Yesterday afternoon, I was invited to the White House to participate in a forum to discuss workplace flexibility. The President and First Lady were joined by a number of work-life leaders and key stakeholders to discuss the economic benefits of flexible workplace practices. Workplace flexibility is defined by a variety of arrangements that allow the American workforce to successfully fulfill the demands of their jobs without sacrificing quality time spent with their families and on other personal needs. Strategies such as job-sharing, telecommuting, and flexible start- and stop-times are all key strategies to help make the workplace happier, healthier, and more productive. Regardless of specific implementation, flexibility’s common mantra is this: at the end of the day, what matters is that deadlines are met, projects are getting completed, and workers are fulfilling their job requirements. If coming to work early in the morning and leaving early enough to see your child’s basketball game is ideal for you, so be it. If you prefer to work from home two days a week to allow you to care for your elderly mother, that’s okay too.

In a study by the National Study of the Changing Workforce (NSCW), 75% of employees reported not having enough time for their children, and 61% reported not having enough time for their spouses. Additionally, more than 50% of employees rated having flexibility in their workplace as being extremely to very important.

The philosophy of workplace flexibility has been getting more media attention as of late. Several success stories were featured on National Public Radio in a 3-day series on workplace flexibility.

As our economy pulls out of the worst recession since the Great Depression, every effort must be made to implement innovative practices to attract and retain the skilled workforce needed to help business thrive. ICW, with the Families and Work Institute and the Twiga Foundation, is conducting a nationwide campaign to demonstrate the value of workplace flexibility as a sound business decision. Each year, hundreds of businesses are recognized for their innovative flexible workplace strategies that are redefining how, when, and where work gets done. ICW is pleased to see that the Obama Administration is recognizing the importance of workplace flexibility and other work/life issues.