Press Releases

 Boulder, CO (PRWEB) October 20, 2015

As 1 Million for Work Flexibility, the first national initiative to create a collective voice in support of work flexibility, marks National Flex Day, there is growing recognition that instead of being an unnecessary perk, work flex is a business tool that improves the bottom line. Today marks the 3rd annual National Flex Day, started by Working Mother to encourage employers and employees to unite behind the need for more workplace flexibility.

“We’re advocating for the widespread adoption of work flexibility—because we believe that work flex not only improves employee well-being, but is also a business imperative,” said Emma Plumb, director of 1 Million for Work Flexibility. “Work flex contributes to higher productivity, disaster preparedness, and increased retention and employee engagement.”

For years, efforts to advance flexible workplace policies have been largely siloed. 1 Million for Work Flexibility (1MFWF) aims to mobilize the organizational voices advocating for flex under one national movement. More than 80 advocacy groups, think tanks, academic institutions, and businesses are part of the 1MFWF coalition to date. Priorities include creating a community demonstrating the wide variety of reasons all workers need flex, as well as educating and offering resources to workers seeking more flex.

“Flexible work is often marginalized as an accommodation for working parents,” Plumb said. “But flexible work is a need, not a perk, for a wide range of workers—from caregivers and retirees, to military spouses and millennials.”

As part of the launch of 2015’s National Work and Family Month, both Plumb and 1MFWF Founder Sara Sutton Fell participated in WorldatWork’s “Rethinking the Workweek” panel on work flexibility, along with panelists from Virgin Pulse, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, and the United States Department of Agriculture. Last week, Plumb and Sutton Fell also participated in a webinar hosted by Catalyst entitled “Making Flexibility Work: Why Aren’t you Flexing?” The webinar highlighted recent research from both Catalyst and FlexJobs that supports a strong business case for flexibility, as well as steps for requesting flex from your employer.

“We are often asked about best practices for managing remote workers—and the truth is, many of the ways we manage a remote staff follow the same best practices in onsite companies,” said Sara Sutton Fell, founder of FlexJobs and Remote.co, as well as 1MFWF. “Companies that formalize flex-work can track metrics, measure progress and quantify goals and outcomes—ultimately contributing to a stronger bottom line.”

To watch WorldatWork’s “Rethinking the Workweek” panel, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPOzVipJIzI&feature=youtu.be

To listen to Catalyst’s “Making Flexibility Work: Why Aren’t You Flexing?” webinar, go to:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/4651948305118432769

Learn more:
1 Million for Work Flexibility Blog
1 Million for Work Flexibility News
1 Million for Work Flexibility Coalition Members

NOTE TO THE MEDIA: 1 Million for Work Flexibility spokespeople and experts are available to comment on a variety of work flex issues, including how best to request flex schedules from employers, the benefits of work flex to employees and employers, and specific challenges faced by specific groups of employees, such as parents or military families. Contact melanie(at)workflexibility(dot)org for more information.