Last week we announced our partnership with FlexJobs.com.  This partnership combines our software product capabilities for creating, managing, and retaining a flexible workforce with FlexJobs’ credible and targeted capabilities for attracting and recruiting results-oriented talent looking for flexible work arrangements.

Because FlexJobs CEO Sara Sutton Fell is a flexible worker herself, we thought it only appropriate that we ask her to pull back the curtain on her company and her own work lifestyle.

Why did you start FlexJobs.com?

 SSF: I started FlexJobs after experiencing frustration in my own job search.  I was pregnant with my first child at the time, and as a professional woman I looking for a job that was both in my career path AND that would also allow some flexibility for family.  I quickly learned that the search for professional, flexible jobs was very much like finding “needle in the haystack” of ads, scams and other junk.  I was shocked that there wasn’t an easier, more reasonable way to find these jobs.   

 My experience also led me to the profound realization that although women have come incredibly far in the workplace, when it comes to incorporating pregnancy and motherhood into our careers, there is still a very long way to go to find the kind of flexibility we need.

What’s your most notable jobseeker success story yet?

SSF: Honestly, there are so many that come to mind, and they come from all kinds of job-seekers — women, men, mothers, fathers, military spouses, executives, caretakers, students, retirees, etc.  One of the most recent success stories was with a new mother who was looking for a flexible job, ideally one that would allow her to telecommute with flexible hours.  She had actually applied for a job with FlexJobs, and I thought she was a fantastic candidate and ended up offering her the job.  But, she had actually received two other job offers through job leads she had found on our site!  As it happened, she decided to accept a different offer than mine, as it was a better overall fit for her career background and goals.  Although I was disappointed personally, of course, I was thrilled that she had found a great job that truly fit her life!

What about most notable employer success story?

SSF: Similarly, there are so many that are notable or different reasons, but a sentiment that I have had the good fortune to hear from several employers  is that “FlexJobs helped us find the most impressive employees we have ever had – thank you so much!”   

A recent standout employer experience was with Forrester Research.  They had great success using FlexJobs — they were pleased to get a robust pipeline of high quality candidates for their job, and there were impressed with how quickly it happened.  Even better, they ended up hiring someone who applied as a result of the posting!  In their words, “It is a huge success story for us at Forrester, and I’ve shared this great resource with all of our recruiters for our future remote staffing needs.”  

 Our bottom line is that we are thrilled to help great employers of all sizes and in all industries find great flexible candidates.

When you are hiring, do you post the opportunity on FlexJobs?

SSF: Yes!  In fact, we just went through a big hiring process for 6 positions, including both a Director of Marketing & PR and a Director of Business Development.   I only posted the jobs on FlexJobs, and I am thrilled to say that we hired amazing people for each and every role. 

What are your predictions for the next 12 months when it comes to flexible talent acquisition?

SSF: I believe that flexible talent acquisition will continue to increase, and largely due to the numerous bottom-line benefits that it offers employers.  Many employers who hadn’t considered hiring remote staff or freelancers before the recession have opened their minds to these alternative arrangements from a cost savings perspective. 

Additionally, with the long and short-term benefits of increased productivity and reduced turnover, employers are realizing that workplace flexibility isn’t just a perk for the employee, but also for the company!

Have you seen an increase in flexible job listings?  What are some of the trends you’re noticing?

SSF: We definitely have seen an increase in flexible jobs, by about 400% in the past three years.  We’ve seen growth in many career categories, especially education, medical, nonprofit, information technology, and sales.  We’ve also experienced a surge in companies – both large and small – that are integrating a virtual component to their business models, and really implementing telecommute options into their work culture. 

More about Sara…

Sara Sutton Fell is the CEO of FlexJobs, an innovative job site for telecommuting, part-time, freelance, and other flexible job opportunities.  As CEO, Sara is responsible for managing all aspects of the company. 

