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AND THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH TIME IN THE DAY.
THERE'S NEVER BEEN A BALANCE IN MY LIFE.
Donna Klein: IT'S A 24/7 WORKPLACE,
AND IT'S A 24/7 LIFE.
I WORK PROBABLY CLOSE TO 70 HOURS A WEEK.
I DON'T WANT IT TO BE
WHERE SOMEBODY CAN'T BE AT THEIR DAUGHTER'S RECITAL.
THOSE THINGS ARE CRITICAL.
THOSE THINGS HAPPEN ONLY ONCE.
WE ARE IN A DIFFERENT WORLD
WHERE PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT DESIRES
AND CORPORATE AMERICA HAS NOT EVOLVED THERE YET.
Bonnie Erbé: HOW WE WORK, WHERE WE WORK,
EVEN WHAT WE DO
ARE UNDERGOING A REVOLUTION OF SORTS.
TECHNOLOGY, GLOBALIZATION, DUAL-INCOME COUPLES,
AN AGING BUT DWINDLING BABY BOOMER WORKFORCE,
COUPLED WITH CHANGING ATTITUDES TOWARDS WORK, LIFE AND FAMILY--
ARE FUELING DEMAND FOR ALTERNATIVE CAREER PATHS,
FLEXIBLE JOBS,
AND IMPROVED PENSION BENEFITS.
SO COMPANIES IN THIS 24/7 GLOBAL ECONOMY
HAVE TO FIND NEW WAYS TO BE PROFITABLE AND EFFICIENT
AND ATTRACT AND RETAIN THE BEST TALENT.
SO THESE TWO FORCES:
EMPLOYEES, EMPLOYERS,
ARE RESHAPING THE AMERICAN WORKFORCE,
AND WORK, AS WE KNOW IT, IS 9 TO 5 NO LONGER.
(♪ Music ♪)
Announcer: FUNDING FOR 9 TO 5 NO LONGER IS PROVI PROVIDED BY:
WHICH MAKES GRANTS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY
AND THE QUALITY OF AMERICAN LIFE.
AND BY:
(♪ Violins ♪)
Elvis Costello: WHEN YOU CLOSE YOUR EYES,
YOU CAN SEE THE WHOLE ORCHESTRA IN FRONT OF YOU.
IT DOESN'T ALL COME AT YOU AT ONCE,
IT DOESN'T START LIKE A ROCK 'N' ROLL RECORD,
BUT IT'S EXCITING LIKE A ROCK 'N' ROLL RECORD.
Bonnie: IT'S A WORKPLACE REVOLUTION
THAT'S BEING FELT AROUND THE COUNTRY.
NOT EVERY BUSINESS IS PART OF THIS TRANSITION,
AND IT'S USUALLY PROFESSIONALS OR MANAGERS
WHO BENEFIT FROM THE CHANGE.
BUT THE NUMBER OF COMPANIES AIMING TO STAY
ON TOP OF THE TREND TOWARD WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY
JUST TAKE A LOOK AT MAJOR RETAILER BEST BUY.
THE FORMULAIC 40-HOUR, 9-TO-5 WORKWEEK
HAS BEEN OUTLAWED AT ITS MINNESOTA HEADQUARTERS.
WORK WHENEVER OR WHEREVER YOU WANT--
JUST GET THE JOB DONE.
AT INSURER CHUBB,
COMPRESSED WORKWEEKS-- FOUR TEN-HOUR SHIFTS
INSTEAD OF THE TYPICAL FIVE EIGHT-HOUR SHIFTS--
INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY AND ALLOWED EMPLOYEES
TO BETTER BALANCE WORK AND FAMILY LIFE.
WORKERS SET THEIR OWN HOURS AT PRINTINGFORLESS.COM,
BASED IN LIVINGSTON, MONTANA,
AS LONG AS THEY KEEP THE PRINTING PRESSES RUNNING 24/7,
AND KEEP CUSTOMER-SERVICE JOBS STAFFED.
A LOT OF LEADING EMPLOYERS FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS
FOR EXAMPLE
HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHING AND FINE-TUNING
FLEXIBLE WORK OPTIONS FOR EMPLOYEES OF ALL AGES.
THE IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER
IS THAT SOME OF THESE EMPLOYERS ARE DOING THIS
BECAUSE THEY THINK IT'S A VERY GOOD MANAGEMENT STRATEGY.
Bonnie: THESE PLACES ARE EVOLVING BECAUSE BOTH THE WORKFORCE
AND THE WAY WORK GETS DONE ARE EVOLVING, TOO.
Ellen Galinsky: IT'S REALLY NOT OUR MOTHER'S OR OUR FATHER'S WORKFORCE
ANYMORE.
WE'VE TRANSITIONED FROM AN INDUSTRIAL ECONOMY
TO A KNOWLEDGE AND SERVICE ECONOMY.
BUT OUR IDEAS STILL LINGER, IN SOME PART,
BACK IN THE INDUSTRIAL ECONOMY.
SO IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFERENT THAN IT WAS IN THE PAST.
WORK ITSELF HAS CHANGED.
IT'S NOT A 9-TO-5 WORLD ANYMORE.
Gregg Slager: THE DEALS THAT I WORK ON
CAN RANGE FROM $10 MILLION TO $25 BILLION.
Bonnie: MEET GREGG SLAGER,
A SENIOR PARTNER AT ERNST AND YOUNG,
THE ACCOUNTING AND CONSULTING FIRM.
HIS GROUP DEALS WITH CLIENTS
ON A 24/7, ROUND-THE-WORLD BASIS.
THEY CHECK THE BOOKS AND RECORDS
OF COMPANIES ABOUT TO BE PURCHASED.
IT'S CALLED DUE DILIGENCE,
AND BUSINESS IS BOOMING IN MULTIPLE TIME ZONES.
STAFF ALONE IN THE PAST 13 YEARS
HAS GROWN MORE THAN 4,000%.
A PERSON IN HIS FAST-PACED, STRESS-FILLED JOB
USUALLY BRINGS HOME SEVEN FIGURES ANNUALLY.
LIKE MANY IN FINANCE OR LAW,
HE CAN WORK 80-100 HOURS A WEEK DURING A PEAK PERIOD.
BUT ACCORDING TO SLAGER, IT'S WORTH IT.
Gregg: BECAUSE THIS IS EXCITING WORK
AND WE LOVE WHAT WE DO.
Bonnie: SLAGER JOINED THE COMPANY MORE THAN A DECADE AGO,
BUT AS HIS CAREER PROGRESSED,
SOMETHING DIDN'T SEEM QUITE RIGHT.
I JUST REALIZED
THAT I WAS SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME HERE AT WORK
AND I HAD TWO YOUNG BOYS AT HOME
AND I WAS VERY INTERESTED IN SPENDING AS MUCH TIME
AS I COULD WITH THEM.
I DON'T EVER REMEMBER GOING TO LISTEN TO A EULOGY
WHERE THEY SAID HE WAS A REALLY GOOD DUE DILIGENCE GUY.
BUT I ALSO HEAR THEM SAY,
"HE WAS A GOOD FATHER" OR "HE WAS A GOOD HUSBAND."
(♪ Piano ♪)
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT MOTHERS.
IT'S REALLY THE FLEXIBILITY
TO BE ABLE TO PURSUE PERSONAL GOALS
AS WELL AS PROFESSIONAL GOALS.
Bonnie: GREGG SLAGER, LIKE MILLIONS OF OTHER AMERICAN WORKERS,
DOES NOT FIT THAT MODEL OF THE PERFECT 9-TO-5 WORKER
INDUSTRY LAUDED IN DECADES PAST.
Chai Feldblum: THE IDEAL WORKER
IS SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF OTHER THINGS
TUGGING AT HIS OR HER COATTAILS.
THERE ARE NOT KIDS.
THERE ARE NOT ELDERLY PARENTS.
THERE'S NOT TOILETS THAT BREAK, RIGHT?
THERE'S SOMEONE WHO SHOWS UP AT WORK AT 9 A.M.,
AND CAN BE THERE TILL 5 OR MAYBE TILL 9 P.M.
IT'S A WORKER WHO CAN BE SLOTTED INTO THIS SHIFT
OR ANOTHER SHIFT.
IT'S A WORKER WHOSE CONCERNS ARE ONLY ABOUT WORK.
MANY COMPANIES HAVE A HUGE CULTURE OF OVERWORK
WHERE WE JUST EXPECT OUR EMPLOYEES
TO WORK AND WORK AND WORK AND WORK AND WORK.
Bonnie: CAROL EVANS, AUTHOR OF THIS IS HOW WE DO IT
AND FOUNDER OF WORKING MOTHER MEDIA,
HAS BEEN STUDYING THE ISSUES FACING WORKING PEOPLE
SINCE WORKING MOTHER MAGAZINE LAUNCHED IN 1978.
Carol: EVERYBODY WANTS FLEXIBILITY.
IT IS THE NUMBER ONE THING
THAT WORKING MOTHERS PARTICULARLY WANT;
94% OF RESPONDENTS TO A SURVEY THAT WE DID LAST YEAR
SAID THAT FLEXIBILITY WAS THE FIRST THING THEY WOULD PICK.
YOUNG DADS WANT MORE FLEXIBILITY, TOO.
CREATING FLEXIBILITY IS ONE OF THE EASIEST THINGS
THAT COMPANIES CAN DO.
Bonnie: COMPANIES HAVE BEEN LISTENING.
MORE THAN 20 YEARS AGO,
FEWER THAN 13% OF AMERICANS HAD FLEXIBLE WORK SCHEDULES.
TODAY THAT FIGURE HAS MORE THAN DOUBLED
TO NEARLY 28%.
THESE ARE NOT WARM AND FUZZY BENEFITS AT ALL,
THESE ARE BENEFITS THAT PEOPLE NEED;
ALSO, THESE ARE BENEFITS
THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN CHILDREN'S LIVES.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, SHOULDN'T WE BE ALSO
WORRYING ABOUT OUR KIDS?
OUR COMPANIES NEED THE NEXT GENERATION OF EMPLOYEES
TO BE REALLY, REALLY PRODUCTIVE AND TO STEP UP TO SOME,
YOU KNOW, DIFFICULT SHOES TO FULFILL FROM BABY BOOMERS.
SOME OF THE COMPANIES THAT ARE DOING THE BEST IN FLEXIBILITY
ARE DOING THE BEST BECAUSE THEY WERE DOING THE WORST.
THERE IS A VERY 24/7 CULTURE THERE.
Bonnie: ACCOUNTING AND CONSULTING FIRMS LIKE GREGG SLAGER'S
MIGHT FIT INTO THAT OLD MOLD OF ENDLESS HOURS.
Gregg: THERE WAS A POINT IN MY CAREER--
THE ACTIVITY INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY--
THAT VACATIONS BECAME A CHANGE IN WORK VENUE
AS OPPOSED TO A REAL VACATION.
Bonnie: THAT WAS UNTIL SLAGER DID SOMETHING UNTHINKABLE
FOR A TOP PERFORMER.
HE DECLARED THIS WASN'T THE KIND OF LIFE
HE AND HIS TEAM WANTED,
AND DECIDED TO TRY AND CHANGE THE WAY WORK WAS DONE.
