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Flex time, telecommuting, job sharing, compressed work weeks, flexing your career according to where you are in life is a must in today’s world. Few families can survive on one income but family must come first so our work schedule should work for us not against us. October is National Work and Family month and today is the first National Flex Day! Not your muscles, (but be sure to get a good workout in today too – flex in the workplace makes that possible!) Working Mother Magazine has declared October 15th National Flex Day. I applaud them for highlighting the importance of flexibility in the workplace. I agree 100% that flex time is crucial!
We should be given the opportunity to take our kids to school, volunteer in their classrooms, be home when they return from school, coach their teams, have personal appointments and all the other activities that are a part of life. People without kids need and deserve the opportunity to take advantage of flexible work arrangements as well. Everyone does. How about those with other circumstances such as caring for elderly parents or an ill family member? Why are there more entrepreneurs and mompreneurs than ever right now? Because we need and want more flexibility!
“It’s time for people and companies to step out from the shadows and embrace workplace flexibility as a core business strategy that will enable employees and employers to compete and succeed in an increasingly competitive global economy—while also ensuring a healthy, productive and profitable workforce in the long run” Carol Evans, president of Working Mother Media
I likely would have stayed at CBS if flexible options were offered. It was a tough decision but I left to raise my kids. I inquired about working from home and possibly job sharing but they did not have systems in place. Companies have to realize how much they would actually benefit from flex time. Technology allows for endless possibilities. We are busier than ever so our personal lives and our professional lives should have synergy. We also need time to take care of ourselves… time to exercise, eat right, socialize, meditate. A flexible work schedule allows you to have a healthier lifestyle.
It pissed me off when Melissa Mayer did away with telecommuting at Yahoo. What the hell was she thinking? Antiquated policies like that set us back. It’s not 1985. Certainly there are advantages to being in the workplace among our colleagues but there are disadvantages too. Balance can be found. That’s a whole other blog post. Stay tuned. Visit Working Mother Magazine to find out the 100 best companies they’ve named as leaders in offering flex to millions of employees.
I’m happy to have found a rewarding flexible career with my blog and my skin care business. However, working from home ain’t so easy. It comes with a whole different set of challenges and distractions. But again, a whole other blog post. What are your thoughts? Do you have flex? Do you wish you did? How does it help you?