Have It Your Way — Flexible Work Options for Dietitians
By Sharon Palmer, RD
Today’s Dietitian
Vol. 8 No. 3 P. 30

Savvy dietitians offer advice on how to board the Flex Express and reap the benefits of flexible scheduling.

If companies want to land their names on the coveted Fortune or Working Mother 100 Best Companies List, they can help their chances significantly by bowing to the latest human resources paradigm: flexibility.

In today’s high-pressure, global work world, flexible work arrangements are the hottest talk at the water cooler. According to Emily Duncan, vice president of culture and diversity at Hewlett-Packard, flexibility is what ensured her company’s spot in the Working Mother Best of the Best Top Ten Company list. Many progressive companies across the country are realizing that if you give employees what they scream for, they will thank you with increased enthusiasm, dedication, and performance. And as employees find the stress of their career bogging down their personal life, flexibility is one way to help ease the burden.

“The impact of flexibility is huge. Studies have found that people who feel that they have more control of how and when work gets done feel less stress. The more rigid the schedule, the more burnout and stress,” says Pat Katepoo, RD, owner of Career Coach RD and WorkOptions.com.

The Winds of Change
A new age has dawned on the working world—one that may be aptly named the Time Crunch Era. Sixty-seven percent of employees report that they don’t have enough time for their children, 63% say they don’t have enough time for their spouse, and 55% say they don’t even have enough time to take care of themselves. Gone is the day that found most women staying home and taking care of the domestic responsibilities of the household. Almost equal numbers of women and men are now working. The comfy “job-for-life” attitude has been replaced with increasing job mobility and insecurity—only 36% of people feel truly secure about their jobs. And the “9-to-5” job philosophy faded long ago. Men now average 48.2 hours of work per week and women average 41.4 hours per week (including the 24% of women who work part time). Twenty-six percent of U.S. employees work at least one weekend day. With the advent of the Internet, the boundaries of the workday are being blurred, as 46% of employees report that they are contacted about their jobs outside of working hours on a regular basis.1

The rise of flexible work options, including telecommuting (working at home through communication technology), working part-time hours, job sharing, flex time (working with variable stopping and starting times within hours of operation), and compressed work weeks (working more hours in fewer days), can offer a welcome relief to the time crunch blues in today’s working world.

Flexibility as a Sound Business Practice
It’s not only employees who find flexible work schedules attractive; employers can reap plenty of rewards from adding flexible work arrangements to their strategic plan. According to the 2005 National Study of Employers, 47% of employers who provide flexible work schedule initiatives reported that they provided these to recruit and retain employees and 25% of employers reported that they provided these initiatives to enhance productivity and commitment.2

Employers can gain various benefits from providing flexible work programs, according to research presented in “Business Impacts of Flexibility: An Imperative for Expansion.” These benefits include retention of key talent; human capital outcomes such as greater job satisfaction, stronger commitment, higher levels of engagement, and lower levels of stress; and better financial performance and operational outcomes.3 Research has shown that creating flexible work schedules not only develops a shared responsibility for success between employer and employee, but it is also linked to many positive outcomes, such as employee well-being.1

The good news is that more employers are thinking out of the cubicle, trying to make the workplace a better environment for employees. Employers are moving beyond the old formula that an employee’s mere presence at work is the most important part of human resources. Instead, they are focusing on people as a critical factor in a company’s bottom line. Smart companies are not only considering how to make the most of the work environment for their employees, but they are also recognizing that the well-being of the whole person can contribute to the success of their business. Thus, more companies are answering the call of flexible work arrangements as one of their strategies to providing an effective work environment. In a 2000-2001 survey of 1,000 major U.S. employers, 73% reportedly offered flexible work arrangements—up from 67% five years earlier.3 The 2005 National Study of Employers also noted a trend that finds small employers (organizations with 50 to 99 employees) offering their employees greater flexibility compared with large companies.2

Recent data on flexible work arrangements for employees found that 43% of employees have access to traditional flex time, 23% are offered daily flex time, 42% have compressed workweek options, and 47% may opt for part-time work. Thirty-one percent report that it is not hard for them to take off work for personal reasons, 54% have paid time off for sick children, 2% work primarily from home, and 9% work part of every week from home.1

But when it comes to flexibility, there is still room for growth in many companies. Even though statistics demonstrate an increase in availability of written flexible work programs, employees report that taking advantage of flexible work options can be frowned upon by management and hinder their upward mobility. Thirty-nine percent of employees claim that if they had flexible schedules, they would be less likely to get ahead in their careers. And skilled professionals are more likely to have flexible work options available to them than lesser skilled staff.

The case for a more flexible work option is so compelling that organizations such as Corporate Voices for Working Families urge companies to get on the fast track to providing flexible work programs to stay competitive in a changing work environment. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is also working to demonstrate that creating flexible work arrangements is a sound business decision and a key component to creating an effective work environment, helping employers to compete in the shrinking skilled labor force. They are working to create standards and principles for flexible work, develop leadership for work flexibility, and communicate the message to businesses.

