Workplace Flexibility 2010 serves as a campaign to support the advancement of a comprehensive national policy on workplace flexibility. They help to set a stage for national debate on how to restructure the workplace to meet the needs of today's workforce. Workplace Flexibility 2010 is a public policy initiative based at Georgetown Law. It is also part of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation's National Initiative on Workplace Flexibility.
The intended audience is targeted towards stakeholders including families & caregivers, military families, older workers, low-income workers, people with disabilities, employers and labor representatives. There is a menu on the left-hand side of the site that links the viewer to information aimed to each of these stakeholders. The material provided on the site does seem to be intended for the general public and is easy to read without a required certain level of knowledge.
I couldn't tell who the author of the site is (someone from Georgetown Law), but I can tell from their archives and News Roundup that the site is kept up to date as it appears twice weekly. News Roundup is a section of the site that is a compilation of the latest news articles, reports and other materials related to workplace flexibility. Both Georgetown Law and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation are very credible.
Georgetown University Law Center began in 1870 and was the first law school established in the United States by a Jesuit institution of higher learning. It is located in Capitol Hill, in Washington, D.C., which offers its students unparalleled access to the Congress, the Supreme Court, and numerous agencies, administrative boards, and commissions of the federal government and the District of Columbia. The Georgetown Law Journal's six annual issues serve as an important forum for the legal community. The Journal also publishes articles on timely issues written by professors and practitioners, produces the Annual Review of Criminal Procedure, coordinates symposia on important topics, and produces thoughtful student notes.
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation is a philanthropic, not-for-profit grantmaking institution based in New York City. It was established in 1934 by Alfred Pritchard Sloan Jr., then-President and CEO of the General Motors Corporation. The Foundation makes grants in support of original research and education in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and economic performance. The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation focuses on major program areas including basic research, science education, the public understanding of science and technology, digital information technology and the dissemination of knowledge, and select national issues.
The area titled Economic Performance and Quality of Life is where one can learn more about economic institutions, behavior and performance, federal statistics, industry studies, making municipal governments more responsive to their citizens, the science and engineering work force, workplace, work force and working families, and the issue of working longer.
I don't believe that this site has any built-in biases as there are no advertisements for any given product or service. Their social agenda is to view workplace flexibility as part of the resolution to a multitude of pressures challenging American employees and employers. Since 2003, they have worked to invent a knowledge base on workplace flexibility through a logical review of laws impacting workplace flexibility in this country. They make every effort to integrate a diverse array of stakeholders, including business and labor representatives, in unselfish dialogue about reasonable workplace flexibility public policies. In addition, they will also place the foundation for executing meaningful workplace flexibility policy solutions over the next decade.
I've learned several interesting facts while becoming familiar with this site. Workplace Flexibility 2010 and the Berkeley Center on Health, Economic & Family Security (Berkeley CHEFS) have recently issued a report proposing a new national insurance program that would provide wage replacement for time off for health and caregiving needs. Family Security Insurance would meet the universal need to address workers' critical needs-and at the same time, spread the cost fairly, protect the deficit, and keep people working.
In an article from April 16th, 2011 titled "Odd Work Schedules Pose Risk to Health" it was said that people who have rotating shifts are more apt to have problems related to memory and learning. This sort of schedule particularly affects relational memories, which involve the ability to understand how one thing is related to another.
Also mentioned, in addition to drowsiness and inability to concentrate, people working night shifts are more prone to chronic intestinal and heart disease and have been shown to be at a higher risk for cancer. The World Health Organization has classified shift work as a probable carcinogen.
The Federal Employees Flexible and Compressed Work Schedules Act allow federal agencies to provide two optional flexible work schedules for federal employees. "The Act permits (but does not require) agencies to establish "flexible work schedule" programs and/or "compressed work schedule" programs for their employees." I wonder why this is only granted to federal employees? It would be beneficial for this to be available to all employees.