WE REALLY EXAMINED THE WAY
THAT WE DID BUSINESS WITH OUR CLIENTS,
AND THE WAY THAT WE DID BUSINESS WITH THE FIRM INTERNALLY
AS WELL.
Bonnie: SIX MONTHS LATER,
SLAGER MADE CHANGES WITH MANAGEMENT'S BLESSING.
AND BECAME PART OF ERNST & YOUNG'S
"PEOPLE FIRST" PROGRAM
ACCOUNTS WERE STAFFED MORE EFFICIENTLY,
AND MORE PEOPLE WERE KEPT INFORMED
ON KEY ISSUES REGARDING EACH DEAL.
MORE WEBCASTS AND ELECTRONIC MESSAGES
BECAME THE NORM.
SOON ALL MANAGERS WERE REQUIRED TO USE BLACKBERRYS,
AND OFFICES--THEY EVOLVED, TOO.
Gregg: WE BROKE DOWN THE CUBICLE WALLS.
CUBICLES KIND OF CREATED LESS INTERACTION AMONGST PEOPLE.
SO, I MEAN, BY PUTTING PEOPLE MORE IN TEAM ROOMS
AND GETTING PEOPLE MORE ENGAGED, WORKING TOGETHER,
THERE'S THIS TREMENDOUS KNOWLEDGE SHARING.
THE PEOPLE WERE ACTUALLY GROWING FASTER
BECAUSE THEY WERE BROADENING THEIR EXPERIENCES.
Bonnie: THESE CHANGES SPURRED LESS TURNOVER
AMONG WOMEN AND MINORITIES.
THAT MEANT LOWER COSTS FOR ERNST AND YOUNG
FOR RECRUITING AND NEW HIRES.
FOR US TO BE ABLE TO ATTRACT THE TOP TALENT,
WE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND THE POOL OF PEOPLE
THAT WE COULD DRAW FROM.
WE WANTED PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO FEEL COMFORTABLE HERE,
THAT WE WILL SUPPORT THEIR LIFE WORK
AND WE WILL SUPPORT THEIR PERSONAL GOALS.
IF IT'S ALL WORK, WORK, WORK,
IT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE ATTRACTIVE
TO 99% OF THE PEOPLE.
Bonnie: HOW EMPLOYEES TALKED TO EACH OTHER WAS KEY, TOO.
NO MORE OF THE MACHO MENTALITY,
NO MORE OF THE, YOU KNOW,
WHEN SOMEONE'S LEAVING AT 5:00 AT NIGHT,
YOU DON'T SAY, "WORKING HALF DAYS."
IT'S LITTLE COMMUNICATIONS LIKE THAT
THAT REALLY CAN BUILD UP
AND ACTUALLY KINDA CREATE A NEGATIVE-TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT.
HEY, BIG GUY.
SUN'S UP, MAN.
( Pat, Pat, Pat ) IT'S TIME.
Bonnie: TODAY, SPENDING TIME WITH KYLE AND JUSTIN
IN THE MORNING IS THE NORM.
Sue Slager: HE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN HERE.
HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN OUT OF TOWN OR ALREADY AT WORK
OR AT A MEETING OR SOMETHING.
SOMETIMES HE WOULD BE HERE, BUT COULDN'T COUNT ON IT.
WITH THE EXTRA HELP,
EVERYBODY GETS TO DO SOMETHING FUN WITH THE BOYS,
INSTEAD OF JUST DO CHORES.
Bonnie: AND WHILE SOME PEOPLE ARE ANNOYED
BY OMNIPRESENT BLACKBERRYS,
SUE SLAGER SEES IT DIFFERENTLY.
Sue: I USE MY BLACKBERRY TO TALK TO GREGG
WHEN HE'S OUT OF TOWN
OR MAYBE IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TIME ZONE.
YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE GUYS CALL IT,
NOT SO AFFECTIONATELY, "CRACK-BERRY."
BUT, I MEAN, TO ME IT CAN EITHER BE AN ENABLER OR AN INVADER;
IT'S HOW YOU USE IT, I THINK.
DOMO ARIGATO.
ARIGATO.
THANKS.
I HAD A TRIP TO JAPAN LAST WEEK
AND IT'S HARD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER
WHAT THE TIME DIFFERENCE IS.
BUT I THINK IT'S 14 HOURS
AND SO WHEN I'M UP IN THE MORNING
THEY'RE AT BED AT NIGHT
OR THEY'RE AT BED AND I'M UP IN THE MORNING.
SO IT JUST HELPED US KEEP IN TOUCH.
SO IT MADE THE WORLD A LOT SMALLER.
TO ME, THE BREAKFAST HOUR HAS BECOME THE NEW DINNER HOUR.
I MEAN, THIS IS VERY VALUABLE TIME,
IT'S PRECIOUS.
ACTUALLY, THESE GUYS ARE FOCUSED
AND, I MEAN, WHEN THEY USED TO COME HOME AT NIGHT,
EVEN WHEN YOU COME HOME FOR DINNER,
YOU KNOW, SCHOOL IS A DISTANT MEMORY.
HERE WE ACTUALLY GET SOME REAL QUALITY TIME.
I CAN TALK TO THEM ABOUT SCHOOL.
THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT'S THE DAY AHEAD.
TO BE ABLE TO SPEND THAT TIME WITH THEM,
AND TO SEE THEM OFF TO SCHOOL
AND SAY THE "I LOVE YOUS" AS YOU GO TO WORK
IS AN AWESOME FEELING.
YEAH, HEY, I'M PICKING YOU UP.
DON'T FORGET, I'M PICKING YOU UP.
Bonnie: SLAGER'S NOT THE ONLY ONE EMBRACING FLEXIBILITY
IN HIS DEPARTMENT.
SOME 100 PARTNERS
ENJOY FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENTS, TOO.
THEY ALL SERVE AS ROLE MODELS TO OTHERS.
Chris LeRoy: GREGG IS FORGING NEW PATHS FOR FOLKS
IN TERMS OF BUILDING THE FLEXIBILITY.
AS MY WIFE AND I CHOOSE TO HAVE KIDS,
OR FOR THAT MATTER,
IF WE CHOOSE TO GO INTO PERSONAL ENDEAVORS,
BE IT CHARITY OR WHAT HAVE YOU,
SO IT'S HELPFUL TO KNOW THAT THE FLEXIBILITY IS THERE.
THAT'S A TREMENDOUS RECRUITING TOOL.
Bonnie: TODAY, ERNST AND YOUNG REPEATEDLY EARNS A SPOT
ON WORKING MOTHER'S ANNUAL 100 BEST COMPANIES LIST.
IT'S A LIST THAT DIDN'T EXIST IN YEARS PAST.
IN THE 1950s, 1960s, EVEN INTO THE EARLY '70s,
WORK HOURS WEREN'T AS LIKELY TO STRAIN HOME LIFE.
USUALLY ONE PARENT WAS HOME TO TAKE CARE OF THE CHILDREN
AND RUN THE HOME.
BUT WITH WOMEN DIVING INTO THE WORK POOL
IN GREATER NUMBERS,
TWO-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS AND SINGLE PARENTS MORE COMMON,
WORK NOW PUTS A MAJOR STRAIN ON EMPLOYEES,
BOTH MALE AND FEMALE, AND ON THEIR FAMILIES.
SO IN THE '90s,
THE CRY FOR WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY
BEGAN IN EARNEST.
I THINK THE POT HAS BEEN BOILING FOR A WHILE
AROUND YOUNG PARENTS, AND OFTEN WOMEN,
THAT ARE DISCOVERING THIS COMPLETE MISMATCH
BETWEEN THE WORKPLACE AND THEIR LIFE NEEDS.
THERE'S A REAL SENSE AMONG PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING
THAT THERE IS A TIME FAMINE.
THEY FEEL SQUEEZED FOR TIME:
67% OF PEOPLE SAY THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME
FOR THEIR CHILDREN;
63% SAY THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME
FOR THEIR HUSBAND OR THEIR WIFE.
AND THAT HAS JUMPED UP IN 10 YEARS FROM 50% TO 63%,
A REALLY BIG JUMP.
55% SAY THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME FOR THEMSELVES.
SO TIME IS THE PRECIOUS AND SCARCE COMMODITY
THAT PEOPLE ALL WANT MORE.
THEY WANT 25 HOURS, 26 HOURS IN A DAY.
WE USED TO THINK OF FLEXIBILITY AS A PERK.
AND NOW, MANY EMPLOYERS ARE BEGINNING TO THINK OF IT
AS A STRATEGIC BUSINESS TOOL.
Bonnie: THE MOST SUCCESSFUL EMPLOYERS, WHEN IT COMES TO FLEXIBILITY,
DEAL WITH SALARIED WORKERS LIKE GREGG SLAGER.
THEY MAKE UP A MINORITY-- EASILY MORE THAN 1/3--
OF THE U.S. WORKFORCE.
THESE MANAGEMENT OR PROFESSIONAL WORKERS
DON'T PUNCH A CLOCK.
YET, ASKING FOR MORE FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENTS--
NO MATTER WHAT KIND OF WORK IS DONE--
CAN COME AT A PRICE.
Jody Miller: THERE IS STILL A STIGMA.
YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY IS NOT WORKING AS HARD AS POSSIBLE,
THAT IS ACTUALLY NOT PERCEIVED AS A GOOD THING
IN THE CULTURE TODAY.
Bonnie: AUTHORS JODY AND MATT MILLER
RECENTLY EXAMINED THE EVOLVING STATE
OF WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY FOR MANAGEMENT EMPLOYEES
IN TODAY'S FRENZIED GLOBAL 24/7 ECONOMY.
THEIR FINDINGS BECAME A COVER STORY
FOR FORTUNE MAGAZINE.
I THINK TWO THINGS
MAKE CHANGE INEVITABLE IN ALL THIS.
THE FIRST IS THE GLOBALIZATION
IS FORCING COMPANIES TO RE-THINK THESE SENIOR JOBS
BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST UNDOABLY BIG.
AND THAT FACT COMBINED WITH THE FACT
THAT TALENT IS GONNA REVOLT...
Bonnie: THE MILLERS SURVEYED AND INTERVIEWED
MANY EXECUTIVES, INCLUDING GREGG SLAGER.
IN THE END, THEY CAME UP WITH A FOUR-POINT PLAN
ON HOW TO MAKE PROGRESS IN THE FIGHT
FOR MORE WORK/LIFE BALANCE, WHILE ALSO ENCOURAGING
MORE CORPORATE EFFICIENCY AND PROFIT.
Jody: WE THINK THERE ARE FOUR THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE IN PLACE
IN ORDER TO MAKE PROGRESS ON THIS AGENDA.
FIRST ABSOLUTELY RECOGNIZE
THIS IS NOT A WOMAN'S ISSUE.
THIS IS NOT ONLY NOT A WOMAN'S ISSUE,
IT'S A HUMAN ISSUE.
Matt: BECAUSE MORE AND MORE,
THIS ISSUE COMES OUT OF THE CLOSET FOR MEN.
