Companies Offer More Workplace Flexibility

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.