Annual Labor Day Survey of Working Adults Shows U.S. Employees Willing to G
ATLANTA, August 30, 2012—Mom Corps (www.momcorps.com), a national flexible staffing firm, today released findings from its second annual online survey conducted on its behalf by Harris Interactive from July 26-30, 2012 among 1,096 working adults[1] about their preferences around several work/life and flexibility issues. Results show that flexible work options are a priority to working adults when choosing a career; so much that, compared to last year’s survey, they are willing to sacrifice nearly double the salary percentage from last year’s survey to get it.
Survey findings offer insight on gender and age as a means to propagate ideas and conversation on current workplace trends. Mom Corps Survey results show:
– Nearly one in two working adults (45%) are willing to give up some percentage of their salary for more flexibility at work; nearly 10% (8.6%) is the average proportion of their salary working adults are willing to relinquish—almost double the amount of last year’s survey (5.8%).
– The 18-34 age group, on average, would be willing to give up almost 14 percent of their salary (13.9%), more so than working adults aged 35+.
– More than three in five working adults (61%) strongly or somewhat agree that flexibility is one of the most important factors they consider when looking for a new job or deciding what company to work for, and one in five strongly agree (20%).
– Sixty-seven percent of working adults agree that it is possible to “have it all” when it comes to work-life balance, and interestingly there is no significant difference here between women (68%) and men (66%).
– Fifty-two percent of working adults would be interested in starting their own business in order to achieve a better work-life balance, led by men age 35-44 (75%).
– More than half (53%) of working adults think they would get more work done if they had the ability to work from home occasionally. Nearly two in three (62%) 18-34 year olds agree.
“We are beginning to see significant patterns in the value professionals of all ages place on workplace flexibility,” says Allison O’Kelly, founder and CEO of Mom Corps. “More and more, we feel challenged by the collective pressures of a demanding work life, a hectic personal life, and a desire to find fulfillment in both. Mom Corps’ survey findings are especially significant in that, despite continued unemployment and uncertainty around the national election, professionals are willing to sacrifice even more salary to obtain that flexibility.”
The economic state is not a factor either. Sixty percent of working adults agree that the state of the economy has no impact on their desire for increased flexibility at work, with working adults in the West being most likely to agree (72%, vs. 58% Northeast, 57% Midwest and 58% South).
“This year’s increased dialogue surrounding work/life alignment and flexibility issues has helped professionals realize that having even a little control over the way they work should not be an extraordinary request,” continues O’Kelly. “Companies are becoming more amenable to alternative work programs, and as professionals come to terms with the idea of flexibility, they are gaining confidence in seeking their preferred work environment and shaping their careers accordingly.”
Flex and the youngest workers
Sixty-eight percent of working adults report having at least a little flexibility at their current job – a 4 percentage point increase over just last year. Specifically, the 18-34 age group saw 80 percent having at least a little flexibility, with 18-34-year-old men topping the chart at 85 percent.
Compared to their older generational counterparts, 18-34 year olds (65%) and 35-44 year olds (66%) agree that flexibility is one of the most important factors they consider when looking for a new job or deciding what company to work for—while a lesser but still significant 53 percent of 45-54 year olds agree.
Additionally, 41 percent of 18-34 year olds would be willing to take a pay cut for more flexibility at work. Organizations looking to streamline should take note—as this generation enters the workforce in droves, flexibility will be a way to keep costs down but also recruit and retain top, young talent.
Flexibility drives job choices for parents
Consistent with last year’s statistics, more than four in five (81%) working parents[2] feel that flexible work options would allow them to be a better parent to their children. To that end, 71 percent agree that flexibility is one of the most important factors they consider when looking for a new job or deciding what company to work for.
If they can’t get the flexibility they seek at their job, parents will find it through other avenues. Sixty-two percent of working parents would be interested in starting their own business in order to achieve a better work-life balance.
Sixty-nine percent of all working parents believe it is possible to “have it all” when it comes to work-life balance. To what lengths are they willing to go? Sixty-two percent of working parents would be interested in starting their own business in order to achieve a better work-life balance.
“Today’s marketplace has produced unending options that make us more efficient and allow us to spend time in ways that best fit our lives at the moment,” says O’Kelly. “When aspects of our professional lives mirror this, we do better at work, too. While it’s apparent—and not surprising—that employees seek access to flexible work options, the motivation for employers to help create a more aligned environment for employees is that they ultimately benefit from a more symbiotic relationship.”
About Mom Corps
Launched in 2005 by Allison O’Kelly—a CPA, Harvard MBA and working mother, Mom Corps is a leading professional staffing firm specializing in locating talent that does not typically connect with traditional recruiting firms for contract, full-time and flexible workplace solutions. While our core focus is on staffing placements, our specialty is partnering with companies to help them understand how to use a variety of staffing solutions to build more productive, efficient and loyal teams. With franchise offices located throughout major cities in the U.S., Mom Corps partners with Fortune 500 companies, small to mid-size businesses, academic institutions and non-profits nationwide. More information may be found at www.momcorps.com.
About the Survey
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Mom Corps from July 26-30, 2012 among 2,207 adults ages 18 and older, of whom, 1,096 are “working adults” (employed full time and/or part time) and 309 are “working parents” (employed full time and/or part time AND parent or legal guardian of children under 18 years old residing in their household). This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Lisa Tilt, (404) 388-7047, ltilt@momcorps.com.