Judy Martin of Work/Life Nation recently conducted a great video interview with me about the findings from the NEW 2011 Work+Life Fit Reality Check – Check it out! Thanks, Judy.

The Wall Street Journal’s MarkeWatch Radio conducted a great interview with me about how to “Pull the Profit Lever, and Make Workplace Flexible,” highlighting the results of the 2011 Work+Life Fit Reality Check: “Workplace flexibility has not only survived the recession, but thrived, according to a national survey. Cali Williams Yost, CEO of Work+Life Fit, Inc., says one big reason is that it helps boost the bottom line.”  Click here to listen.

For more 2011 Work+Life Fit Reality Check Survey:

• Takeaway Tips for Employers

• Takeaway Tips for Individuals

We’re thrilled and honored that, for the second year in a row, the Work+Life Fit blog has been named one of the ‘Top 100 Sites for Women” by the readers and editors of Forbes.com!

While our intention continues to be that our content helps everyone manage their work+life “fit” better and smarter, being a recognized resource for women is special.

We’ve come a long way from 2006 when my husband, best friend and mom read the blog, and my mom left comments like, “Excellent point, honey!” not understanding the concept of “public.”  Thank you, Forbes!

There are many ways that you can connect with the Work+Life Fit / Flex+Strategy Group community:

• Check out my other regular posts at Fast Company and Forbes
• Connect with me on Twitter @caliyost
• Sign up to receive our how-to “Make Flexibility Real” newsletter via email
• Join our “Make Flexibility Real” LinkedIn Group

DESPITE RECENT RECESSION, NEW RESEARCH FINDS FINANCIAL & JOB INSECURITIES NOT THE BIGGEST OBSTACLES TO WORK LIFE FLEXIBILITY

Time & Workload are the Problem in 4th Edition of Work+Life Fit Reality Check; Survey Shows Notable Shifts in Work Life Flexibility Concerns, Satisfaction and Use over Five Year Period

June 9, 2011 – Just as employees have gotten comfortable with the idea of work life flexibility, worrying less about the impact it has on their paychecks or careers, new research shows increased workloads or no time are now the biggest obstacles.  The finding is from the 2011 Work+Life Fit™ Reality Check, a telephone survey of a national probability sample of 637 full-time employed adults, sponsored by Work+Life Fit, Inc. and conducted by Opinion Research Corporation March 3 – 7, 2011.

The current Work+Life Fit Reality Check, first conducted in 2006, has a margin of error of +/- 4 percent and also found:

• During the recession, about nine out of ten respondents said that their use of work life flexibility either increased (11%) or stayed the same (76%).
• While in the recovery, nine out of ten felt their level of use of work life flexibility would increase (10%) or stay the same (82%).
• Compared to this time last year, more than eight out of ten report they have the same (66%) or an increased amount (17%) of work life flexibility.
• Without work life flexibility, 66% believe the business suffers with employee health, morale and productivity as the most affected areas.
• Looking for a new job is the plan for more than one-third (35%); 33% of those cite a more flexible schedule and 25% the ability to telework as a reason.  (Job search questions sponsored by CareerOwners.com.)

“Whatever flexibility there was before the downturn survived, indicating it is here to stay in good times and bad.  Work life flexibility withstood its toughest test and continues to grow,” said Cali Williams Yost, CEO, Work+Life Fit, Inc.  “But – just when employees start to worry less about using flexibility – now they think they’re too busy to do so.  Clearly, both organizations and employees struggle with how to make flexibility work as a meaningful and deliberate part of the way we manage our business, work and lives.”

Yost will discuss the findings at a free webinar Tuesday, June 14 at 1 p.m. EST. Register at http://bit.ly/myQLyR.

Obstacles Evolve and Put Organizations at Risk

Fewer respondents report obstacles to using or improving their work life flexibility, 61% in 2011 compared to 76% in 2006.  The most cited (29%) obstacle in 2011 was “increased workload or no time for flexibility.”  But, despite going through one of the worst economic recessions ever, financial and perception worries have progressively become less problematic.