Human resource experts predict that flexibility will become one of this year’s key incentives to retain valued employees. The Herman Group, Strategic Futurists identified the growth in flexible work arrangements as a top 10 workforce/workplace forecast item for 2006. There’s no doubt that creating a culture in companies that supports flexibility can nurture tremendous rewards for both employees and employers.

The first award of its kind, the Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility, honors companies that have successfully used flexibility to meet both employer and employee goals. 2005 winners include companies such as Dun & Bradstreet, Medical City Hospital in Dallas, and Texas Instruments.

Dietitians Get Flexible
With flexibility becoming the big buzzword in job satisfaction, are dietitians making the most of their potential for work bliss? “Dietitians, like most other professionals, are looking for more control over their time and how and when they do their work. As a female-majority profession, work-family conflict is a big issue. They need to be aware of their options and how to propose flexible work,” says Katepoo.

As a certified career coach, Katepoo equips dietitians with the negotiating know-how to get going down the path of flexibility. Katepoo’s general public site, www.WorkOptions.com, has helped users since 1997 negotiate a flexible work arrangement at their current job using her Flex Success Proposal Template. In 2005, Katepoo branched out with Career Coach RD, a service specifically aimed at offering negotiation coaching to dietitians, including the elements of flexible work arrangements.

“For the three ‘How to Negotiate a Flexible Work Arrangement’ teleclasses held in September, November, and December of 2005, a total of 53 dietitians signed up, so I know there’s a need and interest,” says Katepoo. The 1-CPE teleclass explores the process of determining the type of work arrangement that meets the individual’s personal situation and the proposal process to negotiate flexible work positions. Katepoo’s monthly Career Coach RD Newsletter shares profiles of dietitians and valuable tips from dietitians balancing work and family.

Like many other dietitians, Reyna Franco, MS, MBA, RD, CDN, of New York City, found a flexible schedule extremely helpful as she started her family. “This field gave me an opportunity to do a variety of things and have a flexible schedule—to work when and where I needed to,” says Franco, who is able to say that her career affords her adequate time with her family and for herself.

Flexible work arrangements are out there waiting for dietitians. Often, it may be up to them to simply ask for what they need and want. “I think many employers are open to job sharing and flexible work arrangements,” says Marni Stevens, MS, RD, a dietitian from Great Falls, Mont., who has created her own flexible career. “Flexible work is a retention tool. With two dietitians coming in three days per week, there is more employee energy and focus—that’s a management benefit. Two brains to fill one job can be a big plus,” adds Katepoo.

Plunging into Flexible Work
One of the first steps to creating a flexible work option is establishing your career and personal needs and goals. Franco suggests, “You have to find out what you enjoy doing. Set your personal goals. Do you want to write or have a private practice? Is it something you can do from home with a flexible schedule?”

It is also important to consider what sort of flexibility is possible in your given job. “There are limits to flexible work options,” says Katepoo, who reports that direct patient care fields may limit work options in some ways. For instance, a full-time dietitian who wants shorter hours may be better off proposing job sharing rather than part-time work in a particular job setting. “Three days a week won’t fly when you are working full-time in patient care. You may need to job share to cover the work. Telecommuting wouldn’t work for most jobs in dietetics, but a compressed work week could,” says Katepoo.

To create a part-time, flexible career, it doesn’t mean you have to quit your current job. Katepoo suggests that the best place to get flexible work is where you work now. “It is much more difficult to get a flexible work arrangement in a new job. Where you are now is where they know you and they trust you. Present a detailed plan and proposal that presents a solution,” advises Katepoo. Instead of walking into the supervisor’s office with the opening line, “I miss my baby,” dietitians should present the idea in a professional proposal as a business strategy with positive elements for the employer.

Many dietitians who have successfully navigated negotiating flexible work arrangements stress that you should do the math on your financial situation before making a proposal. These financial considerations should reflect more than the hourly salary. They should include evaluations of healthcare benefits, retirement plans, sick and vacation time, and potential business expenses of working at home. If a spouse has insurance benefits for the entire family, it may make flexible work schedules more viable.

“The first thing you need to do is get to know where you are financially—know what you need to earn,” says Angie Lamberson. Both RDs and CDEs, Angie and John Lamberson created their own business called Nutrition Pair LLC in Elizabeth City, N.C. After meeting in graduate school, the Lambersons got married and both set out to practice dietetics—Angie working full time in a diabetes program and John working full time in a hospital. “When we had our son five years ago, I wanted to work less hours. My main goal was to be able to work when I wanted to. If the kids are sick, then I am flexible,” says Angie, who began consulting at nursing homes roughly two days per week.

