FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: may 18, 2007

CONTACT: Joan johnson, 603-646-2839

HANOVER, N.H.—At some point along the way, professionals—both women and men—want to step off the career path for a variety of reasons, such as to care for a spouse or an elderly parent, to raise children, or to nourish an entrepreneurial spirit, according to a new survey. Titled "Changing the Career Ladder: Paving Flexible Pathways for Today’s Talent," the survey of hiring managers and employees was conducted by Tuck Executive Education at Dartmouth, Cali Yost (the Fortune 500 consultant who coined the phrase Work+Life Fit), and Aquent (the global marketing and creative staffing firm). But it remains to be seen how corporations will find talent and foster flexibility in today's world of work.

"Highly talented professionals fear being labeled obsolete if they don’t give their all to the always-on workforce,” said Nicole Faherty, program manager for Tuck Executive Education’s Back in Business: Invest in Your Return program, which helps reintegrate professionals who have left the workforce into the fast-moving world of business.

"The lack of dialogue between companies and professionals about obvious cultural changes can lead to stagnation and a lag in productivity,” Faherty added. “We want to talk about how professionals can gain the confidence, skills, and connections to open doors for their return to the workforce. In turn, we want to provide an avenue to this well of professional talent that corporations need to grow their organizations.”

Only 36 percent of companies currently recruit those absent from the workforce and 34 percent recruit those seeking flexible work options, according to the survey. Steve Dempsey, vice president of recruiting at Aquent, said, "In the past five years, we have seen a significant increase in the number of professionals turning to us as an alternative solution to achieve a work–life balance or re-enter the workforce. These are experienced employees with specialized skill sets, and over 40 percent of them have an MBA."

"There's an expanded talent pool ready to be tapped," said Cali Yost, president and founder of Work+ Life Fit, Inc. "But first, the workplace must evolve from fixed to flexible career paths and learn that it's not about where, when, or why we work but rather our result. Only then will companies and employees be liberated to address their priorities while exponentially boosting their productivity."

To receive a copy of the survey results, please contact Tuck Executive Education at 603-646-0252.

Founded in 1900, The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth is the first graduate school of management and consistently ranks among the top business schools worldwide. Tuck remains distinctive among the world's great business schools by combining human scale with global reach, rigorous coursework with experiences requiring teamwork, and valued traditions with innovation. www.tuck.dartmouth.edu.

Work+Life Fit, Inc. is a New Jersey-based consulting firm that specializes in developing innovative flexibility strategies for organizations and individuals based upon the proprietary Work+Life Fit Partnership model. Clients include companies such as AstraZeneca, BASF, BDO Seidman, LLP, Ernst & Young, GlaxoSmithKline, JPMorgan Chase, Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, Microsoft, Novo Nordisk, and Quaker. www.worklifefit.com

For 20 years Aquent has led the way in transforming how companies find and utilize marketing and creative talent to execute their brand strategies. Aquent’s pioneering approach to staffing and services has helped thousands of companies—including two thirds of the Fortune 500 and 90 of the Fortune 100—build their internal marketing and communication capabilities. Last year, we placed over 11,000 Aquent talent at more than 3,000 companies. Aquent is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. www.aquent.com

Founded in 1900, Tuck is the first graduate school of management in the country and consistently ranks among the top business schools worldwide. Tuck remains distinctive among the world's great business schools by combining human scale with global reach, rigorous coursework with experiences requiring teamwork, and valued traditions with innovation.