L/O/G/O

Module 1 Ways of working

Contents

Flexible Working

Job-sharing

Useful Terms

Ways of Ways of WorkingWorking

Useful Terms

• Hotdesking ( 办公桌轮用 ) More productive use of office space; often involves, to

a greater or lesser extent, eliminating personal ownership of desks. It is a method of sharing desks, with workers who are usually working elsewhere booking space to work. This has been made easier by the use of laptops and just being able to plug these straight into docking points at every desk. This allows workers to carry out their tasks anywhere when they are working from their own laptop.

Advantages: Cost saving in furniture and overheads such as electricity, phone bills, computer maintenance, rent, air-conditioning, etc.

Disadvantage: no personal territory or privacy

Useful Terms

Useful Terms

• Shift Work ( 轮班工作 )

Work that is broken into chunks of time, e.g. the day shift may be 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; the night shift midnight to 8 a.m., etc.

Related TermRelated Term: OT (overtime pay)

Useful Terms

• Teleworking ( 远程办公 / 居家办公 ) A catch-all term describing any way of

working at a distance using a combination of computers and telecommunications. It is often associated with home-based working, but includes mobile working, etc

Compare:Compare: Work from Home vs. Work at Home

Useful Terms

• Telecommuting ( 远程办公 / 居家办班 )

This term is used interchangeably with teleworking, and is the more common term in the US. The conceptual emphasis is on replacing the commute journey through electronic access to the workplace.

SynonymsSynonyms:: telecommuter/home-based worker

Case Study

请员工回家办公惠普年省二亿美元

在 IBM 中国，梁的经历通过 IBM 一个叫“灵活办公”的计划所广泛分享。自从灵活办公计划在 2001 年被第一次推广到中国以来， IBM 在中国的 9000 多名员工中有 2/3都通过加入这个计划，从而使自己的工作初步打破了时间和空间的限制。 IBM 希望为员工创造一个更加舒心，并且适合各自工作性质的环境，从而增加员工的生产效率，提高他们对企业的忠诚。

Case Study

从上个世纪 90 年代以来，在家工作在各个主要的工业化国家已经成为一种比较普遍的现象。而在中国，有越来越多的证据表明，一种类似的革命也正在进行。北京零点调查公司在 2004 年公布的一项调查报告指出，北京在家工作的人数已经突破18.8 万人。而一些其他的数据则称北京在家工作的人数已经超过 100 万，上海则超过 70 万。

其实，大多数中国人第一次接触在家工作是在2003 年当非典病毒袭击北京的时候。随后各种无线技术和网络电话技术的大规模应用又使得远程办公越来越成为一种传统的工作方式的替代品。

Case Study

事实上，作为一种直接减少成本的方法，很多公司已经开始鼓励员工在家办公。

中国惠普计划今年在中国减少 9 个办公室，所有这些办公室的员工都会被要求在家办公。由于在全球范围内都采取了和中国类似的措施， 2006 年惠普成功地减少了 2 亿美元的营运成本，相当于公司年收入的0.2% 。惠普的目标是到 2008 年，每年在全球再减少 2 亿美元的营运成本。

《中国日报》

Useful Terms

• Flextime ( 弹性工作时间 ) Flextime (flexible work time) is the most

popular flexible work arrangement that requires employees to work a standard number of hours each week but allows them to choose their own starting and quitting times. However, a portion of each day is designated as "core time/hours" when all employees must be present.

Compare:Compare: Flextime vs. Teleworking

Useful Terms

• Job-sharing ( 工作分担 / 輪班做事 ) Alternative work schedule in which two employees

voluntarily share the responsibilities of one full time job, and receive salary and benefits on pro-rata basis (按比例均摊 ). For example, one person may work in a certain position Monday and Tuesday, and a second person may occupy that same position Thursday and Friday. The two people may both work on Wednesday and use that time to update each other on the current status of the various projects on which they collaborate. A variety of other arrangements are possible as well.

Why do people share a job/position?Why do people share a job/position? Sharing a job vs. doing a job part-timeSharing a job vs. doing a job part-time

Useful Terms

• Temping ( 做临时工 ) Working short employment tasks with a

variety of clients, usually through a temping agency or staffing firm. Previously temps were mostly administrative, but job-seekers can now find temping agencies covering most professions. Temping is great for building resume, learning skills, networking - and job flexibility and variety.