• You might make less money:  21% in 2011 versus 45% in 2006
• You might lose your job:  16% in 2011 versus 28% in 2006
• Others will think you don’t work hard:  11% in 2011 versus 39% in 2006
• You worry that your boss would  say “no”:  13% in 2011 versus 32% in 2006

“These findings are proof that the workplace has become more comfortable with flexibility.  The challenge is to continue to address roadblocks that often unnecessarily hinder how we optimize and benefit from flexibility personally and organizationally,” Yost said.  “Flexibility should be used to manage increased workflows and dwindling resources, not be avoided because of them.”

Otherwise, 66% of those surveyed indicated the possible risks that result from a lack of work life flexibility.

• Health is affected—you’re stressed or lack time for exercise: 48%
• Morale is affected—you don’t feel good about working at your company or organization: 41%
• Productivity is affected—you can’t get your work done as fast as you like: 36%
• Focus and attention, or engagement, is affected—you can’t concentrate the way you would like to on your work: 34%
• Loyalty is affected—you’re not as committed to your employer and/or boss: 34%
• Creativity is affected—you have a harder time problem solving or coming up with new ideas: 31%

“Organizations and employees must move forward together taking a hard look at what, how, when and where work is best performed; how technology can support – not overwhelm – that work; and why they should champion flexibility as an operational and financial tool.  The time has passed for seeing flexibility simply as a perk offered at certain ideal times,” Yost explained.

Get the complete Executive Summary of 2011 Work+Life Fit Reality Check survey

Get Takeaway Tips for Employers from the survey findings

Get Takeaway Tips for Individuals from the survey findings

Connect with @caliyost on Twitter, and in the “Make Flexibility Real” LinkedIn group.

I want to thank my friend, Aparna Mehrotra, the Focal Point for Women at The United Nations for asking me to share my thoughts on a wide range of flexibility and work+life fit related topics in the most recent issue of the UN Women’s Newsletter.   In her role at the UN, Aparna is committed to advancing the strategic application of flexibility both within the organization and beyond.

Here are some of the questions that I answer in the interview:

• What are the three principal achievements we’ve accomplished and the three principal challenges we face in our work?
• What is work+life “fit,” and how have I applied it in my own life?
• What are some of the main issues facing working women in leadership positions in the private sector?
• What are the characteristics of the emerging workforce that make flexibility essential?
• How do you combat ongoing skepticism about the benefits of flexibility to an organization?
• Recognizing that policies alone have limited impact, how do you improve implementation of flexibility?

Are there other questions that you wish I’d discussed about work+life fit and how to make flexibility real and more strategic?   Let me know either in the comments or in our NEW “Make Flexibility Real” LinkedIn group.

In addition to being the author of a smart, engaging new book, Success: How We Can Reach Our Goals, Heidi Grant Halvorsen writes The Science of Success blog for Psychology Today.  Recently, she asked me to explain work+life “fit” for her readers.   The following is an excerpt from her post.

Like a lot of working parents, I find myself constantly juggling both professional and personal goals, trying to find time for everything that matters, and sometimes feeling like I’m screwing it up big time.  So for a little wisdom and practical advice, I turned to Cali Williams Yost, the CEO of the Flex+Strategy Group / Work+Life Fit, Inc., a flexibility strategy consulting firm. (Her book is  Work+Life: Finding the Fit That’s Right for You).

Me:  Why is it a problem for us to think in terms of work-life “balance”?

Cali:  When your goal is work-life “balance,” it causes more problems than it solves.  In fact, here are what I call the 10 Tyrannies of Work/Life Balance:

1. Balance is always discussed in the negative-what you “don’t” have.
2. Balance keeps you focused on the problem, not the solution.
3. Balance assumes we’re all the same.
4. Balance infers that there is a “right” a answer.
5. Balance leads us to judge others (and ourselves), often unfairly.
6. Balance results in unproductive guilt.
7. Balance suggests that the goal is an impossible 50-50 split between work and the other parts of your life.
8. Balance leaves no room for periods where there’s more work and less life, and vice versa.
9. Balance ignores the fact that work and life are constantly changing, and
10. Balance will never be taken seriously by corporate leaders, who only hear “work less” when you say “balance.”

