Companies Turn to Alternative Work Arrangements

CONTACT:
Elizabeth Neeland Fetzer
Public Relations Coordinator
404-230-6724
eneeland@constangy.com

ATLANTA-   The majority of businesses have been forced to make budget cuts this year, and many are turning to creative solutions to traditional layoffs.   Increasingly,  companies are introducing flexible work schedules, part-time opportunities, four-day work weeks, telecommuting and more.

Once considered a marketing tool to attract top employees, these kinds of work arrangements that offered “work-life balance” have translated into a business necessity.

“The recession has caused companies to rethink the traditional business models and offer flexible work arrangements to maintain the bottom line,” said Karol Rose, chief knowledge officer of FlexPaths, LLC, the leading provider of web-based flexibility solutions for employers and individuals.  “As a result, companies are realizing they are not only saving money, but they are creating a better work environment to attract and retain top talent.”

Since 2004, national labor & employment law firm, Constangy, Brooks & Smith, LLP, has been recognizing companies for their outstanding work in establishing work-life balance initiatives and programs through its annual Work-Life Balance Award program.

Constangy has two awards dedicated to companies’ work in this area: the Corporate Counsel Work-Life Balance Award, designed to honor an outstanding in-house legal department committed to work-life balance and the Human Resource Work-Life Balance Initiative Award, designed to honor a human resource department-driven initiative, program or approach that helps their company achieve work-life balance. 

“Now more than ever, there is a tremendous need for companies to offer flexible work arrangements and to cultivate better work-life balance to retain top talent during this tough time,” said Neil Wasser, national chairman of Constangy, Brooks & Smith, LLP.

Any in-house legal department or any human resource initiative or program may apply or be nominated by someone else within the company, and companies may also apply for both awards.  The winning legal and human resource departments will each receive a crystal trophy and $1,000 donated to the charitable organization of their choice.  The nomination deadline is July 1, 2009, and the winners will be notified in September.

“We encourage all companies, whether they have been dedicated to work-life balance for years, or have made a change for the first time this past year, to share their stories of success with us,” said Wasser. “We look forward to recognizing the achievements of these companies with our work-life balance awards this year.”

To nominate your in-house legal department and/or human resource initiative, visit http://www.constangy.com/balance-awards

For more information, contact Elizabeth Neeland Fetzer at eneeland@constangy.com or at 404-230-6724.

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About Constangy, Brooks & Smith, LLP:
Constangy, Brooks & Smith, LLP has counseled employers on labor and employment law matters, exclusively, since 1946. A “Go To” Law Firm in Corporate Counsel and Fortune Magazine, it represents Fortune 500 corporations and small companies across the country. Its attorneys are consistently rated as top lawyers in their practice areas by publications such as Chambers USA, Super Lawyers, and Top One Hundred Labor Attorneys in the United States. More than 100 lawyers partner with clients to provide cost-effective legal services and sound preventive advice to enhance the employer-employee relationship. Offices are located in Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Virginia, Missouri, Illinois,  Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Texas and California. For more information, visit www.constangy.com.