AND IT'S CLEAR THAT MEN WANT TO HAVE A LIFE
JUST AS MUCH AS WOMEN DO.
THEN IT'S GOING TO BE A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
FOR COMPANIES TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE.
Jody: SECOND, YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE
THAT IT'S POSSIBLE TO MAKE CHANGE.
VIEW THIS AS A BUSINESS NECESSITY,
NOT AS AN ACCOMMODATION TO YOUR TOP PEOPLE.
THIS WILL HELP THEIR BUSINESS.
AND THEN THE LAST THING IS,
THE CULTURE HAS TO CREATE A ZONE OF SAFETY
FOR THIS TO BE RAISED,
TRULY RAISED IN A LEGITIMATE WAY.
Bonnie: TODAY, JODY AND MATT BOTH WORK FROM THEIR HOME
IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
MATT CONSULTING, AND JODY RUNNING A NEW BUSINESS
TO HELP PROFESSIONALS WORK PART-TIME
AS THEY SEEK BALANCE IN THEIR LIFE.
THE STARTUP, BUSINESS TALENT GROUP,
CAME OUT OF MILLER'S FRUSTRATION
WITH WANTING TO WORK PART-TIME
WHILE RAISING HER DAUGHTER, AMELIA.
Jody: THE IDEA OF FINDING A WAY
TO ENGAGE YOUR PROFESSIONAL ASPIRATIONS,
NOT FOR 2- OR 3-YEAR HURDLES,
BUT FOR AN 18-YEAR OR 24-YEAR PERIOD,
DEPENDING ON HOW MANY CHILDREN YOU HAVE,
WAS REALLY IMPORTANT.
IT'S WORK AND IT'S LOVE;
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE NEED BOTH.
Matt: THE GREAT THING ABOUT WORKING AT HOME,
IS WE CAN BOTH TAKE A BREAK FOR A FEW MINUTES
AND ASK HER HOW HER DAY WAS
AND TALK TO HER ABOUT STUFF.
THE TRUTH IS EVEN THOUGH WE MAY BOTH BE BUSY
OR IF WE'RE ON PHONE CALLS
AND CAN'T BE AVAILABLE TO HER RIGHT THEN,
YOU CAN ALMOST ALWAYS FIND A WAY TO TAKE A BREAK
AND CAN CATCH UP ON HER DAY.
THE FACT THAT YOU CAN DO THIS, IT FEELS LIKE A REAL GIFT.
BYE, SWEETIE, HAVE A GREAT DAY.
Bonnie: BUT JUST BECAUSE THE MILLERS WRITE ABOUT WORK/L
DOESN'T MEAN IT'S NOT A CHALLENGE FOR THEM
TO ACHIEVE BALANCE, TOO.
THAT IS THE DOWNSIDE OF MY LIFE,
IS THAT I CUT IT VERY CLOSE.
I'M A TIME OPTIMIST.
Bonnie: JODY EVEN GETS TO PITCH IN AT AMELIA'S SCHOOL--
A REAL LUXURY FOR MOST AMERICAN WORKERS.
Jody: I AM DOING MILK DUTY AT LUNCH,
SO I'M VERY HAPPY THAT THIS IS MY ONE OF TWO DAYS THIS YEAR
THAT I GET TO COME TO SCHOOL.
SO I GET TO SEE MY DAUGHTER WITHOUT BEING INTRUSIVE
AND IT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE
FOR HER TO SEE ME HERE DOING THIS.
MAKES HER FEEL LIKE I CARE.
EVEN THOUGH SHE'LL BARELY TALK TO ME WHILE I'M HERE,
THE FACT THAT I'M HERE AND THAT SHE CAN SAY,
"OH, THAT'S MY MOM DOING THAT,"
MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE.
Bonnie: THE COUPLE, WHO ONCE WORKED IN WASHINGTON, D.C.,
REALIZE THEIR LIVES ARE PRETTY UNIQUE.
WE ARE ALL LUCKY PEOPLE.
WE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE CAPABLE OF EARNING A LOT OF MONEY,
AND WORKING IN INTERESTING THINGS.
Bonnie: YET THEY ARE STILL UPBEAT
ABOUT WHAT LIES DOWN THE ROAD FOR THE AMERICAN WORKER.
Jody: YEAH, I'M VERY OPTIMISTIC
BECAUSE I THINK EVERY DAY
WE HEAR ABOUT NEW WAYS
IN WHICH PEOPLE ARE FIGURING OUT
HOW THEY'RE DOING IT DIFFERENTLY.
THAT REALIZES YOU CAN STILL ACHIEVE AND BE PRODUCTIVE,
BUT ALSO HAVE THINGS OUTSIDE THE WORKPLACE
THAT MATTER TO YOU.
AND THAT DOESN'T HURT YOUR WORK PERFORMANCE;
IT ACTUALLY ENHANCES IT.
Bonnie: THE NATIONAL STUDY OF EMPLOYERS
FOUND THAT FIRMS WITH 100 OR MORE EMPLOYEES
NOW OFFER MORE DAILY FLEXTIME THAN IN YEARS PAST.
IN 1998, 24% OF EMPLOYERS ALLOWED SOME EMPLOYEES
TO CHANGE THEIR START AND QUITTING TIMES
ON A DAILY BASIS.
IN 2005, 31% DID THE SAME.
MORE COMPANIES ALSO NOW ALLOW EMPLOYEES
TO WORK COMPRESSED WORKWEEKS,
SUCH AS FOUR TEN-HOUR DAYS
INSTEAD OF FIVE EIGHT-HOUR DAYS.
FORTY-FOUR PERCENT OF COMPANIES
WITH 100 OR MORE EMPLOYEES IN 2005
OFFERED THIS TOOL, UP FROM 37% IN 1998.
Donna Klein: I DON'T SEE HOW
YOU COULD LOOK OUT YOUR WINDOW,
OR LEAD YOUR OWN LIFE
OR, YOU KNOW, DRIVE DOWN YOUR OWN STREET
IN YOUR OWN HOMETOWN, AND NOT UNDERSTAND
THAT FLEXIBILITY IS A REQUIREMENT TODAY.
SO IT'S REALLY A RECIPROCAL KIND OF ARRANGEMENT
THAT WE THINK RETURNS GREAT DIVIDENDS
IN TERMS OF LOYALTY AND PRODUCTIVITY.
WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL EVENTS.
Tina Wheeler: NO DAY'S A TYPICAL DAY.
I GOT UP AT 5:45.
SO YOU GUYS WANT APPLE JUICE OR ORANGE JUICE?
IT KINDA DEPENDS ON THE DAY.
TOMORROW I'LL WORK OUT OF THE HOME OFFICE.
TODAY I HAVE A JAM-PACKED DAY.
Bonnie: WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY IS NOT A NEW IDEA.
SOME COMPANIES BEGAN OFFERING IT YEARS AGO.
BUT DELOITTE-- THE GIANT ACCOUNTING FIRM--
HAS TAKEN IT A STEP FURTHER
AND DESIGNED SOMETHING CALLED CAREER CUSTOMIZATION.
ITS GOAL IS NOT JUST CHANGING HOURS
TO ACCOMMODATE AN EMPLOYEE,
BUT BUILDING A CAREER BASED ON THE CHANGING DEMANDS
OF ONE'S LIFE AND WORK.
Tina's Husband: WHAT'S ON THE MENU TONIGHT?
PORK TENDERLOIN CROCKPOT SURPRISE.
THAT'S WHAT YOU GET. ( Laughing )
Bonnie: TODAY, DELOITTE IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE LEADERS
IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW WORK ARRANGEMENTS.
JUST ASK TINA WHEELER,
A PARTNER IN THE DETROIT OFFICE.
SHE'S BEEN WITH THE FIRM SINCE 1990.
Tina: IN THE MORNING IT'S GREAT TO GET TOGETHER
AND HAVE THIS TIME WITH THE KIDS.
MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY GETS STARTED OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT.
YOU HAVE A GREAT DAY.
LOVE YOU.
LOVE YOU, TOO.
I'LL CALL YOU LATER, OKAY?
TAKE YOUR TIME.
OKAY.
LOVE YOU, BABE.
I'LL SEE YOU AT 2:30, OKAY?
I AM COMPLETELY HAPPY AND SATISFIED.
YOU ALMOST FEEL GUILTY TO BE HAPPY WITH WHERE YOU'RE AT.
YOU KNOW, HAPPY MARRIAGE, HEALTHY KIDS, GREAT JOB,
I REALLY JUST FEEL BLESSED AND THANKFUL FOR WHAT I HAVE.
Bonnie: THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT USED TO BE.
Thomas Dekar: PROBABLY ABOUT 15 YEARS OR SO AGO,
WE DECIDED AS A FIRM
THAT WE SHOULD PAY MORE ATTENTION TO THE WOMEN
IN OUR PRACTICE.
WE NOTICED THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF WOMEN AS PARTNERS
AND WE NOTICED THAT WE HAD A FAIRLY HIGH ATTRITION RATE.
AS PEOPLE GOT CLOSER TO PARTNER,
WE WOULD OFTEN LOSE THE WOMEN.
WE SAID, "THIS IS REALLY SOMETHING WE HAVE TO DO."
I MEAN, THERE'S A BIG TALENT POOL.
WOMEN REPRESENT HALF OF THE TALENT POOL OUT THERE, RIGHT?
Bonnie: A RECENT STUDY SHOWS HOW MUCH EMPLOYERS
REALLY NEED THESE HIGH-SKILLED WORKERS.
NEARLY 43% OF FEMALE PROFESSIONALS WITH CHILDREN
VOLUNTARILY LEFT THE WORKFORCE COMPARED WITH 24% OF MEN.
FOR WOMEN IT WAS USUALLY TO RAISE CHILDREN.
SO DELOITTE COMPANY DESIGNED CAREER CUSTOMIZATION
TO HELP RETAIN WORKERS.
TODAY 15% OF ITS STAFF
PARTICIPATES IN THE PILOT PROGRAM.
IT'S AN ADVANTAGE TO THE EMPLOYEES AND THE EMPLOYER.
Thomas: WHAT WE SELL
IS OUR EXPERIENCE, AND OUR TALENT,
AND OUR WILLINGNESS TO WORK HARD.
AND THE LONGER WE CAN KEEP PEOPLE,
THE MORE VALUABLE THEY BECOME TO US,
AND THE MORE VALUABLE THEY BECOME TO OUR CLIENTS.
SO THAT'S THE BUSINESS CASE.
Tina: AN AUDIT PARTNER IS RESPONSIBLE
FOR PROVIDING AUDIT SERVICES TO CLIENTS.
THAT MEANS THAT WE REVIEW THEIR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
I KIND OF ALWAYS KNEW THAT THIS WAS THE CAREER
THAT I WANTED TO BE IN.
YOU KNOW, I LOVE THIS JOB.
I LIKE THE WORK,
SO I KIND OF ALWAYS WAS AIMING
TO MAKE IT TO THE PARTNER LEVEL.
Bonnie: SEVERAL YEARS AFTER JOINING THE COMPANY,
WHEELER'S FIRST CHILD WAS BORN, GRANT.
