Flex work is being fostered in the business arena as a means to boost employee morale and increase retention. But who's most likely to request such arrangements? Fully 73% of those who responded to the survey said that "employees in professional roles" request these types of arrangements. The study also shows that the employee groups considered most "conducive" to flex work are those in professional roles, followed by those in technical and clerical positions.

"It's little wonder that companies offer flex work," said Mark Vickers, VP of Research at i4cp. "If they don't, they're probably more likely to lose out to their more limber competitors when wooing professional talent."

According to the study, 73% of the 560 responding organizations offer "flextime" (flexible start/end times), while 60% offer part-time work opportunities and 33% provide a compressed workweek option.

Most agree such arrangements pay dividends. Seventy-six percent report that flex work arrangements boost employee morale and 64% say they bolster retention rates. Overall, flexible work options are becoming more common in companies. Forty five percent of the companies polled report that such option are expected to grow over the next year. Just 7% forecast a reduction in flex work programs.

Measuring the viability of flexible work arrangements is also a priority, the study shows. Sixty eight percent of respondents have established deadlines for flex workers and 64% keep close tabs on those project deadlines. Daily/weekly project status reports are required by 43% of responding organizations, and 27% require periodic status meetings.

Respondents thought that younger employees were more likely to request such arrangements than older workers, and women were seen as more likely to request them than men.

But staying flexible isn't without its drawbacks, according to some respondents. More than a third of participants reported that flex arrangements frustrate those employee groups not eligible for flex time; and overall, 20% say such arrangements frustrate managers.

The Flexible Work Arrangement "Taking the Pulse" Survey was conducted by i4cp, in conjunction with HR.com.

Hospitality: Inhospitable for Recruiting?
"It's hard to get young people to work their way up the career ladder in the hotel industry these days. It used to be that someone without a college degree could start as a bell-hop and work their way up the ranks to the executive level. But things have changed," says Linda Lang, VP of HR for Millennium Hotels. (Read more.)

March 27. HR Workforce Modeling: Achieving Successful Mergers and Acquisitions. Webinar sponsored by HumanConcepts.

March 31 - April 2. SHRM Global Conference & Exposition. Boston Marriott Copley Place, Boston, MA.

March 31 - April 2. ERE Expo 2008 Spring. Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina.

April 9-12. 23rd Annual Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Inc. Conference. Hilton San Francisco, California.

April 16-17. HRO World Conference & Expo. Hilton New York, New York City.

April 29. Recruiting Roadshow. Cleveland, Ohio.

May 1-2. Conference Board 2008 Leadership Development Conference. Grand Hyatt. New York City.

May 13-16. Kennedy Recruiting 2008 Conference & Expo: Real World Recruiting for Today's Workforce. Las Vegas, Nevada Hilton.

May 20-23. WorldatWork Conference & Exhibition. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Convention Center.

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September 8-10. 2008 Staffing Industry Analysts' Healthcare Staffing Summit. Hilton San Francisco, CA.

September 9 & 10.
Online Recruitment Conference and Expo 2008. Donald E. Stevens Convention. Sponsored by Onrec.com. Center, Chicago, IL.

September 24-26. SHRM Strategy Conference Palm Springs, CA | Westin Mission Hills Resort & Spa

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October 28-29. 2008 Staffing Industry Analysts Contingent Workforce Strategies Summit. New York Marriott at Brooklyn Bridge, New York City.

October 28-30. ERE Expo 2008 Fall. Westin Diplomat Hotel & Spa, Hollywood, FL.