Broad and Cassel, a Florida-based law firm with nine locations across the state, wanted to address the issue of employee tardiness and explored the possibility of implementing a flexible schedule for support staff.
“I took into consideration that my staff is composed of many parents/single parents,” says office administrator Lourdes Sanders. “A flexible schedule would give them the opportunity to drop off their children at school or pick them up, if need be.”
Lourdes offered staff the opportunity to start their workday at either 8:30 am, 9:00 am or 9:30 am. “This approach gives my staff the flexibility to be on time to the office and also to be able to avoid morning/afternoon traffic when commuting for a long distance.”
She then paired each staffer’s schedule with their attorney assignment, so that they are both in the office or working at-par hours.
The result? Less tardiness! And an unexpected perk for the firm—Lourdes has found that the flexible schedule not only benefits employees, it helps with productivity, too. “I have staff in the office early in the morning and late at night, accommodating all of my attorney’s workload needs.”
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