SHE WAS MADE A PARTNER WHILE ON MATERNITY LEAVE,
BUT GRANT'S ARRIVAL CHANGED HIS NEW MOTHER'S WORK LOAD.
AFTER GRANT WAS BORN, I CAME BACK, IT WAS 90%.
SO I JUST CUT A LITTLE BIT OF THE EDGE OFF
AND IT WAS EASY TO MANAGE WITH ONE CHILD.
THINGS CHANGED MORE AFTER I HAD MY DAUGHTER IN 1997.
I REALIZED MANAGING TWO CHILDREN
AND A, YOU KNOW, HIGH-STRESS CAREER
WAS A LOT TO DO.
AND THEN I REDUCED MY PERCENTAGE DOWN TO 70%.
Bonnie: A KEY COMPONENT OF CAREER CUSTOMIZATION
IS MAKING SURE THE TRADEOFFS AND THE PROGRAM ARE UNDERSTOOD,
CLEAR AND CONSISTENT.
MANY A FLEXIBILITY PROGRAM
HAS FAILED WITHOUT A COMPANY POLICY.
THE DELOITTE PROGRAM CLEARLY ALLOWS PEOPLE
TO MAKE DIFFERENT TRADEOFFS
AT DIFFERENT POINTS IN THEIR CAREERS
SO THERE'S NO PERMANENT JEOPARDY
FOR MAKING THOSE CHOICES.
TODAY, WHEELER IS WORKING
AT ABOUT 85% OF HER FORMER CAPACITY.
MORE HOURS DURING BUSY TIMES, FEWER DURING THE SUMMER.
Tina: I STILL WORK BETWEEN 2100 AND 2200 HOURS.
I HAVE OPTED TO REDUCE MY SCHEDULE
SO THAT I HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY
AND MORE TIME FOR MY FAMILY AND MY KIDS.
AND I WOULD SAY PART OF IT IS I'M A PERFECTIONIST,
SO I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A GREAT MOM
AND I WANT TO BE A GREAT EMPLOYEE.
SHE'S OBVIOUSLY A VERY TALENTED, VERY BRIGHT,
VERY ENTHUSIASTIC, VERY PERSONABLE INDIVIDUAL
AND SHE WORKS VERY WELL WITH OUR CLIENTS;
Bonnie: A NORMAL DAY MIGHT MEAN MAKING DINNER AT 7 A.M.,
DRIVING TO THE DELOITTE OFFICE FOR MEETINGS,
TRAVELING TO CHAT WITH NEW CLIENTS,
WORKING FROM HOME,
OR...
NOW I'M OFF TO MY DAUGHTER'S SCHOOL,
SO I KINDA HAVE TO CHANGE GEARS.
Bonnie: ...DOING AN ACCOUNTING "SHOW AND TELL"
FOR HER 9-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER.
Tina: I PROBABLY DO AS MUCH AS I CAN
AND MY DAUGHTER LIKES IT.
SO DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHAT THIS STANDS FOR?
(♪ Music ♪)
HOW MANY OF YOU GUYS LIKE MATH?
COME ON...
(♪ Music ♪)
( Clapping )
WELL, BUT THEY ASKED GOOD QUESTIONS,
DON'T YOU THINK?
YEAH, THEY ASKED GOOD QUESTIONS.
Tina's Daughter: IT'S KIND OF COOL
BECAUSE THEN LIKE ALL MY FRIENDS KNOW
THAT SHE WORKS AS AN ACCOUNTANT
AND SHE'S NEVER DONE THAT AT MY SCHOOL BEFORE.
(♪ Music Ends ♪)
Bonnie: TINA ALSO HELPS MENTOR OTHER WOMEN IN HER OFFICE.
Tina: I HAVE ABOUT 14 ADVISEES, 9 OF WHICH
ARE ON FLEXIBLE SCHEDULES OF SOME SORT.
I SIT DOWN WITH THEM AND SAY, "OKAY,
"IF WE WANT TO DO THIS, YOU NEED TO SAY:
"'HOW MANY HOURS AM I GOING TO WORK?
WHAT RESPONSIBILITIES CAN I GET COMFORTABLE WITH?'"
AND YOU NEED TO ADJUST YOUR SCHEDULE
AND BE PROACTIVE ABOUT IT.
BUT YOU ALSO NEED TO SELL
WHY IT'S GOOD FOR THE FIRM, TOO,
AND WHY YOU CAN STILL SERVE YOUR CLIENTS
AND YOU'RE STILL COMMITTED.
I THINK IT DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE THE TREND,
ESPECIALLY SINCE IF YOU LOOK AT OUR POPULATION IN TOTAL,
WE'RE AT LIKE 60% WOMEN.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE STRATEGIC AND FORWARD THINKING, YOU KNOW,
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO RETHINK THE 9 TO 5
AND HOW IT'S GOING TO WORK
AND THAT GOES BACK TO, YOU KNOW,
FITTING WORK INTO LIFE AND LIFE INTO WORK.
Bonnie: AND WHILE WHEELER'S LIFE MIGHT BE JUST ABOUT PERFECT,
SHE AGREES THAT FLEXIBLE PROGRAMS
SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO LOW-INCOME WORKERS, TOO.
YOU KNOW, LOW-WAGE EMPLOYEES WHO AREN'T EDUCATED
TYPICALLY HAVE JOBS WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE FLEXIBILITY.
AND THAT'S UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE THEY PROBABLY NEED IT
EVEN MORE THAN PEOPLE WHO CAN AFFORD
A HOUSE CLEANER OR A BABYSITTER.
Bonnie: WHILE FLEXTIME IS MORE AVAILABLE
FOR MANAGEMENT AND PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES,
FLEXIBILITY, AS WELL AS PROVIDING BENEFITS,
ARE CHALLENGES FOR COMPANIES
WITH LARGE NUMBERS OF LOW-INCOME, HOURLY WORKERS.
THAT INCLUDES WORKERS MAKING AS LITTLE AS $9.73 AN HOUR,
AS DEFINED BY THE FAMILIES AND WORK INSTITUTE.
(♪ Upbeat Music ♪)
TWENTY-FOUR-YEAR-OLD ALICIA HERSHEY
IS A FULL-TIME COLLEGE STUDENT,
WHO HAS WORKED 25-60 HOURS A WEEK
IN THE RETAIL OR SERVICE INDUSTRY
FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS.
SHE GETS PAID BETWEEN $9 AND $10 AN HOUR,
AND ACCORDING TO HER,
BENEFITS OR FLEXIBILITY
ARE NEVER REALLY PART OF THE SALARY PICTURE.
IN PAST JOB EXPERIENCES,
BENEFITS WEREN'T NECESSARILY
SOMETHING THAT WAS HANDED OUT VERY EASILY.
SO IN MATTERS OF DECREASING BENEFITS,
OFTENTIMES YOU WERE LUCKY TO GET THEM
AND WHEN THEY WERE RECEIVED, THEY WERE VERY MINIMAL.
Bonnie: PAID SICK LEAVE OR GETTING TIME OFF
ARE EQUALLY RARE.
I HAD REQUESTED OFF IN FEBRUARY FOR A WEDDING THAT WAS HERE
AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF JUNE.
SHE TOLD ME THAT IT PROBABLY WASN'T VERY LIKELY
BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO GO AWAY DURING A WEEKEND.
UP UNTIL TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE,
I STILL WAS PRETTY SURE
THAT I WAS GOING TO NEED TO QUIT MY JOB
BUT THE WEEK BEFORE, SHE OKAYED IT
AND SO I WENT AND RETURNED.
WORKERS IN THE SERVICE INDUSTRY
FIND THEMSELVES MARGINALIZED.
THERE'S JUST A LARGER MASS OF PEOPLE
WHO ARE AVAILABLE FOR SERVICE INDUSTRY JOBS,
SO THERE'S A LARGER TURNOVER.
WE'RE A MUCH MORE DISPOSABLE WORKFORCE.
I MEAN, IF YOU ARE SICK, YOU CAN'T SHOW UP TOMORROW,
IT'S VERY EASY FOR AN EMPLOYER TO FIND A REPLACEMENT
QUITE QUICKLY.
Bonnie: HERSHEY IS ALSO A MEMBER OF YOUNG WORKERS UNITED,
A GROUP DEDICATED TO ASSISTING LOW-WAGE WORKERS.
LAST YEAR THEY HELPED PUSH CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION F
TO SUCCESS.
THE FIRST LAW OF ITS KIND IN THE U.S.,
IT GIVES EMPLOYEES IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO
ONE HOUR PAID SICK LEAVE FOR EACH 30 HOURS WORKED.
HERSHEY THINKS IT'S A LAW THAT'S LONG OVERDUE.
SERVICE WORKERS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART
OF THE WAY OUR WORLD AND OUR SOCIETY IS RUN.
THEY HAVE TO BE ON THE JOB.
THEY WORK REALLY, REALLY HARD.
A LOT OF THEIR LIFE IS INVESTED IN IT.
AND THEY DESERVE TO HAVE THE SAME RESPECT,
THE SAME DIGNITY,
THE SAME REPRESENTATION AND UNITY
THAT OTHER WORKERS RECEIVE.
Bonnie: REPRESENTATIVE STUDY OF EMPLOYEES
BY THE INDEPENDENT FAMILIES AND WORK INSTITUTE
REVEALED THAT HOURLY AND LOW-INCOME WORKERS
RARELY GET THAT RESPECT WHEN IT COMES TO FLEXIBILITY.
IN FACT, THE SURVEY SHOWED WORKERS IN LOW-WAGE JOBS
ARE TWICE AS LIKELY AS MANAGERS AND PROFESSIONALS
NOT TO HAVE DAILY FLEXTIME;
ALMOST THREE TIMES MORE LIKELY TO LOSE A DAY'S PAY
WHEN THEY MUST STAY HOME TO CARE FOR A SICK CHILD
AND:
IN ADDITION, OTHER STUDIES SHOW
THAT WORKERS IN ENTRY-LEVEL, LOW-PAYING,
OR LOW-STATUS JOBS ARE:
ONLY 17% OF EMPLOYEES
WHO ARE LOW-WAGE AND LIVING IN LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS
HAVE PAID TIME OFF TO TAKE CARE OF SICK CHILDREN,
AND 49% OF EVERYONE ELSE DOES,
SO THERE'S A DRAMATIC DIFFERENCE.
THEY ARE CLOCKED AND PENALIZED IF THEY'RE LATE,
IF THEY DON'T-- IF THEY LEAVE EARLY.
Bonnie: DONNA KLEIN RUNS
CORPORATE VOICES FOR WORKING FAMILIES,
AND STUDIES THE DILEMMA
OF HOURLY AND LOW-WAGE WORKERS EXTENSIVELY.
Donna: THE WHOLE LOW-WAGE POPULATION, OF COURSE,
IS THE FASTEST GROWING WORKFORCE IN THE COUNTRY.
AND THEY'RE REALLY THE ONES WHO HAVE THE BIGGEST NEED
FOR FLEXIBILITY BECAUSE THEY ARE PREDOMINANTLY
DUAL-EARNING FAMILIES.
