Raleigh/Durham, NC (March 11, 2009)

Gone are the days of thinking that workplace flexibility is a “benefit” for employees that can only be offered during good economic times.  Changes in workforce demographics, technology, and a troubled economy are actually fueling the need to use flexible work arrangements as a critical strategy for controlling costs and staying viable.

To help organizations reap the benefits of flexibility, Balancing Professionals, LLC announces the availability of their TRUE Flexibility Assessment^SM, intended to help organizations develop strategies that will have a real impact on their bottom line as well as their communities and the environment.

The assessment was developed in conjunction with a survey methodologist and combines employee survey data with customized reports, educational materials, and recommendations to help an organization build a flexibility strategy that meets the specific needs of their organization. This unique assessment grew out of discussions with the non-profit organization North Carolina Sustainable Business Council about developing a tool to help organizations assess the important connection between their people-practices and sustainability.

“People are a company’s greatest asset, but few employers are fully utilizing flexibility as a primary strategy to maximize people power while also controlling costs,” says Kella Hatcher, co-founder of Balancing Professionals.  “Companies tend to make limited use of things like flex-time, part-time, telecommuting, or compressed work weeks, yet those who get serious about workplace flexibility can benefit from improved attraction and retention of top talent, increased productivity, decreased expenditures on office space and compensation, and positively impact the environment and their community. And the benefits can be big,” says Hatcher, “such as a 35% increase in productivity, 27 million dollars saved in one year by avoiding turnover, or 67 million dollars saved in real estate costs  -- all reported by large companies who attributed these benefits to various flexibility strategies.”

Balancing Professionals is currently seeking companies to participate in the pilot phase of this assessment at deeply discounted rates.  To learn more about the TRUE Flexibility Assessment^SM or inquire about being a pilot company, go to http://www.balancingprofessionals.com/true-flexibility-assessment.php.

About Balancing Professionals

Balancing Professionals, LLC advises companies on creating a win-win, flexible workplace and connects businesses to a pool of high-caliber, part-time professionals. Operating in the Triangle area of North Carolina, the firm was founded in 2004 by Kella Hatcher and Maryanne Perrin, respectively an attorney and an engineer/MBA who had navigated careers as part-time professionals prior to joining efforts to promote part-time opportunities for others. Balancing Professionals has helped a variety of companies capitalize on the changing workplace including clients in the pharmaceutical, technology, manufacturing, non-profit, and professional services industries.