PRESS RELEASE – Workplace Flexibility is Top Consideration for Nearly Three-Fourths of U.S. Working Adults

“While the workforce as a whole is seeing an increase in available flexible work options, there is still a considerable disconnect between what is being offered and what employees feel empowered to take advantage of,” says Mom Corps CEO Allison O’Kelly. “Worse, employees still feel susceptible to diminished career opportunities if they ask for alternatives. However, employees are aware that there are flexible options available, as nearly four in ten working professionals surveyed have left or have considered leaving a job for greater levels of flexibility.”

The big picture comes into focus

The U.S. workplace is undergoing a shift from 9-5 as the exclusive norm to having “alternative” or “non-traditional” ways of working be more widely accepted and implemented. When asked if they prefer to work a traditional 9-5 workday, nearly half (46%) of working adults disagree, indicating they would prefer some level of alternative work arrangement. This is slightly more than in 2012, when 44 percent of respondents strongly or somewhat disagreed with the statement.

To further illustrate the workplace shift taking place, nearly half (48%) of working adults agree they would consider alternative work options (like temping, contracting, part-time or consulting) instead of a traditional full-time job in order to better achieve work/life balance. Additionally, 58 percent of working adults agree they would get more work done if they had the ability to work from home occasionally, compared to 53 percent in 2012. “This is evidence that employees don’t feel the need to clock in at nine and out at five to do their jobs,” shares O’Kelly.

For many employees, significant life changes present a challenge to holding down a traditional job, at least for some period of their life—think elder care, young children, obtaining an advanced degree, etc. Yet more than one half (58%) of working adults agree that taking a significant time out of the workforce to do these things would set their careers back. O’Kelly adds, “We know that seasoned talent opting out of the workforce because they don’t have options to work differently is a lose/lose situation for both the employee and his or her company. Flexible schedules for those who have already proven themselves, but just need a little leverage to make their situation work, is the answer.”

Young professionals continue to lead the charge

Not surprisingly, no age group is leading the way for flexible work like the youngest set. Eighty-four percent of 18-34 year old working adults report having “at least a little” flexibility in their current job, compared to only 67 percent of those 55 and older.

Another point of interest, and perhaps a sign of things to come, 59 percent of working adults age 18-34 agree that they would consider alternative work options like temping, contracting, part-time or consulting, in lieu of a traditional full-time job in order to better achieve work/life balance. This is more than 10 percentage points higher than reported by the older age groups (43 percent among working adults aged 35+). What’s more, when asked if they have left or have considered leaving a job because it wasn’t flexible enough, the youngest groups of men and women surveyed deviate from the norm the most—men ages 18-34 and 35-44 report that they agree with this statement at 53 percent and 52 percent, and women ages 18-34 at 46 percent. Comparatively, of working adults ages 55 and older, only 14 percent agree with the statement.

Even though the youngest in the workforce are most open to flexible and alternative ways of working, they also feel most susceptible to possible repercussions. Compared to the general workforce, 47 percent of whom agree that asking for flexible work options would hurt their chances of advancing in their job, men and women ages 18-34 agree at higher rates—60 and 52 percent, respectively. “This speaks to the gap that needs to be bridged between what’s being talked about in the media and other visible platforms, and what is actually being put into practice at companies across the country,” says O’Kelly.

“These statistics and our other findings lead to many conclusions about how flexibility fits into the workplace, our personal lives and the decisions we make,” continues O’Kelly. “We are at an interesting middle point right now. Many U.S. workers are willing to give up salary and make job decisions based on flexibility, while at the same time feel it might negatively affect their career path. We see more employees asking for the work situation they need and more companies offering flexibility as a proven talent management strategy. The main takeaway from this year’s survey is that flexible work trends are gaining attention and momentum, but we aren’t there yet.”

About Mom Corps
Mom Corps is a national professional placement and career development firm. Companies of all sizes trust Mom Corps as their go-to resource for finding experienced professionals. We help these companies leverage our loyal talent network of over 150,000 candidates, their networks of like-minded individuals, and traditional recruiting methods to find high-caliber talent for their organizations. We attract, educate and place candidates seeking greater work-life satisfaction. Our approach has been recognized in the news media (TODAY Show, Wall Street Journal, CNN, Forbes) and awarded on a national level (Ernst & Young Winning Women, Working Mother, Inc. 500, Conference Board).

About the Survey
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Mom Corpsfrom July 29-31, 2013 among 2,013 adults ages 18 and older, of whom, 886 are employed full-time and/or part-time. The 2012 survey was conducted online 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 the 2011 survey was conducted online from July 27-29, 2011 among 2,127 adults aged 18 and over, of whom 1,071 are employed full time/part time. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.