Promoting Flexible Work

How do you convince employees interested in choosing flexible work arrangements that it won't adversely impact their careers? It's simple. Make sure that they are included in promotions, and publicize their advancement in the company. In the most recent round of promotions at Ernst & Young LLP, 13% of the approximate 1,000 users of flexible work arrangements--telecommuting, job sharing, flex time, and work-at-home--received promotions. For example, a newly promoted audit manager in Indianapolis has worked on a reduced schedule for more than a year to care for a child with speech and development problems.

Ernst & Young also has developed a database--which employees can access--that profiles over 450 workers who use such arrangements.