HR practicum recommends piloting compressed work weeks, with leadership support and IT readiness

Carolina Thirdkettle, assistant director for the City of Laredo Human Resources Department, presented a practicum examining flexible work arrangements (hybrid, remote, compressed work week) and their potential to improve employee satisfaction and retention. Thirdkettle told the CPM panel that the city's turnover rate stands at about 15% and that a compressed work week (e.g., four 10-hour days) emerged as the preferred model among respondents in a city survey; respondents believed flexible scheduling would increase job satisfaction and morale while most did not anticipate productivity losses.

Thirdkettle reviewed literature showing leadership support and manager training are critical to success, and she noted implementation challenges: eligibility rules by job type, technology and support costs, potential communication breakdowns and equity concerns between departments that can or cannot offer flexibility. Her recommended pilot plan called for executive alignment, manager training, HR/IT task forces, defined eligibility and performance expectations, and a pilot in selected departments (finance, IT, legal and other administrative units) with 30-/90-/180-day feedback cycles.

She told the panel that San Antonio and El Paso already offer some flexible arrangements and urged the city to consider technology stipends, clear performance measures, and staged evaluation before scaling. Thirdkettle emphasized coordination with finance and legal for budget and compliance prior to expansion.