According to a Workforce Management article the buzz at the SHRM conference inolved rising gas prices and the wide-ranging effects it is having.  In fact, the conference’s opening press event highlighted its recent poll showing how companies are trying to assist their workers.  The two most noted solutions were flexible schedules and telecommuting.  Some of the other ways they are helping are four-day weeks, gas cards and car-pooling.

John Challenger, CEO of Challenger, Gray & Christmas made a great comment (my bold):

These are more than short-term fixes, Challenger says. They are the beginning of a revolution in the office that will result in productivity being the central value of work, rather the number of hours logged by employees. They also dovetail with other trends like globalization and a 24-hour view of the workday that accommodates all time zones—Asia, Europe and the United States.

“The idea of a set workday or a five-day workweek doesn’t make sense,” Challenger says. “It’s not about the time you put in. It’s about the work you do.”

Businesses often get stuck in a rut.  Some managers find micromanagement to be intoxicating.  These managers tend to veer away from solutions that would give freedom to our people and relinquish perceived control.  I think Challenger is correct – these “old-school” approaches are in for a major overhaul.

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