On June 23, U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Marty Walsh and business leaders met to discuss a timely topic: flexibility in the workplace.
Amongst the panelists was someone you may be familiar with: Aaron Seyedian, owner of Well-Paid Maids here in D.C.
Of course, many workplaces are remote or hybrid right now, but a cleaning company like Well-Paid Maids requires in-person work, so Aaron provided insights on how he provides flexibility for employees.
For one, Well-Paid Maid employees can work flexible schedules. This was true even before the pandemic. For example, a Muslim employee takes Friday off for prayer. Aaron also allows flexibility for child care. During the summer months, some parents move to part-time schedules so they can spend more time with their kids.
“It sounds mundane, right?” Aaron said during the panel. “You tell your employer when you can work. But in a lot of blue-collar industries, it’s not respected.”
Aaron sees these flexible policies as an investment in his employees. For instance, when an employee moves to part-time during the summer, that’s technically a net loss for the business, since he’s providing benefits to a part-time employee. But this time off boosts workplace morale and increases retention. It pays off for the rest of the year, he explains.
