Team-Based Results-Focused Flexible Work Arrangements

• US 20070260506A1
• Filed: 05/08/2007
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The BOLD Initiative
• Original Assignee: The BOLD Initiative
• Inventors: Fitzpatrick, Beatrice A., Thomson, Harvey A.
• Application Number:
  US11/745,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20070260506A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/11
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063116 Schedule adjustment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A method for enhancing business results while simultaneously improving workplace flexibility for employees. Both objectives are achieved by continuously monitoring business parameters and modifying work processes using results-focused techniques, while concurrently using the same techniques to tailor workplace flexibility needs to ever-changing work and personal environments. Use of the method results in the synergistic accomplishment of workplace productivity and efficiency objectives, along with enhanced employee morale, retention, and job satisfaction, as well as work team cohesion, effectiveness, and engagement. The skills learned can then be used in other endeavors, such as for personal development, family management, and community leadership.

Claims

1. A method of using workplace flexibility to increase business productivity of an Employer, comprising the steps of:

a. engaging team members of a working group, with management approval;

b. soliciting input from the working group to improve a particularized team work process;

c. establishing goals in connection with the particularized team work process to be improved;

d. measuring a performance of the improved work process over a predetermined period of time;

e. improving the measured work process performance; and

f. incorporating individualized flexibility arrangements of the team members, memorialized within a formal schedule, on a regular basis into work methods of the work process, thereby enabling achievement of the goals of the particularized team work process.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

g. customizing the implementation based on both the needs of the team members for flexibility and work requirements of the work process.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the working group is established for purposes of implementing this process.

4. The step of claim 1 further comprising the step of obtaining management approval to implement the process.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein the incorporating step utilizes:

individualized flexible schedules for all of the team members;

goals for improving individual and team performance, to which the team members are committed;

team-member initiated work process changes that enable achievement of the performance and flexibility goals; and

an implementation and review schedule for use in making adjustments as conditions change.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

g. assessing, as a team, performance results and the effectiveness of the individualized flexible arrangements of the team members;

h. using the assessment of flexibility and the work process performance measurement to improve an overall performance of the team members and the particularized team work process.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

using a consonance of interests of the team members to help the team members meet their flexibility objectives while simultaneously improving work process performance.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the individualized flexibility arrangements are used to enable employees to gain greater control over their lives at both work and home.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the individualized flexibility arrangements result in enhancement of individual team member satisfaction.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the individualized flexibility arrangements result in individual team member engagement for purposes of attracting and retaining employees and reducing absenteeism.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein step (f) further comprises:

using the individualized flexibility arrangements of the team members to change the nature of relationships between the team members to enhance one or more of collaboration, cooperation, mutual support, and job redundancy, thereby enriching a value of the team members to the organization and to each other.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein absenteeism is reduced and team member retention is increased by the incorporation of the individualized flexibility arrangements.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the change in the nature of relationships between the team members facilitates mediation of conflicts within the workgroup on a periodic basis.

7. The method of step 6 further comprising repeating steps (b) through (h) on a regular or predetermined basis to enhance efficiency and productivity.

15. The method of step 1 further comprising the step of:

applying the process to an increased number of working groups.

16. The process of step 1 further comprising the step of:

training facilitators to implement the process on an enterprise-wide scale.

17. The process of step 1 further comprising the step of:

establishing a program management office to oversee a strategy for an enterprise-wide scale up of workplace flexibility, including one or more of;

identifying and training facilitators,

tracking an impact of the method on performance, retention, absenteeism, employee satisfaction, and

communicating results of the method.

18. A method of using workplace flexibility to increase business productivity, comprising the steps of:

a. engaging team members of a working group, with management approval;

b. soliciting input from the working group to improve a particularized team work process;

c. establishing goals in connection with the particularized team work process to be improved;

d. measuring a performance of the improved work process over a predetermined period of time;

e. improving the measured work process performance; and

f. a scheduling means that incorporates individualized flexibility arrangements of the team members into a formal schedule on a regular basis thereby enabling achievement of the goals of the particularized team work process.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the incorporating step utilizes:

individualized flexible schedules for all of the team members;

goals for improving individual and team performance, to which the team members are committed;

team-member initiated work process changes that enable achievement of the performance and flexibility goals; and

an implementation and review schedule for use in making adjustments as conditions change.