NEW YORK — Debbie Elliott got the idea to give employees time off on summer Fridays after reading a survey of benefits packages offered by her competitors.
"I saw that this other agency was doing it and I though 'Aha!," said Elliott, president of Talk PR Inc. in Wilmington, N.C.
This is the second summer Elliott will offer her nine-person staff every other Friday off. Employees are split into two groups who alternate Fridays so the office remains staffed. It's an "incredibly popular" perk, she says.
Elliott's "Aha!" moment is becoming more common as "Summer Fridays" gain popularity. As workers look for more balance in their lives and companies try to retain skilled employees, half-days or full days off on summer Fridays are among the flexible schedules gaining acceptance.
This summer has seen a big jump in Summer Fridays, along with telecommuting and four-day weeks, said John Challenger, CEO of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, a Chicago-based outplacement firm.
With gas prices coasting past $4 per gallon, a Friday off — or even a chance to leave early and beat the weekend rush hour — can be a powerful employee incentive.
A survey released by executive recruiter Robert Half International found 44 percent of workers have adjusted their work arrangements because of high gas prices; 26 percent of them reported working fewer days per week.
And the economic slowdown can make the choice of doing Summer Fridays easier for employers, said Challenger.
"It seems like a win-win, with gas prices high and employees seeking work-life balance," he said. "If they look at the summer and see business is going to be slow and revenue dropping, it's an easy decision."
Bruce Law, president of Salt Lake City-based Sprout Marketing, introduced Summer Fridays when he founded the marketing outsourcing company six years ago and recommends it to his clients as a morale booster that doesn't cost much money. His 15 employees leave at 1 p.m. on Fridays until the end of August.
"It has allowed us to keep our compensation for employees at a reasonable level ... having a positive work environment," he said.
But if management hasn't come to that conclusion, how does an employee ask?
First, choose the right champion, said Cindy Ventrice, author of "Make Their Day! Employee Recognition that Works." An employee with performance issues would not be the right person; she recommended finding a colleague who's in better standing to present the proposal.
And pick your battles, say the experts. Don't go in with a full menu of requests that will make you look like a slacker.
"If somebody is asking for this and they're also asking for their dry cleaning to be picked up and an onsite manicurist and a 20 percent raise ... the issue is this person is always looking for the same thing: Give an inch and take a mile," said Constance Dierickx, senior consultant at RHR International Co., a management psychologists group in Atlanta.
The employee should seek out a manager at the executive level and present the right arguments, said Jean Boland, Vice President of Human Resources and Leadership Development at Focus Brands Inc. The Atlanta-based franchisor of Carvel Ice Cream, Cinnabon and other eateries offers Friday afternoons off in the summer to its 260 headquarters employees.
Employees should come prepared to argue the benefits to the company in improved morale, cost savings and increased productivity, Boland said.
"If they feel they may be viewed as being a slacker, simply say 'Hear me out," she said. "Have some details and some substantiation."
Employees should also make clear that they will still be accessible and will make up the time, said Tom Musbach, managing editor at Yahoo HotJobs, an online career resource.
Some companies extend workdays in the summer to make up for the time off on Fridays, and most ask employees to keep their cellphones on in case they're needed.
"You have to realize you have to give something to get something," Musbach said.
But if you get nothing, don't despair, say the experts. Employers will try to make it up in other ways. Some companies will institute Blue Jean Fridays or bring food on Fridays if they can't let employees off early.
"People are mature enough and know when they have an account and there's work to be done they will stay," said Richard Dukas, CEO of Dukas Public Relations in New York. "We'll try to make it up to them in other ways."
Dukas lets his staff of 23 leave at 2:30 p.m. on summer Fridays. It's part of his company's culture as a smaller firm and it helps him compete against larger shops to attract employees, he said.
"People are definitely motivated by money, but it's not just money, the work-life balance is very important," Dukas said. "Especially in this environment, when headlines are bad ... people look forward to the weekends."
