Bob Bundschuh, co-owner of Pretech Corporation, talks about strategies his company used to reduce the firm’soperating costs without eliminating jobs.

Kansas City Women’s Bureau Hosts Workshop on “Flexible Alternatives to Layoffs” for Area Employers

The U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau in Kansas City partnered with HR Systems, Inc. to offer a free workshop for managers and human resources personnel in Overland Park, KS on April 23.

The focus of the workshop was helping participants identify practices that reduce companies’ operating costs without eliminating jobs and result in greater workplace flexibility for employees. Representatives from approximately twenty employers located throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area attended the three-hour workshop.

In addition to hands on exercises, the workshop featured a presentation from Bob Bundschuh, the owner of Pretech Corporation. Pretech is a Kansas City, KS based concrete manufacturing firm, recently featured in the New York Times and the Kansas City Star for its innovative approach to preventing layoffs by identifying other strategies to reduce operating costs. To maintain Pretech’s track record of no layoffs in the company’s fifteen year history, the firm recently opted to reduce employees’ overtime, downsize the annual Christmas party, and reduce its pipe-making operation from five days to four, which resulted in substantial savings. Bundschuh said his employees supported the changes, realizing that small sacrifices by all of Pretech’s employees would ultimately preserve their jobs and health insurance benefits. “We’re optimistic about the future,” he said. “We want our employees to stay around because they’re good at what they do, and they work hard.”

The Flexible Alternatives to Layoffs workshop was offered as part of the Women’s Bureau’s Flex-Options project, which aims to help businesses create or expand workplace flexibility policies and programs for their workforces. The project brings together corporate executives and employers who volunteer to mentor business owners interested in developing flexible workplace policies and programs. When employers redesign work and implement flexible work options, employees are better able to manage work and life responsibilities. Business owners realize positive bottom line impacts as well. The Women’s Bureau also conducts free bi-monthly teleconferences featuring workplace flexibility experts and business owners who share their knowledge and experiences on important flexible work arrangement issues, such as workplace flexibility trends and best practices, and challenges to implementing flexible work arrangements. All ten Women's Bureau regions participate in the project. Additional information is available on the Flex-Options Web site at: www.flexoptions.org