More than ever before, change is a constant presence in the world of work and human resources (HR). Volatile economic factors and the effects of a long-term recession, as well as new legislative proposals affecting HR benefits, are forcing employers to rethink how work is performed and delivered.

Change is not necessarily a bad thing and, in fact, can create new opportunities and trends, even during "lean" business times. What if there was a proven solution to successfully managing this change, one that would reduce turnover, tardiness, and absenteeism? What if employers could increase productivity, customer satisfaction, company loyalty, and employee job satisfaction?

Workplace flexibility options have been proven to deliver the above results. Known as flexible work arrangements (FWAs), these options provide a number of work structures that alter the time and/or place that work gets performed on a regular basis. FWAs allow flexibility in scheduling of hours worked, the amount of hours worked, and/or the place of the actual work. In a volatile economy where many companies are reducing benefit offerings to employees, employers are increasingly offering FWAs to eliminate the pain of business downsizing, while also enhancing work and life balance.

The Hewitt trends bulletin linked to below defines FWAs, discusses employer concerns and the benefits of such programs, reviews the political landscape, and shares employer success stories and implementation guidelines.