Customized Employment: The Benefits Of Flexibility

Survive & Thrive

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, the flexibility of a work-at-home schedule has been a welcome change for many employees as they try to handle both home and work. It’s also been a massive boon for employers, seeing their staff work more hours thanks to the increased flexibility. However, with companies opening back up, customized employment is in high demand and very much needed.

Jess Podgajny joins Jennifer to talk about her new company LLUNA and how it’s making it easier for businesses to implement and manage customized employment options. From work schedules, take-home pay, time off, and so much more; Jess believes providing more flexibility to employees improves diversity and inclusion, employee happiness, and ultimately impacts recruiting and employee retention.

Act 1: LLUNA

Introduction (1:47)

Jennifer introduces Jess Podgajny, who explains her background.

What LLUNA does (3:24)

LLUNA is a human resource technology platform with enables employers to offer employees the ability to customize employment arrangements. Jess and Jennifer discuss the various aspects LLUNA focuses on and how that can help employees.

How LLUNA was born (5:29)

Jess explains how she came to the idea that eventually formed LLUNA.

Act 2: Starting a business in a pandemic

How the pandemic has impacted LLUNA (7:32)

Starting LLUNA just before the country shut down, Jennifer and Jess talk about how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted LLUNA, potentially for the better.

Employment awakening (8:57)

Jess believes the pandemic has helped employers realize they don’t have to have a rigid structure of working in an office building. Instead, she believes more companies are embracing their employees working from home.

Workplace boundaries (10:25)

While employees are actually working more now than before, Jess believes there have to be clear boundaries placed on hours in order to stop burnout and disengagement.

Flexible work hours (11:17)

Flexible work hours have been a staple of the service industry while the corporate world has been stuck in a rigid 9-5 mindset. However, with everyone trying to deal with the ramifications of the pandemic, people have struggled to stick to that structure. As Jess notes, companies are beginning to embrace an asynchronous work calendar. Jennifer shares from her own personal experiences, seeing a more flexible calendar lead to more trust and ease in the workplace.

Employee experience (13:19)

Jennifer and Jess talk about how LLUNA allows people customize their “employee experience.” From working hours to benefits and everything in-between, that personalization is helping both employees and employers reap the benefits.

Act 3: Boosting Inclusion and employee retention through customized employment

What can customized employment do for a company? (16:47)

While the idea of an improved employee experience sounds great for the employees, it makes sense that employers would be skeptical of the benefits. However, in her experience in human resources, Jess saw how rigid structures left employees, stressed, frustrated, and built resentment. Jess considers that providing personalized benefits to employees improves diversity and inclusion, as well as employee retention.

Who is LLUNA ideal for (19:06)

Though Jess truly thinks every company should be thinking about providing customized employment arrangements, LLUNA is starting in the technology and professional services organizations.

Is employee retention a real problem? (19:58)

It’s a hot buzzword right now but as Jess notes, employee retention is a $1 trillion-a-year problem. For businesses, that voluntary turnover means suddenly losing employees you’ve invested a ton of training in while having to attract new talent and get them up to speed, all while having to fill that production gap.

How can LLUNA help you? (20:39)

Jess thinks LLUNA’s ability to help companies manage more flexible and personalized benefits can be a benefit for companies. Whether it’s improving employee morale, being able to be more inclusive, or boosting employee retention; LLUNA’s platform can be a boon for businesses by making it all easier to manage.

Inclusion and culture (21:22)

Jennifer and Jess believe LLUNA helps foster better company culture and promotes inclusion. Jess says the root of the problem can be in the hiring process as many women and people of color often don’t negotiate for better salaries or working benefits.

Act 4: Growing through sustainable systems

How businesses can grow right now (25:46)

Jess says it’s time to get back to the basics and simply listen to their employees and check in with them to see how they’re doing. Jess believes the dynamic has changed in the pandemic and that means companies need to change along with it.

Preserving a work-life balance (28:54)

Jennifer and Jess reflect on the changing boundaries in work and what measures can be implemented to preserve a work-life balance.

Links:

LLUNA - website

LLUNA - Email

Jess Podgajny - LinkedIn