Ryan employees can work anywhere, anytime, as long as they achieve results. Jaws dropped and heads turned when, in 2008, at the start of the recession, Ryan did a virtual 180 and abandoned the traditional approach it had taken to managing employees for almost 20 years. Employees who were accustomed to rigid office hours and little flexibility weren’t sure how to respond when they suddenly found themselves working in an environment that allowed them complete flexibility. Ryan was determined to find a way to continue to get the results that had made them successful, but to tweak the way they got there, empowering employees to have control over both their personal and professional lives. Five years into the journey, Ryan’s revenue, client satisfaction, employee engagement, and retention metrics are better than ever. This case study spotlights program design, lessons learned, tools used, and metrics achieved — proof positive that show the quantifiable impact of a different form of workplace flexibility on ROI.
The When Work Works Sessions at the SHRM Annual conference explore ways to #ReinventWork and create effective workplaces. Visit WhenWorkWorks.org, a partnership between Families and Work Institute and SHRM, for more information.