Winding Down Friday: Work on Your Terms

I’ve been really interested in exploring flexible work arrangements recently. One thing I’ve always hated about a traditional job is the concept that face time is just as important as productivity. It’s an outdated, archaic way of thinking (in my opinion, I’ve had plenty of disagreements) and I often find that people push against changes like this because “that’s what’s always been done.” Working when you want and how you want allows you some specific advantages. Let’s explore that for a moment:

• You work for the man, but you still win: Flexible scheduling allows you to put your hours in every week but on your own terms. You can choose to work when you want and how you want, an often-cited reason that people work for themselves. With a traditional job, you’d be able to keep the security, health benefits, and other trappings of corporate life while maintaining a level of independence as well.
• Loyalty: A company that is willing to work with you rather than against you is a firm you’ll likely feel a sense of loyalty to. This is an unusual trait in our fast-paced, get the money wherever you can job culture, but it’s been proven by a variety of studies.
• Fun: Can you honestly tell me a three day weekend every week does NOT sound like a good idea? Your options for enjoying a better work/life balance are greatly helped by a 4-day week or telecommuting options.

Don’t take my word for it though, let’s see what others have to say:

•  The Oil Drum thinks it would save us a lot of time and resources.
• MSNBC examined some companies who allow this type of flexibility last year.
• The Chicago Tribune talks about the effect on company loyalty.

Enjoy the weekend!