Workplace Flexibility begins with a Shameless Workforce

I would like to extend many thanks to Theresa Chambers of the Puget Sound Recognition Roundtable and Recognition Works for allowing me to lead a discussion on Shameless You! and Workplace Flexibility. At the forum on February 24, 2010, hosted by Snohomish County, we talked about how helping your workforce boost morale and build confidence helps human resource teams craft effective workplace flexibility programs.

Workplace flexibility is a growing trend in organizations large and small. As more people are experiencing more demands on their time, work-life fit (instead of the old 'work-life balance') drives programs for attracting, keeping, and motivating top talent. Smart employers know that happy workers are more focused and more productive. Traditional work schedules were established in a time when men dominated the workforce, women stayed home with the children, and multiple generations populated socially and geographically close communities.

Today's work and social environments have placed many workers in lifestyles where both parents work, single parents are equally as common as two-parent households, and adults care for both young children and aging parents. Work-life fit becomes increasingly important when communities turn virtual and extend globally, and families grow smaller. The average worker has to fit child care, elder care, household matters, personal care, and a full time job into everyday management.

Workplace flexibility introduces new options for where, when, and how work gets done. When crafting a workplace flexibility program, decision makers can benefit from connecting the when, where and how to their overall strategies and focus on"why" the work gets done. When workers can align the "why" of the organization with the "why" in their personal lives, they can influence workplace flexibility programs that consistently deliver exceptional everyday performance.

Shameless You! reveals "why" to your team members so that they understand their career strategies, personal strengths, and work-life fit opportunities. When workers are shameless, they understand and voice their workplace contributions, aligning their individual concerns with the organization's strategy and concerns. Shameless workers know that their contributions are appreciated and speak openly with their supervisors about what works and what can be improved.

When workers are not shameless, they don't understand why they come to work each day, other than to punch a clock and collect a paycheck. They do not feel appreciated, and hesitate to point out inefficiencies and concerns. In the shameful workplace, talent disconnects from the underlying strategy and excellence turns into apathy in everyday performance. Once apathy and disconnect set in, workplace flexibility can only mask underlying failures in strategy and performance. How, where, and when work happens becomes irrelevant if individuals cannot connect with why work happens.

I invite you to learn more about how to bring Shameless You! to your organization. Whether a program for your internal teams, a learning experience for your distributors, or an appreciation seminar for your customers, Shameless You! equips individuals with the tools they need to better understand why they do what they do, and perform each day with more confidence, integrity, and accountability.

What can you do to help your team be shameless and understand why they are important to your workplace flexibility program and other strategic initiatives?