SHRM’s 2014 Strategic Benefits Survey collected information on the use of FWAs, employee participation in FWA programs and whether organizations monitor employee use. This research found that about one-half (52%) of respondents indicated their organization provided employees with the option to use FWAs; one-third of these organizations indicated the majority of employees were allowed to use the FWAs offered.

1. January 22, 2015
SHRM Survey Findings: 2014 Strategic Benefits—
Flexible Work Arrangements

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Introduction
2014 Strategic Benefits Survey—Flexible Work Arrangements ©SHRM 2015
The 2014 Strategic Benefits Survey, administered annually since 2012 by the Society for Human
Resource Management (SHRM), is used to determine whether various employee benefits are
leveraged to recruit and retain top talent. This research study, split into a six-part series, features the
following topics:
 Part 1: Wellness Initiatives
 Part 2: Flexible Work Arrangements
 Part 3: Health Care
 Part 4: Leveraging Benefits to Retain Employees
 Part 5: Leveraging Benefits to Recruit Employees
 Part 6: Communicating Benefits

3. • Availability and use of flexible work arrangements (FWAs): About one-half (52%) of
respondents indicated their organization provided employees with the option to use FWAs.
» In one-third (33%) of organizations that provided employees with the option to use FWAs, the
majority (more than one-half) of employees at their organization were allowed to use FWAs, a
decrease from 2013 (45%), but no change from 2012 (34%).
• Employee use of FWAs: About one-third (31%) of respondents from organizations that provided
employees with the option to use FWAs indicated employee participation increased last year
compared with the year before; just 1% indicated employee participation had decreased.
» Over two-fifths (45%) indicated their organization monitored employee participation rates for
the FWAs offered, representing an increase from 2012 (38%).
32014 Strategic Benefits Survey—Flexible Work Arrangements ©SHRM 2015
Key Findings

4. 42014 Strategic Benefits Survey—Flexible Work Arrangements ©SHRM 2015
• The use of FWAs by employees is on the rise, and this may be a sign that cultural barriers to using
available flexible work options may be becoming less formidable. More employees may feel
comfortable using the FWAs they have access to if the job market continues to improve and
concerns about job security diminish. In addition, technological barriers are also less of an obstacle,
making it possible to seamlessly do one’s work from anywhere.
• Although about one-half of organizations provided employees with the option to use FWAs, there
was a drop in the percentage of organizations reporting that the majority of their employees were
actually allowed to use FWAs. It is important to understand the obstacles that may be affecting the
employee use of FWAs provided by organizations. If this trend continues, a “have” and “have-nots”
pattern of access to FWAs could develop. This could, in turn, have an impact on employee morale
and engagement.
• HR professionals will, however, need to continue to focus on cultural barriers that may influence
participation rates. In particular, HR professionals need to work with line managers and
organizational leaders to model flexibility in their own approaches to work and to demonstrate that
those who do make use of FWAs are not penalized when it comes to promotions and career
opportunities.
• Over two-fifths of respondents from organizations that offer FWAs indicated their organization
monitored employee participation rates for FWAs offered. This metric is likely to become a standard
part of any organization reporting on workplace flexibility.
What Do These Findings Mean for the HR Profession?

5. 2014 Strategic Benefits Survey—Flexible Work Arrangements ©SHRM 2015
Key Findings
FWAs
5

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What do these findings mean for the HR profession?Availability and Use of FWAs
Are the majority (more than one-half) of
employees at your organization allowed to use
FWAs?
Does your organization provide employees with
the option to use FWAs?
Note: Response options provided were “yes/no/not sure.”
Respondents who indicated they were “not sure” were
excluded from this analysis. Only “yes” responses are shown.
52%
57%
53%
Yes
2014 (n = 328, 164)
2013 (n = 382, 207)
2012 (n = 414, 210)
Note: Response options provided were “yes/no/not sure.” Only respondents
whose organizations provided employees with the option to use FWAs were
asked this question. Respondents who indicated they were “not sure” were
excluded from this analysis. Only “yes” responses are shown.
2014 Strategic Benefits Survey—Flexible Work Arrangements ©SHRM 2015
33%
45%
34%
Yes

