Dr. Stone, Susan, Liz, and Martha are all doing well with both work and family. Their stories suggest the rich variety of possibilities that workers and workplaces are beginning to explore. An increasing number of businesses recognize the benefits of offering employees family-friendly work opportunities, yet it’s fair to say that the majority of workplaces have yet to adopt these practices. History has proven again and again that change is rarely easy.
Change upsets established power structures; it creates uncertainty, and makes those pushing for change from management positions particularly vulnerable if the gambit isn’t immediately successful. After all, very few managers get fired for following established company policy, while backing new directions ties supporters to the success or failure of those efforts. This is why it’s important to share the success stories of flexible work arrangements— these stories allow employers and employees to see the substantial potential benefits of implementing new policies without undertaking the risk of being the first to try a new venture. Managers, and business owners, can use the success stories to bolster their efforts. And, more efforts are certainly needed.
Right now, flexible work options are often limited to people holding jobs with higher education and pay. Karen Kornbluh notes this fact in a New America Foundation report, and elaborates, “Many businesses are finding ways to give their most valued employees flexibility but, all too often, workers who need flexibility find themselves shunted into part-time, temporary, oncall, or contract jobs with reduced wages and career opportunities— and, often, no benefits.”48 In addition, “A full quarter of American workers are in these jobs. Only 15 percent of women and 12 percent of men in such jobs receive health insurance from their employers. “This is certainly not family-friendly.
So how do needed changes happen? Many of the success stories shared in this chapter came about because businesses or organizations determined it was in their best interest to create family-friendly work policies. Often the initial impetus for workplace change comes from an individual, or individuals who have a need, coupled with an open-minded manager who sees that the employee need is compatible with the business, or, even better, overlaps with a business opportunity.
For instance, the owner of Johnson Moving and Storage was motivated to make changes when he determined it was the right thing to do for families. He then investigated and developed options that wouldn’t hurt his business, and soon came to realize that those options allowed him to attract top employees as well as retain those already on board. In fact, offering family friendly work structures has a tendency to reinvigorate the old-fashioned mutual respect between employer and employee, resulting in greater job satisfaction for all involved.
The business community is starting to take note of the forthcoming workplace changes and the need for increased workplace flexibility to keep our economy healthy. A March 2005 Harvard Business Review article comments, “market and economic factors, both cyclical and structural, are aligned in ways guaranteed to make talent constraints and skills shortages huge issues again.” The article goes on to note, “There is a winning strategy. It revolves around the retention and reattachment of highly qualified women,” and later concludes, “To tap this all-important resource, companies must understand the complexities of women’s nonlinear careers and be prepared to support rather than punish those who take alternative routes.”49
Flexible work options—including part-time jobs that pay a fair wage—allow working mothers to continue along demanding and challenging career paths, put food on the table, make vital contributions to our economy, and be good parents. Ultimately this is good for us all—our families and our businesses.