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Related Experiment Videos

Mommy-track backlash.

A M Hayashi

    Harvard Business Review
    |March 15, 2001
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    This case study explores flexible work arrangements, focusing on balancing employee needs for reduced hours with maintaining departmental productivity and equitable treatment for all staff. It examines challenges in managing workloads and client assignments under varied schedules.

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    Area of Science:

    • Business Management
    • Human Resources
    • Organizational Behavior

    Background:

    • A sales department faces multiple requests for reduced workweeks from account managers.
    • Existing flexible work arrangements, like a reduced schedule for a parent, have created workload imbalances.
    • Key employees seek flexible schedules for personal pursuits, including athletic training and family time.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To analyze the complexities of implementing flexible work schedules in a sales environment.
    • To explore strategies for maintaining departmental productivity and client service quality with varied work arrangements.
    • To address the challenge of ensuring equitable treatment for employees with and without flexible schedules.

    Main Methods:

    • Presents a fictional case study involving a vice president of sales and customer support.

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  • Details requests for four-day workweeks and reduced hours from multiple account managers.
  • Includes advice from four experts on navigating these flexible work requests.

    • Main Results:

    • The case highlights the potential for resentment and workload disparities when flexible schedules are not uniformly applied.
    • It underscores the difficulty in assigning demanding client portfolios when staff availability is reduced.
    • The scenario raises questions about fairness and the impact on team morale and operational efficiency.

    Conclusions:

    • Effective management of flexible work requires clear policies that balance employee well-being with business objectives.
    • Equitable distribution of work and client responsibilities is crucial to prevent team friction.
    • Strategic planning is needed to ensure business continuity and client satisfaction amidst diverse work arrangements.