Many organizations experience disproportionately high turnover of female employees in part because of the absence of flexible work arrangements. Not only do organizations lose valuable talent, but they lose continuity in projects and client engagements and incur extensive costs when replacing these employees.
Flexible work policies include flexible scheduling (e.g., compressed work week, variable start and end times, reasonable amounts of leave without penalty, and ability to donate vacation time to other employees) and flexible work location (e.g., telecommuting, working off-site). The ability to take a temporary career break and then re-enter the workforce, also known as off-ramping and on-ramping, is also key to ensuring that organizations retain and effectively use top talent. According to the Harvard Business Review, some 58% of high-level female talent experience career interruptions that divert them from traditional linear career paths. These career interruptions penalize earning power and long-term promotional prospects, thereby causing many women to switch employers or leave the workforce altogether. In the "war for talent," organizations need to create a robust menu of on-ramps and embrace flexibility.
Top resources for this Principle
Paid Family Leave of California (English)
The California Paid Family Leave (PFL) program provides income replacement to workers on leave for family caregiving or for bonding with a new child. This (More...)
website provides information and key updates about the PFL program. It includes basic information about the program, resource materials to use at your workplace, and a guide for labor union leaders and members. (Hide)
Web.
Paid Family Leave of California (Spanish)
The California Paid Family Leave (PFL) program provides income replacement to workers on leave for family caregiving or for bonding with a new child. This (More...)
website provides information and key updates about the PFL program. It includes basic information about the program, resource materials to use at your workplace, and a guide for labor union leaders and members. (Hide)
Web.
A Guide to Implementing Paid Family Leave: Lessons from California
This guide provides key lessons learned in passing and implementing California's Paid Family Leave (PFL) program, which was the first of its kind in the United (More...)
States. The guide includes information about the basic components of the PFL program and the history of how the bill was passed in California. It also includes a background on five areas crucial to successful implementation, and key lessons learned in each of these areas: outreach and education; administration; employer issues; policy issues; and research, evaluation, and data collection. (Hide)
Article.
Northeastern Law School: Work-Life Balance and Career Development - A Comparative Analysis of Work-Life Balance for Private Employers
The report created for the GEP looks at four main categories of work-life programs between the US and the European Union: 1) family leave options, 2) (More...)
workforce exit and re-entry programs, including child care options, 3) flexible work options and 4) company wellness programs. It contains valuable information that private sector human resource professionals can use to gain support for work-life balance practices in their companies, as well as information on how to best implement work-life balance programs. (Hide)
Article.
Working (Part Time) in the 21st Century
In the Netherlands professional women have been able to work part-time for years. Now many men are doing the same, leaving them with more time for (More...)
family. This video showcases the positive effect 'daddy days' has had for men in the workplace and their families in the Netherlands. (Hide)
Web.
The Hidden Brain Drain: Off-Ramps and On-Ramps in Women's Careers
This study looked at the challenges and roadblocks women face when they re-enter the work force after taking time off due to life responsibilities.
Article.
Maternity Leave and Employment Patterns of First-Time Mothers: 1961-2008
This report examines trends in maternity leave and the employment patters of women who gave birth to their first child between 1961 and 2008. The (More...)
first section analyzes trends in women's work experience prior to their first birth and factors associated with employment during pregnancy, placing changes in the historical context of the enactment of family-related legislation during the last quarter of the twentieth century. The second section identifies the maternity leave arrangements women have used before and after their first birth. The third, and final, section examines how rapidly mothers return to work after their first birth and the factors related to the length of time they are absent from the office. (Hide)
Article.
The Gender Dividend: Making the Business Case for Investing in Women
This paper discusses how by acknowledging and investing in women, businesses can yield a significant return-a return known as the gender dividend. To fully capitalize on (More...)
the gender dividend, however, countries and organizations must go beyond policies that focus on discrimination and develop solid strategies aimed at integrating women at every level. This report lays out the rationale behind why governments and organizations must look to women as key to their economic growth. (Hide)
Article.
Business Impacts of Flexibility: An Imperative for Expansion
This study of 29 American firms builds a strong business case for flexibility by outlining demonstrated improvements in talent management, human capital, and business performance. It (More...)
also outlines measures used to analyze performance. (Hide)
Article.
Beyond Reasonable Doubt: Building the Business Case for Flexibility
This paper looks at work-life balance in Canada, focusing on law firms. The study main objective is to illustrate the importance of work-life balance to all (More...)
employees and corresponding costs due to turnover. (Hide)
Article.
Mass Career Customization: Aligning the Workplace with Today's Nontraditional Workforce
Mass Career Customization is a guide book developed by Deloitte for business leaders. Centered on the insight that today's career is no longer a straight climb (More...)
up the corporate ladder but rather an undulating journey of climbs, lateral moves, and planned descents, the book provides a refreshing answer to attracting talent and strengthening leadership pipelines while providing more varied and paced career journeys. This mini book is available for download. (Hide)
Article.
Spotlight Webcast: Gender Equality Principles (GEP) and Paid Leave: How GEP assessment tool helps companies develop better policies
Interview with Aditi Mohapatra, The Calvert Group
In most of the U.S., paid leave is only provided at the discretion of the employer since there is no (More...)
federal law to govern its implementation. Aditi Mohapatra is senior sustainability analyst at The Calvert Group and is part of a partnership, with San Francisco Department on Status of Women and Verite that developed a tool for businesses, the Gender Equality Principles assessment tool which helps identify strong and weak points of staff operations. Part of the tool aims at paid leave practices. Spotlight's Jodie Levin-Epstein discusses their findings and the benefits of paid sick leave on U.S. companies. (Hide)
Article.