THEY ARE A YOUNGER POPULATION, PER SE.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF DEMANDS
IN TERMS OF BALANCING MULTIPLE JOBS,
FAMILY COMMITMENTS, ETC.
(♪ Music ♪)
Bonnie: YET, SOME EMPLOYERS OF LOW-INCOME WORKERS
HAVE MADE FLEXIBILITY PART OF THEIR SALES PITCH--
COMPANIES SUCH AS ALPINE ACCESS OF COLORADO.
THANK YOU FOR CALLING J. CREW.
THIS IS LIZA; HOW MAY I HELP YOU TODAY?
Bonnie: FOR LIZA GALLEGOS, HER DAILY COMMUTE
IS JUST A FEW SHORT STEPS.
THIS IS WHAT IS GREAT ABOUT THIS JOB.
IT'S THESE GUYS AND BEING ABLE TO DO THIS.
HER JOB AS A CUSTOMER AGENT ON THE J. CREW ACCOUNT
ALLOWS HER TO WORK AT HOME 20-25 HOURS A WEEK
ON A SCHEDULE SHE MAKES.
MY TYPICAL DAY,
I TAKE MY KIDS TO SCHOOL
AND THEN I WILL DO MY NORMAL STUFF AROUND THE HOUSE
OR ERRANDS WITH MY DAUGHTER WHO'S NOT IN SCHOOL.
I WORK FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS
THEN I TAKE AN HOUR OFF TO PICK MY KIDS UP FROM SCHOOL.
THEN I'LL WORK FOR ANOTHER HOUR.
THEN I'LL TAKE ANOTHER HOUR OFF
TO BE ABLE TO SPEND TIME WITH MY FAMILY AND HAVE DINNER
AND THEN I'LL WORK ANOTHER COUPLE OF HOURS IN THE EVENING.
SO BEING ABLE TO BREAK UP YOUR DAY LIKE THAT
IS PRICELESS.
Bonnie: TODAY, GALLEGOS' EMPLOYER, ALPINE ACCESS,
SERVES CLIENTS SUCH AS 1-800-FLOWERS,
EXPRESS JET AIRLINES,
AND THE IRS.
THE COMPANY HAS 7500 EMPLOYEES NATIONWIDE.
ALL HAVE USE OF THE INTERNET
AND ACCESS TO A BROADBAND CONNECTION.
CEO CHRIS CARRINGTON SAYS
THE COMPANY PHILOSOPHY IS SIMPLE.
Chris Carrington: INSTEAD OF BRINGING PEOPLE TO WORK,
WHY NOT BRING WORK TO THE PEOPLE.
WORKING FROM HOME IS MORE THAN REALLY OUTSOURCING.
IT'S AN ALTERNATIVE BUSINESS MODEL
THAT IS EMERGING IN THE MARKETPLACE
AND I THINK WILL CONTINUE TO GROW.
117,000 APPLICATIONS LAST YEAR
SUGGEST TO ME THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE LOOKING
FOR A WAY TO WORK FROM HOME
SO THEY CAN BALANCE THEIR WORK AND LIFE EXPERIENCES.
Bonnie: BUT IT ISN'T JUST LOCATION OR THE LACK OF A DRESS CODE
THAT MAKES ALPINE'S EMPLOYEES DIFFERENT.
Chris: I THINK ALPINE ACCESS AGENTS
ARE MORE SUCCESSFUL AT WHAT THEY DO
BECAUSE OF THEIR LIFE MATURITY AVERAGING ABOUT 40 YEARS IN AGE,
ALSO THEIR 10 TO 15 YEARS OF WORK EXPERIENCE
THAT THEY BRING TO THE PHONE.
AND THEN JUST THEIR PASSION;
THEY'VE CHOSEN TO DO THIS JOB
AND TO BE ABLE TO WORK FROM HOME
AND THEIR EXCITED ABOUT IT.
Bonnie: GALLEGOS USED TO WORK IN MARKETING.
NOW, THE STARTING SALARY FOR A JOB LIKE HERS
IS ABOUT $9 AN HOUR,
BUT THAT ALSO INCLUDES HEALTH BENEFITS,
A 401K, AND FLEXIBLE HOURS.
I ABSOLUTELY WOULD NEVER WANT TO GO BACK TO A 9-TO-5 JOB.
THIS IS SO IDEAL FOR ME, FOR MY FAMILY.
Bonnie: ON THE OTHER SIDE OF DENVER,
GALLEGOS' COWORKER, KIRSTEN SCOTT,
FEELS THE SAME ABOUT HER JOB.
Kirsten Scott: WHAT ATTRACTED ME TO ALPINE ACCESS
IS FREEDOM, FLEXIBILITY
AND BEING ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO MY FAMILY,
BUT STILL BE A STAY-AT-HOME MOM ALL AT ONCE.
THE BEST PART ABOUT ALPINE IS THAT I AM HERE
AND PRETTY MUCH, I SET MY OWN HOURS.
BYE!
THE HOURS THAT I CURRENTLY WORK
IS SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY I WORK 9-5.
WEDNESDAYS I WORK A HALF DAY.
THURSDAYS I JUST WORK IN THE MORNING
AND FRIDAY I'M OFF.
THAT ALLOWS ME TO GO AND WORK IN THE SCHOOL
AND BE WITH MY CHILDREN A LITTLE BIT MORE.
Bonnie: SCOTT'S PREVIOUS JOB WAS A TYPICALLY STRESSFUL ONE--
SUPERVISOR IN A LOCAL GROCERY STORE.
SHE STARTED ON THE OFFICE DEPOT ACCOUNT TWO YEARS AGO,
AND NOW HAS BEEN PROMOTED TO HELPING OTHER AGENTS
WITH TRAINING AND CUSTOMER CALLS
FOR AN AIRLINE.
GREAT JOB!
NOW ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS I CAN ANSWER FOR YOU?
Kirsten: I AM KIND OF CAREER DRIVEN.
AND AS MUCH AS I ADORE MY CHILDREN
AND LOVE MY CHILDREN,
I STILL WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO MY FAMILY
AND HAVE A CAREER OF MY OWN.
MY KIDS UNDERSTAND IT'S EXTREMELY SERIOUS.
TO WORK AT HOME,
YOU NEED A VERY STRONG WORK ETHIC.
YOU HAVE TO REALLY KNOW THAT WHEN YOU TELL YOURSELF
THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE THERE,
YOU HAVE TO BE THERE.
Bonnie: SCOTT'S HUSBAND JAMES APPRECIATES HER DESIRE TO WORK.
MY HUSBAND LOVES MY JOB.
HE BRAGS TO ALL OF HIS FRIENDS, YOU KNOW,
THAT HIS WIFE'S HOME WHEN HE'S HOME.
Bonnie: AND THEIR TWO ADOPTED CHILDREN
FEEL PRETTY GOOD ABOUT THEIR MOM BEING AT HOME, TOO.
IT'S, HONESTLY, THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME,
BEING ABLE TO WORK FROM HOME.
AT THE END OF THE DAY,
A HAPPY AGENT MAKES A HAPPY CUSTOMER
AND A HAPPY CUSTOMER IS A REPEAT CUSTOMER.
SO, OUR AGENT WINS
AND OUR CUSTOMER WINS.
Bonnie: ALPINE ACCESS AND ERNST AND YOUNG
ARE BIG COMPANIES.
EACH EMPLOYS MORE THAN 1,000 PEOPLE.
YET, THE FAMILIES AND WORK INSTITUTE FOUND
THAT SMALL EMPLOYERS
ARE MORE LIKELY TO OFFER FLEXIBILITY.
BECAUSE IT'S EASIER TO MANAGE WITH FEWER WORKERS.
NO MATTER WHAT THE SIZE OF THE COMPANY, HOWEVER,
WHEN COMPANIES OFFER FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING
TO LOW-WAGE WORKERS,
THE RESULTS ARE SURPRISING.
Ellen Galinsky: WHEN LOW-WAGE AND LOW-INCOME EMPLOYEES
HAVE ACCESS TO FLEXIBILITY,
TO LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES,
OPPORTUNITIES TO ADVANCE,
THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE THEM ENGAGED.
THAT IS GOING THAT EXTRA MILE TO HELP THEIR EMPLOYER SUCCEED.
AND THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO STAY ON THEIR JOB.
BUT WHEN YOU REPLACE SOMEONE WHO'S A LOWER-WAGE EMPLOYEE,
IT'S ABOUT 3/4 OF THAT PERSON'S ANNUAL SALARY
TO BRING IN A NEW PERSON.
YOU HAVE THE COST OF HIRING.
YOU HAVE THE COST OF BRINGING THAT PERSON UP TO SPEED
AND FULL PRODUCTIVITY.
WHAT EMPLOYERS ARE DISCOVERING IS
WHEN THEY PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY TO THE LOW-WAGE POPULATION,
THEY GET A BIGGER *** FOR THEIR BUCK.
Bonnie: TO MAKE SURE IT WOULD SEE
FINANCIAL AND PRODUCTIVITY SAVINGS
FROM OFFERING FLEXIBILITY
TO HOURLY, NONPROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES WORKING ON SITE
PNC BANK CONDUCTED A SEVEN-MONTH,
COMPRESSED WORKWEEK PILOT PROGRAM
IN ITS PROCESSING DEPARTMENT.
AT THE END,
PNC FOUND THAT INQUIRIES WERE ANSWERED THE SAME DAY,
AS OPPOSED TO A TWO-DAY TURNAROUND.
EMPLOYEE ABSENTEEISM DROPPED FROM 60 DAYS TO 9 DAYS
IN A SIMILAR WORK PERIOD
AND THERE WAS LESS TURNOVER AMONG THE EMPLOYEES.
THAT REDUCED TURNOVER SAVED PNC MORE THAN $112,000 IN COSTS.
TODAY MORE THAN HALF OF PNC'S EMPLOYEES
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOME KIND OF FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE.
Debra Cohen: THE CUSTOMER INTERACTION IS MUCH BETTER
WHEN THE EMPLOYEES ARE FEELING BETTER ABOUT THEIR WORK
AND BETTER ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION.
IF THE MINDSET IS SUCH, "OH, I CAN'T DO THIS,"
THEN YOU MAY, IN A SENSE,
BE SHOOTING YOURSELF IN THE FOOT
AS AN ORGANIZATION,
BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT ALLOWING THE CREATIVITY
AND THE INNOVATION
TO CREEP INTO THE WORKPLACE
THAT YOU MIGHT OTHERWISE BENEFIT FROM.
Bonnie: DURING THE PAST TWO DECADES,
WOMEN HAVE CERTAINLY LED THE CHARGE
TOWARD FLEXTIME AND JOB-SHARING,
BUT MEN ARE ALSO TAKING GREATER ADVANTAGE
OF PART-TIME WORK-- THOUGH NOT AS MUCH ADVANTAGE
AS THEY TELL RESEARCHERS THEY'D LIKE TO.
A RECENT UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO SURVEY SHOWS
MORE THAN 30% OF MEN WANT FLEXIBLE SCHEDULES.
WRITER BRIAN REID IS ONE OF THOSE STILL RARE MEN
WHO CHOSE TO CHANGE HIS WORK SCHEDULE
WHEN HIS WIFE BETH BECAME PREGNANT.
