Alternative work arrangements are becoming more and more popular nowadays. The companies are growing; the employers are looking for new and more comprehensive ways of organizational management. At the same time companies are seeking for the best and most skilled professionals but at the same time these professionals require best conditions so that they could work for a particular company. In this case alternative work arrangement is a crucial means for an effective human resource management.
There are various forms of alternative work arrangements that include job sharing, compressed work schedule and flexible working hours (www.case.edu, 2016). These arrangements facilitate the working process; nevertheless, it has positive as well as negative sides. As far as advantages are concerned, alternative work arrangements provide the company with the opportunity to make their employees satisfied with their job. In this case an employee is ensured that he/she is completely involved in the working process and his/her opinion is counted and appreciated. Though, alternative work arrangements may hide some potential threat. It is vitally important to harmonize the will of the employee and the company’s aims. The organization should provide the employee with the freedom of choice of the working conditions as well as it should make the employees reach the common objectives.
Employees who are working on a compressed workweek are tending to increase their productivity. Moreover, their satisfaction with the working conditions also increase which leads to the improvement of the quality of their work. At the same time it is rather beneficial for the companies. Alternative work arrangements may help the organizations to reduce the costs for the office and other resources, but at the same time this opportunity is mutually beneficial as employees are more satisfied working at home and the company reduces its costs and avoids overcrowding in the office.
Supervisors should give as much notice as possible and reasonably be expected to an adjustment in working plans to provide all staff members with enough time to make changes in accordance with their own plans. While executing an adjustment in work routines, managers should hold carefulness to alter or scratch off these plans if they demonstrate counter productivity to the conveyance of administrations. Staff should be made mindful of this prudence preceding execution of the new calendar.
Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 has influenced significantly the development of alternative work arrangements (www.gpo.gov, 2016). There are different points of view about the benefit of this act for the United States. In my opinion teleworking is a good option for the growing companies. It provides both the companies and the employees with the opportunities for better working conditions, reducing costs and increasing mutual satisfaction.
This is an ambitious choice and might have constrained application, contingent upon office operational prerequisites. In any case, several departments are now utilizing this method of work arrangement effectively and are considering extending its utilization. This alternative includes permitting staff to telecommute staying at home on indicated days of the week of work. In this situation employees may be coming to work four days a week and working from home on one determined day. Moreover, telecommuting permits staff more time far from the workplace environment where they might have more prominent focus on their abilities and capacity to finish certain tasks and assignments. Telecommuting might enhance the nature of the workplace for the employees by decreasing the overcrowding on the workplace. There is potential for expanded work for individuals with handicaps, counting employees who have in part recouped from injuries and can carry out the work from home.
Alternative work arrangements are a new way in the organizational management and management of human resources. There is a great opportunity for the companies to employ people from different geographic positions. It means that the company may choose from the employees according to their professional skills and competences not counting on where they live. Moreover, there is no need for the employees to use transport and extra time to reach their working places. It helps both the company and the employee to decrease the costs connected with the transportation.
In general alternative work arrangements are a great opportunity for the improvement of the work life of a person. It helps to create a positive working environment that may provide the employees with the opportunity to balance their work life and time they spend with their families. Nevertheless, for the efficient adaptation of the employees to new working conditions, managers should provide them with as much time and information according the changes as possible, so that employees would be able to make any adjustments in their working schedules.
Alternative work arrangements are the part of a rapidly changing job environment. It is a new way of organization of the working conditions that may bring good not only to the employees but to the company’s profit as well. Today is the time of globalization and both the companies and the employees are looking for new ways of working environment organization Alternative work arrangements is a great opportunity for the company to make their employees satisfied with their job while reducing their costs and increasing total productivity of a company.
References
www.case.edu,. (2016). Case Western Reserve University. Retrieved 23 January 2016, from http://www.case.edu/finadmin/humres/policies/employment/awa.html
www.gpo.gov,. (2016). United States Government Printing Office. Retrieved 23 January 2016, from https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-111hr1722enr/pdf/BILLS-111hr1722enr.pdf
