Instituting flex time can aid workers, employer
DEAR J.T. & DALE: I have an employee who is a single mom. As a result, she needs to come to work 20 minutes late every day. I don’t have a problem with it, but a co-worker told me that the team is upset that she is getting special treatment. I never thought that other employees would take offense. At the same time, I don’t want to take this flexibility away from a single mom. — Hanna
J.T.: The answer is simple: If you can offer a single mom some start-time flexibility, why can’t you do it for the rest of the staff? Flex time is one of the most sought-after perks among employees today. Not only will it make the rest of your team happy, but it can promote retention and greater overall productivity and job satisfaction. In a time when unemployment is low, why risk losing key staff members over something you can fix with a simple benefit? Also, I’m sure it will make the single mom feel better because she won’t be getting any special treatment, so she won’t have to feel guilty for the exception you’ve been offering her at the expense of her co-workers.
Dale: Great idea. And, as sometimes happens when you offer employees flexibility, you might end up doing a better job of serving your customers. For instance, I once profiled a guy who won a “hotel manager of the year” award mainly because he got rid of check-in times at his hotel. It was a location where customers often showed up in the morning, wanting to check in after getting off red-eye flights; however, there was a policy stating that they had to wait till afternoon. The manager realized that the only reason they couldn’t check in was because rooms needed to be cleaned. So he asked if anyone on the housekeeping team would be willing to come in earlier. One woman was delighted — that way, she could take off early and pick up her kids from school. Here’s my point: When you offer flexibility, you will find the workday expanding, which can have customer advantages. I’m thinking Manager of the Year for you, Hanna.
Dear J.T. & Dale: I started a job three months ago. Since I started, two people have left. The boss doesn’t seem in a hurry to replace them. As a result, I’m picking up the extra work. That’s fine, but I’d like to be compensated for it. What’s the best way to approach the subject? — Matt
J.T.: I would start by pulling together a list of all the extra projects you are now responsible for that weren’t part of your job description. I’d also identify any extra hours you’ve put in. Then, set a meeting with your boss to go over the work and ask if he or she plans to hire someone for the role, or if you should plan to keep it. If it’s the latter, you say: “Great, I’m thrilled I can be of more value to the company. That said, I’m hoping we could discuss the possibility of an increase in pay to compensate for the extra workload?” If the boss objects to paying you more, then I would follow up with the question, “Is there a way we can map out a plan so I can eventually earn more?” That way, he knows you are going to pursue this. If it’s still “no,” then it’s up to you to decide if you want to stay or look for a new employer.
Dale: Something is off here. How is it, Matt, that you can do the work of three? If you’re working evenings and weekends, then I get it, and agree with J.T. But that doesn’t
seem to be the case here — you would have mentioned it. So, assuming you’re working normal hours, then one of two things may have occurred: One, management realized that the department had been overstaffed and now it isn’t. Or, two, maybe you truly are a three-fer super-employee. Those are two very different conversations. So this is a time to be politically savvy and figure out which it is before you approach your boss.
Jeanine “J.T.” Tanner O’Donnell is a professional development specialist and the founder of the consulting firm jtodonnell. Dale Dauten resolves employment and other business disputes as a mediator with AgreementHouse.com. Please visit them at jtanddale. com, where you can send questions via email, or write to them in care of King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th St., 15th Floor, New York, NY 10019.