Quick Takes

Published: April 2011

Download (Free)

Flexibility

• The Catalyst study Women and Men in U.S. Corporate Leadership: Same Workplace, Different Realities? found that although senior-level women and men showed high interest in informal and formal flexible work arrangements, actual utilization of many arrangements was low:
  • 44% of women used flexible arrival/departure time, compared to 36% of men¹
  • 20% of women could change their schedules ad hoc, compared to 18% of men²
  • 13% of women telecommuted/worked from home, compared to 12% of men³
  • 9% of women and men could change their work locations ad hoc⁴
  • 1% of men and women used a reduced work schedule or worked part-time⁵
  • 91% of women and 94% of men agreed that they could be flexible with their schedules when they had a family emergency or personal matter, but only 15% of women and 20% of men agreed that they could use a flexible work arrangement without jeopardizing their career advancement⁶
• According to the 2006 Catalyst Member Benchmarking Report, high percentages of Catalyst Award-winning organizations offered flexible work arrangements:
  • 100% offered reduced work weeks and adoption leave/assistance⁷
  • 96% offered flexible arrival and departure times and telecommuting⁸
  • 89% offered compressed work weeks and job sharing⁹
• The Families and Work Institute’s 2008 National Study of Employers had numerous findings about flexibility:
  • 77% of employers allowed "some workers" to return to work gradually after leaves for childbirth and adoption; the number dropped to 57% when asked about "all or most employees"¹⁰
  • 79% allowed "some employees" to periodically change start and quit times within some range of hours; the number dropped to 37% when asked about "all or most employees" ¹¹
  • 23% allowed "some employees" to work part of the workweek at home occasionally; the number dropped to 1% when asked about "all or most" employees¹²
  • When comparing data from 1998 and 2008, the study found that two measures had increased significantly during that time :
• 79% allowed "some employees" to change their start and quit times daily compared to 24% in 1998
• 47% in 2008 allowed "some employees" to move from full-time to part-time and back again while remaining in the same position or level, a decrease from 57% in 1998¹³
• In a large talent management survey of the values of pipeline and senior leaders in Europe, U.S. and Asia conducted by Catalyst and Families and Work Institute, "having a supportive work environment" ranked first for women and men and "having a good fit between life on and off the job" ranked third.¹⁴
  • Pipeline leaders ranked both values higher than senior leaders, which may explain why senior leaders may not be able to understand the perspectives of leaders in the pipeline on work life issues¹⁵
• The 2010 Employee Benefits Survey from the Society for Human Resource Management reported what percentage human resource professional said particular benefits were offered at their organizations:
  • Flextime: 49%¹⁶
  • Telecommuting on an ad-hoc basis: 55%¹⁷
  • Compressed workweek: 34%¹⁸
  • Telecommuting on a part-time basis: 34%¹⁹
  • Job sharing: 13%²⁰
• A 2005 examination by the Bureau of Labor Statistics looked at flexible work schedules among all U.S. workers:
  • In May 2004, 27.5% of all full-time wage and salary workers had flexible work schedules that allowed them to vary the time they began or ended work (27,411,000 million workers), down from 28.6% in 2001²¹
  • Men and women used flexible schedules at almost the same rate—28.1% of men and 26.7% of women²²
  • Although about a quarter of employees can work a flexible schedule, approximately 1 in 10 are enrolled in a formal employee sponsored program. ²³
  • Flexible schedules were more common among white workers (28.7%) and Asian workers (27.4%), than black workers (19.7%) or Latino workers (18.4%)²⁴
  • 44.7% of people in management, business, and financial operations occupations had flexible schedules. ²⁵
• In the U.S. in 2010, more women were part-time workers than men:
  • Of the 132,963,000 people at work in nonagricultural industries in the U.S., 25.2% (33,547,000) worked part-time²⁶
  • Women made up 60.0% of all part-time workers²⁷
  • Of the 49,495,000 people in management, professional, and related occupations, 20.3% (10,056,000) worked part-time²⁸
  • Of the 62,844,000 women at worked in all occupations, 33.0% (20,768,000) worked part-time²⁹
  • Of the 25,233,000 women in management, professional, and related occupations, 25.6% (6,455,000) worked part-time³⁰
  • Of the 71,160,000 men at work in all occupations, 20.1% (14,329,000) worked part-time³¹
  • Of the 24,262,000 men in management, professional, and related occupations, 14.8% (3,600,000) worked part-time³²
• In Canada, in April 2011:
  • Of all people employed, 20.1% worked part-time.³³
  • Women are 65.6% of all those who work part-time. ³⁴
  • Of all people in management occupations, just 6.3% work part-time. ³⁵
  • Women were 51.5% of those in management occupations working part-time. ³⁶
  • Of all people working in senior management occupations (a sub-set of management occupations), just 6.2% work part-time. ³⁷
  • Women were 26.3% of those in senior management occupations who worked part-time. ³⁸

