Flexible working practices have
dramatically increased in the US, according to research by the Society for
Human Resources Management.
The SHRM 2001 Benefits
Survey reveals that the number of employers offering flexible time off and
home-working has doubled over the past five years.
It shows that 62 per
cent of US employers offer paid time off plans, compared with 33 per cent in
1997.
Under these schemes,
all leave is combined into a general pool with the employee then deciding how
it will be used.
The number of
employees enabled to work from home has almost doubled with 37 per cent of
employers allowing them to telework, compared to 20 per cent in 1997.
The number of
organisations offering flexitime has grown from 46 per cent to 58 per cent over
five years, while the number of employers allowing job shares also increased.
"Reflecting our
increasingly busy society, employers are offering more flexible benefits,"
said SHRM president, Helen Drinan.
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The annual SHRM
Benefits Survey questioned over 700 human resources professionals on the 160
top benefits offered by employers in the US.
