You don’t read much about work/life balance these days. Workers have been more concerned with finding and keeping employment in this economy, but workplace flexibility still matters.
More than three in five working adults (62 percent) said that flexibility is one of the most important factors they consider when looking for a new job or deciding on an employer, according to a recent Harris Interactive survey conducted for Mom Corps, a national flexible staffing firm. Of the 1,071 working adults polled, 42 percent said that they were willing to give up some salary to achieve more flexibility at work.
“What stands out about this survey is how important flexibility is to all working adults and the amount of compensation they are willing to forgo [6 percent on average] to achieve it,” said Nicole Siokis, president of Mom Corps Atlanta. “We got our start working with professional-level moms who needed flexible work situations, but we’re seeing that anyone could benefit from more flexible scheduling for a variety of reasons.”
More workers are caring for an elderly parent. People want to volunteer, spend time with friends and family, or pursue other interests. Younger workers are accustomed to using technology to work anywhere, anytime, and like it.
“Flexibility means different things to different people, but it is a critical factor to employees and employers," Siokis said. "We’re seeing small to midsize companies grow through part-time hires and larger companies adopt flexible workplace policies. Flexibility doesn’t cost anything. It can save money, and it can give companies a competitive edge in hiring and retention.”
FinListics Solutions, an Atlanta-based company that provides corporate sales teams with innovative software, services and financial knowledge, has grown through the recession by hiring part-time talent as needed, and by partnering with other small companies.
“We need such a variety of skills, education and work experience, as well as a strong commitment from our employees," said Christine Williams-Timme, CEO and co-founder. “Practicing workplace flexibility is how we’ve been able to attract a higher level of candidate.”
Williams-Timme has hired several employees through Mom Corps. “Personally I think it’s a fabulous model,” she said.
It’s a win for Heather Beckham, as well, who works about 20 hours a week for FinListics Solutions. With a degree from Duke University and a Harvard MBA, Beckham had climbed the corporate ladder, but after having children, the travel and long hours no longer meshed with her vision of parenting.
“I left the corporate world, but I still wanted to be engaged, so I taught, consulted and wrote case studies for the Harvard Business Review. I was still juggling competing priorities,” said Beckham, senior manager of finance and corporate strategy for FinListics. “This opportunity was a perfect fit. I’m using and growing my skills as a valued member of this company.”
She has a sense of pride and accomplishment at work without feeling like she is sacrificing family. “I really appreciate having challenging work in a flexible schedule, and that makes me work even harder,” she said.
Large companies are also seeing the value of alternate workplace arrangements. This year, senior leaders at Turner Broadcasting System Inc. rolled out a new flexible work policy. “We had always had an informal culture of workplace flexibility, but we wanted to push the envelope of how, where and when we do work here,” said Alisha Penick, director of employee programs.
Employees can request flexibility in five ways: flexible work hours, a compressed workweek, job sharing, part-time work and telecommuting -- as long as they can show that the arrangement supports the business goals of their units.
“We have a diverse workforce, and we wanted to give them options,” Penick said. They chose the options based on an employee engagement survey and benchmarks from other forward-thinking organizations.
“To eliminate the fear of asking for flexibility, we held employee information sessions where a panel of managers, leaders and employees who worked on flexible schedules spoke and answered questions,” Penick said. “Creating a formal flexibility policy was a pretty big culture shift, but we think it’s critical for any organization that wants to attract top talent.”
She’s seen flexibility increase productivity. “Allowing employees to better manage their work and life means less stress,” she said. “When they feel more in control, they’re happier and more engaged. Workplace flexibility is the new currency in the workplace.”
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