ALEXANDRIA, VA-Once upon a time, activities such astelecommuting, cross-training, rotating compressed workweeks andemployee autonomy were considered exotic experiments; somethinginteresting to try, but unrealistic tools when it came toorganizational productivity.

What a difference a century makes. According to Families andWork Institute president Ellen Galinsky and FWI senior vicepresident Lois Backon, 21st century organizations had betterbe a lot more flexible and innovative when it comes to attractingand retaining talent. Otherwise, those organizations better beprepared to say “buh-buy” to that talent as it finds more flexibleplaces in which to work.

Galinsky and Backon presented statistics from the "2008 National Study of the ChangingWorkforce" and examples of flexible workplace best practices at aMarch 30 webinar entitled “The Business Imperative for Building MoreFlexible and Effective Workplaces.” The web seminar tookplace in conjunction with the Society for Human ResourceManagement.

The statistics showed that today’s workforce is nothing like theworkforce of the mid-20th century. Employees are getting older,there are more dual-earner couples and there are as many women inthe work force as there are men.

Furthermore, on the “woman power” side, statistics show thatemployed women in dual-earning couples contributed an average of 44percent of the family’s income (an increase from 39 percent in1997) and that in 2008, more than one in four of women insuch couples had earnings at least 10 percentage points higher thantheir partners.

To top it off, men are pitching in more at home; they’respending more time with their children and in taking care ofelderly relatives.

“The workplace of today is not your mother’s or father’sworkplace, or your grandparent’s workplace,” Galinsky remarked.

But Galinsky and Backon pointed out that the workplace of todayis a lot more stressful than workplaces of yore, with both men andwomen experiencing everything from sleep issues, to depression, tohealth problems. All of this means rising stress levels.

The answer to these issues?

“Employees in effective workplaces have better overall healthand well-being outcomes,” Backon remarked. “They have fewer healthproblems, depression and stress.” This, in turn, leads to moreeffective business outcomes, she added.

Effective workplaces can, and should, include employee learningand autonomy, a good work-life fit, supervisor task support, aclimate of respect and trust and economic security.

Aside from that, Galinsky said, the sky’s the limit in terms ofinnovation and flexibility. There is no such thing as a“one-size-fits-all” effective workplace. What works for oneorganization may not be 100 percent effective for another.

“Solutions must fit the problem,” Galinsky said. “It should workfor both employee and employer. There’s no one thing that’sright.”

Galinsky and Backon added that metrics for success areessential, as well as involvement of top- and middle-managers inprograms, and development of checkpoints to assess results. Don’tbe afraid to change things if they aren’t working out, Backonsaid.

Finally, the speakers said starting small was essential. Inusing examples of flexible best practices from companies such asCisco Systems Inc. and Margolin, Winer and Evens, Backon notedthese practices started on a small scale, were adjusted, thenrolled out as they became successful.