Flexible schedules can bring out the best in employees.

Do you find yourself dragging in the afternoons, unable to produce? Does the morning commute leave you frazzled and unable to settle down to work?

If so, you're one of many Americans finding that traditional work schedules are no longer suited to their needs. To this end, many organizations are exploring the value of flexible work schedules to optimize performance and help employees strike the critical work/family balance.

Susan Abramson, WorkLife program coordinator at Yale University CT, ran a workshop on flexible work schedules at the College and University Work Family Association (CUWFA) conference in Austin TX in February.

What's in it for me?

Restructuring the work schedule can enrich an employee's life in many ways. They are better able to handle personal commitments and feel more control over their lives. A flexible work schedule can afford one employee the opportunity to arrive later in the morning, allowing her to squeeze in a workout, while enabling another an early departure to finish a graduate degree or pick up groceries. For some, just avoiding rush hour traffic alleviates stress.

Its benefits include increased productivity and commitment, decreased absenteeism, increased retention and possible increased hours of operation.

Schools are different from other operations needing 9-to-5 schedules. Many facilities on campuses such as labs, clinics and patient care facilities need to be open early and late. A flexible configuration helps employers extend their hours of operation, better serving clients.