Approach to managing people including flexible working arrangements and workplace diversity policies - Essay Example

Managing the human resources of a company is an extremely important function due to the fact that the human capital of a firm is its most valuable asset. The managers of a company are responsible for the performance of the workforce. In today’s competitive work environment companies have to find a way to ensure that the employees of the firm achieve job satisfaction. The productivity of a company is highly dependent of the work performance of its employees. Two strategies that can help a firm achieve its goals are flexible time and diversity policies.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze and describe flexible time and diversity. Flexible time can be defined as an alternative work schedule to the traditional 9 to 5 in which the employees are able to set their own schedules (Dol). The use of flexible time is viable at companies that have a work week that goes beyond 9 to 5 such as firms with double and triple shifts. The implementation of a flexible time program can be beneficial to both employees and employers. One of the greatest benefits of flexible time for the employees is that it allows them to have a better work life balance.

For instance single parents can arrange their schedule so that they are free a few hours in the afternoon to go pick up their kids at school. Four additional benefits of flexible time are a reduction in the employee commuting time and fuel costs, avoidance of traffic rush and stress associated with rush hour, reduction in employee burnout due to overload, and increase in personal control over work scheduling (Heathfield, 2013). Corporations benefit from the implementation of flexible time due to higher employee productivity.

Employees that use flexible time also tend to have lower absenteeism and higher retention rate than employees working a traditional 9 to 5 week. The human resource department must closely monitor the flexible time arrangement of each employee to ensure they are complying with their 40 hours of labor each week. Companies today must manage diversity in the workplace. “Workforce diversity involves differences based on gender, race, and ethnicity, age, able-bodiedness and sexual orientation” (Schermerhorn, Hunt, Osborn, 2003, pg.5). Success in the workplace occurs when the employees are able to set their differences aside and work towards a common goal.

Organizations must institute diversity policies. The diversity policy must include harsh penalties for employees that discriminate against other workers due to diversity issues. Diversity should be visualized as a virtue for companies because diversity has many advantages including increased creativity among the workers, lower stress and tension in the workplace, better communication between the employees, and it creates an environment of mutual respect. Greater creativity occurs within a diverse group of people because each person has unique lifetime experiences.

The use of diversity also encourages greater teamwork between the employees. An example of a company that has used diversity to its advantage is Starbucks Café. Diversity in the workplace has become a critical success factor in the 21st century.ReferencesDol.gov. Work hours. [Accessed 26 February 2013] Heathfield, S. (2013). Advantages and Disadvantages of Flexible Work Schedules? [Accessed 26 February 2013]Schermerhorn, J., Hunt, J., Osborn, R. (2003). Organizational Behavior (8th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons.