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Flexible Work Options: Flexible Schedule

Statistic # 312

In 2001, 28.8% of male and 23.5% of female full-time wage and salary workers age 55 and above reported that they had flexible schedules at their primary jobs.

U.S. Census Bureau. (2005). U.S. Census Bureau, statistical abstract of the United States: 2004-2005. Labor force, employment, and earnings. (Section 12, Table 588, p. 381). Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 15, 2005, from http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-abstract-2001_2005.html

"This section presents statistics on the labor force; its distribution by occupation and industry affiliation; and the supply of, demand for, and conditions of labor. The chief source of these data is the Current Population Survey (CPS) conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)."

Flexible Work Options: Flexible Schedule

Statistic # 1559

"Workers in the 55-64 year-old age group use options such as flexible work hours less than employees in other age groups." For example, only 11.2% of workers aged 55-64 use flexible work schedules "a lot", compared to 20.7% of workers aged 18-24.

Pitt-Catsouphes, M., & Smyer, M. A. (2006). One size doesn't fit all: Workplace flexibility (Issue Brief No. 05). Chestnut Hill, MA: Boston College Center on Aging & Work/Workplace Flexibility. Retrieved October 30, 2007 from http://agingandwork.bc.edu/documents/IB05_OneSizeDoesntFit_001.pdf

"This Issue Brief discusses opportunities to create flexible workplaces by restructuring jobs and redesigning work."

Flexible Work Options: Flexible Schedule

Statistic # 1560

"According to data from the National Study of Employers conducted by the Families and Work Institute, 68 percent of U.S. workplaces allow some of their employees to periodically change starting and quitting time, and 33 percent report that they allow all or most of their employees to do this."

Flexible Work Options: Flexible Schedule

Statistic # 1561

"...the National Study of Employers found that 53 percent of all organizations report that they allow some employees to move from full- to part-time and back again while remaining in the same position or level, while 21 percent indicated that they allow all or most employees to do this."

Flexible Work Options: Flexible Schedule

Statistic # 1562

"Information gathered by the Families and Work Institute indicates that workers in the 55-64 age bracket are less likely than those 65 years and over to feel that part-time and part-year options are available to them.

Flexible Work Options: Flexible Schedule

Statistic # 1659

Among employers participating in a 2007 national study, 41.4% report that "most/all" full-time employees have the option of requesting changes in starting and quitting times from time to time, and 18.4% may request changes for start/finish times daily. (p. 16)

Pitt-Catsouphes, M., Smyer, M. A., Matz-Costa, C., & Kane, K. (2007). The national study report: Phase II of the national study of business strategy and workforce development (Research Highlight No. 04). Chestnut Hill, MA: The Center on Aging & Work/Workplace Flexibility. Retrieved August 22, 2007 from http://agingandwork.bc.edu/documents/RH04_NationalStudy_03-07_004.pdf

The National Study of Business Strategy and Workforce Development is a 2007 study carried out by The Center on Aging & Work/Workplace Flexibility at Boston College. Human resource professionals at 578 non-governmental organizations with 50 or more employees completed a survey about their organization's response to the aging workforce. At these organizations, approximately three-fourths of the employees were full-time, almost half were women and one-third were members of a racial/ethnic minority group.

Flexible Work Options: Flexible Schedule

Statistic # 1660

Among employers participating in a 2007 national study, 39.6% reported that "most/all" of their full-time employees have the option of choosing a schedule that varies from the typical schedule at the worksite; 34% have control over when they take breaks. (p. 16)

Pitt-Catsouphes, M., Smyer, M. A., Matz-Costa, C., & Kane, K. (2007). The national study report: Phase II of the national study of business strategy and workforce development (Research Highlight No. 04). Chestnut Hill, MA: The Center on Aging & Work/Workplace Flexibility. Retrieved August 22, 2007 from http://agingandwork.bc.edu/documents/RH04_NationalStudy_03-07_004.pdf

The National Study of Business Strategy and Workforce Development is a 2007 study carried out by The Center on Aging & Work/Workplace Flexibility at Boston College. Human resource professionals at 578 non-governmental organizations with 50 or more employees completed a survey about their organization's response to the aging workforce. At these organizations, approximately three-fourths of the employees were full-time, almost half were women and one-third were members of a racial/ethnic minority group.

Flexible Work Options: Flexible Schedule

Statistic # 1664

According to a 2007 national study of employers, 25.5% of the respondants indicated that most/all of their full-time employees have input into the decisions about the amount of paid or unpaid overtime hours that they work. (p. 16)

Pitt-Catsouphes, M., Smyer, M. A., Matz-Costa, C., & Kane, K. (2007). The national study report: Phase II of the national study of business strategy and workforce development (Research Highlight No. 04). Chestnut Hill, MA: The Center on Aging & Work/Workplace Flexibility. Retrieved August 22, 2007 from http://agingandwork.bc.edu/documents/RH04_NationalStudy_03-07_004.pdf

The National Study of Business Strategy and Workforce Development is a 2007 study carried out by The Center on Aging & Work/Workplace Flexibility at Boston College. Human resource professionals at 578 non-governmental organizations with 50 or more employees completed a survey about their organization's response to the aging workforce. At these organizations, approximately three-fourths of the employees were full-time, almost half were women and one-third were members of a racial/ethnic minority group.

Flexible Work Options: Flexible Schedule

Statistic # 1667

According to a 2007 national study of employers, 23.8% of the respondents indicated that most/all of their full-time employees have the option to make choices about the shifts that they work and 20.7% of the respondents offer the option of a compressed work week. (p. 16)

Pitt-Catsouphes, M., Smyer, M. A., Matz-Costa, C., & Kane, K. (2007). The national study report: Phase II of the national study of business strategy and workforce development (Research Highlight No. 04). Chestnut Hill, MA: The Center on Aging & Work/Workplace Flexibility. Retrieved August 22, 2007 from http://agingandwork.bc.edu/documents/RH04_NationalStudy_03-07_004.pdf

The National Study of Business Strategy and Workforce Development is a 2007 study carried out by The Center on Aging & Work/Workplace Flexibility at Boston College. Human resource professionals at 578 non-governmental organizations with 50 or more employees completed a survey about their organization's response to the aging workforce. At these organizations, approximately three-fourths of the employees were full-time, almost half were women and one-third were members of a racial/ethnic minority group.

Flexible Work Options: Flexible Schedule

Statistic # 1853

In a 2007 survey of employees, 76% of Mature workers said "Freedom to set own hours if the work gets done" is appealing, compared to 74% of Baby Boomers, 73% of Generation X workers, and 63 % of Generation Y workers. (Fig. 07, p. 12)

Generations are defined as: Generation Y = adults whose birth year falls between 1980 and 1988; Generation X = 1965 and 1979; Baby Boomer = 1946 and 1964; Mature = 1900 and 1945.

Ranstad Work Solutions. (2007). The world of work 2007. Rochester, NY: Harris Interactive, Inc. Retrieved January 24, 2008 from http://www.us.randstad.com/the%20world%20of%20work%202007.pdf

The findings in this report are based on 3,139 interviews conducted online by Harris Interactive in 2007. Among these are 1,251 employers and 1,888 employees in the United States. The sample for employees consisted of U.S. residents who are 18 years of age or older who are currently employed fulltime or self-employed in a company with at least five employees. For employers, the sample consisted of U.S. business professionals who are 18 years of age or older and who make strategic Human Resources decisions or strongly influence those decisions and have been doing so for at least six months...and who were employed in an organization with at least five employees.

Flexible Work Options: Flexible Schedule

Statistic # 1855

In a 2007 survey of employees, 44% of Mature workers said a "Four-day work week with 10-hour days" is appealing, compared with 58% of Baby Boomers, 52% of Generation X workers, and 42% of Generation Y workers. (Fig. 07, p. 12)Generations are defined as: Generation Y = adults whose birth year falls between 1980 and 1988; Generation X = 1965 and 1979; Baby Boomer = 1946 and 1964; Mature = 1900 and 1945.

