Ameritas offers flexible work plans to help commuters

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By LISA MUNGER / Lincoln Journal Star

Julie Peterson still sets her alarm, showers and dresses for work — only now she sits at her dining room table instead of a cubicle at 8 a.m.

Peterson lives in Roca, about 20 miles away from her employer, Ameritas Life Insurance Corp., in Lincoln.

She is part of a growing group of workers whose employers offer flexible work plans to accommodate schedules, family life and, now, rising gas prices.

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(LJS file)

(LJS file)

Last week, Ameritas joined the trend.

“I’m not wasting my time commuting, my stress level is down, too,” said Peterson, a regional sales consultant.

Morale factors into any company’s decision to  offer flexibility for employees, but a spokesman at Ameritas said fuel prices pushed his company toward adopting the new policies.

“The high price of gas was the straw that broke the camel’s back,” said Scott Stuckey, vice president of corporate communications for the insurance company. “Managers and associates will have a dialogue on an individual basis to look at jobs, family schedules and see what works.”

Ameritas is offering three options, depending on the employee’s job demands: a compressed workweek; teleworking; and flextime.

The compressed workweek allows employees to work four 10-hour days; teleworking requires a computer and a phone to work from home; flextime will let associates pick their hours to avoid commuting during peak drive times.

Some employees will still have to stick to a traditional schedule.

“There are some jobs where these arrangements won’t work from a coverage standpoint,” Stuckey said, such as the sales department, where associates must be available to customers daily.

Ameritas introduced the options a week ago. So far, 25 employees have started the application process. Each case will be examined individually.

Ameritas isn’t the first Lincoln company to try out alternative work arrangements.

Lincoln Benefit Life, also an insurance company, offers part-time employment, telecommuting, flextime arrangements and a compressed workweek, said Teresa Ingram, corporate communications manager.

She said energy costs were not a factor; they were instituted several years ago.

Meanwhile, Peterson said she’s beginning to notice a little relief at the filling station. It costs her $60 to fill up her Pontiac Grand Prix, a cost she incurred every six days before telecommuting.

“I’m not sure what the exact savings is so far, but any bit helps with gas prices so high,” she said.

Peterson’s entire division is trying out the new options by telecommuting one day a week. The team’s productivity will be evaluated in September. If production has stayed the same or improved, the division will consider allowing associates to add another day of teleworking per week, she said.

“I told my manager I have fewer distractions at home and am more productive,” Peterson said. “I’m motivated because I really want this program to work.”

Reach Lisa Munger at lmunger@journalstar.com or 473-7107.