Chapter 15 Set 5

What percentage of companies allow telecommuting?

more than 60%

However, __________ ____________employers—and companies that seek a through a top-notch workforce—tend to offer far more

socially responsible competitive advantage

Over _________ of employers report increased productivity among their telecommuters.

two-thirds

compressed workweek?

type of flextime scheduling that allows employees to work a full-time number of hours (40) in less than the standard workweek ex: 4-10 hour days w/3 days off

By establishing telecommuting programs, employers can realize annual cost savings of

$20,000-$37,000 per employee,

employees have demanded more flexibility companies have responded.

*Flexible scheduling (flextime) *telecommuting *job-sharing plans

Today - BUDGET-minded employers stick to the legally mandated basics of?

*Social Security & Medicare contributions *payments to state unemployment *workers' compensation programs *job protection (FMLA) Federal Family and Medical Leave Act.

A smaller number of companies also offer less traditional benefits such as ?

*backup childcare options *free massage *pet health insurance *tuition reimbursement *paid time off for volunteering

What is the best protection to avoid a wrongful termination lawsuit when a company terminates an employees?

*honesty and DOCUMENTATION. of sound business reasons for termination *share those reasons with the employee

Flextime tends to?

*increase employee morale and retention, --- but it makes less sense in jobs that entail extensive teamwork and customer interaction. -- requires careful management to avoid abuse

Pay for Performance ?

-- link some amount of worker pay directly to performance. The idea is to motivate employees to excel

flextime ?

----scheduling option that allows workers to choose when they start and finish their workdays-- as long as they complete the required number of hours *usually required to start 7-10 am *set lunch time *present for communication & coordination

BENEFITS costs employers a big chunk of money, --- for many years, workers took benefits for granted --- but today?

--employees appreciate their benefits, recognizing that-- *healthcare, dental care, paid sick days, retirement plans, and other perks add enormous value to their paychecks *can be yanked at the discretion of their employer.

Salaried workers do not qualify for overtime, which means--?

--that sometimes a low-level manager's overall pay may be less than the pay of wage based employees who work for that manager.

Telecommuting employees are ________ more productive than their office-bound colleagues.

35-40%

cafeteria-style benefits?

An approach that gives employees a set dollar amount they must spend on company benefits, however they wish within broad limitations.

compensation?

Combination of pay and benefits received in exchange for work.

Federal law requires companies to pay nonexempt wage earners overtime, 50% more than their standard wage, for ??

EVERY hour worked over 40 hours per week.

Job Sharing

Job sharing allows two or more employees to share a single full-time job. *split the salary equally, *but allocate full benefits to just one of the partners. *nationwide - fewer than 20% of employers offer job sharing

benefits ?

Noncash compensation, including programs such as health insurance, vacation, and childcare.

What are are core compensation HR functions?

Researching, designing, and managing effective compensation systems

telecommuting

Working remotely—most often from home—and connecting to the office via phone lines and/or broadband networks (Aunt Donna)

salaries ?

The pay that employees receive over a fixed period, most often weekly or monthly

Many companies also offer noncash benefits such as ??

healthcare, -- worth up to 30% of each employee's pay

wages ?

pay that employees receive in exchange for the number of hours or days that they work

compensation— cash and noncash—represents a big chunk of ??

product costs, *especially in labor-intensive businesses (banks, restaurants, and airlines).

The most common compensation systems in the United States are ?.

wages and salaries.

Companies typically base compensation on a balance of the following factors:

■ Competition: How much do other firms offer ? ■ Contribution: How much does a specific person contribute to the bottom line? ■ Ability to Pay: How much can the company afford? ■ Cost of Living: What would be reasonable in light of the broader local economy? ■ Legislation: What does the government mandate?

Telecommuting Organization BENEFITS ?

■ Lower costs for office space, equipment, and upkeep ■ Higher employee productivity from better morale, fewer sick days, more focused performance ■ Access to a broader talent pool (not everyone needs to be local)

Telecommuting Employee BENEFITS ?

■ Much more flexibility ■ Zero commute time (less gas money) ■ Better work-family balance ■ Every day is casual Friday (or even pajama day!) ■ Fewer office politics and other distractions

Optional benefits include some or all of these?

■ Paid VACATION days & HOLIDAYS ■ Paid SICK days ■ Health INSURANCE ■ RETIREMENT programs ■ Product DISCOUNTS

Telecommuting Organization Drawbacks?

■ challenges maintaining a cohesive company culture ■ challenges fostering teamwork ■ challenges monitoring and managing far-flung employees

Telecommuting Employee Drawbacks ?

■Less fast-track career potential ■ Less influence within the organization ■ Weaker connection to the company culture ■ Isolation from the social structure at work