Businesses need flexibility to succeed.

Employers are recognizing that granting all employees more control over how, when, and where they work (men and women, young and old -- managers and leaders included) is more than a fact of life. It’s critical to the business. See "Why Flex, Why Now".

• The business model is changing. It’s all about ideas and knowledge – those drive profits. And, the most critical ideas are no longer generated by top management and funneled down. Creativity, initiative, and knowledge-sharing by all employees are critical to business success and those happen more fluidly in a flexible environment. A flexible environment is simply one that emphasizes getting the important work results, not when or where the work is done.

• The work force has changed fundamentally. The pool of talented workers is limited and employers have to compete for the best employees. In today's fast-paced world, people are looking for companies that will accommodate their hectic lives. It's not so much that they want flexibility, it's that they need flexibility to be effective. Employers know they will lose great talent if they do not respond to this fundamental change.