2014 workplace flexibility_survey_overview of fw_as

SHRM Survey Findings: 2014 Workplace Flexibility—
Overview of Flexible Work Arrangements
October 15, 2014

Introduction and definition
Introduction
The 2014 Workplace Flexibility Survey was administered by the Society for Human
Resource Management (SHRM) to identify the prevalence and types of flexible work
arrangements (FWAs) organizations offer. The survey also examined employee use of
these programs, metrics/analytics on FWAs, success factors, the impact of these
programs on both employees and employers, and challenges associated with FWAs.
The following topics are included in the two-part series titled “2014 Workplace Flexibility”:
 Part 1: Overview of Flexible Work Arrangements
 Part 2: Strategic Use of Flexible Work Arrangements
Definition
Flexible work arrangements, also known as workplace flexibility, or workflex, are a
dynamic partnership between employers and employees that defines how, when and
where work gets done in ways that work for everyone involved (including families, clients
and other stakeholders).
2014 Workplace Flexibility Survey—Overview of Flexible Work Arrangements ©SHRM 2014 2

• Flexible work arrangements (FWAs) offered to employees: Among responding organizations that
offered FWAs, about one-half offered sabbaticals, paid time off for volunteer work and part-time/
reduced hour schedules on a formal basis (54%, 51% and 46%, respectively); other FWAs (16
out of 19 examined in the survey) were more likely to be offered on an informal basis (44%-71%).
• FWAs’ availability to employees: Among responding organizations that offered FWAs, more than
one-half reported that the following FWAs were available to “all or most employees”: paid time off
for volunteer work (82%), unpaid time off for volunteer work (72%), break arrangements (61%), a
transition period (part-time) after a major life event (58%) and flex time with “core hours” (54%).
• Use of FWAs: Responding organizations were most likely to report that only 1%-25% of their
eligible workforce used each of the FWAs offered.
• Success of FWAs: Among the responding organizations that offered each type of FWA, at least
four-fifths reported 13 out of 17 FWAs were somewhat or very successful (80%-92%).
» The remaining four FWAs which less than 80% of respondents found to be somewhat or very
successful were unpaid time off for volunteer work (78%), phased retirement (74%), shift
arrangements (73%), and sabbaticals (66%).
3
Key findings
2014 Workplace Flexibility Survey—Overview of Flexible Work Arrangements ©SHRM 2014

Key findings (continued)
• Informing employees about an organization’s FWA offerings: About one-quarter (27%) of
responding organizations that offered at least one type of FWA indicated employees most often
learned about their organization’s FWA options from their line manager/supervisor, 18% from an
employee handbook or policy and procedures manual, and 15% from HR staff.
» One-half (50%) indicated employees typically learned about FWAs options while on the job,
30% during the recruitment or interview process, and 19% during orientation/onboarding.
• Requests for FWAs: One-third (32%) of responding organizations indicated requests for FWAs at
their organization had increased in the past 12 months; just 3% indicated these requests had
decreased.
• Support for work-life fit: The majority (73%-79%) of responding organizations that offered at least
one type of FWAs agreed or strongly agreed that their organization supported work-life fit.
» Four-fifths (80%) indicated supervisors were encouraged to assess employees’ performance
by what they accomplish and not just by “face-time.”
• The impact of telecommuting: Two-fifths (39%) of responding organizations indicated they offered
employees the option to telecommute.
» Among those organizations that offered employees the option to telecommute, one-quarter
(26%) indicated the productivity of employees who were previously 100% onsite increased;
one-third (32%) indicated absenteeism rates had decreased.