Sara is a specialist in the online job market, particularly on the topics of online job searching, telecommuting, and flexible work arrangements.  She is frequently quoted in the media and has appeared on CNN, NPR’s Marketplace Money, Entrepreneur Magazine, Forbes.com, Yahoo!, and many other sources to discuss employment trends.  In addition, she is a passionate advocate for work-life balance and the environmental benefits of embracing alternative work arrangements.

Prior to starting FlexJobs in 2007, Sara spent 12 years in management and entrepreneurial roles. She also co-founded another online job company in 1995, JobDirect, which was acquired by Korn/Ferry International in 2000.

Sara holds a BA in Society, Technology, and the Environment from the University of California at Berkeley.  She resides in Boulder, Colorado with her husband, two young sons, and chocolate lab.

This week, we’re getting a reality check about flexible working from Ryan, who really gets into the nitty gritty around the challenges of flexible work and why he embraces them.

A little bit about Ryan:

Ryan Rutan is 25% technologist, 25% marketer, 25% entrepreneur, and 25% silly putty.  This amalgam has led him from being the director of marketing for a technology company, to the director of technology for a marketing company, and most recently the President of Digital-MR in the US.  He is charged with expanding the company’s position in North America, with a focus on business development for their syndicated web listening reports across financial, smart phone, and retail apparel markets.

With 16 of his 32 years on the planet engaged in commercial enterprises from cafe ownership to cattle ranching, he is able to bring a youthful energy backed by nearly two decades of broad experience to his endeavors.

Living across 3 continents, and working in twice as many countries, he has developed an “everywhere from anywhere” approach to work.  He embraces the new flex arrangement with Digital-MR brought about after uprooting a 4 year residence in Cyprus to return to his family and hometown in the US with his wife and dog.  Evidencing a commitment to flexibility, the move was made in 3 suitcases, one animal carrier, and a single briefcase. 

Tell us more about your flexible work arrangement, what does a typical workweek look like?

Because a large part of my remit involves interfacing with my European colleagues, my day typically starts just shy of 5:00AM, with work commencing as soon as the coffee is poured.  In this way, I am able to maintain a reasonable overlap with their working hours. 

We utilize a number of web based technologies to create online environments that enhance communication, collaboration, and productivity between the functional roles within our company, and points of contact with clients and vendors.  I have my own golden ratio, and its 10:1, written words to spoken. This creates a record, and leaves little room for creative reinterpretation (intentional or otherwise) of the details.  Wherever possible, a document takes the place of a personal/phone briefing, a meeting is replaced by a collaboratively developed report, limiting the number of forced interruptions that occur in a day, allowing productivity to stay at peak levels, and the focus to be on delivery of “products” and not communication of objectives. 

An average workweek comprises 50-60 hours, with 6-12 of these being spread over the weekend.

Was your job flexible to begin with, or was it something you negotiated with your employer?

Digital-MR is a digital market research agency, and because we occupy web based spaces, the roles within the company are inherently geared towards flexibility.  My ability to perform is predicated only on being able to access the internet. 

What have been the most notable benefits of your flexible work arrangement?

The inception of my flexible role coincided with an overseas move (Nicosia, Cyprus to Columbus, Ohio), and because of the flexibility, my wife and I were able to manage this continental migration over a weekend, without taking a full day off during the process.  This ability to remain viable at work even during chaotic personal events means that I can limit the tough choices between career and home life, because now they can co-exist. 

The scope of my role has expanded along with becoming flexible, and in addition to the early mornings, has meant some late nights, and long stretches of needing to be on task. Because of the flexibility, I have been able to be physically present with my family as they gather in the evenings, if not separately mentally engaged.  Its a great comfort to look up to their smiles when I retract nose from grindstone.

What have been the biggest challenges you’ve faced working flexibly?

Workaholism is always lurking in the next Blackberry alert.  Because my full work environment is constantly at hand, it is always a challenge to say “no, that can wait.”  Rather than spend energy on making a conscious effort to separate them, it is often easier to give in to the urge to work.  The fact that I enjoy my work makes this a less painful concession, but it does take its toll.

What advice would you offer those who would like to negotiate a flexible work arrangement with their employer?

