I am not one to make New Year’s resolutions, but the first day of year is as good as any to make a decision to change your work arrangement. If you find yourself stressed on a daily basis, or you feel guilty because you have missed important events for your kids or too many family dinners; the New Year may give you the inspiration to re-think your career priorities and start working on negotiating or finding a work arrangement that works for you and your family.

Not everyone needs the same thing when it comes to work and family balance. The key is to figure out your priorities in both your career and your home life, and then think creatively of how you can create a work arrangement that allows you to meet those priorities. Some strategies you can pursue:

1) Negotiate a schedule change at your current job. You might decide to reduce your hours or work out a job share arrangement. You could also just shift your hours, starting your day earlier or compressing your workweek (i.e. working four, ten-hour days).

2) Get a new boss. Your company may offer flexible work options, but your boss may have discretion in deciding who gets to work in a flexible schedule. You might be able to make a move within your current company to work with a manager that understands the benefits of flexibility.

3) Find a family friendly company. You may need to move on to a new company that has family friendly support such as flexible schedules, generous time-off and other benefits that support working parents. You can identify such a company through conducting some research (such as looking at Working Mother Magazine’s list of top employers) or through networking.

4) Make a career change. You may need to make a big change to find flexibility by changing careers to a profession that is more conducive to flexible work. Work that is more independent in nature can allow more flexibility. You might find that you can transfer your current skills to a new career without returning to school.

5) Go it alone. Starting your own business can allow you to create a more flexible work arrangement because you are the boss. Whether you start a consulting business providing a service to others based on what you do now, or follow your dreams and start a completely new business, the rewards in both flexibility and compensation can often outweigh the risks.

Consider these strategies as a starting point to starting thinking broadly about how changing your work will let you take control of your time. A transition will not be easy, but the outcome is a worthwhile pursuit. You can change your work arrangement to have a rewarding career and also have the time you want for you and your family. You just need to make a decision to get started. And why not make that decision this year?

Many companies have found that having a family friendly work environment is good PR. That is, a company can garner great public attention with policies and programs supporting working parents. Whether the company makes a national list such as Working Mother Magazine’s top employers, or a write-up in the local paper, the recognition helps an employer attract new workers, and also builds public support for the company.

Unfortunately in reality, many organizations don’t live up to their family friendly claims. The policies exist, but are not actually utilized in the company. For example, some companies offer a flexible schedule option, but only with the boss’s approval. If your manager doesn’t believe in flexible work, you don’t get the option. Or, your career progress is delayed if you ask for a flexible option.

So if you are looking for a job change and want family friendly work, you should spend some time evaluating the claims of a potential employer. In addition to finding out if you want the job, you need to make an effort to find out if the company is truly supportive of working parents. Here are some ways to do it:

· Look for indications that company employees appreciate their families, such as photo displays or invitations to company picnics. Evidence of other working parents is a good sign.

· Look for an opportunity to talk to co-workers about the company culture and learn about a typical day. The less you see a typical day, the better.

· Find out how your potential supervisor measures productivity on the job. If he or she only looks at hours at work, then flexibility may not be an option.

· Find out what flexible work options are available, and then find out how much they are utilized.

· Ask about overtime work requirement. If overtime is required, how much notice you receive. It is difficult to manage family obligations if your schedule will vary without your control.

· Look for other benefits that support working parents such as child care assistance, generous time-off allowances and solid health insurance benefits.

If you are a parent, a family friendly work environment is essential. Whether you want a flexible work arrangement or just some understanding when you are dealing with a problem at home, you must do some research to learn about what working at the company is really like. The key is to spend some time evaluating not only the job, but also the company culture. The more you can learn about the company as well as your potential new boss, the better. Time spent evaluating the company before you take the job could avoid many obstacles later.

If you are a stay-at-home parent looking to return to the outside workforce, you know you have a difficult road ahead of you. A big challenge in the process is talking about your time at home in the job interview. During my HR career, I have interviewed many parents trying to re-enter the workforce and I can tell you, how you talk about your time at home is extremely important to your success in getting a job.

In general, most companies seek employees who are smart, responsible and conscientious about their work. You must make an effort in the interview process to demonstrate these qualities. To succeed in the return-to-work interview, you must:

· Be prepared to explain why you decided to leave the workforce and stay at home. If your decision is what you felt was best for your family, then state that! However, be careful that you don’t say something that causes the employer to question your abilities. For example, don’t share that you were over stressed and couldn’t manage your time while working. The interviewer will question your ability to manage work and family now.
· Talk about things you did while at home that kept your skills sharp. Your volunteer work, online selling or networking with other professionals will show that you are a viable candidate for the job.
· Express clearly why you want to return to the work at this point and why you are the perfect candidate for the job at hand. This is not the time to share that your family is short on cash and you are returning to work against your better judgment. Convince the employer that you are ready to move forward with your career and that you are excited about the opportunity.

Taking some time to prepare for the interview will pay-off in the job search. The more comfortable you feel talking about your time at home, the more confidence a potential employer will have in you as a candidate.

A change in your work schedule may give you the flexibility you need to better meet the needs of your family. There are many variations of flexible work that you can pursue such as reduced hours, a shift in schedule or an opportunity to work some from home. Such a change could lead to less stress and more time for your family.

Unfortunately, not all companies have policies or practices in place to support working with flexibility. Further, even companies that do have accommodating policies and practices often give individual managers discretion in granting schedule change requests. Therefore, you must be prepared to ask for the schedule you want and overcome your manager’s objections.

The best approach to making a schedule change request is to do so with your company’s best interests in mind. Think about how your request could actually benefit your company. Could your altered schedule or work arrangement be a solution to a problem your company is facing?

For example, reducing your hours could help cut costs in a department facing budget constraints. Shifting your schedule so that you come in earlier or stay later than usual could allow your company to extend the hours that they provide service to customers. Working from home could help free up office space if you are in a growing company that has a shortage of space. Allowing someone else to take over some of your responsibilities could provide a developmental opportunity to a less experienced co-worker. These are just a few examples; many possibilities exist.

The key is to identify how your proposed work arrangement actually benefits the company. In addition to the fact that you will be more productive since you will be less stressed and more committed to the company (both of which you should point out in your proposal), you should also clearly illustrate for your boss that your schedule change is in the company’s best interest.

Once you’ve built the business case for flexibility, then you need to put your proposal in writing. A well-written proposal that spells out exactly how the arrangement will work, and how you will succeed in the arrangement should answer any concerns your boss may hold. Make sure you clearly spell out the arrangement you want, how you will get your work done, the benefits you’ve determined for the company, any changes in compensation or time-off benefits that will result, your contingency plans to handle unexpected changes in workloads, and also a recommended trial period.

A well-thought out proposal will receive more serious consideration than a desperate request for a change. If you are confident that your proposed arrangement will work, with some persistence, you can negotiate a work arrangement that allows you to better meet your family needs and de-stress your life (well, at least a little!).