Key findings (continued)
• Managing/measuring productivity of telecommuters: About one-half (48%) of responding
organizations that offered telecommuting indicated they managed/measured productivity of
telecommuters based on their responsiveness (e.g., how quickly they responded to e-mails or
returned phone calls); 43% indicated line managers/supervisors established specific
goals/parameters with the telecommuting employee.
• Changes in FWAs and telecommuting over the next five years: When asked about changes over
the next five years, the vast majority of responding organizations indicated it was somewhat or very
likely that FWAs and telecommuting would be more commonplace in five years (89% and 83%,
respectively).
» About one-half (48%) indicated it was somewhat or very likely that FWAs would be available
to a larger proportion of their organization’s workforce in five years; just 39% indicated it was
somewhat or very likely that a larger proportion of their organization’s workforce would be
telecommuting.

• Over the past decade, research by the Families and Work Institute (FWI) shows that FWAs are an
important part of an effective workplace because of their positive impact on engagement, job
satisfaction, retention and employee health.1 Thus, organizations that are able to offer FWAs are likely
to enjoy a competitive advantage.
• Studies show that U.S. workers, while generally having fewer vacation days than their counterparts in
other developed countries, are more likely to leave unused vacation days on the table for a number of
reasons, such as workload, job security fears and workplace culture. Similar factors may influence
how and when eligible employees use FWAs their organizations offer.2
• Low utilization of many FWAs points to potential organizational cultural barriers that prevent uptake
among employees. HR professionals will therefore need to learn more about when and why
employees use FWAs to fully understand the impact and potential of FWA options.
• The high reported success rates of several FWAs, such as unpaid time off for volunteer work and
sabbaticals, indicate that more organizations may benefit from offering these options.
• Because employees are most likely to learn about FWA options on the job, the role of managers is
clearly central to the success of FWA programs. HR must work closely with managers to inform them
about what FWA options are available, why they are being offered and how they benefit the
organization. Training managers on how to administer FWAs is also vital.
1Families and Work Institute. (2008). 2008 National Study of the Changing Workforce. Retrieved from http://www.whenworkworks.org/be-effective/
resources/national-study-of-the-changing-workforce.
2U.S. Travel Association. (2014). Overwhelmed America: Why Don't We Use Our Paid Time Off. Retrieved from http://traveleffect.com/sites/traveleffect.com
/files/OverwhelmedAmerica_FullReport_FINAL_0.pdf. The study found that 40% of American workers will leave paid vacation days unused.
6
What do these findings mean for the HR profession?

What do these findings mean for the HR profession?
(continued)
• The importance of managers as role models must not be underestimated. If managers
themselves never use FWAs, it sends an unspoken message to employees that discourages
the use of FWAs overall.
• HR professionals foresee a future where telecommuting and other FWA options are more
prevalent. This, along with increased expectations of workplace flexibility among employees,
especially those in the Millennial generation, will mean that organizations that do not offer
these options may be at a disadvantage when it comes to recruiting, retention and employer
branding efforts.3
3 Kapur, S. (2013, Sept. 25). Today's Young People Aren't Ambitious, Care Less About Their Jobs, And Want More Vacation [SURVEY]. Business Insider.
Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/millenials-are-less-career-ambitious-2013-9#ixzz3CjQkFrjn.

Organizational FWAs

Which of the following FWA options does your organization formally or
informally offer to any of its employees?
Sabbaticals (n = 122)
Paid time off for volunteer work (n = 171)
Part-time/reduced hours schedules (n = 215)
Compressed workweek (n = 218)
Job-sharing (n = 118)
Part-year work (n = 85)
Flex time, present during “core hours” (n = 276)
Transitioning between full-time and
part-time work (n = 156)
Telecommuting from other locations (e.g., from
home) on a regular basis (n = 311)
Shift arrangements (n = 100)
54%
51%
46%
40%
33%
33%
30%
29%
28%
26%
37%
43%
41%
44%
54%
56%
52%
53%
47%
53%
9%
6%
13%
17%
13%
11%
18%
17%
25%
21%
Formal Informal A mix of formal and informal
Note: Percentages are of those organizations that indicated they offered each type of FWA. Respondents who responded “don't know” were excluded
from this analysis. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.