Plus, have you ever noticed that when the term “work-life balance” is written out, there’s either a “-” or a “/” between work and life?  The truth is that work and life are one and the same today.  Not separate.  You may want them to ultimately be as separate as possible, but you need to start from the premise that it’s all one big ball of time and energy that you need to deliberately and consciously manage.

Me: What is “work+life fit” How will I know when I have it?

Cali: Work+life fit is the way work “fits” into your life, day-to-day and at major life and career transitions.  It’s like snowflakes.  Everyone has a different work+life fit reality.  No two are the same.   Thinking about the goal as work+life “fit,” frees you from the ten tyrannies of balance above because you:

1. Talk about what you could have.
2. See solutions.
3. Know we’re all different.
4. Realize there’s no right answer.
5. Stop judging yourself and others, harshly.
6. Lose the guilt.
7. Embrace and plan for the ebb and flow of work and life, and
8. Increase the likelihood that corporate leaders will support the need to flexibly manage work and life better and smarter.

How will you know you “have it?”  (Click here for my answer to this great question that Heidi posed!)

Kimberly Palmer, author of Generation Earn, is senior editor for U.S. News & World Report where she writes the Alpha Consumer blog.  She recently asked me to share some tips about how to manage work+life fit with her readers.  The following is an excerpt from her post.

Before becoming a working parent myself, I didn’t really grasp the challenge of combining a career with family life. After all, don’t you just send your happy child off to school during the day while you pursue your professional life, and then gather around the dinner table for quality time at night? Of course, I quickly realized how challenging it really was, as soon as my daughter came down with a series of viruses her first winter and I felt like I was constantly leaving work early or staying home to be with her, not to mention worrying about her when I managed to make it to the office.

Now, when I read about working parent issues, I’m looking for real solutions. How do you share responsibilities with your partner? How can you be productive even when making sure to put your child’s needs first? Is it even possible to feel like you’re excelling in both areas of your life? Cali Williams Yost, chief executive of the Flex+Strategy Group, a flexibility strategy consulting firm, and author of Work+Life: Finding the Fit That’s Right for You, helps people answer those questions for themselves. Excerpts from our recent conversation:

Before you wrote your book, what did you feel was missing from work-life discussions?

The individual was missing. Since 1995, I’d been developing and implementing work-life flexibility strategies for companies. Most, if not all, of the emphasis was on the company and manager. What did they need to do differently to help their employees manage their work and life?

Around 1998, it became clear to me that, honestly, an employer can only do so much. They must create a culture that supports the work-life conversation, but, at the end of the day, the solution rests with each of us. Only you know what’s going to work for your unique job and personal realities. And, everyone is so different. One size does not fit all. My book was the first step-by-step guide to creating a plan that fits.

You write that the most successful work life plans are employee-initiated, but how can employees best propose a plan?

First, make sure you have the right mindset for success. For example, know that for any kind of flexibility to work, you are responsible for keeping the lines of communication open with your manager, your clients, and your team. Don’t expect them to come to you. Also, be flexible, by willingly shifting your new schedule periodically to “go the extra mile” as needed.

Second, know how to identify and avoid the common roadblocks that will unnecessarily derail you if you’re not careful. For example…(Click here for more work+life fit tips)

Recently I spent time talking with Melissa J. Anderson from the terrific new site, Evolved Employer, about strategy flexibility.   Below is an excerpt from the article about our discussion that originally appeared on the Evolved Employer blog:

“The two spheres between work and life are now one and the same. We have to look at this holistically,” began Cali Williams Yost, a strategic flex work expert, author of Work+Life: Finding the Fit That’s Right for You, President and founder of Flex+Strategy Group/Work+Life Fit, Inc.