TRACY'S HERO IS AMELIA EARHART
THE FIRST WOMAN TO FLY A PLANE BY HERSELF.
WHEN MY DAUGHTER WAS BORN
THE COMPANY I WORKED FOR OFFERED PAID PATERNITY LEAVE,
SO I HAD ALMOST FOUR MONTHS OFF WITH MY DAUGHTER.
AND WENT BACK STRAIGHT FROM THERE
INTO 10- 11- 12-HOUR DAYS.
I REALIZED THEN
THAT I WAS GOING FROM ONE EXTREME TO ANOTHER
AND WHILE I REALLY ENJOY WHAT I DO,
I FIND A GREAT DEAL OF JOY IN IT,
THERE WAS SIMPLY NO WAY TO BE THE KIND OF FAMILY GUY
THAT I'D LEARNED TO LOVE TO BE.
Bonnie: AND WHILE BRIAN MAY NOT RUN INTO TOO MANY OTHER FATHERS
IN THE TODDLER MUSIC CLASS, COMPANIES ARE ALLOWING DADS
A LITTLE MORE UNPAID TIME OFF TO CARE FOR CHILDREN.
THE AMOUNT OF FAMILY LEAVE NEW FATHERS ARE ALLOWED
JUMPED FROM A MAXIMUM OF 13.1 WEEKS IN 1998
TO 14.5 WEEKS IN 2004.
AND THERE'S EVIDENCE THAT THERE'S ALSO A CHANGE
IN WORK ATTITUDES AMONG GEN X AND GEN Y,
AND EVEN YOUNGER MEN.
THESE GRADUATE STUDENTS, FOR EXAMPLE,
WILL SOON BE ON THE FRONT LINES OF THE WORK AND FAMILY JUGGLE.
WELL, I THINK FLEXIBILITY, FOR ME,
IS DEFINITELY ONE OF THE KEY THINGS
THAT I WOULD LOOK FOR IN A JOB.
WELL, NOW, FLEXIBILITY IS, I THINK,
ALWAYS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT TO ME.
IN TERMS OF FLEXIBILITY I WOULD REALLY TRY TO ASK
AND SEE WHAT MY OPTIONS ARE.
A LOT OF JOBS REQUIRE YOU TO PUT IN EXTRA-LONG HOURS.
TO BE THERE PAST THAT 5:00 DEADLINE,
SO OUR FREE TIME HAS REALLY BEEN MINIMIZED.
Brian Reid: SO I FEEL LIKE OUR NUMBERS ARE ON THE RISE,
BUT CERTAINLY I DON'T NECESSARILY LOOK AROUND
AND FIND A LOT OF GUYS WHO ARE LIVING THE SAME LIFESTYLE.
IT'S OBVIOUSLY WORKED OUT VERY WELL FOR ME
AND WHEN I TALK TO GUYS ABOUT MY SCHEDULE,
THE REACTION IS ALMOST INEVITABLY ONE OF JEALOUSY.
Bonnie: GEN X AND GEN Y WORKERS
WANT GREATER WORK/LIFE BALANCE
SO COMPANIES ARE RESPONDING.
THEY'RE EVEN ADVERTISING TO YOUNG RECRUITS
WITH PHRASES SUCH AS,
"YOUR LIFE, BRING IT WITH YOU."
THESE PITCHES ARE ALMOST A NECESSITY
TO HIRE TOP WALL STREET TALENT, MALE OR FEMALE,
WHERE LONG HOURS ARE DE RIGUEUR.
ONE OF THE REASONS WORKWEEKS ARE 9 TO 5 NO LONGER
IS THAT BUSINESS IS TRULY GLOBAL,
AND GROWING AT A ROBUST RATE.
IN 1970, THE WORLD'S 50 BIGGEST COMPANIES
AVERAGED $29 BILLION IN REVENUE.
NOW THE AVERAGE IS AROUND $100 BILLION.
THE NUMBER OF CONSUMER PRODUCTS
INTRODUCED EACH YEAR INCREASED 16-FOLD
DURING THE SAME PERIOD.
FIRMS NOW COMPETE ACROSS DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES
AND IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD.
THE OVERLOAD IS COMPOUNDED BY INEFFICIENCY.
MORE THAN 85% OF TOP MANAGEMENT MEETING TIME
IS DEVOTED TO OPERATIONAL CONCERNS,
WHILE ONLY 14% OF THE SAME MEETINGS
ARE DEVOTED TO LONG-TERM STRATEGIC GOALS.
AS A RESULT, DECISIONS ARE OFTEN DELAYED AND BUNGLED.
THESE INEFFICIENCIES HAVE NOT GONE UNNOTICED
BY THE YOUNGER MEMBERS OF OUR WORKFORCE
WHO WANT MORE INDEPENDENCE, RESPONSIBILITY
AND SATISFACTION ON THE JOB...
NO MATTER WHERE IT'S LOCATED.
THERE'S A WORKER SHORTAGE COMING,
THERE'S A SKILLED WORKER SHORTAGE COMING,
AND IF A REALLY TALENTED EMPLOYEE
WANTS TO WORK TWO DAYS A WEEK,
COMPANY'S ARE FIGURING OUT THAT THAT MIGHT JUST BE WORTH IT.
SUN, THIS IS VICTOR.
Victor Cousins: I DON'T HAVE TO WEAR A SUIT.
I CAN COME TO WORK IN JEANS.
IT'S A CULTURAL ADVANTAGE THAT WE HAVE.
IT MAKES YOU MORE WILLING TO WORK.
Bonnie: THIS IS VICTOR COUSINS.
IT MAY NOT LOOK LIKE IT, BUT HE'S ON THE JOB.
COUSINS WORKS IN HUMAN RESOURCES
AT SUN MICROSYSTEMS IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA,
BUT PERFORMS PRETTY MUCH ALL HIS JOB FROM HOME.
Victor: FOR ME, IT'S ABOUT FLEXIBILITY.
QUALITY OF LIFE IS IMPORTANT FOR ME.
Bonnie: COUSINS WORKS WITH TEAMS LOCALLY AND IN COLORADO.
THAT MEANS HIS ALARM CLOCK CAN GO OFF PRETTY EARLY SOME DAYS.
FIVE A.M. CALLS, I MEAN, THAT'S TOUGH, YOU KNOW,
BUT IT'S BETTER THAN GETTING UP AT 3:30 OR 4
AND GOING INTO THE OFFICE.
AND WHEN YOU'RE AT HOME, YOU KNOW, DO LAUNDRY,
YOU DO THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO DO.
SO I THINK IT BALANCES OUT.
Bonnie: COUSINS USED TO WORK A TRADITIONAL 9-TO-5 JOB
AT ANOTHER COMPANY.
LONG COMMUTES AND BUSINESS SUITS
WERE THE NORM.
SUN STARTED SOMETHING CALLED THE OPEN-WORK PROGRAM IN 1998.
IT ALLOWS EMPLOYEES TO PICK A LOCATION
BEST SUITED FOR THEIR JOB AND LIFE:
HOME, A CONVENTIONAL OFFICE,
OR A HYBRID ARRANGEMENT.
TODAY, MORE THAN HALF OF SUN'S EMPLOYEES
WORK WITHOUT THE TIME-HONORED ASSIGNED DESK.
THE VARIOUS BENEFITS:
FIRST IS QUALITY OF LIFE.
I'M ABLE TO BE AROUND
ALL THE FUN PLACES IN SAN FRANCISCO.
THAT'S HUGE FOR ME.
A YOUNG PERSON, NO KIDS, NO FAMILY;
THAT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT
TO HAVE THAT AUTONOMY AND INDEPENDENCE.
IT'S ECO-FRIENDLY.
I'M ABLE TO LIVE WITH MORE FREEDOM.
Bonnie: BEING THE YOUNGEST OF EIGHT CHILDREN,
COUSINS OFTEN FEELS A PULL HOME.
TWICE RECENTLY HE'S TRAVELED TO ST. LOUIS
TO HELP HIS MOTHER THROUGH TWO KNEE REPLACEMENTS.
AND I WAS ABLE TO WORK OUT OF THE ST. LOUIS OFFICE,
WHICH HAPPENS TO BE ABOUT TEN MINUTES AWAY
FROM MY MOTHER'S HOUSE.
IT WAS A SMOOTH TRANSITION; NO PROBLEM.
SO I GOT WORK DONE
AND MY MOTHER IS RECOVERING REALLY WELL.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME THAT I'M ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF FAMILY
AND BALANCE WORK.
YOU ARE EMPOWERED TO BE PRODUCTIVE
AND COMFORTABLE AND FLEXIBLE.
AS LONG AS YOU CAN MAKE THE BUSINESS CASE,
AND SUPPORT THE BUSINESS,
YOU GOT FREEDOM AND FLEXIBILITY
TO GET YOUR JOB DONE.
AND I THINK THAT'S A HUGE RETENTION PIECE.
Bonnie: FOR THOSE DAYS THAT COUSINS
DOES WANT TO VISIT A MAIN OFFICE--
ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY--
THE PROCESS IS PRETTY SIMPLE
TO GET A WORK SPACE EQUIPPED WITH SUPPLIES
AND ALL THE NECESSARY TECHNOLOGY.
Victor: WHAT I DO IS, I ACTUALLY GO INTO OUR SYSTEM.
FROM THERE YOU RESERVE THE OFFICE.
WHAT YOU HAVE IS AN EMPTY OFFICE
THAT YOU CAN TIE YOUR PHONE LINE TO;
PRETTY MUCH AN EMPTY OFFICE
WITH ALL OF THE OFFICE SUPPLIES THAT YOU NEED.
THE PROGRAM DEFINITELY ENHANCES FREEDOM.
I'M ABLE TO RUN ERRANDS THROUGHOUT THE DAY,
DO IMPORTANT THINGS IN MY PERSONAL LIFE
THAT WOULD NORMALLY BE A PROBLEM,
IT WOULD BE A CONFLICT.
SOMETIMES IT GOES WELL BEYOND MY EIGHT-HOUR NORMAL SHIFT,
AND OTHER TIMES A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN EIGHT HOURS;
SO I THINK IT BALANCES OUT.
YOU GET YOUR WORK DONE.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.
Senator Barbara Mikulski: FOR THE WOMEN IN THE SENATE,
BALANCING FAMILY, LIFE, POLITICS IS A CHALLENGE.
SOME OF US HAVE ELDERCARE RESPONSIBILITIES.
SOME ARE MOTHERS.
Bonnie: IT'S NOT ONLY BUSINESSES AND FAMILIES
THAT ARE TACKLING PROBLEMS FACING TODAY'S WORKERS.
LAWMAKERS ARE KEENLY AWARE
OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS' CRIES FOR HELP
IN THE AREAS OF WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY
AND PENSION REFORM.
AMERICA HAS CHANGED
AND THIS IS WHY WE NEED TO DO
A SYSTEMATIC LOOK AT
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS
THAT GOVERNMENT CAN PROVIDE
THAT HELPS FAMILIES HELP THEMSELVES,
AND AT THE SAME TIME,
WHAT WE CAN DO IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
Bonnie: WHEN BARBARA MIKULSKI WAS SWORN IN,
SHE WAS ONE OF TWO WOMEN U.S. SENATORS.
KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON WAS VOTED IN
SEVEN YEARS AFTER THAT
AND LATER ADOPTED TWO YOUNG CHILDREN.
Senator Hutchinson: THERE IS A SPECIAL CHALLENGE
AND IT IS NOT A FAMILY-FRIENDLY WORKPLACE,
LET'S JUST FACE IT,
BECAUSE PEOPLE EXPECT YOU TO BE THERE WHEN THEY NEED YOU.
YOUR STATE EXPECTS YOU TO DO THE JOB
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE ELECTED TO DO.
WE ARE FACING THE SAME ISSUES
THAT EVERY WORKING PERSON IN AMERICA FEELS.
THIS IS WHY WE'RE SUCH STRONG ADVOCATES
OF FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE
TO CERTAINLY ADDRESS WITH ONE OF THE COMPELLING ISSUES.
NOW I THINK ONE OF THE NEXT ISSUES
IS CAREGIVING.
HOW DO YOU REALLY HELP THOSE FAMILIES
THAT HAVE SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITIES,
EITHER FOR ELDERCARE OR A SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD.
AND I THINK WE'VE GOT TO LOOK FRESH AND ANEW
AT HOW WE CAN GIVE HELP TO THOSE PRACTICING SELF-HELP.
Bonnie: TOGETHER, THE TWO SENATORS
HAVE PASSED LAWS ON PENSIONS FOR HOMEMAKERS,
AND NOW, MORE FAMILY-FRIENDLY BUSINESS POLICIES.
Senator Hutchison: ONE THING WE COULD DO IS EASE
THE ABILITY FOR AN EMPLOYEE AND AN EMPLOYER
TO NEGOTIATE TIME OFF.
THE MOM OR DAD WHO WANTS TO GO
TO THE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAME
HAS TO LEAVE AT 3:00,
THE EMPLOYER SAYS, "FINE, IF YOU WILL WORK
TWO HOURS LATER NEXT WEEK;"
IT'S A DEAL, WE DO IT.
RIGHT NOW THERE ARE RULES THAT KEEP YOU FROM DOING THAT.
Bonnie: BUT CHANGING THE STRUCTURE OF SOME BENEFITS ANYWAY
TO MAKE THEM MORE FLEXIBLE ISN'T AS EASY AS IT SOUNDS.
TAKE PENSIONS, FOR EXAMPLE,
WHICH ARE HEAVILY REGULATED BY FEDERAL LAW
AND PHENOMENALLY EXPENSIVE.
SO WHEN COMPANIES LOOK TO TRIM COSTS,
THEY LOOK FIRST USUALLY TO HEALTH CARE
AND DEFINED BENEFIT PENSIONS.
BOTH OF THESE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
CAN OFTEN ATTRACT TALENT TO A COMPANY.
THE DEFINED PENSION PLANS
PROMISE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY AT A FUTURE DATE,
AND ARE VERY COSTLY.
COMPANIES OFFERING THEM DROPPED FROM 48% IN 1998
TO 41% IN 2005.
FEWER ALSO CONTRIBUTED
TO THE EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT PLANS,
DOWN FROM 91% IN 1998 TO 81% IN 2005.
AND ON THE HEALTH CARE FRONT,
IN 2005, 37% OF EMPLOYERS REPORTED
SHIFTING A GREATER PROPORTION OF THE COSTS OF HEALTH CARE
TO EMPLOYEES.
IN 1998, 12% OF EMPLOYERS PAID ALL OF THE PREMIUMS
FOR FAMILY MEMBERS' HEALTH CARE INSURANCE.
THAT PLUMMETED TO 7% IN 2005.
BUT ALL THOSE DECLINING NUMBERS
CAN'T OVERPOWER THE BIGGEST ONE--
THE NUMBER OF BABY BOOMERS
WHO WILL BE LEAVING THE FULL-TIME JOB MARKET
UNLESS ACCOMMODATIONS ARE MADE.
EMPLOYERS IN SOME INDUSTRIES
ARE ANTICIPATING LABOR FORCE SHORTAGES.
THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR EXPECTS THAT THERE COULD BE
AS MANY AS TEN MILLION JOBS UNFILLED
AS THE BABY BOOMERS START TO RETIRE.
AND EMPLOYERS ARE TAKING NOTICE.
Bonnie: THIS EXODUS PRESENTS EMPLOYERS
WITH AN UNPRECEDENTED BRAIN DRAIN.
GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS
TO MINIMIZE THE BLOW TO PRODUCTIVITY.
Marcie: BABY BOOMERS HAVE KIND OF SHAKEN THINGS UP
AS THEY HAVE GROWN OLDER, AND A LOT OF THEM ARE SAYING
THAT WORK MEANS SOMETHING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO THEM
AND THEY MAY NOT BE AT A POINT
WHERE THEY WANT TO GIVE IT UP FOR FULL RETIREMENT.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT NEW WAYS TO RETIRE
THAT ACTUALLY WOULD INCLUDE PAID WORK.
Bonnie: PHASED RETIREMENT ACTUALLY BEGAN IN ACADEMIA,
TO PREVENT THE GREAT LOSS OF KNOWLEDGE
AND INSTITUTIONAL HISTORY
THAT RETIRING, TENURED PROFESSORS TOOK WITH THEM.
TODAY, PHASED RETIREMENT
CAN MEAN SIMPLY CUTTING YOUR HOURS
AS YOU GET OLDER,
LEAVING YOUR FIRM AND RETURNING AS A CONSULTANT,
OR STARTING A WHOLE NEW CAREER.
BUT PHASED RETIREMENT CAN BE COMPLICATED, TOO,
BECAUSE OF PENSION PLANS.
PENSION REGULATIONS AND TAX LAWS
ARE DESIGNED TO PROTECT EMPLOYEES,
BUT THAT ALSO MEANS SOME PART-TIME WORKERS
CAN'T COLLECT ON A PENSION
EVEN WHEN THEY'RE ONLY WORKING PART-TIME.
DESPITE THESE HURDLES, ONE AREA THAT IS QUICKLY MOVING
INTO THIS AREA OF PHASED RETIREMENT IS RETAIL.
COMPANIES SUCH AS CVS, BORDERS AND HOME DEPOT
ARE STRIVING TO KEEP GOOD HOURLY EMPLOYEES,
NO MATTER THEIR AGE OR WHERE THEY LIVE.
THESE FIRST THREE ARE DVDs.
Bonnie: MEET CRAIG WALLACE.
HE'S A 78-YEAR-OLD GRANDFATHER
STILL WORKING 24 HOURS A WEEK
AT THE BORDERS STORE IN MARYLAND.
THE COMPANY HIRED HIM FULL-TIME 11 YEARS AGO
AFTER HE ENJOYED A LONG CAREER AS A DOCTOR,
AND ASSISTANT SURGEON GENERAL.
TRADING IN HIS STETHOSCOPE
WAS THE RIGHT DECISION FOR WALLACE.
PROBABLY KEEPS ME YOUNGER,
KEEPS ME ABREAST OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
I'VE LEARNED AN AWFUL LOT ABOUT THINGS
THAT I WOULDN'T OTHERWISE LEARN.
FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN I WENT THERE,
SOMEBODY WANTED AN EMINEM RECORD,
AND I SEARCHED DILIGENTLY FOR M AND M,
NOT REALIZING IT WAS SPELLED THAT WAY.
AND SO I'M KIND OF, THANKS TO BORDERS,
I'M MORE WITH IT THAN I WOULD BE OTHERWISE.
I FEEL THAT IT KEEPS ME 21 ABOVE THE NECK,
IF NOT BELOW THE NECK.
Woman: I THINK WE'RE SO NONCREATIVE
WE WOULDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO
IF WE RETIRED.
Craig: I REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO RETIRE,
BUT IT WAS TIME TO RETIRE.
BORDERS WAS LITERALLY THE ONLY SHOW IN TOWN,
AND I APPLIED.
AFTER THREE TIMES, I WAS HIRED.
THEY TURNED ME DOWN A COUPLE OF TIMES.
THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T THINK I'D SUFFER FOOLS WISELY,
BUT I'VE BEEN VERY HAPPY THERE.
Dan Smith: YOU CAN TELL FROM TALKING WITH CRAIG
WHAT HE BRINGS TO THE STORE.
HE'S LIVED IN FIVE OR SIX DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD,
HE'S BEEN A DOCTOR.
HE STUDIED LAW.
HE HAS A KNOWLEDGE BASE
THAT YOU JUST DON'T FIND
IN EVERYBODY ON THE STREET EVERY DAY.
Bonnie: ACCORDING TO SMITH,
THE DECISION TO HIRE OLDER PEOPLE
ISN'T ABOUT BEING NICE;
IT'S GOOD BUSINESS.
Dan: A LITTLE OVER 50% OF ALL BOOKS IN AMERICA
ARE PURCHASED BY THOSE THAT ARE OVER 45 YEARS OLD.
IF WE CAN MAKE OUR STORE EMPLOYEES
LOOK LIKE OUR CUSTOMER BASE,
WE THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT ANGLE TO TAKE.
OLDER WORKERS ARE A PERFECT FIT FOR OUR BUSINESS.
FIRST OF ALL, THEY BRING
A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF LIFE EXPERIENCE INTO THE STORE.
AND IF YOU'VE BEEN AROUND A BOOKSTORE
LIKE WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW,
YOU'LL REALIZE THAT IT'S KNOWLEDGE THAT SELLS BOOKS.
IF YOU HAVE THAT KNOWLEDGE
ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR,
YOU'RE BETTER ABLE TO FIND THAT PRODUCT FOR THEM.
THE SIDE BENEFIT IS THE STABILITY
AND THE DEPENDABILITY OF THE OLDER WORKER.
IT'S ABOUT THE BUSINESS, VERY CLEARLY.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU CAN HAVE, YOU KNOW,
SIX TIMES LESS TURNOVER WITH SOMEBODY OVER 50
THAN UNDER 30,
THAT'S A BIG DIFFERENCE.
Bonnie: ANOTHER MOTIVATING FACTOR FOR BORDERS--
AND ITS 12,000 STORES--
IS THAT THE BEGINNING OF RETIREMENT
FOR THE BABY BOOM GENERATION IS CREATING A WORKER SHORTAGE.
Dan: WE REALLY STARTED TAKING A LOOK AT THE OLDER WORKER
AS A GOOD CHANGE OF PACE,
A GOOD WAY FOR US TO STAFF OUR STORES.
WE'VE GONE FROM HAVING JUST 6% OF OUR EMPLOYEES BEING OVER 50,
TO 16% BEING OVER 50 TODAY.
IT'S JUST BEEN A WONDERFUL FOCUSED EFFORT FOR US.
Bonnie: FOR WALLACE AND BORDERS,
IT'S BEEN A GREAT LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP.
THE COMPANY'S HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN
HAS HELPED, TOO.
WELL, I'VE HAD A PACEMAKER, AND TWO HIPS REPLACED,
ALL THANKS TO BORDERS.
I WOULDN'T WORK IF I FELT I COULDN'T HANDLE THE JOB.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MAY I HELP YOU, MA'AM?