Ranstad Work Solutions. (2007). The world of work 2007. Rochester, NY: Harris Interactive, Inc. Retrieved January 24, 2008 from http://www.us.randstad.com/the%20world%20of%20work%202007.pdf

The findings in this report are based on 3,139 interviews conducted online by Harris Interactive in 2007. Among these are 1,251 employers and 1,888 employees in the United States. The sample for employees consisted of U.S. residents who are 18 years of age or older who are currently employed fulltime or self-employed in a company with at least five employees. For employers, the sample consisted of U.S. business professionals who are 18 years of age or older and who make strategic Human Resources decisions or strongly influence those decisions and have been doing so for at least six months...and who were employed in an organization with at least five employees.

Flexible Work Options: Flexible Schedule

Statistic # 2069

According to a 2006 survey of employers, the most frequently used strategies to retain older workers are alternative work schedules (48%) and consulting assignments (42%). (p. 12)

Corporate Voices for Working Families, WorldatWork, & Buck Consultants. (2006). The real talent debate: Will aging boomers deplete the workforce?. Washington, DC: Corporate Voices for Working Families. Retrieved from http://www.cvworkingfamilies.org/downloads/TalentDebate.pdf?CFID=22487671&CFTOKEN=60403015

In October, 2006, an Internet-based survey was used to evaluate the impact of an aging workforce on the American marketplace. Four hundred eighty-seven organizations contributed to the survey database. Approximately 64 percent of the responses came from companies having 1,000 employees or more, with 20 percent of the companies surveyed reporting at least 20,000 employees. The primary objective of this survey was to assess the overall degree to which respondents considered the pending retirement of "baby boomer" employees, and reduced employee availability in succeeding generations, to be a significant issue.

Flexible Work Options: Flexible Schedule

Statistic # 2181

A 2007 analysis of Health and Retirement Survey data showed that among "employed adults born between 1931 and 1941, availability of time flexibility is far from universal. Thirty-four percent of single men and women reported that they could reduce their hours on the job. However, only 11 percent of married couples report that both spouses had access to this type of policy. An additional 41 percent of dual-earner couples said that only one spouse could reduce their hours." (fig. 3, p. 7)

Havens, J., & McNamara, T. K. (2007). Civic engagement: Volunteering dynamics and flexible work options (Issue Brief No. 07). Chestnut Hill, MA: Boston College Center on Aging & Work/Workplace Flexibility. Retrieved from http://agingandwork.bc.edu/documents/IB07_VolunteeringDynamics_000.pdf

"This Brief both describes volunteering behavior among older adults, compared to volunteering behavior among the adult population as a whole, and considers the possibilities for workplace policies to encourage or discourage volunteering in this subset of the population." (p. 1)

Flexible Work Options: Flexible Schedule

Statistic # 1523

In a 2004 survey on phased retirement preferences, older workers said they hoped to work part-time (63 percent) or more flexible hours (48 percent). Sixty-three percent of currents workers aged 50 and older want to phase in an entirely different career. There is a gap between employee preferences and what their current employers allow.

Watson Wyatt Worldwide. (2004). Phased retirement. aligning employer programs with worker preferences. 2004 survey report. Washington, DC: Author.

"This report explores how and why workers phase and how phasing affects when workers fully retire. This information can help employers shape phased retirement programs that will enable them to more effectively manage their workforce and ensure an adequate supply of talent and experience in the years to come. To better understand the phasing process, Watson Wyatt Worldwide commissioned a telephone survey in 2003 of 1,000 individuals between the ages of 50 and 70."

Flexible Work Options: Flexible Schedule

Statistic # 1088

The National Study of Employers, which surveyed workplaces with 50 or more employees, found that 38% of employers allow some employees to work part year on an annual basis in comparison to 16% of employers that allow all or most employees to work part year on an annual basis. (Table 3, p.6)

Families and Work Institute. (2005, September).2005 National Study of Employers. New York, NY: Bond, T. J., Galinsky, E., Kim, S. S., & Brownfield, E. Retrieved August 02, 2006, from http://familiesandwork.org/press/2005nserelease.html#nse

“Families and Work Institute’s 2005 National Study of Employers (NSE) is one of the most comprehensive and far-reaching study of the practices, policies, programs and benefits provided by U.S. employers to address the changing needs of today’s workforce and workplace…will provide ongoing measurements of employer work life benefits, policies, and practices. In 2005, it was redesigned to include a nationally representative sample of employers with 50 or more employers…The 2005 NSE sample included 1,092 employers with 50 or more employees-66 percent are for-profit companies and 34 percent are nonprofit organizations; 44 percent operate at only one location, while 56 percent have operations at more than one location.”

