Workers want flexible schedules.

• Position: Your Life - Brief Article

What perk do today's workers appreciate most? According to 30% of chief financial officers polled by Accountemps, Menlo Park, Calif., a specialized staffing service for temporary accounting, finance, and bookkeeping professionals, flexible schedules top the list. Retirement savings plans ranked second, cited by 17%, followed by extra time off with 16% of the response.

"Lean staffing levels mean many employees are working longer hours. At the same time, a growing number of professionals must meet mounting personal obligations, including caring for children and elderly relatives," points out Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps and author of Motivating Employees for Dummies. "For this 'sandwich generation' of employees, increased control of their time enables them to balance competing demands."

Messmer advises managers who are considering offering flexible work arrangements to ask themselves the...