Which of the following FWA options does your organization formally or
informally offer to any of its employees? (continued)
Unpaid time off for volunteer work (n = 182)
Transition period after major life event (n = 232)
Flex time, no “core hours” (n = 162)
Telecommuting from a satellite location (n = 232)
Shift flexibility (n = 144)
Phased retirement (n = 135)
Break arrangements (n = 193)
Telecommuting from other locations on an as
needed basis (n = 349)
Alternating location (n = 95)
26%
25%
24%
23%
20%
20%
16%
13%
12%
66%
63%
57%
46%
59%
71%
66%
66%
64%
8%
13%
19%
31%
21%
9%
18%
21%
24%
Formal Informal A mix of formal and informal
from this analysis. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.

To which employees are the following FWA options available?
Transition period part-time (n = 78)
Flex time, present during "core hours" (n = 120)
Part-time/reduced hours schedules (n = 113)
Note: Percentages are of those organizations that indicated they offered each type of FWA. “Alternating location” and “Part-year work” were not reportable
(NR) due to a low response count (n < 30). Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.
82%
72%
61%
58%
54%
41%
41%
40%
35%
18%
28%
39%
42%
46%
59%
59%
60%
65%
All or most employees Some or select employees

To which employees are the following FWA options available?
(continued)
Telecommuting from other locations on an as
needed basis (n = 108)
Telecommuting from other locations (e.g., from
home) on a regular basis (n = 152)
34%
32%
31%
29%
25%
22%
18%
16%
66%
68%
69%
71%
75%
78%
82%
84%
All or most employees Some or select employees
Note: Percentages are of those organizations that indicated they offered each type of FWA. “Alternating location” and “part-year work” were not reportable
(NR) due to a low response count (n < 30). Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.

Approximately what percentage of your location's eligible workforce
uses each of the following FWA options?
Part-time/reduced hours schedules
Note: Percentages are of those organizations that indicated they offered each type of FWA. “Alternating location,” “flex time, no core hours,” “job-sharing,”
“shift flexibility,” “break arrangements,” “shift arrangements,” “part-year work,” “phased retirement” and “unpaid time off for volunteer work”
were not reportable (NR) due to a low response count (n < 30). Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.
0%
0%
(n = 62)
Telecommuting from other locations on
a regular basis (n = 66)
Telecommuting from other locations
on an as needed basis (n = 34)
Flex time, present during "core hours"
(n = 37)
17%
10%
8%
6%
3%
3%
3%
3%
2%
60%
44%
79%
79%
77%
70%
78%
74%
46%
46%
10%
29%
5%
9%
11%
17%
5%
12%
18%
24%
7%
12%
5%
6%
7%
5%
10%
12%
20%
8%
2%
3%
2%
5%
5%
3%
11%
7%
4%
2%
12%
11%
0% 1-25% 26-50% 51-75% 76-99% 100%
0%
0%
0%0%
0%0%
0%

How would you rate the success (positive outcomes for all involved
stakeholders) of each of the following FWA options at your organization?
Flex time, present during “core hours”
from this analysis. “Telecommuting from an alternate location,” ”shift arrangements” and “part-year work” were not reportable (NR) due to a low
response count (n < 30). Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.
(n = 109)
an as needed basis (n = 94)
a regular basis (n = 135)
61%
61%
59%
56%
55%
55%
53%
53%
30%
29%
15%
32%
31%
31%
39%
36%
6%
6%
26%
10%
12%
9%
8%
8%
3%
4%
0%
2…
2…
5%
0%
3%
Very successful Somewhat successful Neither Somewhat unsuccessful/Not at all successful

