4 Reasons to Offer Employees Flexible Schedules

This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business.

There’s been a lot of talk around Yahoo and Best Buy making unpopular decisions about employees who work from home. While we all have our opinions on the subject, it’s important to realize these decisions impact the companies that made them and no one else

As a result of the bad press telecommuting has received, the flexible work benefit has been getting a bad rap. It’s unfortunate because flexible work and telecommuting aren’t the same thing. Telecommuting is working from somewhere other than a centralized office, whereas flexible work is when schedules have opportunities for flexibility –- employees can come in early then leave early or they can work four 10-hour days instead of five 8-hour days.