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Action Step – Building A Compelling Case for Workplace Flexibility

The Alliance’s Action Steps are designed to assist organizations with implementing practical strategies and policies related to diversity and flexibility. Members can access full versions of all of the Alliance’s Action Steps in the Member Resource Center. 

The Current Flexibility Landscape

We find ourselves at a critical juncture in workplace flexibility, with organizations taking dramatically different approaches. Some are mandating full-time office returns, while others are deepening their commitment to flexible work. This division makes building a comprehensive business case more important than ever. Recent data and organizational experiences demonstrate that flexibility isn’t merely a workplace perk – it’s a business imperative driving measurable results across multiple dimensions of organizational success. Organizations that recognize the business value of flexibility remain committed to it – they understand the strong, varied benefits related to business continuity, retention, recruitment, engagement, productivity, diversity, and wellbeing, to name a few.

The Foundation: Starting with Purpose

Alliance CEO Manar Morales’s new book, “The Flexibility Paradigm,” provides an innovative framework to help organizations optimally reflect, design, implement and iterate their flexibility initiatives. The Flex Success® Framework begins with “Reflect” because a clear purpose drives successful implementation. Before examining metrics or crafting policies, organizations must establish why flexibility matters in their specific context. This foundation ensures your business case resonates with leadership and supports sustainable success. Recent research reveals organizations that recognize the business value of flexibility understand its varied benefits across several key areas.

Building Your Business Case: A Strategic Approach

  1. Internal Assessment and Data Collection: Begin by examining your organization’s current state through comprehensive data collection….

Members: Continue reading this Action Step in the Member Resource Center.

To read this entire Action Step become a member of the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance. To learn more contact Manar Morales.

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Read an excerpt from Manar Morales’ The Flexibility Paradigm!

An excerpt from Manar Morales’ new book, The Flexibility Paradigm: Humanizing the Workplace for Productivity, Profitability & Possibility, is now available on Porchlight’s ChangeThis column.

The Flexibility Paradigm covers many of the most pressing issues facing today’s workplaces, including:

  • The growing disconnect between employee and employer expectations around return-to-office
  • Creating meaningful connection and culture in work environments
  • Preventing burnout while maintaining high performance
  • Attracting and retaining top talent in a competitive market
  • Building sustainable flexibility that drives business success
  • And much more!
READ THE EXCERPT

Individual copies can be ordered through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Porchlight. **A reminder that 2024 conference attendees will receive a complimentary copy directly from the Alliance.

Why not make sure your entire team is on the same page when it comes to flexibility and organizational culture by ordering a copy for all of your colleagues? Order 100+ copies by January 24, 2025, and get access to an exclusive virtual fireside chat with Manar Morales!

For bulk orders and to schedule your fireside chat, complete this form or email Manar Morales for more information.

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Building Self-Reliance: Lessons from 7 Rules of Self-Reliance – February 18, 2025

2025 Signature Seminar

Building Self-Reliance: Lessons from 7 Rules of Self-Reliance

February 18, 2025 | 1:00pm – 2:00pm ET

Featuring Maha Abouelenein, founder of Digital & Savvy, best-selling author of 7 Rules of Self-Reliance, and host of the Savvy Talk podcast

As the CEO of Digital & Savvy, a global communications consulting firm with offices in the United States and United Arab Emirates, Maha has been instrumental in orchestrating transformations in communication strategies for clients that include global corporate giants, high-growth startups, sports organizations, top governments, CEOs, and high-net-worth individuals. Raised and educated in the United States to Egyptian parents, Maha is at home in both Western and Arab worlds, offering a global perspective that translates into her work.

Maha’s 2/18 webinar will be based on her book, 7 Rules of Self-Reliance: How to Stay Low, Keep Moving, Invest in Yourself and Own Your Future, a USA TODAY bestseller that provides a transformative guide on mastering self-reliance. In this fascinating presentation, Maha will share her top strategies that fuel resilience, empower leaders, and inspire people to create their own opportunities.

This event is open to all individuals at member organizations. Not a member? Contact Angela Whitehead Quigley for more information. 

MEMBERS: REGISTER HERE
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Manar Morales’ New Book – The Flexibility Paradigm – Now Available!

Have you ordered your copy of Manar Morales’ new book, The Flexibility Paradigm: Humanizing the Workplace for Productivity, Profitability & Possibility, yet?

Already a top seller on Amazon, this insightful guide offers the tools you need to create an agile, resilient, and successful organization with people at the center!

Why not make sure your entire team is on the same page when it comes to flexibility and organizational culture by ordering a copy for all of your colleagues? Pre-order 100+ copies by January 24, 2025, and get access to an exclusive virtual fireside chat with Manar Morales!