How would you rate the success (positive outcomes for all involved
stakeholders) of each of the following FWA options at your organization?
(continued)
Telecommuting from a satellite location
from this analysis. “Telecommuting from an alternate location,” ”shift arrangements” and “part-year work” were not reportable (NR) due to a low
response count (n < 30). Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.
(n = 99)
Part-time/reduced hours schedules
(n = 96)
49%
49%
49%
43%
40%
40%
37%
35%
31%
33%
32%
29%
37%
43%
40%
29%
38%
56%
15%
15%
17%
14%
14%
16%
29%
27%
8%
2%
4%
5%
6%
2%
4%
6%
0%
5…
Very successful Somewhat successful Neither Somewhat unsuccessful/Not at all successful

How do employees learn about FWAs at your organization?
27%
18%
15%
14%
n = 211 n = 208
50%
30%
19%
while on the job
(e.g., informally from colleagues,
formally from management)?
during the recruitment or
interview process?
during orientation/onboarding
upon joining the organization?
12%
9%
4%
From their line manager/
supervisor
From employee handbook or
policy and procedures manual
From HR staff
From other formal organizational
communications
From co-workers
From top management
Other
Do employees typically learn about
FWA options…
Through which method/source do
employees most often learn about the
organization's FWA options?
Note: Percentages are of those organizations that indicated they offered each type of FWA. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.

In the past 12 months, have requests for FWAs at your organization
increased, stayed the same or decreased?
32%
65%
3%
Increased
Stayed the same
Decreased
Note: n = 302. Percentages are of those organizations that indicated they offered each type of FWA.

Support for work-life fit
My organization provides employees with the
support and flexibility needed to balance/
manage their work and personal life
responsibilities
Top management (e.g., executive level, c-suite)
in my organization supports
employees' efforts to balance/manage their
work and personal life responsibilities
Line managers/supervisors in my
organization support employees' efforts to
balance/ manage their work and personal life
responsibilities
30%
30%
26%
48%
43%
53%
16%
20%
17%
5%
7%
4%
Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree
Note: n = 304-306. Percentages are of those organizations that indicated they offered each type of FWA. Percentages may not total 100% due to
rounding.

Support for work-life fit (continued)
Supervisors are encouraged to assess employees’
performance by what employees accomplish, and not
just by “face-time,” that is, the number of hours they
spend at the workplace
Management rewards those within the organization
who support effective flexible work arrangements
40%
5%
40%
24%
15%
32%
6%
39%
Very true Somewhat true Not very true Not at all true
Note: n = 235-288. Percentages are of those organizations that indicated they offered each type of FWA. Percentages may not total 100% due to
rounding.

Telecommuting

Telecommuting prevalence and impact on productivity and absenteeism
Does your organization offer employees the option to telecommute?
Yes, 39%
n = 367
In general, have productivity and absenteeism rates of telecommuting employees who were
previously working 100% onsite increased, remained the same or decreased since these employees
started telecommuting?
Productivity
Absenteeism rates
26%
5%
67%
62%
8%
32%
Increased Remained the same Decreased
n = 90-91
Note: Respondents who responded “don't know” were excluded from this analysis. Percentages for “productivity” and “absenteeism rates” are of those
organizations that indicated they offered their employees the option to telecommute. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.

In general, how is productivity of employees at your organization
managed/measured when they telecommute?
Percent
Responsiveness of employee (e.g., how quickly employee responds to e-mails, returns
phone calls)
48%
Line manager/supervisor establishes specific goals/parameters with the employee 43%
On the honor system; there is no standard mechanism in place to manage/measure
productivity for telecommuters
37%
Our standard methods for measuring productivity are effective for both telecommuters
and on-site employees
36%
Employee records time worked on a timesheet or other logging system 34%
Employee reports progress against assigned tasks on a scheduled basis 26%
Organization is still working out how to manage/measure productivity for employees when
they telecommute
23%
Organization monitors employees via software (e.g., software that tracks and records
computer behavior)
9%
Other 3%
Note: n = 141. Percentages are of those organizations that indicated they offered their employees the option to telecommute. Percentages do not total
100% due to multiple response options.

