Do you have a flexible work schedule?

Does your employer recognize that you work best when your schedule is flexible? Are they open to having you work from wherever you are most productive? Do they have an office space that gives you privacy when you need it, and collaborative space for brainstorming? That’s great news. Help your employer get recognized for making strong choices that support the needs of their employees and that build a better business:

• Work with your HR department to apply for a Working Mother Media Survey Award for your employer.
• Work with your HR department to apply for a Workplace Flexibility Sloan Award for your employer.
• Submit a positive review about your employer to Vault.com or to Glassdoor, to help job-seekers see it’s a great company to work for.
• Let your friends and family know that your employer is doing the right thing.

Do you think workplace flexibility should become the new normal?

Whether you have a flexible schedule or not, do you think workplace flexibility should become the new normal? Do you think all employers should improve productivity by allowing their employees to work the way that’s best for them? Do you think employers should trust their employees to make decisions about how to prioritize their time?

“Providing employees with flexibility and family-friendly programs is more than a ‘nice to have’ fringe benefit; it’s critical to our success. Research shows that a flexible workplace leads to more productive and engaged employees, and we have seen this time and again.”
- KPMG Chairman and CEO Timothy Flynn

Here are some ways you can help make change:

• Let your HR department know that the White House supports workplace flexibility and encourages change in the workplace, and that Michelle Obama has made the issue of work/life balance a priority for her work as the First Lady.
• Let your HR department know that the world’s largest association devoted to human resource management, the Society for Human Resource Management, supports workplace flexibility and offers a variety of tools to help employers get started with change.
• Let your HR department know that the U.S. Department of Labor stands behind workplace flexibility initiatives, and that the department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy and Women’s Bureau offer a workplace toolkit to help employers get started with change.
• Stop thinking of workplace flexibility as a benefit. Workplace flexibility is a tool to increase employee morale, boost productivity, and save money.
• Leave a comment below, and spread the word to others to get people talking about why this issue is important.