(Los Angeles, CA – June 28, 2018) As the founder of a successful small business, I’m a strong believer that cultivating the right work environment is not just important, but essential to the long-term viability and growth of any business endeavor. Ultimately, it comes down to people – leaders who set the direction and tone, and the team they build around them to meet that vision. People run companies, and people make companies work.
I know firsthand that ensuring employees have workplace flexibility and paid leave options is a key part of building this kind of positive, productive work environment. That’s why I am passionate about these issues and strongly support the Workflex in the 21stCentury Act(H.R. 4219), introduced by Rep. Mimi Walters (CA-45), which would break down barriers and provide millions of employees with access to workplace flexibility options for the first time.
A Southern California native, I recently returned home to serve as Managing Director of Skyline Exhibits Greater LA after building my own trade show business in the Midwest, which I launched in 2001. By 2010, the small company I founded – Skyline Exhibits of Central Ohio – had expanded to 28 employees.
I’m so proud of the team we built and credit, among other factors, focusing on resultsrather than rigid, arbitrary work schedules with the talent acquisition and high retention rates (commonly 10+ years with the company) that has helped fuel our success. That’s why I’m so passionate about this issue and this innovative national Workflex initiative.
Whether attending school board meetings, doctor’s appointments or caring for an ailing loved one, we built a culture that worked for people balancing the demands of the workplace with the demands of everyday life. This included compressed schedules, working remotely and other arrangements focused not on when and where work was done, but on results. Ultimately, that’s what really matters. Regardless of industry, size or geographic location, success is defined not by the hours spent in the office or on the floor, but what you deliver for your customers.
As our company grew, it became even more apparent that flexible work arrangements increasedproductivity and helped build a fiercely committed and loyal team. This success was clear in the bottom line and in other, less quantitative, ways.
I’m proud of the positive work culture we built and the success we enjoyed together. I want to see more employers embrace this approach. In the modern workplace, employers and employees need policies that encourage the adoption of flexible work arrangements and paid leave.
It’s the smart approach for employers, as flexible workplace options are in high demand. In fact, 87 percentof employees say if they were looking for a new job that “having the flexibility to manage work and personal or family life would be ‘extremely’ or ‘very’ important,” according to a recent reportby the Families and Work Institute.
I know from experience that attracting and retaining the most talented and passionate employees requires a new way of thinking – it’s about more than just salary and traditional benefits. This is particularly true in today’s highly competitive job market.
The Workflex in the 21stCentury Act will incentivize more employers to offer generous paid leave and Workflex options. It is the right approach at the right time. I hope you will join me in supporting this vital effort. Let your voice be heard by contacting your member of Congress and urge them to get behind H.R. 4219.
Jeanette Armbrust
National Board Member
National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO)
Managing Director, Skyline Exhibits Greater LA
This article originally appeared on the NAWBO national site.