Companies Offer More Workplace Flexibility

By Dennis McCafferty | Posted 2014-06-04

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Home Office

67% of companies surveyed allow at least some employees to work part of the time at home on an occasional basis, compared with 50% in 2008.
Flexible Position

41% allow at least some employees to change their starting or quitting times on a daily basis, up from 32% in 2008.
Compressed Workweek

43% let at least some employees compress their workweek by putting in longer hours on fewer days, compared to 38% in 2008.
Community Presence

44% of respondents let at least some employees do volunteer work during work hours, down from 47% in 2008.
In-Person Priorities

64% encourage supervisors to assess employee performance by what they accomplish rather than face time, down from 71% in 2008.
Savings Strategy

96% of companies surveyed provide a 401(k) or some other type of retirement plan, up from 84% in 2008.
Matched Up

80% of them contribute to employee retirement plans, compared with 76% in 2008.
Retirement Blues

Only 21% of the responding companies provide a defined-benefit pension plan, down from 26% in 2008.
Coverage Extension

43% of these organizations provide health insurance for unmarried partners of employees, up from 29% in 2008.
Helping Hand

77% have an Employee Assistance Program to support workers who are dealing with problems, up from 58% in 2008.
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A growing number of organizations are now providing more flexibility about when and where their employees work, according to a recent survey from the Families and Work Institute (FWI) and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). They are more willing to let staffers work from home at least some of the time and/or self-determine their hours. And a significant percentage of them are open to the concept of a compressed work week, in which professionals pull longer shifts in exchange for working fewer days. "Technological advances and demographic shifts in the workforce are impacting where, when and how works gets done," says Lisa Horn, co-leader of SHRM's Workplace Flexibility Initiative. "Organizations must adapt to remain competitive. Creating an effective and flexible workplace can help organizations meet the business needs of today and adjust to rapidly changing needs." The findings also shed light on trends about benefits, including retirement and pension plans, as well as health coverage for domestic partners. More than 1,050 human resources executives and other professionals responsible for HR strategy took part in the research.

Dennis McCafferty is a freelance writer for Baseline Magazine.