Flexible Work Options: Flexible Schedule

Statistic # 1087

The National Study of Employers, which surveyed workplaces with 50 or more employees, found that 73% of employers allow some employees to take extended career breaks for care giving or other family/ personal responsibilities in comparison to 57% of employers that allow all or most employees to take extended career breaks for care giving or other family/ personal responsibilities. (Table 3, p.6)

Families and Work Institute. (2005, September).2005 National Study of Employers. New York, NY: Bond, T. J., Galinsky, E., Kim, S. S., & Brownfield, E. Retrieved August 02, 2006, from http://familiesandwork.org/press/2005nserelease.html#nse

“Families and Work Institute’s 2005 National Study of Employers (NSE) is one of the most comprehensive and far-reaching study of the practices, policies, programs and benefits provided by U.S. employers to address the changing needs of today’s workforce and workplace…will provide ongoing measurements of employer work life benefits, policies, and practices. In 2005, it was redesigned to include a nationally representative sample of employers with 50 or more employers…The 2005 NSE sample included 1,092 employers with 50 or more employees-66 percent are for-profit companies and 34 percent are nonprofit organizations; 44 percent operate at only one location, while 56 percent have operations at more than one location.”

Flexible Work Options: Flexible Schedule

Statistic # 342

According to the Current Population Survey conducted by Census Bureau, in 2001, 30.3% of full time wage and salaried workers aged 25 to 34 used flexible schedules for their primary jobs; in contrast to 29.9% of those aged 35 to 44, 29.2% of those aged 45 to 54, 26.4% of those aged 55 to 64, and 31.2% of those 65 years and older used flexible schedules for their primary jobs.

Flexible Work Options: Flexible Schedule

Statistic # 343

According to the 2001 Current Population Survey conducted by Census Bureau, the use of flexible schedules varies by gender, with higher percentages of men reporting use than women in every age group. 31.2% of men 45 to 54 years old use flexible schedules in contrast to 26.8% of women; 28.8% of men 55-64 use in comparison to 23.5% of the women; and 36.7% of the men 65 years and older in comparison to the 22.0% of the women.

U.S. Census Bureau. (2005). U.S. Census Bureau, statistical abstract of the United States: 2004-2005. Labor force, employment, and earnings. (Section 12, Table 588, p. 381). Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 15, 2005, from http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-abstract-2001_2005.html

"This section presents statistics on the labor force; its distribution by occupation and industry affiliation; and the supply of, demand for, and conditions of labor. The chief source of these data is the Current Population Survey (CPS) conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)."

Flexible Work Options: Flexible Schedule

Statistic # 367

The Conference Board reports that nearly half of the respondents to its recent survey stated that "more flexibility in working hours would prevent them from retiring." (p.22).

Parkinson, D. (2002). Voices of experience: Mature workers in the future workforce. New York, NY: The Conference Board.

"Anticipating the impact of demographic trends on businesses, The Conference Board has been engaged in research examining the aging population, health care for retired employees, and the opportunities and constraints of employing older workers. The Board convened the Engaging Mature Workers Working Group in September 2000 to address the challenge of maintaining a productive workforce in an aging society. HR executives representing corporate staffing, benefits administration, and diversity management functions at 15 leading companies are lending their expertise to developing business strategies that maximize the talents of mature workers...the working group developed the Life Planning Survey to explore the retirement intentions and perspectives of employees aged 50 and above at eight working group member companies...the core analysis of 1,645 applicable survey responses, the study includes quotes from over 80 "voices".

Flexible Work Options: Flexible Schedule

Statistic # 373

Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) found that 40% of the HR professionals responding to its recent Future of the U.S. Labor Pool Survey states that their companies offer flexible schedules as one step to address possible workforce shortages. (Table 5, p.9)

Society for Human Resource Management. (2005, June). 2005 Future of the U.S. labor pool. Survey report. Alexandria, VA: Collison, J.

