Comments on: Winter’s Challenges–Illness and Weather–and Flexibility http://worklifefit.com/blog/2007/02/winters-challenges-illness-and-weather-and-flexibility/ Fit, Not Balance. Tue, 03 Apr 2012 21:22:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.2 By: Gurjit Gill http://worklifefit.com/blog/2007/02/winters-challenges-illness-and-weather-and-flexibility/comment-page-1/#comment-28202 Gurjit Gill Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:16:50 +0000 http://worklifefit.com/blog/2007/02/14/winters-challenges-illness-and-weather-and-flexibility/#comment-28202 The ability to work remotely is a weapon that firms can use to increase their advantage. More importantly is how quickly they can dispense this weapon into staff's hands. No one plans to be sick, and weather anomalies/natural disasters are hard to predict. Speed is everything. Cheers...gurjit. The ability to work remotely is a weapon that firms can use to increase their advantage. More importantly is how quickly they can dispense this weapon into staff’s hands. No one plans to be sick, and weather anomalies/natural disasters are hard to predict. Speed is everything.
Cheers…gurjit.

]]> By: Gurjit Gill http://worklifefit.com/blog/2007/02/winters-challenges-illness-and-weather-and-flexibility/comment-page-1/#comment-28201 Gurjit Gill Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:16:24 +0000 http://worklifefit.com/blog/2007/02/14/winters-challenges-illness-and-weather-and-flexibility/#comment-28201 The ability to work remotely is a weapon that firms can use to increase their advantage. More importantly is how quickly they can dispense this weapon into staff's hands. No one plans to be sick, and weather anomalies/natural disasters are hard to predict. Speed is everything. The ability to work remotely is a weapon that firms can use to increase their advantage. More importantly is how quickly they can dispense this weapon into staff’s hands. No one plans to be sick, and weather anomalies/natural disasters are hard to predict. Speed is everything.

]]> By: BNET Intercom » Feeling Sick? Stay Home. Please! on BNET http://worklifefit.com/blog/2007/02/winters-challenges-illness-and-weather-and-flexibility/comment-page-1/#comment-1759 BNET Intercom » Feeling Sick? Stay Home. Please! on BNET Tue, 22 May 2007 22:33:51 +0000 http://worklifefit.com/blog/2007/02/14/winters-challenges-illness-and-weather-and-flexibility/#comment-1759 [...] Try and count how many times you've gone into the office sick when you should have stayed home. Now imagine how many of your colleagues got sick because you didn't want to fall behind in work. Cali's Work+Life "Fit" Blog has some novel advice for contagious workaholics. How about working from home for the day instead? "Imagine how many fewer sick days companies would have to pay for (in terms of lost productivity) if employees not sick enough to be bed-ridden, but sick enough to be contagious worked from home. I couldn’t help thinking of the cost-benefit analysis: fewer people sick overall, and more people working at least partially, instead of not at all, equals more productivity… Companies can’t wait until people get sick, or a snow storm hits, to roll out flexibility. It must already be part of your company’s day-to-day business strategy to work in a crisis." [...] [...] Try and count how many times you've gone into the office sick when you should have stayed home. Now imagine how many of your colleagues got sick because you didn't want to fall behind in work. Cali's Work+Life "Fit" Blog has some novel advice for contagious workaholics. How about working from home for the day instead? "Imagine how many fewer sick days companies would have to pay for (in terms of lost productivity) if employees not sick enough to be bed-ridden, but sick enough to be contagious worked from home. I couldn’t help thinking of the cost-benefit analysis: fewer people sick overall, and more people working at least partially, instead of not at all, equals more productivity… Companies can’t wait until people get sick, or a snow storm hits, to roll out flexibility. It must already be part of your company’s day-to-day business strategy to work in a crisis." [...]