Elder Care

• The Families and Work Institute’s 2008 National Study of Employers found that many companies provided time off for elder care:
  • 75% of employers say that they provide paid or unpaid time off for employees to provide elder care without risking their jobs³⁹
  • 31% of employers offered information about services for elder family members ⁴⁰
  • Between 1998 and 2008, the percentage of employers who provided access to information about needed services for elder care increased significantly, from 23% to 39% ⁴¹
• A survey by The Society for Human Resource Management found that 20% of employers offered elder care referral services, and 5% offered backup elder care services.⁴²

Child Care

• The Families and Work Institute’s 2008 National Study of Employers looked at child care:
  • 21% of large employers (1,000+ employees) offered child care at or near the worksite, compared to 7% of small employers (50-99 employees) ⁴³
  • 57% or large employers offer access to information to help locate community child care, compared to 30% of small employers⁴⁴
  • 76% of large employers offered Dependent Care Assistance Plans (help employees pay for child care with pre-tax dollars) compared to 37% of small employers⁴⁵
  • 5% of large employers reimbursed child care costs when employees travel for business compared to 6% of small employers⁴⁶
  • 10% of large employees offer back-up or emergency child care compared to 6% of small employers⁴⁷
• According to the Society for Human Resource Management survey,
  • 30% of organizations surveyed permitted employees to bring a child to work in an emergency, ⁴⁸ and
  • 17% offered a childcare referral service. ⁴⁹

Other Family Friendly Benefits

• The Families and Work Institute 2008 survey found that the average maximum job-guaranteed leave for men following the birth of their child was 12.6 weeks. Note, however, that availability does not equal utilization, and the study found that 18% to 21% of employers (small and large) appear to be out of compliance with the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). ⁵⁰
• The 2010 Benefits Survey from the Society for Human Resource Management analyzed what percentage of particular benefits human resource professionals said were offered at their organizations:
  • Paid family leave: 24%⁵¹
  • Family leave above and beyond required by federal FMLA leave: 20%⁵²
  • Family leave above and beyond required by state FMLA leave: 19%⁵³
  • On-site lactation/mother’s rooms: 28%⁵⁴

Dual-Career Couples

• In 2010, 47.8% of married couples were dual-career couples, down from 48.5% in 2009.⁵⁵
• One study demonstrated how working mothers (and fathers) struggled with work-life balance:
  • In recent years, men’s levels of work-life conflict have risen from 34% experiencing conflict in 1977 to 45% in 2008.⁵⁶
  • Women have also experienced an increase in work-life conflict, though not as drastic; 34% in 1977 to 39% in 2008. ⁵⁷
• In addition, working mothers spent 3.8 hours per workday with their children, compared to 3 hours for working fathers. ⁵⁸

Culture, Resources, Training, and Accountability

• According to The Families and Work Institute’s 2008 National Study of Employers:
  • 50% train supervisors in responding to work family needs of employees⁵⁹
  • 62% consider how well supervisors/managers manage flexible work arrangement when making performance appraisals and compensation decisions⁶⁰
  • In looking for a culture of flexibility, 60% of employers said it was "very true" that supervisors are encouraged to be supportive of employees with family needs; 71% said it was "very true" that supervisors are encouraged to assess employees’ performance by what they accomplish and not just "face time" ⁶¹
  • 21% of employers said it was "very true" that the organization makes a real and ongoing effort to inform employees of available assistance for managing work and family responsibilities; 20% said it was "very true" that management rewards those who support effective flexible work arrangements⁶²