Marcie: IF BUSINESSES ARE TARGETING OLDER CUSTOMERS
THEY MAY FIND VERY BENEFICIAL IF SOME OF THEIR EMPLOYEES
LOOK LIKE THEIR CUSTOMERS AS WELL.
SO THAT CAN BE AN ADVANTAGE IN SOME CASES.
Bonnie: AND IF WALLACE EVER GOT TIRED OF THE SUMMERS
IN WASHINGTON, D.C.,
BORDERS, LIKE CVS AND HOME DEPOT,
ALLOWS WORKERS TO SHUTTLE
BETWEEN DIFFERENT STORE LOCATIONS
DURING THE YEAR.
IT'S A TOOL TO KEEP SEASONAL STORES
STOCKED WITH VALUABLE EMPLOYEES
WHILE ACCOMMODATING LIFESTYLE CHOICES.
Nancy Lipscomb: I HAVE ALL THE FREEDOM THAT YOU CAN IMAGINE IN MY CAREER.
Bonnie: NANCY LIPSCOMB HAS WORKED FOR HOME DEPOT
FOR THE PAST 14 YEARS.
Nancy: MY JOB PRIMARILY IS WORKING
IN SPECIALTY DEPARTMENTS,
WHICH WOULD INCLUDE APPLIANCES,
MILLWORK, CARPETING,
KITCHEN DESIGN,
ALTHOUGH I AM AVAILABLE FOR ANY POSITION AS HOME DEPOT NEEDS.
Bonnie: IN 2005 LIPSCOMB MADE A CHANGE.
SHE STARTED WORKING IN TWO DIFFERENT STORES
DURING THE YEAR--
ONE IN NORTH CAROLINA, ONE IN FLORIDA.
IT WAS AN IDEA INSPIRED BY OTHER SNOWBIRDS.
Nancy: BEING A FLORIDIAN,
I NOTICED THAT PEOPLE DID THAT AS THEY GREW OLDER,
SO I THOUGHT, "WELL, THAT WOULD BE A GOOD PLAN."
IT'S JUST A NICE FEATURE WHERE YOU CAN HAVE TWO HOMES
AND TRANSFER BACK AND FORTH,
LIVE IN DIFFERENT CLIMATES, DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS.
Bonnie: SO LIPSCOMB COMMUTES BETWEEN THE TWO STORES,
WORKING AT EACH DURING THEIR BUSY SEASONS.
ALTHOUGH ONLY A SMALL NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE SNOWBIRD PROGRAM,
ITS VALIDITY IS CLEAR TO HOME DEPOT.
Doug Hartley: IT SAVES US TIME, SAVES US MONEY.
FROM A CUSTOMER SERVICE STANDPOINT
WHEN WE ALREADY HAVE ASSOCIATES
THAT ARE FULLY TRAINED ON THEIR JOBS,
THEY CAN COME INTO OUR STORE,
AND DAY ONE,
YOU KNOW, READY TO ROLL.
DO YOU HAVE LIKE A LIGHTER COLOR CHERRY?
OKAY, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE SAMPLES.
Doug: MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT WORKING WITH NANCY
IS THAT SHE'S SO VERSATILE.
SHE HAS SUCH AN EASY-GOING ATTITUDE
AND SHE'LL DO WHATEVER, YOU KNOW,
WE REALLY NEED HER TO DO IN THE STORE
AND SHE'S BEEN TRAINED PRETTY MUCH TO COVER ANY AREA WE NEED.
HELLO.
Bonnie: LIPSCOMB'S PARTNER, DEBBIE, A FORMER EXECUTIVE,
UNDERSTANDS THE STRATEGY BEHIND THE PROGRAM, TOO.
Debbie: BEING IN THE HR FIELD FOR MANY YEARS,
I KNOW WHAT THE COST OF TURNOVER IS.
WHEN YOU GET TO KEEP SKILLED, SEASONED EMPLOYEES,
IT'S A HUGE PLUS FOR A COMPANY TO DO THAT
AND, YOU KNOW, IT MOTIVATES THE EMPLOYEES TO STAY LONGER,
AND, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO DO GOOD AND PERFORM WELL.
OH, I LOVE IT, I LOVE IT.
Bonnie: PACKING UP EVERY SIX MONTHS IS NOT ALWAYS EASY, THOUGH.
Debbie: THE BIGGEST DISADVANTAGE IS PROBABLY TRYING TO REMEMBER
WHERE I LEFT SOME OF MY THINGS.
WHEN IT WAS TIME TO LEAVE LAST YEAR
AND GO UP TO NORTH CAROLINA,
IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO LEAVE,
BUT AS SOON AS WE GOT UP THERE,
WE ALMOST DIDN'T WANT TO COME BACK AGAIN.
SO I FIGURED THAT'S A GOOD SIGN
THAT WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING.
Bonnie: FOR LIPSCOMB'S FELLOW EMPLOYEES,
THERE ARE MIXED EMOTIONS.
WITH NANCY IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE HER BACK
BECAUSE SHE WORKS HARD.
IT'S A BAD DAY WHEN SHE LEAVES
BECAUSE WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO MISS HER.
Ellen: THE COMPANIES THAT HAVE CHANGED HAVE FOUND
THAT IT'S IN THEIR BUSINESS SELF-INTEREST TO CHANGE.
THEY'RE NOT DOING THIS TO BE NICE,
ALTHOUGH THEY LIKE BEING NICE.
THEY'RE DOING THIS
BECAUSE IT REALLY IMPROVES THEIR BUSINESS
OR IMPROVES THEIR ORGANIZATION.
Nancy: MOST PEOPLE GO TO HOME DEPOT
ON THEIR DAYS OFF JUST FOR KICKS, YOU KNOW.
I GET TO DO IT EVERY DAY.
I GET TO DO WHAT MOST PEOPLE DREAM OF, YOU KNOW?
Donna Klein: WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF WORKERS
COMING UP INTO THE PIPELINE AS WE HAVE LEAVING.
SO, EVENTUALLY, THAT'S GOING TO CATCH UP.
AND WHEN IT DOES, IT'S GOING TO BE A QUESTION OF SURVIVAL.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LEARN TO MANAGE WITH NEW REALITIES.
Bonnie: WHILE BABY BOOMERS ARE EXITING THE WORKPLACE
AND MORE PART-TIMERS AND WOMEN ARE REENTERING,
THE FOCUS FOR MOST COMPANIES AND EMPLOYEES
REMAINS HOW TO EVOLVE AND IMPROVE WORK AND LIFE
TODAY AND TOMORROW.
THAT'S THE MISSION OF THE NON-PROFIT GROUP,
WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY 2010.
IT HAS A SHORT-TERM GOAL AND A LONG-TERM GOAL.
SO THE SHORT-TERM GOAL
IS TO FACILITATE A CONVERSATION--
A REAL CONVERSATION
BETWEEN GOVERNMENT,
PLAYERS IN GOVERNMENT,
AND PLAYERS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR,
AND THAT'S BOTH EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES--
TO FACILITATE A CONVERSATION
ABOUT HOW THE WORKPLACE CAN BE MADE MORE FLEXIBLE
IN A WAY THAT WORKS FOR EMPLOYEES
WHO ARE TRYING TO BALANCE THEIR WORK AND THEIR LIVES,
AND WORKS FOR EMPLOYERS
WHO ARE TRYING TO RUN A BUSINESS.
Bonnie: FOR THE GOVERNMENT,
IT'S ADJUSTING LABOR AND BENEFIT RULES
TO REFLECT THE NEW WAYS OF WORKING,
WITHOUT SACRIFICING
THE WORKER BENEFITS AND PROTECTIONS.
Chai: IS THERE A BILL THAT HAS BEEN PROPOSED
IN THE LAST TEN YEARS,
THAT WOULD TAKE A BROAD, COMPREHENSIVE VIEW
OF THE WORKPLACE
TO ACHIEVE MORE FLEXIBILITY
IN A WAY THAT WORKS FOR EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS?
NO.
THERE HAS NOT BEEN SUCH A BILL.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY
COULD BENEFIT FROM?
ABSOLUTELY.
SO I'D SAY THERE'S SOME WORK TO DO.
Bonnie: FELDBLUM, A VETERAN D.C. LAWYER
WHO HELPED CRAFT THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT,
KNOWS LEGISLATING FLEXIBILITY REQUIRES PLENTY OF COOPERATION.
Chai: BUT THERE'S A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE BASE,
ON THE PART OF THE EMPLOYER
AND A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE BASE ON THE PART OF THE EMPLOYEES
ABOUT WHAT WILL MAKE IT WORK.
LET'S THINK OF THIS AS A PARTNERSHIP
BETWEEN THESE THREE ENTITIES:
GOVERNMENT, EMPLOYERS, EMPLOYEES.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT?
WE CAN MAKE OUR WORKPLACE STRUCTURED A LOT BETTER
THAN IT IS RIGHT NOW.
AND WE WILL ALL WIN AT THE END.
Bonnie: BALANCING THE EMPLOYERS' AND EMPLOYEES' NEEDS
IS NOT EASY.
THAT MEANS CREATING FLEXIBLE LAWS
THAT MOVE AWAY FROM THE 40-HOUR STANDARD,
AND RECOGNIZE THE NEW WAY WORK IS BEING DONE.
IT MEANS CREATING LAWS THAT STRIKE THE BALANCE
BETWEEN WORKING AND LIVING IN THE 21st CENTURY
THAT WILL KEEP THE AMERICAN WORKER COMPETITIVE.
IT MEANS SUPPORTING THRIVING COMPANIES
AND HEALTHY FAMILIES.
BUT THE BOTTOM LINE FOR EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS IS
WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY ONLY SUCCEEDS
IF COMPANIES MAKE MONEY,
AND EMPLOYEES FEEL ENRICHED AND SATISFIED BY THEIR CHOICES.
AND FINALLY, IN CLOSING, AN INTERESTING NOTE
ABOUT WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY
IN THIS DOCUMENTARY.
IT WAS CREATED BY A PRODUCER
WORKING FROM HER HOME IN VIRGINIA,
AND EDITED BY AN EDITOR WORKING FROM HIS HOME IN MARYLAND.
THEY COLLABORATED FOR THE BETTER PART OF A YEAR,
BY PHONE AND INTERNET,
AND STILL HAVE NEVER MET IN PERSON...
PROOF POSITIVE THAT WORK IN AMERICA,
IS 9 TO 5 NO LONGER.
I'M BONNIE ERBÉ.
CAPTION TECHNOLOGIES INC. www.captiontech.com
Announcer: FUNDING FOR 9 TO 5 NO LONGER IS PROVIDED BY:
WHICH MAKES GRANTS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY
AND THE QUALITY OF AMERICAN LIFE.
AND BY:
Diana Krall: I FIRST HEARD THIS SONG WHEN I WAS ABOUT 15 YEARS OLD,
LISTENING TO OSCAR PETERSON AT THE ORPHEUM IN VANCOUVER.
COMPLETELY BLOWN AWAY.
I KNEW RIGHT THEN THAT I WANTED TO BE A JAZZ MUSICIAN.