Prior to opening the dialogue with your employer or partners, strongly consider things like:

How much do I rely on the input of others, and how much will my efficiency be reduced (and therefore my hours increased) if I do not have them readily at hand?

Looking for ways to maintain their “voice” at work, and remain an integral part of the management process.

Proving the concept:  Make use of tools that allow the work environment to be more flexible and productive now, providing proof of concept for further expansion.  By showing not only that your current role doesn’t lose efficiency, but that it can actually improve by removing the limitations of office based work, will go a long way in adding credence to your request.  

Tell us about your “office” space….

My Asus UL-30VT, Blackberry Bold, and a great leather shoulder bag are all I need. I have temporary home office, which will convert to a dedicated home office in the next 2 months, but my approach is more “anywhere with wifi and a wall socket”.  I infrequently need scanning and printing, which require either a trip to a print-shop if I am out (Fedex-Kinko’s are convenient) or are more than handled by the simple all-in-one Canon I keep under (unplugged) the table that currently serves as my base of operations.

If you could describe your “workstyle” in one-two words, what would it be?

Lean + Dynamic

Anything else you’d like to add?

Working in a non-traditional environment brings a unique set of benefits and challenges that should be weighed carefully before undertaking any drastic changes in your own situation. 

I was able to sample a flexible role through project based work with distal offices in my previous company, and knew that it was a good fit for me.  My role is also one that lends itself to being flexible, and my comfort level with the various technologies that support such an undertaking have made it a great experience thus far.

They say “that which does not bend is bound to break,” so I will embrace flexibility and all that comes with it.

So what about you, can you relate to Ryan’s flexible work arrangement? 

Do you have a solid understanding of the legal ramifications of flexible work? 

Are you armed with the right information to avoid putting your organization at risk?

With legislation changing, you may be surprised to find that, right now, you’re not. 

A great way to test your knowledge of the legal implications and challenges of flexible work is to take our challenge.

After you take the challenge, let us know how many of the challenge questions you got right and what surprised you the most.

Also, don’t forget: If you want to have access to a resource that will help to ensure legal compliance as it relates to your flexible work practices and updates you every time there’s a change in legislation, we’ve got a solution for you.  Just contact Kelly Gouteixm kelly.gouteix(at)flexpaths(dot)com or Beth Starr, beth.starr(at)flexpaths(dot)com.

Flex Legal Challenge from FlexPaths & Littler View more documents from FlexPaths

The first week in May is Flexible Work Arrangement week, promoting experimentation with rearranged work schedules and locations outside of the conventional office setting.

To celebrate, members of the FlexPaths team offer their ideas for flexing your work arrangements this week.  We hope that these will inspire you to embrace flexible work this week if you don’t already.  And if you are already a flexible worker?  We hope you’ll take the opportunity to encourage others to flex their work this week, as well.

  Meryl Rosenthal, CEO:

Encourage managers to extend on site coverage of their teams while promoting flex work. Every Friday, have team members decide if they want to start two hours earlier or later to avoid peak commute times. Promote it as a win win for the company and its customers.

  Clare Flynn Levy, Managing Director, UK:

Ask your team to each spend an hour thinking about what their ideal work arrangement would actually be, assuming that their role didn’t change, but if “face time” wasn’t an issue and/or there was no concern about career progression being jeopardized.  How would their work be affected? How would the team be affected? Then sit down, as a team, and spend an hour reviewing them together. Are any of the “ideal world” scenarios actually both possible and win-win for the team member and the company? If so, why not give them a shot?

  Sandy Burud, PhD, Principal:

Pick some jobs that seem ‘inflexible’, like administrative assistant positions — and think about how they can be restructured to make more flexibility possible.  Better yet, have the people in those jobs – not just the individual, but the team as a whole — think about how to use technology, restructure responsibilities and how to collaborate in new ways, to allow for flexible scheduling and remote work.  The process itself – besides leading to good ideas – helps the whole team buy in to the solution.

  Meryl Rosenthal, CEO:

Be proactive.. If you have an employee who you believe can work well in a flex arrangement and it will be a win-win for him/her and the business, suggest it. The increased productivity, engagement and simply goodwill will be well worth it.

