Flexible Hours, Work Week Becoming More Favorable, Study Says

Excerpts from “Flexible Hours, Work Week Becoming More Favorable, Study Says”
By Melinda Ligos, New York Times

…To attract and retain employees in a tight labor market, an increasing number of companies have been offering flexible work arrangements…Forty-three percent of large employers, in fact, let their employees work from home at least some of the time last year, up from 33 percent in 1999, while 27 percent offered a reduced work week, up from 19 percent, according to a survey released in late December by Watson Wyatt, a benefits consulting firm in Washington….

Although the slowing economy may be making the job market less competitive, workplace experts expect companies to continue offering flexible benefits at the current pace, while cutting back on other perks like bonuses or overtime….

The study tracked 24 women who worked flexible schedules over the last decade. It found that most of the women, employed in a variety of industries, were satisfied with the career tradeoffs they had made, and that more than half had received promotions.

Employees who participate in flexible work programs acknowledged the potential trickiness of keeping their career on track.

The biggest challenge, they say, is convincing their bosses and colleagues that they can remain key players without being in the office every day.

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