This story first appeared on Women 2.0.
本文首发于Women 2.0（小编注：Women 2.0是一个旨在帮助女性企业家的全球性平台，会举办一系列工作坊和活动）。
It’s no surprise that employees today want flexible hours. What is surprising, though, is that so few employers offer a flexible work schedule. All the while, millions of Americans choose to work part-time jobs so they can have more control over their work and personal lives.
如今的员工们都想要弹性工作时间，这已经不是什么新鲜事了。不过令人惊讶的是，很少有雇主能够给出一份弹性工作日程表。一直以来，美国人选择做兼职，这样他们就更容易掌控工作和私生活。
If you don’t offer flexible working hours and conditions, you’re not only creating an unideal work environment for your employees. You could also be shutting out qualified candidates who won’t settle working for a company with an antiquated working hours policy.
如果你不给出弹性工作的时间安排和工作条件，那么你给雇员带来的就不单单是不理想的工作环境了。被你拒之门外的还可能有一些优秀的候选人，他们只是不愿在陈旧的工时制度下埋头工作。
Why Americans Choose Flexibility Over Money
为什么美国人把弹性工作看得比薪水还重
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 20 million Americans actively choose part-time work.
根据美国劳动统计局的数据，超过两千万的美国人主动选择兼职工作。
They’re not working fewer hours because they can’t find a full-time position; rather, they’re engaging in a deliberate, careful work-life balance. For most, working part-time is a result of simply not being able to commit to 9-to-5 jobs.
他们的工作时间并没有因为找不到全职工作而减少，相反，他们精打细算，热衷于工作和生活之间的平衡。对多数人来说，兼职只是不被朝九晚五的工作束缚的表现。
For example, they may be college or graduate students who need time to complete assignments. Some part-time employees juggle family obligations, and others are semi-retired.
比方说，这些人可能是大学生或者研究生，他们需要时间完成自己的学业任务。一些兼职工作者需要承担家庭义务，而另一些是处于半退休状态的人。
However, one-third of this demographic - roughly 6 million Americans - choose part-time work so they can follow their passions.
然而，统计数据中三分之一的人（即大约六百万的美国人）选择兼职工作是为了追随自己的理想。
These workers want to design their own careers. Many are young and college-educated, and they want work that will cater to their lifestyle, which is largely in flux.
这些员工想要制定自己的事业。其中很多是受过大学教育的年轻人，他们希望找一份符合自己生活方式的工作，也就是灵活的工作。
Among this population, the common denominator is simple: They don’t want to work long hours in a job they don’t like.
这些人的准则很简单：他们不希望花很多时间在不喜欢的工作上。
Too-Strict Hours Are Bad for Business
太严格的时间安排对企业不利
Even though more and more Americans choose part-time work, the percentage of employers offering flexible work has increased only minimally in the past decade - from about 4 to 5 percent.
即使越来越多的美国人选择做兼职，过去十年来，提供弹性工作的雇主并没有增长多少——大约只增长了4到5个百分点。
Inflexible hours, especially combined with low wages, place demands on employees that leave them starved for time, both for themselves and for their families.
缺乏弹性的工作时间，尤其再加上薪水较低，会让员工们对时间极度渴望，为他们自己，也为了家人。
Simply put, strict hours are bad for business because they’re bad for employees. According to research, it’s hazardous to their health. Stress takes a toll on heart health, blood pressure and getting a good night’s sleep. Spending more than 20 hours awake has the same impact on bodily and mental function as consuming five or six alcoholic drinks.
简而言之，严格的时间安排对企业不利，因为这对员工不利。据研究，这会对他们的健康造成危害。压力对心脏、血压、良好的睡眠都危害重大。超过20小时不睡觉对身理和心理造成的伤害和饮5到6杯酒是一样的。
The statistics also show a much more insidious problem: increased likelihood of alcohol abuse. People who work 50 or more hours a week are three times as likely to chronically abuse alcohol than those who don’t.
数据还显示了一个更为隐蔽的问题：酗酒的可能性增加。一星期工作超过50小时的人慢性酗酒的可能性是正常工作的人的三倍。
As a result, the economy suffers. Experts estimate that, as a whole, alcohol misuse costs the U.S. economy $223.5 billion every year. Decreased workplace productivity accounts for a staggering 72 percent of the loss.
结果就是，经济就受到重创。据专家预估，就整体而言，酒精滥用每年使美国经济消耗2235亿美元，而低下的工作效率造成了其中72%的损失，十分惊人。
Why Offer Flexible Hours
为什么要提供弹性工作时间
Given the stats, it’s clear that changing the way you structure your startup’s hours is well worth the effort. If you still need convincing, read on for some more reasons to switch to flextime.
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