Womenomics misses the point - it’s not a ‘mommy issue’
We concur with fellow blogger Leanne at Career Life Connection. If flexible work arrangements are a device that employers put into place - at times reluctantly — to help moms balance work and family they will forever be viewed as a necessary evil or worse - as a perk that discriminates against childless employees.
We know from experience many businesses embraced work-life balance because it was politically correct to do so. But in fact they really don’t believe in them.
Those companies we work with that fully embrace flexible work arrangements for professionals do so ONLY BECAUSE WE DEMONSTRATE THE BOTTOM-LINE BENEFITS TO THE COMPANY - to attract and retain top talent, and to build a highly productive, focused, motivated, and loyal workforce well within budget.
As we outlined in our book, “The End of Work As We Know It” flexible work arrangements are best suited to our global economy and a 24/7 workplace dominated by technology that enables us to stay in touch anywhere, anytime. The 9-to-5 model is simply obsolete. We are often at work before 9 am and after 5 pm speaking to clients and colleagues outside our time zones. The task of writing and creating budgets both require heightened focus and are best accomplished outside a noisy and distracting office.
Why should we continue to staff as though we are manning assembly lines at the dawn of the Industrial Age? It’s ludicrous to create a rigid office structure that binds everyone to the same schedule on the same geography.