Yost has spent over 15 years developing strategic flex programs for companies across the US. She says she’s been passionate about the issue since the mid ’90s, when she was a manager as a bank and noticed that work/life issues were impacting her employees. She didn’t have any children at the time, but she realized how critical issue work/life issues can be – and not just for her staff. It was affecting her business too. Yost decided to go back to school to earn her MBA at Columbia, and began working at the Families and Work Institute.

Now having written an award-winning book on the subject and founded her own company, Yost says she is excited about where flex is going, moving forward. She said, “There’s a lot of fear around flex work, but if you plan appropriately, you can negotiate it within your organization.”

Six Reasons Flex is a Hot Topic

Flex has been on the radar for quite some time – but it seems like only in the past year or two has it really been recognized as a hot button issue. Yost explained, “People have been paying attention to flexible work for about a decade, but recent the convergence of six trends have made it so the general public can no longer ignore it.”

First of all, technology has erased the boundaries between work and life, she explained. “Tech has destroyed the nine-to-five, five days a week culture.” Second the amount of dual earning couples is increasing rapidly. “Seventy percent of women with kids work,” said Yost. “And men and women both are realizing they need work and live a different way. The third trend is around Generation Y. “Twenty-somethings just assume flexibility. It’s not that they want to work less,” she explained. “Just differently.”

Fourth, she warned, “Elder care is becoming a huge issue. It’s going to be unlike anything we’ve seen with the need for flexibility around children.” She continued, “And fifth, as the baby boomers are getting older, they don’t want to leave work. But they do want to work less.”

Finally, she said, the last driving factor is global competition. “As globalization increases, we need workforces to be more productive and efficient.”

Flex work has been cited as an answer to all of these issues, Yost explained. “It’s like the CFO of one of my clients said. ‘By 2015, flexible working will just be the way we do business.’ If you’re not nimble and responsive, you’re out of the game.”

How Business Leaders can Negotiate Flex

Yost said the challenges individuals face in initiating a flex program at their workplace are many – but by keeping a few tips in mind, employees and business leaders can be more effective.

She explained, “One of the mistakes companies make is to think that flex is as easy as putting a policy in the books and running a few training sessions. But it doesn’t work that way.”

“First of all, business leaders need to educate their team about the business case for flex work. They need to frame flexible work from a business standpoint, as a strategic initiative – not just a way to help people. Think of it as a way to cut costs or do business with global clients, and serve leadership.”

She continued, “The next thing they need to do is…(Click here for more of the interview)

Four and a half years after I wrote the first post (wow, it was lengthy), Forbes. com recently named the Work+Life Fit blog one of the Top 100 Websites for Women!

Thank you to ForbesWoman and to everyone who has read, linked to, and commented on the thoughts I’ve shared.  It’s meant and continues to mean a great deal to be part of this wonderful community.  If you have a chance, check out the other 99 sites recognized by Forbes.com…excellent career, financial, and work+life resources for women (and men).

For anyone who consistently writes a blog, you know it’s a marathon that, at times, requires incredible stamina and discipline to keep it going week in and week out.   So, to celebrate the Forbes recognition, I took the last two weeks off.  It felt great to step back and relax…but it also made me even more excited to take this wonderful blog to the next level.

Join me.  Let’s work together to help everyone (not just women) flexibly optimize their unique work+life fit day-to-day and at major transitions, because it’s work+life fit…not, balance! And let’s show organizations how to make mission-critical work+life flexibility part of  their culture and operating model!  It can be done.

I’m always looking for new ways to bring to the best, most innovative, and helpful information about work+life fit and flexibility to as many people as possible. As you know, one of my guiding words in 2010 is “Reach.” This past year I dove into Twitter (@caliyost). In 2010, it’s video! As we get going, let me know what you think. And, please be patient as I experiment and learn not only how to video, but how best to use it to add value to the information you receive from the blog.

Join me tomorrow as I kick off the “Work+Life Fit in 5 Days” event!