  Karol Rose, Principal:

Try a flex simulation as a way to help managers and employees get comfortable with managing/working remotely. Invite employees who would like to work remotely some or all of the time and their managers to participate in a remote work simulation where they work away from each other in another part of the building or different office for one month. The ‘rule’ is  they cannot have ‘face time’ during this period. Managers need to provide guidance about deliverables and performance without seeing their employees. Employees need to decide what kind of support they need and how best to do their jobs without the usual office resources. Both need to figure out what’s required to make remote work a success in terms of technology and business ‘etiquette’ for things like meetings, client or co-worker needs, etc. They should debrief during the month to determine what’s working and what needs to be fixed. The simulation is a way to practice remote work before committing to doing it all or some of the time.

  Kelly Gouteix, Sales:

Flexibility doesn’t have to be an “all or nothing” proposition. Sometimes just working flexibly once or twice a week might be all that you need. With a strong action plan in place for how you will get your work done, you can reassure your manager that you’ve thought through the company’s best interests as well as your own.

  Meryl Rosenthal, CEO:

Attention all CEOs. We just had ‘Take Your  Sons & Daughters To Work Day’. Follow that up by encouraging parents to visit their child(ren)’s school so the experience can be shared in the classroom and have the parents use the rest of the day to work offsite. Have them share the experience with you.

  Robin Roschke, COO:

We know you want to flex … but cross the chasm and improve productivity through flexible work.  Start by test driving your company’s tools. Here are some ideas:

•  Set aside a half of day and declare NO emails unless you need to send an attachment.  Want to reach a colleague?  Send an IM.
•  Schedule a meeting- a VIRTUAL one….insist that everyone be in a different location and turn the video webcam on; share a document and collaborate in real time.
• Got wikis? Identify a topic that you want the team’s weigh in and capture it via online discussion threads, encourage folks to tag their content too!

  Jessica Smith, Marketing:

Try rearranging your schedule to avoid the longer commute times.   Arrive 1-2 hours earlier and leave 1-2 hours earlier.  If you have a meeting later in the day, try calling in during your commute home (using a hands-free device) or video conference once you’re home.

Co-founded by Meryl Rosenthal and Robin Roschke, FlexPaths is a Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) certified business.

What is WBENC, you may ask?

The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), founded in 1997, is the largest third-party certifier of businesses owned controlled, and operated by women in the United States. WBENC, a national 501(c)(3) non-profit, partners with 14 Regional Partner Organizations to provide its national standard of certification to women-owned businesses throughout the country. WBENC  is also the nation’s leading advocate of women-owned businesses as suppliers to America’s corporations.

                                                                                                          - WBENC.org 

Both Meryl and Robin were senior executives in the financial services industries before launching FlexPaths so they brought a lot of experience to the table when they started their business together. However, they have learned a lot in these past several years and offer the following advice to other women business owners…whether just launching or currently taking their business to the next level:

• Audit and upgrade your team regularly.  Don’t procrastinate as it relates to removing talent that isn’t right for your organization– in terms of culture, performance, results.  Set up all arrangements as a trial (3 months) and expect that 50% won’t make it.
• Listen to your advisors.  Invest in the best attorney, accountant, HR, insurance advisors possible and heed their advice.  Trade up as your budget and sophistication allows.
• Invest in the right marketing – being visible with your brand isn’t hard in today’s world of online and social networking.  Invest the time in having a brand and message that distinguishes your company, offerings, and reputation and rally EVERYONE to take part.
• Face the reality that women owned businesses are much less likely to get funding and yes, even the women owned investment funds are extremely challenging.  Women do not have the sustainable business networks that help bolster one another in a substantive way
• Be sure to diversify your organization, yes- with men! 

Finally, Robin adds:

One piece of advice that I heard and did follow was to make sure I had a business partner who was also someone i had a proven working relationship with.  That to go it completely alone is all but impossible.  I must say I can not imagine the journey without my co-founder and friend - and it is the synergy between us that underscores our successes as well as our ability to navigate our errors and the harsh market realities.

