Flexible Work Arrangements Lead to Healthier, Happier Employees

In her previous role as the corporate responsibility manager at Nike, Inc., Alicia Procello Maddox developed various corporate social initiatives and acted as government affairs representative at both the national and state level. Today, Alicia Procello Maddox oversees corporate social responsibility at Avery Dennison, an organization that strives to promote a healthy work-life balance among its employees. 

The research on this topic is in. A more flexible work arrangement allows both men and women to better care for their families, especially their children. In addition, studies done by McKinsey show that employees with flexible jobs are healthier, happier, and more productive. 

For women in particular, flexible work arrangements provide better career progression opportunities than the traditional 8-to-5 in-house office role. This is because, according to research, women are less likely to seek promotions if the added work responsibilities conflict with their roles at home. Flexible working arrangements, therefore, empower women to progress in their careers without having to sacrifice other important commitments. 

Armed with this knowledge, Avery Dennison has created one of the most progressive work-life arrangement programs, giving their employees the power to determine a work arrangement that is more suitable for them. Employees can choose to work at their own hours outside the traditional 8-to-5 work day, telecommute, work a compressed four-day week, or even share roles with other colleagues. This has empowered its employees, giving them more control over their lives and allowing them to spend more time with their families.