Benefits to Organizations

• One study compared organizations with high and low levels of flexibility.
  • 66% of employees at organizations with high levels of flexibility report high levels of job engagement and commitment, compared to 56% of employees at organizations with low levels of flexibility⁶³
  • 72% percent of employees at organizations with high levels of flexibility plan to remain with their employers for the next year, compared to 49% of employees at organizations with low levels⁶⁴
  • 67% of employees at organizations with high levels of flexibility report high levels of job satisfaction, compared to 23% of employees at organizations with low levels⁶⁵
• Many companies using employee surveys found that flexible work arrangements and work-life balance is extremely important among their employees.
  • 83% of Ernst & Young Canadian employees responding to a survey said that they would recommend Ernst & Young as a place to work as it relates to its flexibility.⁶⁶
  • 96% of respondents to an AstraZeneca employee survey said flexibility influenced their decision to stay at AstraZeneca. ⁶⁷
  • Deloitte estimates they have saved $41.5 million in 2003 from potential turnover-related costs from employees who say they would have left the firm without their flexible work arrangements.⁶⁸
  • 95% of employees at Discovery Communications say flexible work arrangements were a "critical factor" when taking their job. ⁶⁹
  • 1 in 5 of employees hired in the past three years at Bristol-Myers Squibb say flexibility was an option in deciding to join Bristol-Myers Squibb. ⁷⁰
  • Commitment and engagement is higher amongst employees who have attained their desired flexibility. ⁷¹
• A research study of CPAs at large accounting firms found the following:
  • Professionals working under a flexible working arrangements exhibited lower levels of depersonalization and emotional exhaustion, which is the first step toward burnout⁷²
  • Job satisfaction among professionals under a flexible work arrangement was significantly greater than among professionals under a standard work arrangement⁷³
  • The intentions to stay with the firm long-term were stronger among professionals under a flexible work arrangement than among professionals under a standard work arrangement⁷⁴

SOURCES

¹ Catalyst, Women and Men in U.S. Corporate Leadership: Same Workplace, Different Realities? (2004).

² Catalyst, Women and Men in U.S. Corporate Leadership: Same Workplace, Different Realities? (2004).

³ Catalyst, Women and Men in U.S. Corporate Leadership: Same Workplace, Different Realities? (2004).

⁴ Catalyst, Women and Men in U.S. Corporate Leadership: Same Workplace, Different Realities? (2004).

⁵ Catalyst, Women and Men in U.S. Corporate Leadership: Same Workplace, Different Realities? (2004).

⁶ Catalyst, Women and Men in U.S. Corporate Leadership: Same Workplace, Different Realities? (2004).

⁷ Catalyst, 2006 Catalyst Member Benchmarking Report (2006).

⁸ Catalyst, 2006 Catalyst Member Benchmarking Report (2006).

⁹ Catalyst, 2006 Catalyst Member Benchmarking Report (2006).

¹⁰ Families and Work Institute, 2008 National Study of Employers (2008).

¹¹ Families and Work Institute, 2008 National Study of Employers (2008).

¹² Families and Work Institute, 2008 National Study of Employers (2008).

¹³ Families and Work Institute, 2008 National Study of Employers (2008).

¹⁴ Ellen Galinsky, Nancy Carter, and James T. Bond, Leaders in a Global Economy: Finding the Fit for Top Talent, Catalyst and Families and Work Institute (2008).

¹⁵ Ellen Galinsky, Nancy Carter, and James T. Bond, Leaders in a Global Economy: Finding the Fit for Top Talent, Catalyst and Families and Work Institute (2008).

¹⁶ Society for Human Resource Management, 2010 Employee Benefits: Examining Employee Benefits in the Midst of a Recovering Economy (2010).

¹⁷ Society for Human Resource Management, 2010 Employee Benefits: Examining Employee Benefits in the Midst of a Recovering Economy (2010).

¹⁸ Society for Human Resource Management, 2010 Employee Benefits: Examining Employee Benefits in the Midst of a Recovering Economy (2010).

