Many employees seek jobs that offer flexible work arrangements. Flex time, telecommuting and compressed workweeks help support work-life balance and are readily offered in certain industries.
The Rise of Flex Time
During the early part of the new millennium, an increasing number of employers offered various flexible work arrangements, such as:
- Flex time – the ability to vary the start and end times of a shift
- Job sharing – two part-time employees sharing the responsibilities of one full time job
- Compressed workweek – a full time schedule worked in less than 5 days
- Telecommuting – the ability to work away from the office, typically from home
Through 2007, unemployment was low and employers sought creative ways to keep the best employees. Working parents' demands for work-life balance supported the rise of flexible work arrangements, which became a popular tool to engage and retain workers.
Flexible Work Arrangements Give Way to the Recession
When the economy began to unravel in 2008, numerous employers reduced staff and simultaneously eliminated many flexible work arrangements. With fewer workers on staff, it became increasingly difficult to accommodate varying shifts or shorter workweeks.
Telecommuting arrangements were disbanded so that tasks could be more easily shared by workers who remained on staff after a layoff. Some telecommuters voluntarily returned to the office out of a personal desire to be more visible.
During the recession, fewer workers expressed the need for work-life balance solutions. Most who kept their jobs felt fortunate and made the best of changes that occurred in the workplace.
Flex Time is Making a Comeback
Progressive employers know that competition for good workers is always a concern. Renewed attention to work-life balance, especially in industries such as accounting and healthcare, is restoring the focus on flexible work arrangements.
Rising gasoline prices and earth-friendly awareness support telecommuting and compressed workweeks. For a five-day per week worker, reducing one day of travel to work saves 20% of the employee’s total commuting cost.
Find a Job That Has Flexible Work Arrangements
Job seekers who desire a flexible work arrangement do have options. Some job search sites, such as Simply Hired, have filters to search for jobs that offer telecommuting or other forms of flexible work. Job posting sites including FlexPaths and FlexWork are dedicated solely to positions that offer flexible work arrangements.
Flex time, telecommuting and other forms of flexible work arrangements help employees juggle family or school responsibilities. The arrangements help to reinforce the employer’s concern for the employee as an individual which in turn, supports efforts to retain good workers.
References:
Weiss, Jane and Vicksburg, Suzanne. “Work Life Success and Flexibility Practices,” Great Place To Work Institute, March 2008
Shellenbarger, Sue. “Does Avoiding 9 to 5 Target You for Layoffs?” The Wall Street Journal, April 22, 2009
Greenhouse, Steven. “Flex Time Flourishes in the Accounting Industry,” The New York Times, January 7, 2011
Lillian LeBlanc - Ms. LeBlanc is an HR exeutive, commercial pilot, skilled public speaker and published author. She holds an MBA.
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