Financial planning and analysis (FP&A) staffers could spend some time out of the office, he says, but "they play a very critical role in making sure managers and leadership are up to date, and the only way to do that is to be here, having face-to-face meetings with, say, an operations executive who doesn't have a clue about financials."

The CFO survey found that finance executives believe jobs in the areas of financial reporting, accounts payable, and FP&A are best-suited to some form of nontraditional schedule, while the treasurer role and tax and business-unit finance functions seem to be even less suited to flexibility than the CFO post itself.

Culture Shift
Making the most of flexible work arrangements will require a concerted effort across the organization. Executives who support the concept need to set the proper tone at the top. "I telecommute occasionally myself, and when I do, I try to do it in a very visible way," says Kaplan of Prudential Financial. To that end, he recently led a monthly awards presentation from home, via teleconference. He also surveyed his department about how interested people were in various flextime options, and then led general education sessions about what would be offered — and expected — before formally rolling it out.

Those seeking flexibility must also approach it in the right way. Bravo's Seminara says that even though she has been adamant about working a reduced schedule while her children are young, she waited until she was the leading candidate for a position before bringing up the topic. Then, she had to do a "fair amount of selling," including framing her proposal as somewhat negotiable.

"I've always started those talks with, 'Let's try this and circle back in six weeks, and you can tell me what's working and what's not,'" she says. Rather than broadcasting her schedule limitations, she typically "asks politely to have meetings scheduled between Monday and Thursday." And she says it's important to acknowledge that flexibility applies to "both sides of the arrangement: if a presentation to the CEO of NBC is scheduled for a Friday, I will be here, with no complaints."

At most companies, such arrangements seem to foster rather than impede employee performance. Perhaps as companies become more comfortable with the tactical considerations of implementing and managing flextime policies, they will turn their attention toward assessing how such policies can not only help them hang on to good employees, but ensure that those employees continue to advance. That would be particularly good news for women who aspire to the CFO post. It may even help them break the 10% ceiling.

Alix Stuart is senior editor for human capital and careers at CFO. Additional reporting was provided by Jane Coulter.

Balancing Flextime with Face-Time

When does remote work enhance productivity, and when do employees need to show up? In many cases, technology is a key factor in answering both of those questions. Technologies that equip employees with a true virtual office, including voice-over PC, videoconferencing, and desktop-sharing capabilities, bridge the gap between remote workers and their colleagues like never before.

Flexible work arrangements can also create a refuge from the office din. Plantronics introduced the option about two years ago, and some employees now exercise it for reasons other than scheduling convenience. The company's head of financial planning and analysis, for example, recently stayed home, away from the noisy cubicle environment, to complete Web-based training for a new software system, says CFO Barbara Scherer. Such arrangements also come in handy when a deadline looms. "If you know you've got to crank [it out], you may be better off working remotely some days," says Green Mountain Coffee Roasters CFO Fran Rathke.

The hard costs for equipping employees with the technology needed to work remotely can be minimal, says Scherer. At Plantronics, for example, laptops with unified communications software allow people to work anywhere, and PC-based calls and conferencing use the company's own audio devices. Some employees have opted for desktop cameras to enhance the sense of "being there." As Scherer says, "The goal is to empower associates to communicate and collaborate effortlessly, regardless of location."

One major inhibiting factor to finance employees working at home, of course, is the need for security around financial data and cash. At Plantronics, communications from laptops to servers are encrypted, and other security practices keep the firm compliant with Sarbanes-Oxley and payment-card-industry rules.

True, a payroll manager who works remotely most days must still come in to the office from time to time to make sure the checks and payroll data are secure. Other than that, Scherer says, "I don't think people notice the difference, except she has a great personality and it's nice to interact with her [in person]." — Jane Coulter

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