Work flexibility is one of those topics I’m passionate about, right up there with paid leave. You see, I’ve been fortunate enough to have flexibility (to a certain extent) and I can say that it has definitely helped me be a better employee and a better and happier mother. I’ve been able to take my son to his appointments, attend his school functions and be a more involved parent thanks to the flexibility that my job has given me. I have also been able to pursue other activities for my own personal and professional fulfillment, like writing and attending social media conferences.
photo by: Simon Hattinga Verschure
The lack of flexibility is really hurting working parents. It is causing parents to miss out on their kids’ lives, and it is causing children to miss out on sharing important moments with their parents. I can’t believe that in the world where telecommunications are so advanced, offices are in many ways still working like it is 1955.
I’m delighted to share with you that today, March 3rd, is the free online movie premiere of Having It All! The film will be available for free viewing anytime between 5am ET and midnight on Mar 3 with a link and password, which can be retrieved here: https://www.flexjobs.
Here is a 2 minute trailer of the movie:
The documentary was directed by Vlada Knowlton and its goal is to offer insight from real and personal experiences of women and their partners as they attempt to balance work and family.
The online premier of Having it All will be followed by a discussion during an hour-long webinar discussion at 4:00 p.m. ET led by work-family experts Kelly Wallace, Editor-at-Large on Family/Career/Life at CNN; Jennifer Owens, Editorial Director at Working Mother; Vlada Knowlton, director of Having It All; and Sara Sutton Fell, CEO/Founder of FlexJobs, Remote.co, and 1 Million for Work Flexibility.
The goal is to get a conversation going and get the word out: work flexibility is a good thing!
The discussion will look at the challenges career-focused, professional mothers face and the societal, employer-based, and perception changes needed to improve the landscape for all working parents.
I can’t stress this enough! Workplace flexibility is KEY in helping women manage their careers and be successful parents — but in today’s world, it’s not only about moms— dads also want to be involved! (Have you checked out my working dads series?) Flexibility is simply good news for the whole family! Both moms and dads want to be present in their children’s lives AND have a career. I think the more men speak out about this, the better it will be; thankfully we are starting to see this trend.
If you haven’t heard of 1 Million for Work Flexibility, Check them out– they are dedicated to making workplace flexibility a reality and have tons of info on their site about the benefits of workplace flexibility (workers’ stressed is reduced, money is saved due to telecommuting, happier workers, etc.)
To reserve a spot to attend the webinar, you can click here: https://www.flexjobs.com/
Share your thoughts with us!
What do you think about work flexibility? Do you have it? If you don’t have it, how has this affected your ability to manage your career and your home? What is the biggest obstacle you face to obtain workplace flexibility?