“In February 2005, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on the labor pool with HR professionals. The survey explored workforce eligibility for retirement, competencies, school-to-work programs, incumbent worker training programs and dislocated worker training programs. At the same time, SHRM conducted a companion survey with individuals 55 or older regarding retirement. The following report provides an analysis of the survey results. Throughout this report, analyses by organization staff size, sector, profit status, industry, gender, current employment status and position are included, when applicable. Copies of both versions of the survey instrument are included at the end of the report.”

Flexible Work Options: Flexible Schedule

Statistic # 374

The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory has reported that "70 % of flexible-hours employees are retirees." (p.1)

AARP. (2004, November & December). AARP’s best employers for workers over 50. [Electronic version]. AARP Magazine. Retrieved October 21, 2004 from http://www.aarpmagazine.org/lifestyle/Articles/a2004-09-22-mag-bestchart.html?

Flexible Work Options: Flexible Schedule

Statistic # 391

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in 2001 that only 26.4 percent of workers between the ages of 55-64 years had access to flexible schedules.

U.S. Census Bureau. (2005). U.S. Census Bureau, statistical abstract of the United States: 2004-2005. Labor force, employment, and earnings. (Section 12, Table 588, p. 381). Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 15, 2005, from http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-abstract-2001_2005.html

Flexible Work Options: Flexible Schedule

Statistic # 858

"55-59 year-old employees are more likely to want access to financial planning resources; those between the ages of 60-65 are more interested in flexible schedules and job design; and workers in the 66-70 age bracket place more value on social interaction and mental stimulation." (p.23)

MetLife Mature Market Institute. (2006, April). Living longer, working longer: The changing landscape of the aging workforce- a MetLife Study. New York, NY: MetLife Mature Market Institute, DeLong, D., & Zogby International. Retrieved August 10, 2006, from http://www.metlife.com/WPSAssets/93703586101144176243V1FLivingLonger.pdf

"This study describes the decisions that older workers are actually making about work and retirement. It reports on their experiences more than their expectations of the journey into retirement, assuming that life stage is not defined by some date, but is rather an ongoing process… It consisted of an interactive online survey conducted by Zogby with a panel of 2,719 respondents. To qualify for the study, participants had to be between the ages of 55-70. Slight weights were added to region, race and gender to more accurately reflect the population of U.S. adults. A primary focus of the 50-question survey was to better understand the experiences and behaviors of the aging workforce, so the survey included many questions asked only of people who were still working or seeking work, either full- or part-time.”

Flexible Work Options: Flexible Schedule

Statistic # 973

According to the 2003 SHRM Older Workers Survey, organizations are preparing for the possibility of a shortage of workers due to the retiring baby boom generation by: increased training (36%), succession plans/replacement charts (29%), flexible scheduling (21%), created bridge employment (20%), capture institutional memory/organizational knowledge (18%), increased recruiting (16%), phased/gradual retirement (10%), and doing nothing (32%). (p.9, Chart 13).

Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E.M.

"Invitations went out to 2,500 SHRM members with 357 invitations returned. The survey received a 20% response rate, with 428 HR professionals completing it. The following report analyzes the results of the survey. It contains numerous tables and charts that capture the participants' responses...The results are first analyzed by overall resonses and then by industry, size, and sector."

Flexible Work Options: Flexible Schedule

Statistic # 1076

The National Study of Employers, which surveyed workplaces with 50 or more employees, found that 68% of employers allow some employees to periodically change the starting and quitting times in comparison to 33% of employers that allow all or most employees to periodically change the starting and quitting times. (Table 3, p.6)

Families and Work Institute. (2005, September).2005 National Study of Employers. New York, NY: Bond, T. J., Galinsky, E., Kim, S. S., & Brownfield, E. Retrieved August 02, 2006, from http://familiesandwork.org/press/2005nserelease.html#nse

“Families and Work Institute’s 2005 National Study of Employers (NSE) is one of the most comprehensive and far-reaching study of the practices, policies, programs and benefits provided by U.S. employers to address the changing needs of today’s workforce and workplace…will provide ongoing measurements of employer work life benefits, policies, and practices. In 2005, it was redesigned to include a nationally representative sample of employers with 50 or more employers…The 2005 NSE sample included 1,092 employers with 50 or more employees-66 percent are for-profit companies and 34 percent are nonprofit organizations; 44 percent operate at only one location, while 56 percent have operations at more than one location.”

