Introduction
Introduction
Thousand of employers are launching flexibility programs as stressed workers – squeezed between work and child- and elder-care responsibilities – demand more family-friendly work arrangements. In addition, many employers say that flexibility reduces absenteeism, improves employee retention and reduces costs for recruitment, real estate and overhead. Yet many old-style managers resist workplace flexibility, especially telecommuting, because of apparently unfounded fears it will hurt productivity. Meanwhile, flexibility proponents charge that flexible work arrangements are still out of reach for those who need it the most – workers at the bottom end of the income scale.