The Flexibility Paradigm covers many of the most pressing issues facing today’s workplaces, including:

  • The growing disconnect between employee and employer expectations around return-to-office
  • Creating meaningful connection and culture in work environments
  • Preventing burnout while maintaining high performance
  • Attracting and retaining top talent in a competitive market
  • Building sustainable flexibility that drives business success
  • And much more!

Individual copies: can be ordered through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Porchlight. **A reminder that 2024 conference attendees will receive a complimentary copy directly from the Alliance.

For bulk orders and to schedule your fireside chat: Complete this form or email Manar Morales for more information.

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Action Step – KICKSTART 2025: BUILDING TEAM SUCCESS THROUGH STRATEGIC PLANNING

The Alliance’s Action Steps are designed to assist organizations with implementing practical strategies and policies related to diversity and flexibility. Members can access full versions of all of the Alliance’s Action Steps in the Member Resource Center. 

As we begin 2025, energize your team and set the foundation for success through purposeful team retreats. These gatherings, whether in-person or virtual, provide an ideal platform to strengthen team bonds, align priorities, and create shared momentum for the year ahead. Here’s your roadmap for a productive kickoff:

1. Pre-Retreat Engagement: Set the stage for meaningful discussion by gathering team insights before the retreat. Team members often have valuable insights that may not surface in group settings. Pre-retreat questions allow for thoughtful reflection and help identify themes that might otherwise be missed. This step ensures all voices are heard and helps leaders identify common themes and concerns before the retreat, leading to more productive discussions.

Questions to send:

  • What accomplishments from 2024 should we celebrate and build upon?
  • What didn’t work well in 2024?
  • What opportunities do you see for enhancing our effectiveness in 2025?
  • What priorities should shape our vision for the year ahead?

Review responses carefully to identify themes and incorporate insights into your retreat agenda.

2. Choreographed Connection Activity: Begin with an engaging choreographed team connection that deepens team relationships. Choose questions that reveal professional and personal dimensions, such as “Share a favorite holiday tradition” or “What’s one activity outside of work that energizes you?” These conversations build connections and understanding across the team.

 

Members: Continue reading this Action Step in the Member Resource Center

To read this entire Action Step become a member of the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance. To learn more contact Manar Morales.

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Personal Branding for Professional Success – January 22, 2025

2025 Signature Seminar

Personal Branding for Professional Success

January 22, 2025 | 1:00pm – 2:00pm EST

Featuring Mary Abbajay, author of the best-selling, award winning Managing Up: How to Move Up, Win at Work, and Succeed with Any Type of Boss

Did you know everyone has a personal brand—even if they don’t realize it? Your brand is what sets you apart. It’s the unique blend of your skills, experience, and personality that shapes how others see you.

Don’t miss this interactive, high energy virtual session that will help you:

  • Cultivate a positive professional image, brand and reputation;
  • Identify key components of your brand;
  • Identify key strategies to reinforce and magnify your brand while engaging with others;
  • Explore best practices for brand (and self) promotion.

Remember, your personal brand is the impression you both want to make and do make on others. Done well, and your personal brand can help you succeed professionally. You can either ignore your personal brand, and let it develop organically, possibly chaotically, beyond your control, or you can take active steps to create a personal brand that accurately depicts you as the person you want to be.

This event is open to all individuals at member organizations. Not a member? Contact Angela Whitehead Quigley for more information. 

MEMBERS: REGISTER HERE
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LinkedIn Live Fireside Chat: The Flexibility Paradigm – January 16, 2025

Join the Alliance for a LinkedIn Live to hear about Manar Morales’s new book:

The Flexibility Paradigm: Humanizing the Workplace for Productivity, Profitability, and Possibility

January 16, 2025 | 2:00 – 2:45 pm ET

Join us at 2:00 pm ET on Thursday, January 16, 2025 for a LinkedIn Live fireside chat with Alliance CEO Manar Morales, author of The Flexibility Paradigm: Humanizing the Workplace for Productivity, Profitability and Possibility (Georgetown University Press). Ellen McGirt, Editor-in-Chief of the Design Observer, will facilitate this in-depth conversation designed to introduce the most fascinating aspects of this new book.

We’re at a defining moment in workplace history. We’re experiencing a Flexibility Revolution that’s reshaping how work gets done. Don’t miss this opportunity to understand why “policies won’t bring people back; experiences will” and how your organization can thrive in the new world of work.

Register now to join this timely conversation about creating workplaces where both people and businesses flourish.

REGISTER HERE