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What do these findings mean for the HR profession?Employee Participation in and Monitoring the Use of FWAs
Does your organization monitor employee
participation rates for the FWAs it offers?
How did employee participation in your
organization’s FWAs change last year compared
with the year before?
Note: Only respondents whose organizations provided employees with
the option to use FWAs were asked this question. Respondents who
indicated they were “not sure” were excluded from this analysis.
Note: Response options provided were “yes/no/not sure.” Only respondents
whose organizations provided employees with the option to use FWAs were
asked this question. Respondents who indicated they were “not sure” were
excluded from this analysis. Only “yes” responses are shown.
2014 Strategic Benefits Survey—Flexible Work Arrangements ©SHRM 2015
45%
47%
38%
Yes
31%
68%
1%
33%
61%
6%
36%
58%
6%
Increased
Remained the same
Decreased
2014 (n = 144, 154)
2013 (n = 179, 187)
2012 (n = 192, 198)

8. 2014 Strategic Benefits Survey—Flexible Work Arrangements ©SHRM 2015 8
Key Findings
Demographics

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Note: n = 320. Percentages do not total 100% due to multiple response options.
Percentage
Manufacturing 27%
Professional, scientific and technical services 14%
Health care and social assistance 14%
Finance and insurance 12%
Government agencies 9%
Educational services 7%
Transportation and warehousing 5%
Construction 5%
Real estate and rental and leasing 5%
Retail trade 4%
Utilities 3%
Demographics: Organization Industry
2014 Strategic Benefits Survey—Flexible Work Arrangements ©SHRM 2015

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Key FinDemographics: Organization Industry (Continued)
Note: n = 320. Percentages do not total 100% due to multiple response options.
Percentage
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction 3%
Arts, entertainment and recreation 3%
Wholesale trade 3%
Repair and maintenance 3%
Accommodation and food services 2%
Administrative and support, and waste management and remediation services 2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 2%
Information 2%
Religious, grant-making, civic, professional and similar organizations 2%
Personal and laundry services 0%
Other industry 8%
2014 Strategic Benefits Survey—Flexible Work Arrangements ©SHRM 2015

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Key FinDemographics: Organization Sector
53%
23%
13%
9%
2%
Privately owned for-profit
Nonprofit
Publicly owned for-profit
Government
Other
n = 317
2014 Strategic Benefits Survey—Flexible Work Arrangements ©SHRM 2015

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Key FinDemographics: Organization Staff Size
n = 304
26%
39%
19%
12%
4%
1 to 99 employees
100 to 499 employees
500 to 2,499 employees
2,500 to 24,999 employees
25,000 or more employees
2014 Strategic Benefits Survey—Flexible Work Arrangements ©SHRM 2015

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Key FinDemographics: Other
n = 319
U.S.-based operations only 75%
Multinational operations 25%
Does your organization have U.S.-
based operations (business units) only,
or does it operate multinationally?
n = 320
n = 207
n = 208
Single-unit organization: An organization in
which the location and the organization are
one and the same.
38%
Multi-unit organization: An organization that
has more than one location.
62%
Is your organization a single-unit organization or
a multi-unit organization?
For multi-unit organizations, are HR policies and
practices determined by the multi-unit headquarters,
by each work location or by both?
Multi-unit headquarters determines HR
policies and practices.
58%
Each work location determines HR policies
and practices.
3%
A combination of both the work location and
the multi-unit headquarters determines HR
policies and practices.
39%
Corporate (companywide) 79%
Business unit/division 12%
Facility/location 9%
What is the HR department/function for
which you responded throughout this
survey?
2014 Strategic Benefits Survey—Flexible Work Arrangements ©SHRM 2015

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Survey Methodology
• Response rate = 10%
• 380 HR professionals from a randomly selected sample of SHRM’s membership participated in this
survey
• Margin of error +/- 5%
• Survey fielded April-May 2014
2014 Strategic Benefits Survey—Flexible Work Arrangements ©SHRM 2015
Survey Methodology

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About SHRM Research
For more survey/poll findings, visit shrm.org/surveys
For more information about SHRM’s Customized Research Services, visit
shrm.org/customizedresearch
Follow us on Twitter @SHRM_Research
2014 Strategic Benefits Survey—Flexible Work Arrangements ©SHRM 2015
Project lead:
Karen Wessels, researcher, SHRM Research
Project contributors:
Evren Esen, director, SHRM-SCP, Survey Programs, SHRM Research
Alexander Alonso, Ph.D., SHRM-SCP, vice president, SHRM Research
Jennifer Schramm, manager, SHRM-SCP, Workforce Trends and Forecasting, SHRM
Research
Copy editor:
Katya Scanlan, SHRM Knowledge Center

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2014 Strategic Benefits Survey—Flexible Work Arrangements ©SHRM 2015