Flexible Work Options: Flexible Schedule

Statistic # 1077

The National Study of Employers, which surveyed workplaces with 50 or more employees, found that 39% of employers allow some employees to have control/choice over which shifts they work in comparison to 20% of employers that allow all or most employees to have control/choice over which shifts they work. (Table 3, p.6)

Families and Work Institute. (2005, September).2005 National Study of Employers. New York, NY: Bond, T. J., Galinsky, E., Kim, S. S., & Brownfield, E. Retrieved August 02, 2006, from http://familiesandwork.org/press/2005nserelease.html#nse

“Families and Work Institute’s 2005 National Study of Employers (NSE) is one of the most comprehensive and far-reaching study of the practices, policies, programs and benefits provided by U.S. employers to address the changing needs of today’s workforce and workplace…will provide ongoing measurements of employer work life benefits, policies, and practices. In 2005, it was redesigned to include a nationally representative sample of employers with 50 or more employers…The 2005 NSE sample included 1,092 employers with 50 or more employees-66 percent are for-profit companies and 34 percent are nonprofit organizations; 44 percent operate at only one location, while 56 percent have operations at more than one location.”

Flexible Work Options: Flexible Schedule

Statistic # 1078

The National Study of Employers, which surveyed workplaces with 50 or more employees, found that 28% of employers allow some employees to have control over paid and unpaid overtime hours in comparison to 14% of employers that allow all or most employees to have control over paid and unpaid overtime hours. (Table 3, p.6)

Flexible Work Options: Flexible Schedule

Statistic # 1079

The National Study of Employers, which surveyed workplaces with 50 or more employees, found that 53% of employers allow some employees to move from full-time to part-time and back again while remaining in the same position or level in comparison to 21% of employers that allow all or most employees to move from full-time to part-time and back again while remaining in the same position or level. (Table 3, p.6)

Families and Work Institute. (2005, September).2005 National Study of Employers. New York, NY: Bond, T. J., Galinsky, E., Kim, S. S., & Brownfield, E. Retrieved August 02, 2006, from http://familiesandwork.org/press/2005nserelease.html#nse

“Families and Work Institute’s 2005 National Study of Employers (NSE) is one of the most comprehensive and far-reaching study of the practices, policies, programs and benefits provided by U.S. employers to address the changing needs of today’s workforce and workplace…will provide ongoing measurements of employer work life benefits, policies, and practices. In 2005, it was redesigned to include a nationally representative sample of employers with 50 or more employers…The 2005 NSE sample included 1,092 employers with 50 or more employees-66 percent are for-profit companies and 34 percent are nonprofit organizations; 44 percent operate at only one location, while 56 percent have operations at more than one location.”

Flexible Work Options: Flexible Schedule

Statistic # 2242

According to the 2008 National Study of Employers, of the 20 options for working flexibly, "employers with 50 or more employees most frequently allow at least some groups of workers to have control over when they take breaks (84%) and change their starting and quitting times within some range of hours (79%). They are next most likely to allow at least some groups of employees to return to work gradually after leaves for childbirth and adoption (77%), take time off for education or training to improve job skills (74%) and take time off for important family and personal needs without loss of pay (73%)." (Table 3, p. 12)

Galinsky, E., Bond, J. T., & Sakai, K. (2008). 2008 national study of employers. New York, NY: Families and Work Institute. Retrieved from http://familiesandwork.org/site/research/reports/2008nse.pdf

The 2008 National Study of Employers (NSE) sample includes 1,100 employers with 50 or more employees--77 percent are for profit employers and 23 percent are nonprofit organizations; 40 percent operate at only one location, while 60 percent have operations at more than one location. Interviews were conducted on behalf of Families and Work Institute by Harris Interactive, Inc. This is the third NSE; previous studies were conducted in 1998 and 2005.