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A comprehensive work-life study finds the percentage of employers offering employees the choice of where and when to work has increased substantially during the past seven years.
Even during the Great Recession, a growing percentage of employers offered their employees greater freedom to work from home and choose their work hours. However, fewer employers were as generous in granting employees reduced schedules or extended time outs, according to the
2012 National Study of Employers conducted by the Families and Work Institute (FWI).
"It seems that employers are dealing with the lingering economic instability by trying to accomplish more with fewer people," says Ellen Galinsky, president and co-founder of FWI and an author of the study. "Most of the gains allow employees to work longer hours or adjust those hours to care for their personal and family responsibilities while getting their work done."
The National Study of Employers, first conducted in 1998, is the most comprehensive study of the practices, policies, programs, and benefits provided by U.S. employers, including workplace flexibility, caregiving leave, and elder care assistance. The study's sample included 1,126 employers with 50 or more employees. Seventy-five percent were for-profit companies and 25 percent were not-for-profit organizations.
Since the 2005 report, a higher percentage of employers now offer benefits that allow employees to choose when and where they work. These benefits include
- flexibility in work starting and quitting times (66 percent to 77 percent)
- flexibility to work some hours from home occasionally (34 percent to 63 percent)
- daily time off when important needs arise (77 percent to 87 percent).
The other major trend, however, shows that when it comes to approving schedules other than full time, fewer employers are offering this benefit. Reduced schedule arrangements include moving from part time to full time and back again (54 percent down to 41 percent). Also, fewer are offering sabbaticals or career breaks for personal or family responsibilities (73 percent to 52 percent).
Another notable finding: A greater percentage of employers are offering assistance for elder care now than in 2005. According to the study, "more employers today (41 percent) than in 2005 (29 percent) provide access to information about services for elderly family members as well as Dependent Care Assistance Programs for elder care and access to respite care, perhaps in response to the aging workforce."
The survey also examines which types of employers are more likely to offer work-life perks. That distinction, perhaps surprisingly, goes to smaller, not-for-profit organizations. In addition, employers with more diversity in senior positions provide more support overall. And when it comes to more expensive initiatives, such as caregiving leaves, child and elder care assistance, and health and economic security, larger employers are more likely to provide the most support.
The report was released as a part of When Work Works, a joint initiative of FWI and the Society for Human Resource Management.