Meryl and Robin around the time FlexPaths was founded.

If you’re a successful woman who owns a business, what are your words of advice for other women?

Formerly a fund manager and President of Beauchamp Financial Technology Ltd. (now a subsidiary of Linedata Services SA), Clare is now focused on helping companies improve financial returns and individuals improve quality of life by embracing flexible work practices. As Managing Director of FlexPaths, Clare drives new product development and UK sales of the company’s software products, including FlexPaths Educate (a configurable portal for centralizing and communicating consistent, legally-compliant flexible working policies, tools and resources) and FlexPaths Enroll (a system for tracking utilisation of different workstyles in order to measure ROI).
Clare is the founder of the Equilibrant Network for senior executives interested in flexible work (see LinkedIn group). She also consults for Elsworthy Associates and is Non-Executive Chairman of Grasshopper Porridge.

Why is it that, so often, HR teams “see the light” when it comes to encouraging flexible work practices, but CEOs don’t?  Most companies today are engaging in flexible work, whether their leaders fully recognize it or not.  Some have formal policies in place.  Most consider it to be an employee benefit that they may be required to offer, by law or in order to attract talent.  Few actually embrace it as an actual competitive advantage in business.  As a former CEO myself, and someone who deals with senior leaders regularly, I’d like to use this opportunity to dispel some common myths that I know hold CEOs and other senior executives back from making flexible work a strategic business imperative:

Myth #1:  Flexible Work Means Less Work

People often confuse flexible work with “flexi-time,” a term that commonly refers to part-time work.  Flexibility around HOW MUCH work that gets done is one type, sure, but there are several others:  
Flexibility around WHERE work gets done:  Telework and other forms of remote work are becoming more and more common, having been spurred on by technology as well as by the economic downturn, which has made many companies re-think their spend on corporate real estate.  No one is saying that face-to-face interaction is not important, but do you really need to be paying for all of your employees to be sitting at desks in your offices 8 or more hours a day, 5 days a week?  On average 60% of corporate desks are unoccupied at any given time.  Not surprising, then, to see what was once called “hot-desking” on the rise again, under more palatable names like “agile workplace”.  From a CEO’s point of view, getting your employees to pay the bulk of your rent for you is genius.

Flexibility around WHEN works gets done:  ”When” is different to “how much” - it’s an important distinction.  For many workers, their ability to do a good job does not necessarily depend on them doing their work between 9am and 5pm.  Given the choice, many would choose to start earlier and end earlier.  Or start later and end later.  Or start at the standard time, take a few hours in the middle of the day to deal with other things, and then work again at night.  Most senior leaders do that anyway.  So why not proactively make it part of your company culture?  As long as you are getting your work done well and your customers are satisfied, and your job doesn’t literally rely on something that happens during certain hours (like store operation, or equity trading), why should the company care when you do it?

Flexibility around HOW work gets done:  Most people don’t think about flexibility in terms of the contractual relationship between companies and their workers.  Using freelancers or contractors instead of employing the resource is a form of flexible work, and a very useful one, for many companies.  There are pros and cons that go with it, like with anything else, but in a lot of ways, this is the purest form of flexible work - it allows the company to flex its cost base alongside its revenue base.

Myth #2:  ”If I Can’t See You, You’re Not Working”

Seriously?  More CEOs and senior managers feel this way than would admit it - it’s a by-product of how the last 2 generations have been raised in industry and it takes some cultural adjustment to get over.  I liken it to how a toddler thinks that if he covers his eyes, you can’t see him.  If whether you can see an employee or not is the only thing that controls whether he or she is working, you’ve got bigger problems.  Studies show that flexible workers are actually more productive than workers without flexibility:  when we have more control over our time, we are less stressed and hit our “breaking points” later.  Meanwhile, just because you can see your employees does not mean they are working.  A friend of mind who runs a large online recruitment website and I were chatting on the night of the last big snowstorm.  I asked him whether many of his staff had stayed home due to the appalling inability of the UK’s infrastructure to handle snowfall.  He said no, that most of them were set up for telework, but that they’d seen a major drop-off in online job applications on the snow days.  ”How odd,” I said, “you’d think that people who had time off work would apply for more jobs, not fewer.”  ”Exactly the opposite,” he replied.  ”Most people only apply for new jobs from the office.”  So now you know, just because you can see your employees, doesn’t mean they’re working.  Some of them are looking for another job - on your dime.