¹⁹ Society for Human Resource Management, 2010 Employee Benefits: Examining Employee Benefits in the Midst of a Recovering Economy (2010).

²⁰ Society for Human Resource Management, 2010 Employee Benefits: Examining Employee Benefits in the Midst of a Recovering Economy (2010).

²¹ Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Workers on Flexible and Shift Schedules in 2004 Summary" (2005).

²² Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Workers on Flexible and Shift Schedules in 2004 Summary" (2005).

²³ Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Workers on Flexible and Shift Schedules in 2004 Summary" (2005).

²⁴ Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Workers on Flexible and Shift Schedules in 2004 Summary" (2005).

²⁵ Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Workers on Flexible and Shift Schedules in 2004 Summary" (2005).

²⁶ Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, "Persons at Work in Nonagricultural Industries by Age, Sex, Race, Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity, Marital Status, and Usual Full- or Part-time Status" (2011).

²⁷ Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, "Persons at Work in Nonagricultural Industries by Age, Sex, Race, Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity, Marital Status, and Usual Full- or Part-time Status" (2011).

²⁸ Current Population Survey, Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Persons at Work by Occupation, Sex, and Usual Full- or Part-time Status," Annual Averages 2010 (2011).

²⁹ Current Population Survey, Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Persons at Work by Occupation, Sex, and Usual Full- or Part-time Status," Annual Averages 2010 (2011).

³⁰ Current Population Survey, Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Persons at Work by Occupation, Sex, and Usual Full- or Part-time Status," Annual Averages 2010 (2011).

³¹ Current Population Survey, Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Persons at Work by Occupation, Sex, and Usual Full- or Part-time Status," Annual Averages 2010 (2011).

³² Current Population Survey, Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Persons at Work by Occupation, Sex, and Usual Full- or Part-time Status," Annual Averages 2010 (2011).

³³ Statistics Canada, "Table 282-00098: Labour force survey estimates (LFS), by National Occupational Classification for Statistics (NOC-S) and sex, unadjusted for seasonality, monthly (persons x 1,000)" (May 2011).

³⁴ Statistics Canada, "Table 282-00098: Labour force survey estimates (LFS), by National Occupational Classification for Statistics (NOC-S) and sex, unadjusted for seasonality, monthly (persons x 1,000)" (May 2011).

³⁵ Statistics Canada, "Table 282-00098: Labour force survey estimates (LFS), by National Occupational Classification for Statistics (NOC-S) and sex, unadjusted for seasonality, monthly (persons x 1,000)" (May 2011).

³⁶ Statistics Canada, "Table 282-00098: Labour force survey estimates (LFS), by National Occupational Classification for Statistics (NOC-S) and sex, unadjusted for seasonality, monthly (persons x 1,000)" (May 2011).

³⁷ Statistics Canada, "Table 282-00098: Labour force survey estimates (LFS), by National Occupational Classification for Statistics (NOC-S) and sex, unadjusted for seasonality, monthly (persons x 1,000)" (May 2011).

³⁸ Statistics Canada, "Table 282-00098: Labour force survey estimates (LFS), by National Occupational Classification for Statistics (NOC-S) and sex, unadjusted for seasonality, monthly (persons x 1,000)" (May 2011).

³⁹ Families and Work Institute, 2008 National Study of Employers (2008).

⁴⁰ Families and Work Institute, 2008 National Study of Employers (2008).

⁴¹ Families and Work Institute, 2008 National Study of Employers (2008).

⁴² Society for Human Resource Management, 2010 Employee Benefits: Examining Employee Benefits in the Midst of a Recovering Economy (2010).

⁴³ Families and Work Institute, 2008 National Study of Employers (2008).

⁴⁴ Families and Work Institute, 2008 National Study of Employers (2008).

⁴⁵ Families and Work Institute, 2008 National Study of Employers (2008).

⁴⁶ Families and Work Institute, 2008 National Study of Employers (2008).

⁴⁷ Families and Work Institute, 2008 National Study of Employers (2008).

⁴⁸ Society for Human Resource Management, 2010 Employee Benefits: Examining Employee Benefits in the Midst of a Recovering Economy (2010).

