Every Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. Pacific Time, I join a video conference call with leadership colleagues from across the country. I’m on the West Coast, so these meetings are always early for me. When I started joining them more than 10 years ago, I was up early to ensure that I looked polished and ready to conquer the day before I got on the video conference. These days, I find myself forgoing dressing up or putting on makeup before dialing in. I no longer think twice about being on video from the comfort of my living room and in my morning sweatshirt. And, as I say good morning to my colleagues, it’s apparent that I’m not the only one.
What PwC Learned from Its Policy of Flexible Work for Everyone
Working parents aren’t the only ones who need flex time.
January 28, 2019
Vicki Jauron, Babylon and Beyond Photography/Getty Images
Summary.
When it comes to flexible workplace policies, the key is to actually be “flexible.” It seems counterintuitive, but having rules in place can work against you. That’s why PricewaterhouseCoopers instilled a policy they loosely call “everyday flexibility.” It isn’t something the company mandates that all teams adopt; it’s a mentality and a way of life that is meant to be individualized for each person. The key is understanding that it’s impossible to have a one-size-fits-all approach to flexibility. Every employee, at any age, benefits from and is looking for its availability. Flexibility for a caregiver might mean being able to leave work early to take an elderly parent to a doctor’s appointment. For a parent, it might mean taking a midday run, so evenings can be spent with their children. And for others, it could simply be taking an hour in the afternoon to go to a yoga class and recharge. So, make sure that internal communications about flexibility speak to all employees. Remember, if you trusted an individual enough to hire them, you also should trust them enough to get work done when and where they prefer.