The committee presented a proposal to management that called for promoting work options. Now, compressed workweeks are offered February through October, but limited during the fourth quarter, when many salaried employees are asked to work extra hours and longer days because of the high demands of the holiday season. The last employee survey told The Bon March that staff felt compensated for much of its overtime and late nights during the holiday season by having more control and days off the rest of the year. Most departments stagger the days off, so half the staff are present every Friday. Because so many tasks involve communication with people on the East Coast, employees who start work at 7 a.m. have just as much to do as those starting at 9 a.m.
Management emphasizes the importance of partnerships between people who use work options.
An assistant buyer might cover for a buyer on his or her Friday off, and the buyer would in turn cover for the assistant the next Friday. Improved teamwork and cross-training are resulting benefits. Powerful retention tool Ritzman knows first hand how powerful work options can be in retaining valuable staff. She oversees Nancy Pappas, Manager of Corporate Communications. As a single parent, I feel fortunate that I can continue to have the job I love AND get my young children to and from school and daycare without the added expense of hiring someone to transport them.