Strategies for Reshaping the Workplace
By Angelina B. Laycock
Roma Communications (2003)
Reviewed by Joanne Benham for Reader Views (1/06)
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that in 2006 there will be 151 million jobs in the U.S. and a labor pool of only 141 million workers to fill them. Companies today are facing a daunting challenge as they struggle to recruit and retain knowledgeable employees. Add to this mix employees who are striving to find fulfillment both at work and at home, a dilemma Angelina Laycock calls The Work-Life Movement, and you have a recipe for disaster.
In her book, Strategies for Reshaping the Workforce, Laycock introduces the reader to the concept of the Work-Life Movement, explaining its historical background and how it affects companies today. She then lays out the major components of the Work-Life Movement and in subsequent sections you are taught how to:
a) Guide the changes
b) Use new approaches in managing people.
Laycock then focuses on the two major Work-Life Options, dependent care and flexible scheduling, explaining each in great detail and how they impact on an employee's life, both at work and at home.
There are also many suggestions for making the work environment more pleasant, from painting the premises in bright colors and buying ergonomic furniture to offering a nice lunchroom or outside picnic area.
At the end of the book are several focused surveys you can use to determine your employees' need of dependent-care and flexible scheduling services.
This book is a must read for all Human Resource offices facing the difficult challenge of staffing the modern business.
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