Ever since the economic crisis began, working families have been worried about the state of employment options, such as flexible work arrangements, and whether they'll still exist.     While this may seem like just a perk to some, to others it’s an absolute necessity to having a manageable lifestyle. Flex-time allows many working professionals the ability to hold down a rewarding career while still being able to prioritize things at home.   According to a recent article in Working Mother Magazine, despite recent economic challenges, employers in great numbers are still offering flexible, compressed schedules and telecommuting options. Even with the recession looming and lay-off’s on the horizon; many top firms are still open to the idea of telecommuting or compressed work schedules in order to shave costs. This gives hope to the many working parents who are considering asking their employers for a reduced schedule or the ability to work remotely – without the fear of reprisal.   In this year’s “Working Mother’s Best 100 Companies to Work For” list, a surprisingly large number of companies remain committed to work-life balance. 72% of the winning companies have systems like tracking, training and dedicated staffing in place to make sure their work/life policies are implemented fairly. 86% company executives say they continuously look for ways not only to improve existing flexible work options but also to add more 94% of these companies say that beyond helping to meet the needs of their workforce, offering flexibility is essential to their business strategy. Those numbers give hope that flexible work options are here to stay and won’t be going anywhere soon, even as the economy experiences ups and downs. If anything, many more companies are realizing the value in telecommuting as it saves time, cuts down on costs and creates a happier and more productive workforce.   If you’re currently in a job and want to create a more flexible schedule for yourself, the best thing to do is find out if your company has a policy in place for flextime, compressed scheduling or telecommuting. Evaluate the tasks that you perform that could possibly be done remotely or processes that could be done more efficiently in less time. There are many ways that work performance can be enhanced by working in a flexible schedule, so think of ways this would benefit you before approaching a manager and making a case for this.   For more information about pitching a flexible or telecommuting schedule to your employer, you can also visit WorkOptions.com… they’ve got tons of resources and tools!   Published online here http://www.flexjobs.com/community/article.aspx?id=74 Tess C Taylor

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