniel Lago
    Product & Industry Expert
    SoftExpert
    Johns Creek GA
    407 502 8357
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Rethinking work schedules

    Posted 07-13-2020 17:45
    Hi Rose,

    I know people who never want to go back to the "old normal" - they don't miss 90 minute each way commutes. However, I am also aware of others who find home working very difficult and can't wait to go back. The problem with not scheduling work activities collectively is that if it is completely left up to the individual, then going to the office will just be working remotely from the office. To get the benefits of in-person collaboration, the right people need to be together at the same time. I think we are going to see lots more hybrid models with some specific times scheduled in the office for socially-distanced collaboration activity, coupled with the option for remote working from either home or an office space. This will be important for product management and development where ideas driven from cross-functional teams working in close collaboration is so important. And I think it doing so we can go a long way to balance the needs and desires of both the organization and employees.

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    Brian Martin
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    Original Message