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• Mar 14, 2007 11:24 pm US/Eastern
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  Balancing Family & Work Using 'Flex Time'

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Balancing Family & Work Using 'Flex Time'

BOSTON (WBZ) ― Trying to balance work and family life is a constant struggle for most of us but a new study by the Simmons School of Management in Boston says that maybe it doesn't have to be that way. They found that a little flexibility can be good for both employers and employees.

Ann Diamante starts her day like any other mother trying to get her kids off to school. Then she shifts gears as she's also a busy executive. They are two different worlds which require a delicate balance.

"It's very easy to feel that you are always on the hamster wheel. . .you are always saying, am I doing the right thing at this point in time," she said.

So how does Ann do it? Her company, TradeStone Software of Gloucester, allows flexible time, so it's OK if she needs to work at home.

"I think you have to evolve into a situation where . . .the time that you are flexing is really a benefit to both the company and the employee," she said.

Fifty years ago, 75 percent of all mothers stayed at home. Today, that number has dropped to about 25 percent, so it's not surprising that workers, and especially mothers, have different needs now. What is surprising is the change of attitude in many offices.

According to Dr. Cynthia Ingols of the Simmons School of Management, 90 percent of women that they surveyed have used flexible work arrangements.

"That just astonished us because it was much higher than any other survey had found," she said.

The survey found that flextime is not only growing in popularity, but that it doesn't impact salary or career. When asked if there was any stigma towards flex time, Ingols says: "I think that we have found there's a lot more flexibility out there in the workforce than a lot of people imagined."

Sue Welch, the company's CEO, says flextime helps her retain good employees and creates a more positive work environment.

"I think that it reflects in flextime the fact that yea, we trust you and you trust us," she said.

It's a win-win situation for Ann's family. She can only imagine how the balance would be without it.

"I think that the end result is the children would have a much harder time. . .and then eventually you do burn out," she said.

So what do the experts suggest workers - both men and women -- should do if they want flextime? Start small and prove yourself. Once you have a proven track record, chances are your boss will remain open to more alternative situations.

(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)