| Scott
Potenberg
A WorkLife case study
 Scott
Potenberg joined McGladrey & Pullen’s Champaign, Ill.,
office 12 years ago as an auditor. In the audit profession, the
busiest season generally occurs between January and April –
when client companies have closed their books and outside auditors
like Potenberg begin the annual audit.
During that time, it’s not uncommon for audit directors like
Potenberg to put in long days Monday through Friday, and even weekends
to complete clients’ audits on time.
As the father of two preschoolers, the grueling schedule of busy
season caused Potenberg to miss dinners with his wife and children
and even simple things like reading them a bedtime story.
In 2004, when Potenberg’s regional office piloted WorkLife
goal setting, he was happy to volunteer. Under the program, McGladrey
& Pullen employees worked with their managers to develop a personal
goal.
“It’s important to commit the goal to writing, because
otherwise it’s easy to ignore it,” said Potenberg. “When
the WorkLife goal is in writing, it becomes ‘real’ and
there’s just as much accountability as with other business-related
performance goals.”
Potenberg’s WorkLife goal was to leave the office Monday
through Friday at 5:30 p.m. On three evenings he would eat dinner
with his wife and children and return to work around 9 p.m. for
two more hours. The other two nights he stayed home with his family.
“This added flexibility meant so much to my family and me,”
said Potenberg. “Especially this past year because we were
building a house and I needed to be able to check on how things
were going.”
“Scott exemplifies a successful WorkLife goal arrangement,”
said Debbie O’Neill, the HR director of Potenberg’s
regional office. “As a director, he has to be in the office
as a resource to others. Still, it’s important that his own
team sees that he can strike a balance between his professional
life and his home life.”
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