After a second addition to their family—a daughter—Angie and John began talking about starting a nutrition business. John moved into a new 32-hours-per-week position with benefits that opened up in a dialysis center to free up time for he and Angie to start up Nutrition Pair, a nutrition company that provides services from staff relief to individual patient consultations. “Consulting wages are higher than salaried wages and we don’t have much overhead,” says John regarding the incentives for starting a business as an answer to creating a more flexible work environment.

But a flexible work schedule requires employees to assume more responsibility in organizing and scheduling work.1 Franco says, “When you have a flexible schedule and you work only a limited number of hours, you have to utilize your time efficiently.”

Dietitians working in flexible careers are singing the praises of resources such as Nutrition Entrepreneurs Dietetic Practice Group (NE DPG), which provides practical information for establishing businesses and offers local meetings for support. “NE DPG has been a wonderful resource for me. It has so many resources, such as the tool kit and worksheets. It opened my eyes to what it takes to start a business,” says Stevens. The Lambersons found resources such as the Career Coach Newsletter, organizations such as the American Association of Diabetes Educators, and books—such as Jump Start by Beverly Price, MA, RD—a big help for getting started on the road to their own nutrition business.

Creating a Portfolio Career
There’s a new trend in dietetics that finds dietitians combining their desire to embrace an entrepreneurial spirit and their work-family conflict into one solution: a portfolio approach to their careers. Dietitians are keeping a part-time, traditional day job and getting involved in an entrepreneurial activity on the side. “This has been my MO for two decades. I see this a lot. Dietitians are being creative in order to make a flexible work schedule,” says Katepoo.

Franco’s portfolio career includes three part-time jobs as a renal dietitian, athletic and swim club dietitian, and private practice dietitian. “With all these jobs, I still have time to spend with my family and also squeeze in time to bicycle ride and exercise,” says Franco.

Stevens quit her full-time job as a dietitian in an outpatient clinic to work part-time as a pharmacy representative three days per week. On her days off, she supplements her work with her own nutrition consulting business, which she feeds with a multitude of odds-and-ends jobs, including a few hours at a cancer care clinic, teaching at a vo-tech school, consulting with patients out of a health club, and writing for a local newspaper. “The flexible arrangement matches my personal life. I work for myself in both of the jobs and work my schedule around my needs,” says Stevens, who notes that the benefits and security of her pharmaceutical rep job gave her the push to start her consulting company. “The variety is the best thing. It allows me to pursue my personal interests in nutrition and tailor more what I want to do,” adds Stevens.

Market, Market, Market
For dietitians hoping to go the flexible route, the task of marketing themselves may become even more essential. “I feel that there are so many job opportunities out there in dietetics—like writing, consulting, or private practice—that allow you to work from home. You have to work at marketing yourself. Marketing is not a strong point for dietitians. People get into this field with a science background, not business. We are not as well respected as we should be. We are not letting people know the significant value of RDs in the fields of healthcare and wellness,” says Franco, who believes her MBA helps her better understand the business and marketing side of doing business as a dietitian. Franco also suggests that dietitians should network and keep in touch with others in the field to help foster future possibilities.

“If you’re a valuable employee who they need and want to keep, you can get creative. Sometimes our biggest barrier to flexible work options is ourselves. We don’t think it’s available so we don’t ask. We need to empower ourselves as dietitians and think, ‘I have a solution and plan for a flexible work option,’” says Katepoo.

“I think there are a lot of opportunities for flexible work options for dietitians. People keep looking more and more for nutrition experts. Dietitians are missing out on making the most of these opportunities,” says John Lamberson, who reports that he sees a lot of tunnel vision among dietitians who get so focused on nutrition that they don’t always see the business side of the profession. “I think that dietitians may be afraid to branch out. They don’t want to rock the boat. It is the perfect time for dietitians to be more proactive and to become recognized as the experts in our field.”

— Sharon Palmer, RD, is a freelance food and nutrition writer in southern California.

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Creating a Flexible Work Schedule Resource Guide
• Career Coach RD
www.careercoachrd.com

• Corporate Voices for Working Families
www.cvworkingfamilies.org

• Nutrition Entrepreneurs
www.nutritionentrepreneurs.org

• U.S. Chamber of Commerce
www.uschamber.com/cwp/strategies/flexibility/default

• When Work Works (tool kit available online)
http://familiesandwork.org/3w/index.html

• Women Entrepreneurs Inc.
www.we-inc.org/flex.html

• Work & Family Connection
www.workfamily.com

• WorkOptions.com
www.workoptions.com

References
1. Bond J, et al. Summary of Families and Work Institute Research. 2004. Available at: http://familiesandwork.org/3w/research/downloads/3wes.pdf

2. Families and Work Institute. 2005 National Study of Employers. October 13, 2005. Available at: http://familiesandwork.org/press/2005nserelease.html#nse

3. Corporate Voices for Working Families. Business Impacts of Flexibility: An Imperative for Expansion. November 2005. Available at: http://www.cvworkingfamilies.org/downloads/Business%20Impacts%20of%20Flexibility.pdf