Alternative Work Schedules in California: How Employee Empathy Leads To More Productivity

The typical eight hour workday is one of the most popular and widely practiced labor schedules in the country. But the truth is, these hours aren’t suited for everyone. Many industries and companies are finding that adjusting employee hours leads to happier workers and more productivity.

Today on the Food & Beverage Podcast, we were joined by Marco Juarez, senior partner at Coleman Consulting Group, who broke down alternatives to this outdated labor schedule.

The issue of employee scheduling is particularly pertinent in California. In 2000 California passed an act to limit employees to a strict 8 hour day. This act, commonly referred to as the “Overtime After 8” act, disgruntled employees who needed flexibility in their schedule. The state had good intentions, but according to Juarez, the act resulted in poor results.

This is where Coleman Consulting comes in. Coleman designs employee schedules with a holistic eye, Juarez said.

“We look at it from business needs, employee desires, and health and safety,” he said, adamant that each schedule should be on a “case by case basis,” keeping in mind the desires of the employee.

“Nobody ever thinks about giving the employer choice,” Juarez said.

With a traditional eight hour workday, employees typically get 13 weekends off per year. But Coleman Consulting has overhauled schedules to such a degree that employees are getting up to 26 weekends off, the equivalent to 3 months a year, with no sacrifice to pay or company productivity.

“Our job is to help companies save money and make their employees happier,” Juarez said. His real examples of Coleman’s emotional, empathetic approach show a solid bridging of the communication gap between employee and manager.

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