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Many organizations have transitioned to a hybrid schedule, having employees work a few days from home and a few days in the office, or a fully remote setup. And the reason is not a secret: Both candidates and current employees demand the ability to make decisions and have flexibility within their work environment. They want control over when and where their work gets done, and working from home is one way an employer can give them that. Amid the Great Resignation and a low unemployment rate, employers that can offer true flexibility are at a competitive advantage. On the flip side, it may be challenging for employers to navigate the administration of flexible working arrangements while meeting organizational goals. For example, what should an employer do if an employee provides childcare while also working? How can employers support caregivers while ensuring productivity stays high?

A caregiver, someone who regularly looks after a child or a sick, elderly, or disabled person, sees a tremendous benefit from having flexibility at work. Nearly 40% of caregivers said their managers are unaware of their caregiving responsibilities outside of work, according to the Homethrive 2021 Employee Caregiving Survey. Surprisingly, almost one in five workers in the U.S. are caregivers for ill, elderly, or special-needs adults, according to Caregiving in the U.S., a 2020 AARP report. Parents are caregivers, and data shows that women still take on most of those responsibilities. The past few years have brought on significant challenges for parents with daycare closures and navigating the balance of taking care of children while meeting the demands of their jobs.

Nearly 9,000 childcare centers closed permanently between December 2019 and March 2021, according to a recent report from Child Care Aware of America. While the number of providers has gone down, the price has risen. According to the report, a married couple with at least one child spends about 10% of their median household income on childcare. For single parents, that percentage triples. Faced with this expense, many parents have quit their jobs or taken part-time positions to care for their kids.

Since March 2020, nearly two million fewer women have been in the labor force. And a large majority of working women plan to leave their employers in the next two years, particularly those in nonmanagement and middle management roles, according to the Women @ Work 2022: A Global Outlook report recently released by Deloitte. The main reason cited for wanting to leave is burnout. While 33% of women reported that their employers offer workplace flexibility programs, 94% believe that requesting a flexible work arrangement will negatively affect their likelihood of promotion. And 90% believe employers will not adjust their workloads accordingly if they ask for flexible working arrangements.

Given the demand from both candidates and employees, how can your organization maintain flexible options for employees while ensuring that the work still gets done? Below are three ideas to consider.

Explore the Ways Your Organization Can Be Flexible

Determine which types of flexibility will be offered and to whom. Not all employees like to work from home, and others might not enjoy flexible schedules, so it is essential to survey employees. Understand what they would like in a flexible work program so you can create offerings that appeal to your workers and potential hires. Next, determine which types of flexibility are appropriate for which departments or job roles, and be realistic about what is possible. You must be thoughtful and investigate how flexibility impacts your customers, clients, and the organization. For example, front-facing positions typically can't work remotely, but they might be able to adopt flexible or part-time hours. The retail industry tends not to have much flexibility. Perhaps giving retail workers schedules well in advance (vs. one week) allows employees more freedom over their time outside of work. Consider measuring performance with outcomes. Maybe it doesn't matter if the work is completed at midnight if deadlines are consistently met.

Other flexible scheduling options may include four-day workweeks, four 10-hour days or three 12s, relaxed start or stop times, job share, or a 9/80 schedule (nine hours for nine days with every other Monday or Friday off). Be prepared for candidates to ask what flexibility looks like in the role daily and consider how you could offer your employees just 5% more flexibility and freedom in their jobs. Taking small steps will help your organization work toward greater workplace flexibility.

Evaluate the Benefits Your Organization Offers

Where might there be an opportunity to add or adjust to give employees more flexibility, options, and support? Below are a few benefits to consider.

• Paid time off (PTO) programs: PTO combines traditional paid leave benefits, such as vacation, sick days, and personal time. Instead of setting up separate systems to track the usage of each paid leave benefit, employees are allotted a set number of days, and they have flexibility in how they use their PTO.

• Family-friendly benefits: According to a report released by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP), paid parental leave and fertility services are increasing. Paid maternity and paternity leave are the most prevalent, with 41% and 32% of companies of all sizes offering this benefit. Fertility services include in vitro-fertilization (IVF), fertility medications, genetic testing, etc. While 31% of companies with 500 employees or more are offering this type of benefit, of employers with fewer than 500 employees, only 10% offer it.

• Dependent care flexible spending account (DCFSA) to offset expenses: Under IRS rules, each family can only put aside a maximum of $5,000 a year for this plan. When you consider that, in some areas, childcare for a single child can cost up to $1,500 a month, $5,000 is not much money.

• Childcare: This may include an employer assisting with a subsidy for childcare expenses, backup care programs, on-site childcare, or an agreement with an off-site childcare program. Other options may include paying for a nanny to accompany employees on work trips or paying for summer camps.

Other benefits to consider may include unlimited PTO, an employee assistance program, or caregiver assistance.

Create a Guideline or Policy 

Like Brené Brown says, "Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind." Communication is vital for whatever kind of flexibility you're offering. Be explicit with your employees about their expectations, performance outcomes, and how you are supporting them. In your policy or guideline, include that the focus of the flexible arrangement must remain on-job performance and meet business demands. You can also include that remote work is not designed to substitute for dependent care, but a manager may modify an individual employee's schedule to accommodate childcare needs. When unforeseen circumstances arise that affect dependent care, include in the guideline what an employee is expected to do. Perhaps they should take PTO or an applicable leave of absence or benefit they are eligible for. You may include that working from home should not affect an employee's ability to complete day-to-day functions. Or that employees are expected to be available, responsive, and communicative during their working hours to whatever level the employer needs. Employers Council has a sample telecommuting agreement you can use as a jumping-off point.

The flexibility that is offered in our workplaces will continue to evolve. It's a constant evaluation and balance of what the employee and the employer need to be productive. Employers Council is here to help. Reach out to us for resources on how you can incorporate more flexibility at your organization.