 
Myth #3: Flexible Work is Women’s/Parents’ Issue

 
Working mothers have led the way on flexible work to date, and flexible work is definitely key to attracting and retaining senior women, but in this day and age, they aren’t the only ones who value it.  Laws in countries like the UK have, to date, mistakenly framed flexible work as a parents’ issue, when really, everyone should have the right to request flexible work - WHY they are requesting it shouldn’t be relevant.  Flexibility is the #3 thing people in general look for in a job in the US, after salary and medical benefits; in the UK, it’s #2 after salary.  Meanwhile, studies show that people who have flexibility would forgo a significant pay increase if it meant giving that flexibility up:  flexibility can, in fact, be more valuable than money.  That should be music to a CEO’s ears!  And with a labor shortage looming in most of the Western world, flexibility is a massive weapon in the war for talent.  Orange, the UK mobile telco, recently did a study of 1,000 people just out of university:  53% said they expected flexible working as standard when they begin their jobs, and 69% said the option to work flexibly was important to them.  They were not disproportionately female, and I’m guessing very few were parents - to Generation Y, flexibility is a way of life. Meanwhile, with mandatory retirement ages being removed and people living longer, Baby Boomers are looking to continue working too, provided they can have flexibility.   Flexible work is an EVERYONE issue.

 
Myth #4:  If I Let One Person Have A Flexible Work Arrangement, They’ll All Want One

 
The fear of setting a precedent is a big one for leaders of smaller companies, in particular.  Here’s the reality: just because a flexible work arrangement is granted to one employee, doesn’t mean other employees have the right to have their requests granted, too. Flexible work is not “one size fits all” thing.  If your process for making decisions to approve or decline requests for flexible work arrangements is reasonably rigorous (eg. If it involves asking questions like:  Is the employee a good performer? Is he or she good at managing time?  Is he or she doing a job that requires a physical presence in the office 5 days a week?  Is it possible for the team to function as well in the context of the employee moving to the requested form of flexible work? and so on) and documented well, you should be able to make the right decisions for your business while mitigating legal risk.  Just because you grant one employee’s flexible work request does NOT mean you have to grant another’s.  Where companies get into trouble is when managers make clumsy decisions, aren’t transparent or communicative, don’t manage the manager-employee relationship well throughout the process, and don’t document their thoughts and actions.

Myth #5:  Giving All Employees the Right to Request Flexible Work Will Create an Insurmountable Admin Burden

We live in the age of technology, do we not?  You don’t need a large HR team to manage flexible work well, and a flexible work initiative can pay for itself immediately, by stopping even one high-performer from leaving in search of more flexibility elsewhere.  Both employees and managers can be educated to make optimal requests and objective decisions, respectively, using online tools and resources. Workflow can be automated, and records can be stored electronically at very low cost. Yes, this making all of that happen is FlexPaths’ business, but there are plenty of ways to skin a cat.  Technology is the catalyst for and the lifeblood of flexible work - if you’re trying to use paper-based systems, or even just email, to run a flexible work initiative, you’re missing the point.  Don’t be surprised when it fails.

So, dear CEOs, you have a choice:  stick with the myths and bury your head in the sand, or be proactive and embrace flexible work to attract talent, get more productivity for less money, reduce real estate costs, and have everyone (including your shareholders) thanking you.  It’s a no-brainer, really.

Jodi works as a part time attorney in child abuse and family violence.  She started 10 years ago full time and has also worked from home as a contractor.  Now she works in house, part-time, 20 hours a week.  She also blogs about anything and everything at jodifur. 

