More East Valley firms flexing their schedules

A growing number of East Valley businesses are offering their employees more flexibility in their work schedules, according to the Chandler Chamber of Commerce.

Katie Stringham, director of public relations for the chamber, said dozens of East Valley and Arizona companies last year received awards for granting more "flex time."

One of them, A & S Realty Specialists in Chandler, was honored for allowing its employees to not only plan individual work schedules, but for providing them with laptops and other equipment to help them plan and complete their work away from the office.

"Flexibility not only helps us retain good employees, but, in the long run, it adds to our bottom line," said Mary Benjamin, owner of the Realty company, which has more than a dozen employees.

Her relatively small company was selected for honors by When Work Works, a program financed by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

The Chandler chamber was selected by the U.S. chamber three years ago as the host chamber in Arizona for When Work Works.

The program encourages companies with 10 or more employees to enter the awards contest, Stringham said.

"The first year we received 51 applications for awards," said Stringham, who works from her home in Gilbert. "That number has since doubled, which shows more and more companies are encouraging flex time."

Both profit and nonprofit agencies are eligible for an award.

Flextime can include a variety of choices, including working only part time, selecting a shift, working some regular hours from home and taking days off for family matters.

Intel Corp. in Chandler last year received its second annual award for offering its employees more flexible work time.

"We make the tools of flexibility available to all of our employees," said Fred Alderson, who represents Intel as a member of the Chandler chamber's governing board.

He said Intel also provides computer software and equipment that permits employees to work from virtually any place in the world.

Stringham, meanwhile, knows first hand about flexible work hours.

She requested and was granted flexible work time by Chandler chamber officials several years ago.Every Monday, she goes to work at the chamber office at 25 S. Arizona Place, and joins 13 other employees.

However, during the remainder of the week she works directly from her home.

"I asked for and was given flex time mainly because of my sons," Stringham said. Sons Russell, 5 and James, 3, play and nap at the Stringham home while their mother takes telephone calls, writes news releases and promotes chamber events.

More on awards
State and Valley businesses can learn more about and apply online for the Workplace Flexibility Awards at www.whenworkworks.org or at the Chandler Chamber of Commerce at www.chandlerchamber.com.

Deadline for applying for an award for 2008 is April 1.