When Work Works is a nationwide initiative to bring research on workplace effectiveness and flexibility into community and business practice. It is a project of Families and Work Institute (FWI) sponsored by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation in partnership with Institute for a Competitive Workforce, an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the Twiga Foundation.

When Work Works is both a national and community-based initiative.  Now in its fifth year, the initiative has expanded the number of participating communities each year, starting with 8, then 16, then 24. In 2008-2009, When Work Works is partnering with 30 communities and launching three statewide initiatives to provide information and outreach on workplace flexibility and effectiveness.  Local employers in participating communities are invited to apply for the Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility, which recognize organizations in these communities that are using flexible and effective practices to achieve employee and business goals. For the first time in 2009, U.S. employers outside of the 30 participating When Work Works communities will also be able to apply for the award as at-large applicants.

When Work Works provides a variety of new materials including research reports based on nationally representative data such as the National Study of Employers and other studies that emanate from the Sloan Centers on Working Families; a Guide to Bold New Ideas for Making Work Work profiling promising practices from Sloan Award winners, a flexibility toolkit to guide organizations in implementing flexible work practices; and extensive online materials including case studies on promising practice in workplace flexibility. When Work Works also provides access to expert speakers and technical assistance on flexibility and effectiveness issues.

Research

The When Work Works initiative is grounded in the results of research on workplace effectiveness and flexibility. This research, funded by IBM, reveals that employees in effective and flexible workplaces are more likely to:

• Be engaged in their jobs and committed to helping their company succeed;
• Plan to remain with their employer; and,
• Feel satisfied with their jobs.

Real Stories

In business forums and workshops, conducted through local chambers of commerce and other local host organizations, research results and case studies are being used to inform business and community leaders, policy makers, and local media about workplace effectiveness and flexibility.  Winners of the Alfred P. Sloan Award are featured in the annual Guide to Bold New Ideas for Making Work Work.

Recognition

Using a rigorous methodology that includes employees’ views as well as employer practices in its scoring, the Sloan Awards honor organizations that have made real commitments to using workplace flexibility as a tool to enhance business and employees’ success. A complete list of winners is available at www.whenworkworks.org. The application process opens on January 7, 2009.

The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation's Workplace Flexibility Initiative is a collaborative effort designed to make workplace flexibility the American standard. It is based on 10 years of research revealing the benefits of workplace flexibility for employers and employees alike. The Foundation funds a variety of projects at the national, state and local levels that coordinate with business, labor, government and advocacy groups to advance flexible work arrangements.