Ch. 4: Employee Flexibility and Freedom

Concept and brief description:

This concept has to do with employers creating and allowing flexibility and freedom to their employees. From work schedules to work location, employees are more motivated and productive when they feel they have more freedom and flexibility. Employees are human and want to feel they are important and trusted. Employers want to cut costs and increase productivity. By giving more freedom to employees, both parties benefit and therefore, strengthen themselves and the company.

Emotional hook (provocative question/ claim/real-life problem):

Think about teenagers. They are working everyday at trying to figure out who they are and what they want to be. A teenager needs structure but also room to breathe and spread his or her wings. If a teenager is going through a rough, rebellious time, the worst thing a parent can do is create more rooms and make the teenager feel confined or restricted. The more your push the teenager the more the feel a need to push back. Give guidelines, not restrictions and give them some space. I think you will be surprised at how much time and energy you will save.

Key points to elicit in discussion:

Chapter four talked about creating ways to motivate workers and increase productivity. It talked about telecommuting, people working away from the office, working from home. Employers can allow flexible work schedules, allowing employees the opportunity to choose their work schedule, with some guidelines from the company. A company definitely needs guidelines and structure, but as a company gives more freedom to it's workers, the workers feel empowered and self-motivated. I think implementing more programs to increase employee freedom is a great idea!

Facilitative questions:

How would creating your own work schedule motivate you?
How would employee freedom and flexibility impact/affect productivity?