As family dynamics continue to change, many parents are discovering the win-win solution of working flexible hours. But do those types of positions exist? The short answer during National Work and Family Month is yes.
According to a recent article on CNN Money, the number of people who work from home has soared by 41% in the last decade, with the Census Bureau reporting on Thursday that 13.4 million employees work from home in America.
These findings demonstrate that more companies are taking note of the cost savings to them and securing top talent by offering the option to work from home. In fact, The Telework Research Network states, "A typical business would save $11,000 per person per year" by allowing staff to work from home.
In addition, workplace flexibility is a recruiting and retention tactic. As The Wall Street Journal recently reported, "Gen Y will comprise more than 40% of the U.S. workforce by 2020," and in order to attract and retain these staff members, companies need to step up and meet their demands such as, "the option of leaving the office at 2 p.m. and continuing their work at a Starbucks."
With companies such as Cisco, AT&T, and even the IRS are offering more life-balanced positions, there is surprising variety in the flexible job market. In fact, flexible job options exist in almost every career field, from accounting to writing, information technology to media, and everything in between.
Specifically for parents hoping to work from home, career fields that tend to have less travel with the ability to perform tasks from a home office, include:
- Accounting: supervisory auditor, bookkeeper, senior tax manager
- Marketing: product strategy manager, marketing copywriter, social media coordinator
- Computer & IT: systems analyst, technical support, computer studies instructor
- Education & Training: online tutor, virtual K-12 teacher, academic program director
- Medical & Health: at-home health coach, registered nurse, billing specialist
Some of the more surprising work-from-home listings have included a neurosurgeon who works from home but leaves the house on surgery days, microbiologist, music content specialist, registered nurse, remote order entry pharmacist, agricultural technician-gypsy moth survey trapper, and NATO special operations forces air subject matter expert.
Though it seems to be a well-kept secret, flexible work options exist for most career fields. National Work and Family Month is a time for professionals and companies to reflect on their own work-life policies and to be a part of the bright future of the growing workplace flexibility movement.