Useful Terms

• Consultancy ( 顾问工作 ) The act of an individual or

organization providing professional advice to others for a fee. A wide variety of consultants exist for many areas of organizational concerns, including management, accounting, finance, and legal and technical matters.

Useful Terms

• Freelance ( 自由职业 ) Working independently and on

temporary contracts rather than for a long-term employer.

(Notes: take the high road=do things in an ethical way)

Which professions are suitable for freelancing?

Useful Terms

• Share Credit & Blame ( 荣辱与同 ) Share Honor & Disgrace• Flexible working consultancy ( 弹性工作

顾问公司）• Delegate the workload ( 分配工作 ) Divide the workload/job responsibilities• Networking ( 交友 / 建立人脉或人际关系 ):

networking is connecting with business contacts and developing new opportunities through professional friendships and associations.

Useful Terms

• Parental Leave (育儿假 :包括分娩假和领养假 )

Parental leave is an employee benefit that provides paid or unpaid time off work to care for a child or make arrangements for the child's welfare. Often, the term parental leave includes maternity, paternity, and adoption leave. Often the minimum benefits are stipulated by law.

Parental Leave by Country

12 weeks0 weeks0 weeksUSA

4 weeks per year (non-paid and a max

of 13 weeks)

2 weeks at a fixed amount ( £123.06)

4 weeks per year (non-paid and a

max of 13 weeks)

39 weeks paid, rising to 52 weeks paid from April

2010 UK

Share of 104 weeks (2 years) with father

3 days + 11 consecutive days

16 weeks (100%) rising to 26 weeks

(100%) for third childFrance

90 days 100%China

CountryCountry Paid Maternal Leave

Paid Maternal Leave

Paid Paternal Leave

Paid Paternal Leave

Unpaid Maternal Leave

Unpaid Maternal Leave

Unpaid Paternal Leave

Unpaid Paternal Leave

Parental Leave by Country

Share of 104 weeks (2 years) with mother

4 weeks non-paid annually (max 13 weeks) given at least one year's continuous employment

12 weeks

Useful Terms

• Managing Director/MD (董事总经理 ) Managing director is the term used for the chief

executive of many limited companies in the United Kingdom and some other English speaking countries. The title reflects their role as both a member of the Board of Directors but also as the senior manager. The term Chief Executive (or its American equivalent "Chief Executive Officer" or just "CEO") is in general usage in the United Kingdom for the senior executive of public limited companies, charities and Executive Agencies. At subsidiary companies usage is more variable, with managing director often preferred.

Job-sharing

Job sharing is a flexible work option inwhich two or possibly more employees share asingle job. For example, one person may work ina certain position Monday and Tuesday, and asecond person may occupy that same positionThursday and Friday. The two people may bothwork on Wednesday and use that time to updateeach other on the current status of the variousprojects on which they collaborate. A variety ofother arrangements are possible as well.

Job-sharing

Job sharing is a somewhat controversialalternative to telecommuting, flexible workinghours, compressed work weeks, and otherarrangements used by small businesses lookingto offer their employees a bit more flexibilitywhile maintaining productivity. It is aimed at thesmall number of employees in the work forcewho do not have a problem with earning lessmoney if it offers them the opportunity to pursuethe other interests in life that are important to

them.

Job-sharing

Job sharing offers small businesses achance to retain valued employees that theywould normally be in danger of losing if not forthe flexible schedule. It can also help eliminatethe need to train new employees if a valuedemployee were to leave the company. Jobsharing can seem intimidating to managers, whomay fear that it could lead to confusion, morepaperwork, and a host of other hassles. If aproper plan is in place and each job sharer isheld accountable for their duties, however, theseissues can be avoided.

Job-sharing

It would seem that the one who

benefits most from job sharing is

the employee. This type of

arrangement allows the employee to

work part-time in order to spend

more time with their families, attend

school, or pursue other personal

interests.

