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Implementing alternative work schedules to attract and retain production employees in manufacturing operations / by Michael B. Davis.

by Davis, Michael B.

Job satisfaction

Production planning

Manufacturing processes

vii,142 leaves : ill. ; 28 cm.

Advisor: Hilary Woodhouse.

Committee members: Joseph Papp, Gene Wright.

Introduction - Changes driving alternative work schedules - Employee retention programs - Flexible work schedules - Compressed workweeks - Program implementation - Recommendations - Glossary - Bibliography - Appendix A) Thesis Survey - Hard-copy Version - B) Informed Consent Form - C) IRB Response Form - D) Abbreviated Summary of Survey Results - E) Same-Day GFlex Policy Example - F) Within a Week Flextime Policy Example - G) Straight-Eight Shift Policy Example - H) Multiple Program Flextime Policy Example - I) Culture Change: A Success Story at Ralston Purina Company - J) Example of "3/12, Weekend Shift" Schedule Guidelines - K) Compressed Workweek Study Results - L) Late 1970s Compressed Workweek Study Results - M ) Considerations in Hiring Compressed Workweek Shift-Workers- N) Alternative Work Schedule Implementation Tips - O) Selecting Job for Alternative Work Schedules - P) Characteristics of an All-Business Environment .

Employers today are facing significant challenges in attracting and retaining employees. With low unemployment and new workforce entrants lacking the skills needed to be successful, maintaining a high caliber workforce has become difficult. In addition, the effect of not managing retention, namely turnover, is becoming more costly. At the same time that employers are facing employment issues, employees are facing new pressures in balancing their work lives with their personal lives. Social changes are driving new needs that often do not align with traditional working arrangements. In order to address both the issues of attracting and retaining workers, and meeting changing employee lifestyle needs, many employers have implemented alternative work schedules. Alternative work schedules provide employees flexibility at managing both when and where they work. In many industries, the change in work scheduling has been profound, as it has redefined how employers manage their businesses and view their people.

Yet despite the use of alternative work schedules in many industries, most manufacturing companies have not adapted to the new employer/employee relationship paradigm. This is largely due to the difficulty of integrating flexibility into production operations that are both time and equipment sensitive. However, solutions are available. Two specific types of alternative work schedules, which can be adapted to production environments, are flexible work schedules and compressed workweeks. Employers considering implementing these types of programs can draw upon the experiences of other companies in understanding schedule design options, benefits, concerns, and implementation issues. Additionally, employers can follow an implementation model built from the lessons learned by others.

This paper provides a guide for manufacturing companies to use in designing, planning and implementing flexible work schedules and compressed workweeks in production environments. It contains a base of knowledge built from the experiences of other manufacturing companies that have already implemented these types of programs.

The social changes, that have necessitated the use of alternative work schedules by employers, are not going to diminish. In fact, the evolution of employee flexibility has demonstrated that employers must continually examine employee needs, and the role of employers and employees in society. Employers must constantly evaluate how they manage employee and business demands, in order to create an environment that meets the needs of both parties.

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