These days, “flex work” is often taken to mean one thing: the ability to work from home. So you may not be aware that when the concept of flexible work arrangements was first introduced, in the 1970s and 80s, it referred to a long menu of options, from flexing start and end times to job […]
Flex Work
Bringing Flexibility
What Makes a Company One of the “Best”?
Every year, I work with companies to help them tell their stories on the Working Mother 100 Best Companies application, among others. Although I have been steeped in the work-life field for nearly all my professional life, I am still frequently surprised and impressed by the smart ways my clients find to support their employees […]
The 8 Work-and-Life Changes I’m Grateful for This Thanksgiving
With the approach of Thanksgiving, I got to thinking about some of the things I’m grateful for. Not in my personal life, but in the world of work and life for Americans, in general. While there is much work still to be done to ensure everyone has the opportunity both to earn a living wage […]
The Great Divide: What the Overworked and Underemployed Have in Common
One morning last week I joined a small gathering in a conference room at New York City’s Baruch College to listen to a line-up of speakers and panelists talk on the subject of “Families and Flexibility.” The event was sponsored by Scott Stringer, our NYC Comptroller, who has been promoting city-wide “right to request” legislation. […]
Mika Cross Shares (a Few of) Her Secrets
Mika Cross is a powerhouse. If you’ve ever had the good fortune to meet her—and if you’re in the work-life field, there’s an excellent chance you have—you’ll know exactly what I mean. A work-life professional who contributes her considerable talents to federal workplaces—most recently with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) (she’s […]
The Lie Employers Tell Themselves (and You)
Here’s some news from the American Ostrich Association: ostriches do not really bury their heads in the sand. But I know a species that does. It’s homo corporatus. Although the concept of work-life tension has become commonplace, many employers still operate mostly under the pretense that nobody has a life outside of work. Even in […]