Introduction
This is the end year report about creating of a better and a happier environment for our staff submitted by the Language Department Manager to the GM at the end of the year. From our department, these are the proposals we saw necessary regarding our staff situation. This was necessitated by the fact that our staff lack of punctuality despite those who are caught coming late being fined and being given warning letters.
How did we come up with this idea? It is the situation of our staff that forced us to look into their welfare and to know the main reason they were not performing as expected. This was so much reflected on the performance of the students which was going down. We therefore conducted our performance valuation through students and realized that the teacher were not attending to the students queries and needs as required.
Objectives
The objectives of our research was to look into the factors that hinders our staff from operating effectively and thereby to ensure that the have a happier and enabling environment for them to serve optimally. From the enquiry observation and the attendant sheet we were able to obtain the information about the challenges our staffs goes through. They are in line with what people are going through now all over the world that is the challenge to balance time and career.
The finding were very important to us as it enable us help our staff to be more effective in all that they will do by implementing flexible working hour because they will be able to balance their time well. I believe that this will enable them to always endeavor to deliver and do their best and in the process the school general performance will improve. This scheme is effective because there are other institution which have implemented the scheme effectively and more so a collage like Aston University (Aston University (2008). Flexible working hours. So this gives me the confidence that our institution can implement it effectively.
Discussion
In most cases flexible working hours scheme have a period during the day when employees must be present which is known as “core time” but can arrange their own working pattern during the flexible periods. The staff are generally free to start and stop work during these defined periods provided their approximate times of arrival and departure are accepted to their manager ( flexible times) and are in need to ensure that sections are covered during normal working hours. It is during this moment that the staff may subject to the needs of the department or section. There are two bandwidths system available in flexible working schemes as cited in the Aston University (2008).
Flexible working scheme. These systems can not be mixed nor can the two options operate simultaneously in a department. But each department may operate on its own. On implementing this scheme we are likely to meet the following challenges; absence during maternity leave of which the manager of a given department should arrange for cover up, cases of illness of which the staff should be encouraged to se the doctor during the flexible time or in a serious case the manager should make the necessary arrangement for the students to be attended to promptly or organize for a cover up.
To deal with the issue of tracking time one has worked the Department can borrow a leaf from Aston University system of using computerized time recording system or the time card and take the appropriate disciplinary action on those who don’t abide. The average home work not only saves a substantial amount on pollution by not driving to work but they also perform with an average of 15%extra productivity. Worth approximately (₤6000 a year). (Aston University, 2008). Advantages
- It enables parents to attend to their children appropriately.
- It helps in the environmental management by avoiding air pollution.
- Helps in establishing stable family by minimizing the work pressure the employees undergo at work place.
- It helps in improving the productivity of the staff as indicated in the report above.
- It gives employee a choice over the actual time they want to work.
Disadvantages
- It involves an extra expenditure in implementation.
- The organization can incur loses incase one of the staff fails to adhere to the regulations.
Recommendations
I would recommend that we implement the flexible work hour scheme. This is because its advantages override the disadvantages. This system enables the employees to manage their time at work and with the family appropriately. To implement this scheme, the manager and the staff representative should go for a meeting where they will design the format they want to use. During the implementation there should be a set period of time of a maximum six months whereby the staff can evaluate whether to carry on with it or to withdraw depending on ones programs. To implement this project, I would propose that we use the Aston University sample as cited on (Aston University, 2008). This is because it is an organization like ours and is using the same scheme successfully.
Conclusion
Flexible working hour program is a good scheme to deal with the staff because it creates an enabling environment for them and enables them to budget their time to attend to other needs appropriately. This enhances their performance and therefore a greater output. Good output from our staff will enable our students achieve a lot which is what we want. And therefore since it works for others, I believe it is a high time we implement it too.
Reference
Aston University (2008): Flexible working hours. Web.
Dex, S. & Sheilb, F. (2002): Smess and flexible working: Policy press. London: CIPD.
Silver, F. & Goldscheider, F (1994): Flexible work and house work: Social Force Journal, Vol. 72.
Giovanni, C. Torbbjorn, A. Friedhelm, N. Federicia, B. Simon, F. (2001): Flexible Work Hour, Health and Well-being in the European Union—Preliminary Data from a Saltsa Project: Journal of human ergology, vol. 30, No. 1-2(20010000) pp. 27-33.