Browsing by Subject "Compressed workweek"
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Item Before and after comparison of traditional five-day and four-day workweeks for TxDOT maintenance forces(2012-12) Fournier, Christopher Anthony; Machemehl, Randy B.; Zhang, ZhanminThe Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has sought to reduce expenditures by better utilizing their maintenance forces through a compressed workweek. The focus of this thesis is a before and after comparison of maintenance crews at TxDOT during a standard 5-day forty hour workweek and a compressed 4-day forty hour workweek. Compressed workweeks are work arrangements in which full-time employees are allowed to work longer days for part of the week or pay period in exchange for shorter days or a day off during the same week or pay period. This type of schedule allows for numerous benefits including increased productivity, additional time to handle personal business, less travel time, less start up and shut down time, improved morale, as well as less stress. Originally three districts were placed upon the compressed workweek but after four months of trial, three additional districts were included. Maintenance activity data from previous years was compared to data collected over the trial period to assess productivity impacts as well as vehicular travel. Surveys of maintenance crews were conducted throughout the study to address personal concerns. The results of the study were that there were no significant impacts to productivity or vehicular usage but a significant improvement in work conditions for the maintenance crews. Further assessment is recommended utilizing additional functional codes for more illustrative results.Item Framework for compressed workweek implementation for TxDOT maintenance forces and flexible work arrangements for employees(2011-12) Loskorn, Jeffrey Aaron; Machemehl, Randy B.; Duthie, Jennifer; Murphy, MichaelWith the increasing need for highway maintenance and the decreasingly available funds, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Austin District has sought to better utilize maintenance section employee resources by implementing a compressed workweek. The primary goal of this thesis is to establish a framework and methodology to study the effects of a compressed workweek on maintenance crews in both rural and urban environments. Secondly, this thesis will provide a background of best practices of popular flexible work arrangements, including compressed workweeks, telework, and flextime. The compressed workweek is a type of flexible work arrangement that allows employees to work longer days during a part of the week in exchange for a partial or full day off later in the week. Compressed workweeks can offer numerous benefits to maintenance crews, including increased production, less set up and shut down time per week, decreased operating costs, reduced overhead, and increased employee morale. TxDOT will implement a six-month pilot project in two rural maintenance sections and one urban section. Compressed workweeks have proven to be successful in other districts with rural maintenance sections, but application of a compressed workweek in an urban maintenance section has yet to be studied. Therefore, maintenance crew activity data from previous years will be compared to data collected during the trial period to understand changes in productivity and to estimate vehicle operating costs. Lastly, surveys of maintenance employees will be conducted throughout the study to solve any personal issues that arise as well as determine employee satisfaction with the new schedule.