Flexible Working

A flexible work arrangement includes:1. flexibility in the scheduling of hours

worked, such as alternative work schedules (e.g., flextime and compressed workweeks), and arrangements regarding shift and break schedules;

2. flexibility in the amount of hours worked, such as part time work and job shares; and

3. flexibility in the place of work, such as working at home or at a satellite location.

Flexible Working

A. Flexibility in Work Scheduling1. Alternative Work Schedules: a) Flextime: Schedules based on worker needs

within set parameters approved by a supervisor. Examples: • A worker must work 40 hours per week and be

present on a daily basis during “core hours” (e.g., from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm), and may, for example,

— adjust arrival and departure times as he/she wishes on a daily basis, or

— define new standard work hours (e.g., a set schedule of 7:00 am to 3:00 pm every day or of 7:00 am to 3:00 pm on Tues/Thurs and 10:00 am to 6:00 pm on Mon/Wed/Fri).

Flexible Working

A. Flexibility in Work Scheduling b) Compressed Workweeks: Workers work full time

hours in less than the traditional 5-day workweek by increasing daily hours worked.

Examples:• A worker works 10-hour days, 4 days per week

(e.g., Monday–Thursday, 8:00 am-6:00 pm).• Over each two-week span, a worker works 9-hour

days Monday through Thursday of each week and takes every other Friday off (i.e., works an 8-hour day on the Friday of the first week and does not work the Friday of the second week).

Flexible Working

2. Arrangements Regarding Shifts and Breaksa) Shift Arrangements: Workers who are assigned shifts by

their employers enter into arrangements with their employers giving them more flexibility regarding the shifts they are assigned.

Examples:• A worker who cares for an elderly mother during the

evenings enters into an arrangement with the employer ensuring that he/she will not have to work the evening or overnight shift.

b) Break Arrangements: Workers who generally can only take assigned breaks enter into an arrangement with their employers giving them more flexibility over when they take breaks.

Example:• A worker with diabetes is allowed to set his/her own break

schedule in order to ensure an opportunity to eat snacks and meals every three hours.

Flexible Working

B) Flexibility in the Amount of Hours Worked1. Part Time Work/Reduced Hours Schedule: Workers who usually work less than 35

hours per week.Examples:• A worker works a three-day per week Monday/Wednesday/Friday schedule on a regular

basis.• A worker works 20 hours per week and determines her own schedule on a weekly

basis.• A worker goes from working full time to 30 hours per week as she phases into

retirement.2. Transition Period Part Time: Workers gradually return to work after a major life event

(e.g., birth or adoption of a child) by working part time for a set period and eventually returning to full time work.

Examples:• Following a six-week maternity leave, a worker returns to work three days a week for sixmonths, four days a week for the next six months, and then to full time work thereafter.• A worker’s spouse dies unexpectedly and the worker takes off a full month from work.The worker returns to part-time work for two years and then returns to working full timewhen her children have adjusted to the changed circumstances.

Flexible Working

3. Job Shares: Two or more workers share the duties of one full time job, with each person working on a part time basis.

Examples:• Two workers split the work of a single position 60%/40%,

share the salary accordingly, and are in the office 2 days per week at the same time.

• Two workers share a single position and decide together when each will work and which tasks each will perform.

4. Part-year Work: Workers work only a certain number of months per year.

Examples:• A semi-retired accountant works for an accounting firm

during its busy season from January through May. He takes the remainder of the year off to travel.

• A teacher works a nine-month year.

Flexible Working

C. Flexibility in the Place of Work1. Telework/Home Work: Workers work remotely from their own homes, using a

telecommunicationsconnection to the workplace if necessary.Examples:• A worker teleworks from home on Monday/Friday, and works at the office

Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday.• A garment worker brings materials home from work and sews at her home two days a

week(work not involving any telephone or computer connections with the office).2. Telework/Satellite Location: Workers work remotely from a designated satellite work

center.Example:• A worker works from a nearby telework center Monday through Friday to avoid a longcommute to work.3. Alternating Location: Workers work part-year in one location and part-year in a second

location.Example:• A “snowbird” couple works at Wal-mart in New York from April to September, and then

moves south for the colder months, working at a Florida Wal-mart from October to March. (snowbird: One who moves from a cold to a warm place in the winter.)

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