Companies That Care is a national, non-profit organization devoted to improving employee well-being and connecting communities through education and inspiring employers to integrate their "10 Characteristics" into their businesses. Their goal is to make a difference in communities and workplaces nationwide through community-building initiatives and providing education about how to be a company that cares. Their motto is: "Think what could be accomplished if we all worked together!" Their social agenda is to enable individuals and communities to thrive, while strengthening our communities and our society, resulting in a sustainable future for generations to come.
The 10 Characteristics are:
1. Sustain a work environment founded on dignity and respect for all employees
2. Make employees feel their jobs are important
3. Cultivate the full potential of all employees
4. Encourage individual pursuit of work/life balance
5. Enable the well-being of individuals and their families through compensation,
benefits, policies and practices
6. Develop great leaders, at all levels, who excel at managing people as well as
results
7. Appreciate and recognize the contributions of people who work there
8. Establish and communicate standards for ethical behavior and integrity
9. Get involved in community endeavors and/or public policy
10. Consider the human toll when making business decisions
The website is copyrighted with a 2011 date. The site was designed by Neiger Design, Inc. Programming and maintenance by Victoria Lantz Web Design and Development. The intended audience is primarily employers. There are many ways to get involved such as join the Companies That Care Exchange, participate in a mentoring program, volunteer opportunities, celebrate Companies That Care Day, nominate worthy organizations, sponsorships, join the staff, and shop for miscellaneous products.
The Center for Companies That Care was founded in 2003 by three women who are experts in workforce effectiveness, workplace issues in the business, culture change, organizational redesign, leadership development, program management, and childcare issues. Marci Koblenz, Companies That Care founder and President, co-wrote the book A New Paradigm: The Work and Life Pyramid of Needs and is often cited in business publications including the Wall Street Journal and Business Week. There are also contributing founding sponsors that include healthcare corporations, marketing and design firms, and pharmaceutical companies.
In the section named Kudos there are testimonies from company representatives declaring their opinions of special events sponsored by Companies That Care. One comment was: "Being involved in the Community of Caring has not only made us better internally, but it has made us learn to be more socially responsible to the external world. It's not just about us. It is about giving back to the broader community as well - and this is an easy way for us to get involved." In the area of News & Events you can view their newsletters, articles, press releases, press mentions, their annual report, and a calendar of upcoming events as well as a review of past events such as the Annual Companies That Care Symposium.
This site advertises for products and services. There are four annual membership levels, which are Member, Partner, Steward, and Luminary. Membership fees range from $2,500 to $25,000. Each level provides valuable benefits in leadership, visibility and recognition, organizational development resources, social responsibility, education, learning and development, and governance. There is a Giving Store, which offers the opportunity to donate and items for employees, which include an insulated mug, lunch sack, Frisbee, and a recycled glass plate.
I chose this site because I thought the message they were portraying was very interesting and beneficial. However, when exploring the site there wasn't very much information regarding the work they've accomplished; rather, they mostly inform the reader of what they can offer. I suppose one would get more out of this organization if they were a member, which is quite pricey. I would like to have read more about what they've actually achieved and differences they've made in the workplace as well as changes that communities have observed. I would also have liked to know what volunteers were doing specifically.
I did end up finding a poster titled "Blueprint for the Future of Employees and Communities: The 10 Characteristics Every Company Needs". The poster not only included the 10 key points, but best practices that correlate to each attribute. The ones I thought most valuable were: solicit input from employees and use it, provide the same benefits for all levels of employees, provide growth and advancement opportunities, empower employees, offer flexible schedules, provide supportive culture and leaders, manage stress, offer comprehensive health and wellness benefits for full- and part-timers and families, implement paid time off and time off banks, offer benefit options that can be tailored, create a culture of conscious appreciation, develop a community relations strategy, provide paid time off for volunteering, seek alternatives to layoffs such as across the board pay cuts and shortened work weeks, and finally, create a culture of caring for others.
I wish it wasn't so expensive to be a Company That Cares. For small businesses the price would be unattainable. Unfortunately, their education would benefit all companies, but so many won't be able to afford the information.