The Future of FWAs and Telecommuting

In your opinion, what is the likelihood that the following will occur?
In the next five years, FWAs/workflex options will be
more commonplace for organizations in general than
Note: n = 363-366. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.
they are today
In the next five years, telecommuting will be more
commonplace for organizations in general than it is
today
In the next five years, a larger proportion of the
workforce at my organization will have FWAs/workflex
options available
In the next five years, a larger proportion of the
workforce at my organization will be telecommuting
than today
39%
35%
12%
9%
50%
48%
36%
30%
6%
10%
31%
26%
5%
8%
21%
35%
Very likely Somewhat likely Somewhat unlikely Not at all likely

Demographics

Demographics: Organization industry
26
Industry Percentage
Manufacturing 22%
Professional, scientific and technical services 18%
Health care and social assistance 13%
Finance and insurance 12%
Government agencies 7%
Educational services 6%
Transportation and warehousing 5%
Utilities 5%
Construction 4%
Accommodation and food services 3%
Administrative and support, and waste management and remediation services 3%
Note: n = 373. Percentages do not total 100% due to multiple response options.

Demographics: Organization industry
27
Industry Percentage
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction 3%
Retail trade 3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 2%
Arts, entertainment and recreation 2%
Information 2%
Real estate and rental and leasing 2%
Religious, grant-making, civic, professional and similar organizations 2%
Wholesale trade 2%
Repair and maintenance 1%
Personal and laundry services <1%
Other industry 12%
Note: n = 373. Percentages do not total 100% due to multiple response options.

Demographics: Organization sector
28
n = 366.
16%
52%
22%
8%
2%
Publicly owned for-profit
Privately owned for-profit
Nonprofit organization
Government agency
Other

Demographics: Organization staff size
29
n = 360
31%
34%
20%
12%
3%
1 to 99 employees
100 to 499 employees
500 to 2,499 employees
2,500 to 24,999 employees
25,000 or more employees

n = 367
Demographics: Other
U.S.-based operations only 77%
Multinational operations 23%
Single-unit organization: An organization in
which the location and the organization are
one and the same.
35%
Multi-unit organization: An organization that
has more than one location.
65%
Multi-unit headquarters determines HR
policies and practices
50%
Each work location determines HR policies
and practices
7%
A combination of both the work location and
the multi-unit headquarters determines HR
policies and practices
43%
Is your organization a single-unit organization or a
multi-unit organization?
For multi-unit organizations, are HR policies and practices
determined by the multi-unit headquarters, by each work
location or by both?
Does your organization have U.S.-based
operations (business units) only, or does it
operate multinationally?
n = 370
n = 245
What is the HR department/function for
which you responded throughout this
survey?
Corporate (companywide) 67%
Business unit/division 15%
Facility/location 18%
n = 245

SHRM Survey Findings: 2014 Workplace Flexibility—
Overview of Flexible Work Arrangements
Survey Methodology
• Response rate = 12%
• 525 HR professionals from a randomly selected sample of SHRM’s membership participated in this
31
survey
• Margin of error +/- 4%
• Survey fielded April-June 2014

About SHRM Research
For more survey/poll findings, visit shrm.org/surveys
For more information about SHRM’s Customized Research Services, visit
shrm.org/customizedresearch
Follow us on Twitter @SHRM_Research
Project lead:
Karen Wessels, researcher, SHRM Research
Project contributors:
Evren Esen, director, Survey Programs, SHRM Research
Yan Dong, Survey Research Center, SHRM Research
Copy editor:
Katya Scanlan, SHRM Knowledge Center

Founded in 1948, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is the
world’s largest HR membership organization devoted to human resource management.
Representing more than 275,000 members in over 160 countries, the Society is the
leading provider of resources to serve the needs of HR professionals and advance the
professional practice of human resource management. SHRM has more than 575
affiliated chapters within the United States and subsidiary offices in China, India and
United Arab Emirates. Visit us at shrm.org.
About SHRM

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