Knowledge Center

Are flexible work arrangements (FWA) the “new normal,” or does face time still reign? In this increasingly globalized, technology-charged world, where it’s now possible to work from virtually anywhere at any time, day or night, how important is face time vs. work output?

In this report, Catalyst:

• Separates myth from fact using data from actual high-potential employees working around the world.

• Aims to help organizations become employers of choice in attracting and retaining top talent.

• Establishes that FWA programs are alive and well, are widespread across all types of organizations, are desired by young and old employees throughout the pipeline, and that lack of access to FWA has serious consequences for top talent, especially women.

The bottom line is that face time doesn't lead to top performance outcomes. Employers and managers need to learn to trust their employees to get the job done and not be so concerned about when and where the work is completed as long as deadlines are met. 

Catalyst's longitudinal project, The Promise of Future Leadership: Highly Talented Employees in the Pipeline, develops timely reports on the retention and advancement of high potential women and men. The project surveys graduates of leading business schools in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia, with the intent of assessing their career values, goals, and expectations, the developmental opportunities afforded them, and their strategies for managing work and family life. The reports highlight the differences in women's and men's career experiences and satisfaction, and some feature perspectives from global leaders and other experts.

Additional Information:

• Harvard Business Review (Blog): "New Research: Flexibility Versus Face Time"
• Catalyzing (The Catalyst Blog): Flexibility at Work—What's Really Going On?
• Harvard Business Review (Blog): "Study: Women Get Fewer Game-Changing Leadership Roles"
• Harvard Business Review: "High Potentials in the Downturn: Sharing the Pain?"
• Harvard Business Review: "Women in Management: Delusions of Progress"
• Harvard Business Review: "Why Men Still Get More Promotions than Women"
• Harvard Business Review (Blog): "New Research Busts Myths About the Gender Gap"
• Harvard Business Review (Blog): "Women Don't Go After the Big Jobs with Gusto: True or False?"
• Catalyzing (The Catalyst Blog): "Be Somebody—Get Sponsored"

Research Partners: AT&T Inc., Bloomberg, BMO Financial Group, Chevron Corporation, Credit Suisse, Dell Inc., Deloitte LLP, Desjardins Group, Deutsche Bank AG, Ernst & Young, General Motors Company, Hewlett-Packard Company, IBM Corporation, KeyBank, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, McDonald’s Corporation, PPL Corporation, Sodexo, State Street Corporation, UPS