2004 CCH Unscheduled Absense Survey
2004 CCH Unscheduled Absence Survey
Work-Life Case Study
Flexible Culture Helps IT Employees Balance Work and Family
The rate
of unscheduled absenteeism has climbed to a five-year high of 2.4 percent,
according to the 2004 CCH Unscheduled Absence Survey. The survey
also notes that many workers typically use unscheduled time off to take
care of family issues, personal needs and stress. Now, more than ever,
employers need to help their employees balance work and family life so
workers can be as satisfied and productive in the workplace.
One employer
that has built a culture of helping employees achieve work-life balance
is SunGard SCT Inc. (www.sungardsct.com). Located in Malvern, Pennsylvania,
the company is a provider of software and services for higher education.
The firm’s products help institutions create the Unified Digital Campus,
an environment in which systems, individuals and communities can interact
seamlessly for learning, teaching and administration.
Its HR
best practices have been so successful that the company was named one of
the “100 Best Places to Work in Pennsylvania” in 2000, 2001 and 2002. Jeff
Cottle, senior vice president of Human Resources, says the company management’s
philosophy about investing in work-life benefits is that it is essential
for all employees to effectively balance their home and work schedules.
Line managers play an important role
SunGard SCT has nurtured a culture of flexibility, in part, through its work
schedules, benefits and leave policies in an effort to help employees
achieve work-life balance. And its line managers play a key role in implementing
the policies and helping to build the culture.
“Because
we believe that flexibility is a key component in SunGard SCT’s culture,
we encourage our managers to ‘manage the work, not the clock’ and structure
their employees’ performance plans so the employee and the manager can
tell by the outcome - not by the time spent on a project - when goals have
been achieved,” said Cottle. “Managers can offer flexible start or end
times as long as a core set of hours is covered and we give employees the
freedom to adjust their schedules.”
Benefits are
designed for work-life choices
SunGard
SCT offers employees a benefits package designed to provide choices for
employees and the various life stages in which they find themselves. Cottle
explained, “Our employee population consists of singles and married couples,
employees who have children and those who don’t, employees who are planning
for retirement, and some who are just starting their careers. Some employees
deal with childcare and eldercare issues. We also have full-time, part-time
and remote employees with various needs.”
Options
include generous group benefits, plus opportunities to purchase additional
insurance for spouses and children. The company also makes it easy for
employees to access forms and information remotely.
Work-life benefits are a priority
Management’s philosophy is that it is essential for all
employees to effectively balance their home and work-life schedules. To help
achieve that balance,
the company allows managers to work with employees to offer telecommuting
options, compressed workweeks and part-time hours when and where it
makes sense.
The company
also offers a work-life balance program through Carebridge, the firm with
which SunGard SCT partners for its Employee Assistance Program (EAP) program.
Employees can consult with one of Carebridge’s qualified specialists or
access materials from its 1,000-publication work-life library. All literature
is free, paid for by SunGard SCT. Employees, members of their household
and any dependents are eligible.
SunGard
SCT’s flexible spending plan benefit includes one for healthcare and one
for dependent care. Employees can contribute, on a pretax basis, up to
$5,000 for dependent care and $2,000 for healthcare expenses.
In addition,
the company offers a variety of discounts to employees, from cell phones
to theme parks, to help workers save money.
“We’re
proud that our flexible culture is a tremendous benefit for our employees
striving to balance work and family,” Cottle said.
Managing leave
means flexibility
SunGard
SCT recognizes that employees will need time off to rest, to attend to
personal matters, and to commemorate national, local and religious celebrations.
Cottle noted that time off also helps to enhance productivity, boost morale
and relieve stress. As a result, the firm maintains a paid time off (PTO)
program that provides the opportunity for employees to schedule and manage
their time off needs as well as to provide the company with the ability
to establish scheduled time off that meets business objectives.
PTO consists
of a combination of accrued vacation time, holidays, and personal days.
The allocation and types of days are subject to business objectives and
when appropriate, client-operating schedules. Total PTO amounts are determined
by the employee’s length of service with the company. Other time off is
provided as described below.
· Holidays. The standard holiday schedule consists
of eight scheduled days off.
· Vacation. Vacation time is accrued subject to
an employee’s length of service as follows:
· Sick
Time. Appropriate uses of sick time include
situations related to the health of the employee and the employee’s dependent
child, spouse or aged parent. Employees may accumulate up to a total
of 90 days.
· Worker’s
Compensation. Employees
are covered for any work-related injuries.
· Maternity
Leave. Postpartum
Time Off will be provided for eight weeks or until the employee is medically
released, whichever is later.
· Bereavement. Regular employees receive five days
off for a death in the immediate family and one day off for a death in
the extended family.
· Jury
Duty. SunGard SCT will grant time off with
full pay to regular employees for jury duty.
· Personal
Leave of Absence. The
firm recognizes that situations of a personal nature may arise that may
require the employee to take an extended period of time off from work,
and therefore may grant a Personal Leave of Absence for up to six months
for workers who have been employed for at least one continuous year.
· Military
Reserve Duty Leave. The
company will grant a leave of absence to fulfill military obligations
in accordance with federal and state law.
Employees are
part of the solution
SunGard
SCT has developed a corporate culture of flexibility to help its employees
achieve the work-life balance that so often tugs at the few hours employees
have available to give each day. But the firm’s management knows that a
company can only do so much; each individual has ownership of his or her
own actions and values. That’s why the company’s strategy includes recruiting
the right people for the job and the culture.
“The
most powerful inspiration comes from within,” concluded Cottle.
|