]]> By: Sherrill Curtis http://worklifefit.com/blog/2007/02/winters-challenges-illness-and-weather-and-flexibility/comment-page-1/#comment-573 Sherrill Curtis Fri, 16 Feb 2007 01:17:42 +0000 http://worklifefit.com/blog/2007/02/14/winters-challenges-illness-and-weather-and-flexibility/#comment-573 Hi Cali, Great article. One thing that employers are faced with in trying to be flexible is the DOL and non-exempt staff. They have to be paid for any time worked and their roles don't typically provide for that level of flexibility because of what they touch in the office. It's a great perspective for professional and executive level staff who are exempt -as they must be paid no matter what - no docking. For many years this has proved to be the crux of the dicotomy between the two. It creates more priviledges for exempt positions and disgruntled non-exempts for the lack thereof. Then it becomes a fairness and morale issue. Believe me, if all could work from home on those "just can't get out" days either due to weather or a bit sick, I'd go for it all the way around. One of my clients does this however, most are all professional, exempt positions. Just thought I'd share that info that tends to be the glitch for most companies trying to do the progressive, right thing. Take care, Sherrill Hi Cali,
Great article. One thing that employers are faced with in trying to be flexible is the DOL and non-exempt staff. They have to be paid for any time worked and their roles don’t typically provide for that level of flexibility because of what they touch in the office.
It’s a great perspective for professional and executive level staff who are exempt -as they must be paid no matter what – no docking.

For many years this has proved to be the crux of the dicotomy between the two. It creates more priviledges for exempt positions and disgruntled non-exempts for the lack thereof. Then it becomes a fairness and morale issue.

Believe me, if all could work from home on those “just can’t get out” days either due to weather or a bit sick, I’d go for it all the way around. One of my clients does this however, most are all professional, exempt positions.

Just thought I’d share that info that tends to be the glitch for most companies trying to do the progressive, right thing.

Take care,
Sherrill

]]> By: Michelle Rodriguez http://worklifefit.com/blog/2007/02/winters-challenges-illness-and-weather-and-flexibility/comment-page-1/#comment-570 Michelle Rodriguez Thu, 15 Feb 2007 15:07:13 +0000 http://worklifefit.com/blog/2007/02/14/winters-challenges-illness-and-weather-and-flexibility/#comment-570 Negative. Cali, unfortunately, my company is far from this wonderful concept of flexibility during inclement weather and when one is not feeling well enough to go to office, but not sick enough to be bed-ridden. Why would they rather pay an entire sick day while they can get some productivity from me by working from home and not contaminating others at work - is beyond my simple minded comprehension. Just yesterday (2/14/07) we had really bad road conditions due to snow/ice. I drove into work (35 miles per hour for 46 miles) in what I considered hazardous conditions. I had the option to take a vacation day. However, with two children, I would rather not need to take a vacation day when I may very well need it for an emergency during the course of the year. And in addition, with all the outstanding work - I didn't want to lose a day. As I drove in - I saw 6 vehicles who had slipped off the road and into the down slopes of the highway. I kept thinking to myself, why am I out here risking an accident and why would the company not realize that giving their employees the opportunity to work from home would be a much safer and productive option. I do not understand the concept and would rather stop here. Thank you for a forum to let it out... Negative. Cali, unfortunately, my company is far from this wonderful concept of flexibility during inclement weather and when one is not feeling well enough to go to office, but not sick enough to be bed-ridden. Why would they rather pay an entire sick day while they can get some productivity from me by working from home and not contaminating others at work – is beyond my simple minded comprehension.

Just yesterday (2/14/07) we had really bad road conditions due to snow/ice. I drove into work (35 miles per hour for 46 miles) in what I considered hazardous conditions. I had the option to take a vacation day. However, with two children, I would rather not need to take a vacation day when I may very well need it for an emergency during the course of the year. And in addition, with all the outstanding work – I didn’t want to lose a day. As I drove in – I saw 6 vehicles who had slipped off the road and into the down slopes of the highway. I kept thinking to myself, why am I out here risking an accident and why would the company not realize that giving their employees the opportunity to work from home would be a much safer and productive option. I do not understand the concept and would rather stop here. Thank you for a forum to let it out…

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