A new initiative that includes Detroit as one of eight cities chosen to focus on the need for more flexibility at work to create more effective workplaces will help Michigan businesses be more competitive in the global economy, according to experts speaking today at the “When Work Works” event in Detroit.

Michigan First Gentleman Daniel Granholm Mulhern, who has been working on initiatives that help make state government a Great Workplace, was the keynote speaker at the event today.

“Today’s workplace has changed drastically from the time when my father was working at Ford,” Mulhern said. “It is a fast-paced, highly-competitive global economy driven equally by men and women, with far fewer fathers being the sole breadwinners. Today’s event in Detroit highlights the need for greater flexibility geared at families and employees as individuals in order to create more effective workplaces that experience lower turnover, more productivity, and higher profits.”

“When Work Works” is an initiative of the Families and Work Institute, in conjunction with the Center for Workplace Preparation, the Center for Emerging Futures, and local chambers of commerce. Detroit has been selected as one of eight cities to participate in the initiative, which will engage local businesses in workplace flexibility and gather information on best practices in local businesses to encourage flexibility. Detroit area businesses also will compete for the Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility that will honor local companies that have successfully used flexibility to meet business and employee goals.

The initiative proposes six criteria to make a workplace effective:

• Provide job autonomy;
• Create learning opportunities and challenges on the job to help employees grow, learn and advance;
• Develop environments where supervisors support employees in being successful on the job;
• Develop environments where co-workers support each other for job success;
• Involve employees in management decision-making; and
• Create flexible workplaces.

Flexibility is a way to define how and when work gets done and how careers are organized. Workplace flexibility may include flex-time, variable shifts, a compressed work week, part-year work, paid time off to care for sick children without losing pay or vacation time, and flexible work location options.

“I encourage more Michigan businesses to incorporate greater workplace flexibility,” Mulhern said. “The research in ‘When Work Works’ clearly shows that it helps retain employees, boost morale, lessen mental health issues, and increase productivity. Making Michigan businesses great places to work will help us retain critical younger workers and improve the state’s economy.”