When Work Works












Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility
Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a fee to apply for the Sloan Awards?


A: No, there is no fee associated with the application for the Sloan Award.

Can I preview the questionnaire for the Employer Survey?

A: The PDF version of the 2010 Employer Application can be downloaded here. Please note that this is provided for information purposes only. All final applications must be submitted online at www.whenworkworks.org. Some questions will appear in a slightly different order in the PDF version and the online format.

 

What are the criteria for applying?

To be eligible for the Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility, employers must meet all of the following criteria

  • Any employer in the U.S. is eligible to apply in 2010. An employer with a work site located in one of the 26 participating When Work Works communities or states should select that community when registering to apply. An employer that does not have a work site located in one of the participating communities may apply as an "at large" applicant. If an organization has multiple locations, separate applications must be submitted for each location that wants to be considered for the award. It is the work site that is considered for the award, not the organization as a whole.

  • A minimum of ten employees must currently work from or report to the eligible work site. This does not include contract workers or consultants who are not reported to the IRS, but does include employees who travel frequently or work from home as long as they report back to the eligible work site.

  • The organization must have been in operation for at least one year.

Employers of all sizes, in the public and private sectors, for-profit and not-for-profit are eligible for the Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility provided all of the above criteria are met.



What are the criteria for winning?

A: Applications are evaluated in a two-step process that measures an employer’s workplace flexibility programs, policies and culture against national data from Families and Work Institute’s National Study of Employers [pdf], and then validates these with employee input. Employers that rank in the top 20% of employers when compared to these national norms are selected as finalists and final round involves a survey of employees. The selection of winners is based on a score that combines employer and employee responses.



My company is very flexible, but we are a small organization without many formal policies in place. Are we eligible?

A: Yes. The award process is specifically designed to assess the overall culture of flexibility in the workplace, what is actually available to employees, by incorporating employer and employee responses. We do not ask about formal versus informal policies or programs. However, a company must have at least 10 employees to be eligible for the awards process.



Can I preview the questionnaire for the Employee Survey?

A: The questionnaire for the Employee Survey is not available for review. It is important that this be the case in order to ensure the integrity of the award process and avoid any suggestion by the public that employees’ answers could be influenced. The questionnaire asks employees to assess: the accessibility of flexibility programs; the aspects of the workplace culture that support the ability to work flexibly; and whether or not there is jeopardy for the use of flexible programs. The questionnaire is brief and takes about 20 minutes to complete. All responses are confidential and are returned directly to Families and Work Institute.



My company is located in the surrounding community of one of the selected cities. Are we eligible to apply?

A: If your organization is located in the greater metropolitan region of a participating When Work Works city, you should select that city when completing the application. In the case of Arizona, Georgia, New Hampshire and Michigan, you should select your state. If you are an employer in Kentucky, please select Louisville if you are located in the Greater Louisville area; otherwise you should select Kentucky statewide. If your organization is not located in one of the 26 When Work Works communities, you may still apply in 2010 as an at-large applicant.



How do you select the employees for the Employee Survey?

A: Employers will be asked to provide an employee roster and Families and Work Institute staff will provide assistance with employee selection and survey distribution. For a work site with 250 employees or less, the survey is distributed to 100% of the employee population. If there are more than 250 employees, the survey is distributed to a sample of 250 employees drawn from an alphabetized employee roster using a systematic selection process. To be eligible, 40% of the employees surveyed must respond to the Employee Survey.



My company is very large with offices throughout the country. Is it appropriate for us to apply given our size?

A: Yes, large companies are encouraged to apply if a branch or work site is located in one of the select cities. The application process will be limited to the local site, as will the bestowal of the award, if it wins. If your organization wishes to apply for more than one work site, please complete a separate application for each work site that is interested in applying, or contact the Families and Work Institute for further information about applying for multiple work sites.



I have completed the Employer Survey. Can I go back and edit my answers?

A: Applicants can login to review their survey answers and make changes until the final deadline for employer applications. To return to the survey, go to http://www.whenworkworks.org/survey/login.php and enter your email address and password. If you forget your password, go to http://www.whenworkworks.org/survey/password.php and a new one will be sent to you.



Will my company be able to see the results of our survey?

A: Yes, applicants will receive the results of their survey including a complimentary benchmark report of how they compare with other applicants and with nationally representative data for U.S. employers. This provides valuable information to employers to help them know where they stand and how they might improve in the future.



Who can I contact if I have further questions?

A: If you have additional questions about the award process, please contact Tyler Wigton at Families and Work Institute at twigton[at]familiesandwork[dot]org or 212-465-2044 x217.

You may also call the Sloan Awards Hotline for Employers at 1-800-966-2044 or email us at whenworkworks[at]familiesandwork[dot]org.

 

When is the employer application deadline?

A: Application deadlines vary for each When Work Works community. Please click here to find deadlines for your local community and At-Large Applications.