A lot of our featured flex workers here at the work. smart. blog work remotely or telecommute the majority of the time.  This week, we are featuring Jodi, a working mom who works part-time on a flexible schedule.  If you would like to be a featured flex worker, we make it really easy, just answer our interview questions here.

Tell us more about your flexible work arrangement, what does a typical workweek look like?

I work 20 hours a week, and split them over three days, typically Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  My boss is fairly flexible but because I am an attorney and need to be in court, it is hard for me to work from home.

Was your job flexible to begin with, or was it something you negotiated with your employer?

When I started I was a typical 40 hour a week employee.  And then I left when I had my son and worked as a contractor.  When the one part-time attorney in my office left, my boss asked me to come back in the part-time role.

What have been the most notable benefits of your flexible work arrangement?

My boss does not care how I do my 20 hours, as long as I do them.  So if I need to switch my days because my son is sick or to go on a field trip that is fine.

What have been the biggest challenges you’ve faced working flexibly?

Even though I work 20 hours, sometimes emergencies come up on the days I am not there.  And the judges don’t like to hear me say: “I don’t work on Fridays.”

What advice would you offer those who would like to negotiate a flexible work arrangement with their employer?

Employers don’t want to lose your institutional knowledge.  They will want to keep you.  It never hurts to ask.

Tell us about your “office” space….

It’s in a traditional office building, my flexible work arrangement is about when I do my work, not where I do it.

If you could describe your “workstyle” in one-two words, what would it be?

Productive - in limited time.

While Jodi’s career as an attorney thrives, she doesn’t have to give up seeing her son do the same.

We thought the best way to illustrate the insights we gleaned was to share them via our tweets.

10.  There are lots of collaboration tools out there, however, in the Loose Organizations session, Google Docs was the one that stood out the most.

9. We agreed that talent trumps being geographically desirable.

8.  Companies have tools, processes, and workflows for their employees to use, but the key is working for what works best for you.

7.  Offering flexible work is not about providing a fringe benefit, it’s about increasing profitability.

6. Enough said.

5.  With as prices up, we probably don’t need another reason why telecommuting makes sense and saves cents.

4.  Who hasn’t found this to be true? 

3. Working virtually has business benefits, one of which is potentially increased productivity due to employee wellness.

2.  Simple, yet powerful, statement.  We should remind ourselves of this often.

1.  We need to take ownership of our situations…we can’t expect change if we don’t take responsibility for it ourselves.

Did you attend any of the Work & Happiness sessions at SXSW?  Would love to hear what you learned and continuing making connections until next year.

We were honored to meet so many people who work. smart. at SXSW including Mike Schneider and Jen Lee Reeves pictured below.

Image Source: WhiteHouse.gov

The White House recently released the report “Women in America: Indicators of Social & Economic Well-being” and on March 30, The White House is hosting a live chat with Shine to discuss women in the workplace, education, and workplace flexibility.

Who will be there?

Well, senior White House administration including Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to President Obama and Chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls, and Preeta Bansal, General Counsel and Senior Policy Advisor in the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, to start. 

And you better believe that we’re going to be participating as well.  Workplace flexibility is what we, here at FlexPaths, live and breathe with our clients everyday.  Also, because we’re a certified women owned business, we’re especially passionate about supporting the White House Council on Women & Girls.

It’s our hope that you will want to attend this exciting event too, whether you’re a woman or girl…or a man that supports the career advancement and education of one you care about.

How easy is it to participate?  You can attend via Facebook, or if you’re not on Facebook, you can follow along with the live chat directly on the White House live chat page.

When it comes to the White House promoting workplace flexibility, their initiatives are not limited to this live chat.  The White House Council on Women and Girls also provides a work flex kit with ideas for initiating and fostering your own workplace flexibility conversations.

So let’s recap.

On March 30, please make your voice heard when it comes to workplace flexibility, education, and women in workplace by attending the White House live chat by submitting your questions to Shine in advance.

Then on March 30 at 4:45pm EDT, attend the live chat.

Also, make sure you’re following FlexPaths on Twitter, as we will be live tweeting the event and continuing the conversation there.