Workers Crave Flexibility At Work Above All Else

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U.S. employees are willing to give up a lot for a little flexibility, new research shows.

A survey by staffing firm Mom Corps found that nearly half of workers would trade a percentage of their salary for more flexible work options.

Employees would relinquish an average of nearly 10 percent of their salary for more flexibility around the office — almost double the pay they said last year they would be willing to give up.

Employees believe being able to work outside the office would make them more productive. According to the survey, more than half of working adults think they would get more accomplished if they had the ability to work from home occasionally.

"This year's dialogue surrounding work/life issues has helped professionals realize that having control over the way they work shouldn't be an extraordinary request," said Mom Corps CEO Allison O'Kelly. "Companies are becoming more amenable to alternative work programs, and as professionals come to terms with the idea of flexibility, they are shaping their careers accordingly."

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For those with children, working in a flexible environment is even more important. More than 80 percent of working parents feel flexible work options would allow them to be a better parent, and 71 percent cite flexibility as one of the most important factors they consider when looking for a new job or deciding what company to work for.

Regardless of how much flexibility they have at work, however, employees felt confident in the possibility for a successful work-life balance. Nearly 70 percent of those surveyed agreed it is possible to "have it all" when it comes to their work and home life.

Nearly 1,100 working adults were surveyed for the Mom Corps report.

This story was provided by BusinessNewsDaily, a sister site to LiveScience. Follow Chad Brooks on Twitter @cbrooks76 or BusinessNewsDaily @BNDarticles. We're also on Facebook & Google+.