Flexible working arrangements can not only make employees more productive but also help the university reduce its carbon footprint, according to campus human resource experts. While employees in Cornell Information Technologies (CIT) have benefited from flexible work arrangements in the past, only recently has CIT had a standard formalized process to use across the department in implementing them.

"Our employees work hard, and we want to support them with flexible options. Now we have given supervisors and employees the tools and process for establishing these arrangements," said Jennifer Russler of CIT's human resources department.

As a progressive employer committed to career/life integration, Cornell has worked aggressively to implement flexible work arrangements for employees, said Lynette Chappell-Williams, director of the Office of Workforce Diversity, Equity and Life Quality. "The IT field is one that is well suited for flex, and CIT has embraced this effective recruitment and retention tool."

According to the Society for Human Resource Management (http://www.shrm.org, Feb. 29, 2008), Chappell-Williams noted, a poll of more than 1,600 workers found that work-life balance and flexibility were primary reasons individuals selected an employer; compensation came in second.

Flexible work arrangements, particularly "flex-place" or working remotely, provide such employees as programmers uninterrupted "heads-down" time; working from home and compressed work weeks also often increase productivity by saving the time, money, and energy spent on commuting.

At CIT, employees who would like a flexible arrangement first fill out and sign a formal flex work agreement with their supervisors. Typically, the employee initiates the process by completing a CIT checklist. In the case of the most popular arrangement, flex-place, this Employee Flex-Place Proposal checklist leads the individual to address such concerns as:

The supervisor also prepares a Flex-Place Decision Tools for Managers checklist to ensure that the request for flexibility is designed for success (see below).

The supervisor and employee then discuss the proposal's viability, make amendments and set start and review dates. Finally, they sign an "Expectations" form, which defines standard terms and conditions.

"A successful agreement requires trust between supervisor and employee because deadlines and service obligations need to be met," said CIT's Director for Administration Nancy VanOrman. Technology plays a key role in facilitating this trust, she pointed out. Helpful technologies include open calendars, phone voice messages that name a back-up person, extension to cellular service and phone and video conferencing.

The process has helped 73 of CIT's 400 staff work in flexible arrangements. The staff include temporary, casual, hourly and professional employees who work in information technology, administration and finance. As of December:

Some had combination arrangements.

HR representative Tammy Blasz says CIT has observed that staggered work hours provide the department with greater office coverage, but there is no clear answer yet on how flex arrangements have impacted CIT overall. CIT is developing a methodology to evaluate the effectiveness of these arrangements and may analyze, for example, customer satisfaction and performance evaluations.

Cornell has been honored repeatedly by both Working Mother Magazine and AARP, which recognize best employers for working mothers and workers over 50, respectively, because of its continued effort to establish flexible work arrangements, among other factors. Many studies have shown that flex work arrangements result in lower employee turnover, increased worker productivity and engagement and a greater ability to recruit employees with certain skills.

Although not all work environments are well suited for flexible work arrangements, Cornell and CIT are looking for flex opportunities on even a limited basis. "We are encouraging staff and supervisors to be open-minded," VanOrman said. "If a flex arrangement can't be fully supported right now, perhaps some aspect of it can be started, or the proposal revisited later."

When approving a flex arrangement, supervisors must consider many factors

When a CIT employee asks for a flex arrangement, supervisors use a checklist, "Flex-Place Decision Tools for Managers," to consider such factors as:

The university has posted flexibility agreement forms and guidelines that all colleges and units may use at http://www.ohr.cornell.edu/workLife/flex/index.html.