⁴⁹ Society for Human Resource Management, 2010 Employee Benefits: Examining Employee Benefits in the Midst of a Recovering Economy (2010).

⁵⁰ Families and Work Institute, 2008 National Study of Employers (2008).

⁵¹ Society for Human Resource Management, 2010 Employee Benefits: Examining Employee Benefits in the Midst of a Recovering Economy (2010).

⁵² Society for Human Resource Management, 2010 Employee Benefits: Examining Employee Benefits in the Midst of a Recovering Economy (2010).

⁵³ Society for Human Resource Management, 2010 Employee Benefits: Examining Employee Benefits in the Midst of a Recovering Economy (2010).

⁵⁴ Society for Human Resource Management, 2010 Employee Benefits: Examining Employee Benefits in the Midst of a Recovering Economy (2010).

⁵⁵ Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Table 2: Families by Presence and Relationship of Employed Members and Family Type, 2009-10 Annual Averages" (2011).

⁵⁶ Ellen Galinsky, Kerstin Aumann, James T. Bond, 2008 National Study of the Changing Workplace, Families and Work Institute (2009).

⁵⁷ Ellen Galinsky, Kerstin Aumann, James T. Bond, 2008 National Study of the Changing Workplace, Families and Work Institute (2009).

⁵⁸ Ellen Galinsky, Kerstin Aumann, James T. Bond, 2008 National Study of the Changing Workplace, Families and Work Institute (2009).

⁵⁹ Families and Work Institute, 2008 National Study of Employers (2008).

⁶⁰ Families and Work Institute, 2008 National Study of Employers (2008).

⁶¹ Families and Work Institute, 2008 National Study of Employers (2008).

⁶² Families and Work Institute, 2008 National Study of Employers (2008).

⁶³ James T. Bond, Ellen Galinsky, and E. Jeffrey Hill, When Work Works: A Status Report on Workplace Flexibility, Families and Work Institute (2004).

⁶⁴ James T. Bond, Ellen Galinsky, and E. Jeffrey Hill, When Work Works: A Status Report on Workplace Flexibility, Families and Work Institute (2004).

⁶⁵ James T. Bond, Ellen Galinsky, and E. Jeffrey Hill, When Work Works: A Status Report on Workplace Flexibility, Families and Work Institute (2004).

⁶⁶ Amy Richman, Arlene Johnson and Karen Noble, Business Impacts of Flexibility: An Imperative for Expansion, Corporate Voices for Working Families (2011).

⁶⁷ Amy Richman, Arlene Johnson and Karen Noble, Business Impacts of Flexibility: An Imperative for Expansion, Corporate Voices for Working Families (2011).

⁶⁸ Amy Richman, Arlene Johnson and Karen Noble, Business Impacts of Flexibility: An Imperative for Expansion, Corporate Voices for Working Families (2011).

⁶⁹ Amy Richman, Arlene Johnson and Karen Noble, Business Impacts of Flexibility: An Imperative for Expansion, Corporate Voices for Working Families (2011).

⁷⁰ Amy Richman, Arlene Johnson and Karen Noble, Business Impacts of Flexibility: An Imperative for Expansion, Corporate Voices for Working Families (2011).

⁷¹ Amy Richman, Arlene Johnson and Karen Noble, Business Impacts of Flexibility: An Imperative for Expansion, Corporate Voices for Working Families (2011).

⁷² Elizabeth Dreike Almer and Steven E. Kaplan, "The Effects of Flexible Work Arrangements on Stressors, Burnout, and Behavioral Job Outcomes in Public Accounting," Behavioral Research in Accounting, vol. 14 (2002).

⁷³ Elizabeth Dreike Almer and Steven E. Kaplan, "The Effects of Flexible Work Arrangements on Stressors, Burnout, and Behavioral Job Outcomes in Public Accounting," Behavioral Research in Accounting, vol. 14 (2002).

⁷⁴ Elizabeth Dreike Almer and Steven E. Kaplan, "The Effects of Flexible Work Arrangements on Stressors, Burnout, and Behavioral Job Outcomes in Public Accounting," Behavioral Research in Accounting, vol. 14 (2002).

UPDATED April 28, 2011