A certain amount of flexibility is required to do the limbo. You can't go low if you don't bend down.

So what does the limbo have to do with human resources? Actually, a little flexibility can go a long way in attracting and keeping workers. We've all read the research about the workforce of the future: employees will be choosy. They will be loyal, but only to their careers, not their organizations. You may not have to bend over backwards to recruit and retain your future staff, but flexibility will help.

Your mission statement probably already contains something about your company being an employer of choice. What will a choice employer look like in the future? And how are you going to go about becoming that organization?

For many HR managers, these questions can be overwhelming. They worry about the costs and time it will take to organize and manage employees' individual needs. Many respond by adopting a "don't ask, don't tell policy" - if they don't ask employees what they want, they won't have to say no. Many organizations are afraid to open the floodgates. But it's possible that opening those gates could lead to the highest productivity the company ever enjoyed.

Here are some areas where your company might become more flexible:

• Job sharing - Job sharing is an alternative work option where two people share job responsibilities and often divide the hours spent at work. Some high-profile examples are Ben & Jerry of ice cream fame and Jed Hoyer and Ben Cherington, who were co-general managers of the Boston Red Sox throughout this past winter. For typical executives, the benefit is clear. They can spend less time in the office. The company can also benefit by having two experienced professionals with a wider skill-set in the same position.
• Part-time work - Retirees are working longer, sometimes into their seventies, but many don't want a 40-hour work week. New parents, especially mothers, are also requesting part-time schedules so they can attempt to gain some life balance. Organizations can keep the expertise of retirees or young mothers without having to train new staff. Also, most parents will return to full-time work after a few years. Many working parents also learn to work "smarter," increasing their productivity.
• Flexible schedules - Many groups of workers also want organizations to be more accommodating of nontraditional schedules. Baby boomers, parents, and those who are involved with charities may want to spend part of a workday or week doing other tasks. A husband and wife team might trade day care duties, with one parent dropping off and getting to (and staying at) work later, while the other comes in early to be able to leave in time for pick-up.
• Geographic freedom - Some employees may want to work part of the year in one location and part in another. For instance, "snow birds" may live in the Northeast during the spring and summer and spend winter in a warmer climate. This arrangement could work for a person who is employed by a large company with several offices, someone in the travel or hospitality industry, or seasonal workers, such as tax preparers.
• Telecommuting - Telecommuting could entail working from home or across the country. This works best with a job where productivity is easily tracked. If some office presence is necessary, the telecommuter could come in to the office during peak hours (10:00 to 2:00) or for a weekly mandatory meeting.
• Volunteering - For many younger workers, quality of life and giving back to the community are important parts of their lives. Companies can accommodate them by providing time during the day or week for these activities and letting employees make up the time during off-hours. Why not give your employees work time to dedicate to these pursuits? They will feel more fulfilled, loyal, and will most likely be more productive because they can work on their own terms.

One way to ensure that flexibility is becoming integral to your corporate culture is to look at the way your managers manage. Are they managing to results or policy? Think about results, and don't get caught up in rules, regulations, and policies. Does it really matter if a shift starts at 6:00 or 8:00 am or ends at 5:00 or even 9:00 pm if the work is getting done? Does it really matter if the employee is in the next cubicle or next state?

Help managers look at projects in a new way. If they need two full-time people over a 40-hour work week, encourage them to look at the project as needing 80 person hours per week. Encourage managers to ask the question, "How can I put my workforce to work for me?" Depending on the business challenges your organization faces, you can target the specific employee sub-groups that will best meet your company's needs.

There are costs associated with becoming a flexible employer, but ultimately it can enhance productivity over the long-term and help attract and retain your most valuable employees. The future is now. Baby boomers are starting to retire and their children are trickling into the workforce. How are you going to be their employer of choice?