(A few months ago, I delivered the opening keynote at the College and University Work and Family Association (CUWFA) annual conference at Emory University. While in many companies the responsibility for addressing work-life related issues no longer rests with one person, that is not the case for higher education. As the strategic importance of traditional […]
Traditionally, work flexibility has been the sole domain of HR. But, increasingly, I see Facilities teams in organizations, and the vendors that serve them, initiate the flexible work culture change process because transforming the workspace can be a great opportunity to rethink how, when and where work is done more broadly. Check out the insightful questions […]
This post originally appeared on LinkedIn. “Word! Halleluiah! Amen!” That was my reaction when I heard Jeff Bezos dropped an important truth bomb we all needed to hear—“work-life balance” IS indeed a debilitating phrase. Not necessarily because there is a strict trade-off as Bezos implied, but because balance does not exist! This is an argument I’ve been […]
New national research suggests lack of strategy and training is to blame, not the flexibility Flexibility in where, when and how you work – including remote work – leads to innovation, as well as communication, creativity, productivity and engagement, according to new national research from the Flex+Strategy Group (FSG). This is among the key findings […]
Every time I read a headline like “IBM Ends Remote Work” I do two things. First, I dig deeper to find out what’s really happening. Usually, it’s not that “remote work” is ending. It’s that a specific formal policy has been discontinued or scaled back. In the case of IBM, it was a full-time work-from-home policy. The second thing […]
You are a leader. It’s the Friday before Labor Day. You walk into the office and see only a handful of employees physically at their desks. No big deal or a problem? Last month, on the Friday before the July 4th holiday, one of my clients arrived to find only a skeletal staff on site. Her first thought was, […]
It’s every remote worker’s nightmare scenario. A prestigious global media outlet interviews you live from your home office in another country. You prepare your talking points in your area of expertise (check). You make sure your WIFI connection and video camera work (check). Your backdrop looks professional (check). You put on a suit and tie […]
I’ve noticed a change recently. Five years ago, when an organization wanted to make their workplace more flexible, nine times out of ten the presenting problem was attracting and retaining women, specifically mothers. Today, it’s all about the millennials, and providing the “work/life balance” and flexibility this group expects from an employer. As was the […]
Typically, when we discuss the need for and benefits of work flexibility, it’s in the context of fitting work and personal life together. While important, it’s only one application. What if people were able to leverage flexibility in how, when and where work is done to optimize their natural personality traits, such as introversion, or manage their […]
“What if no one is around to do the work? And how do we maintain all of the good aspects of our culture that happen when we work together in the same place at the same time?” These are the two main questions leaders ask about building a high-performance flexible work culture. What they’re really […]
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