It can be tough to hang onto a part-time or telecommuting setup when you're going through a recession.

    I tried working part-time as a reporter for this newspaper years ago when my children were small, just as the economy hit the skids in a previous downturn. Although my bosses did their best to find a reduced-hours beat for me, cost controls, coupled with the nature of our work in that bureau, meant all the professional jobs suitable for me were full-time, heavy-travel positions. After briefly considering a beat that would have required me to travel often to Europe, far from my infant and two-year-old, I chose to leave the staff to freelance for a while.

    That experience hovered at the back of my mind as I reported today's Work & Family column, on how to hang onto your flexible work arrangement in a recession. These days, employees with measurable, clear job objectives, good communication with their bosses, essential cutting-edge skills and the ability to hit performance targets have a fair chance of hanging on to their flextime, part-time or work-at-home setups, I found. Indeed, some employers seem to be more amenable to this than in the past.

    But so many obstacles can still get in the way. All the important jobs in your office may be set up as full-time, office-based gigs. Your manager may have an 'all-hands-on-deck' mentality, making it harder to work flexibly. Co-workers may resent your absences from the office, even if you try to split the load equitably. Worse yet, some managers simply assume that anyone who can't work 60 hours a week is uncommitted and unnecessary.

    Readers, what's the attitude toward flexible work arrangements at your office? Have you managed to hang onto a nontraditional work setup through this recession? Do colleagues' flexible setups cause problems for you at work?   

    當你正在經曆經濟衰退之時
，獲得兼職或遠程工作的安排可能並非易事。

    你的老板能接受靈活的工作安排嗎？幾年前
，我曾想為《華爾街日報》做(zuo)兼(jian)職(zhi)記(ji)者(zhe)，當(dang)時(shi)我(wo)的(de)孩(hai)子(zi)很(hen)小(xiao)，而(er)經(jing)濟(ji)在(zai)上(shang)一(yi)輪(lun)衰(shuai)退(tui)中(zhong)正(zheng)在(zai)走(zou)下(xia)坡(po)路(lu)。雖(sui)然(ran)我(wo)的(de)老(lao)板(ban)盡(jin)最(zui)大(da)努(nu)力(li)為(wei)我(wo)尋(xun)找(zhao)一(yi)份(fen)上(shang)班(ban)時(shi)間(jian)不(bu)長(chang)的(de)工(gong)作(zuo)，但(dan)成(cheng)本(ben)控(kong)製(zhi)加(jia)上(shang)我(wo)們(men)的(de)工(gong)作(zuo)性(xing)質(zhi)意(yi)味(wei)著(zhe)所(suo)有(you)適(shi)合(he)我(wo)的(de)工(gong)作(zuo)都(dou)是(shi)全(quan)職(zhi)而(er)且(qie)經(jing)常(chang)出(chu)差(cha)的(de)職(zhi)位(wei)。這(zhe)就(jiu)要(yao)求(qiu)我(wo)經(jing)常(chang)到(dao)歐(ou)洲(zhou)
，遠(yuan)離(li)出(chu)生(sheng)不(bu)久(jiu)和(he)剛(gang)剛(gang)兩(liang)歲(sui)的(de)兩(liang)個(ge)孩(hai)子(zi)
，經(jing)過(guo)短(duan)暫(zan)的(de)考(kao)慮(lv)後(hou)
，我(wo)選(xuan)擇(ze)了(le)離(li)職(zhi)
，從(cong)事(shi)一(yi)段(duan)時(shi)間(jian)的(de)自(zi)由(you)職(zhi)業(ye)。

    在我為今天的《工作•家》欄目撰寫在經濟衰退中應如何獲得靈活的工作安排時，這段經驗又浮現在我的腦海中。最近，我發現擁有明確且可衡量的工作目標

、與老板保持良好溝通、擁有高超技能和能力達到工作目標的員工會有合理的機會獲得彈性時間、兼職或家中的工作。事實上
，一些雇主似乎比過去更願意接受這樣的工作了。

    但是，這仍麵臨著許多障礙。單位中所有重要的工作可能都是專職

、基於辦公室中的安排。你的經理可能會有一種“一切盡在掌控”的(de)心(xin)態(tai)，這(zhe)增(zeng)加(jia)了(le)實(shi)行(xing)靈(ling)活(huo)工(gong)作(zuo)製(zhi)的(de)難(nan)度(du)。盡(jin)管(guan)你(ni)在(zai)努(nu)力(li)平(ping)等(deng)地(di)分(fen)擔(dan)工(gong)作(zuo)負(fu)荷(he)，但(dan)同(tong)事(shi)仍(reng)可(ke)能(neng)會(hui)對(dui)你(ni)不(bu)到(dao)辦(ban)公(gong)室(shi)感(gan)到(dao)不(bu)滿(man)。更(geng)糟(zao)糕(gao)的(de)是(shi)，一(yi)些(xie)管(guan)理(li)人(ren)員(yuan)單(dan)純(chun)地(di)認(ren)為(wei)
，每(mei)周(zhou)沒(mei)有(you)工(gong)作(zuo)到(dao)60小時的人就是不負責任和多餘的。

    讀(du)者(zhe)朋(peng)友(you)們(men)，你(ni)的(de)單(dan)位(wei)對(dui)靈(ling)活(huo)工(gong)作(zuo)製(zhi)持(chi)何(he)態(tai)度(du)？在(zai)衰(shuai)退(tui)中(zhong)你(ni)是(shi)否(fou)曾(zeng)得(de)以(yi)保(bao)持(chi)非(fei)傳(chuan)統(tong)的(de)工(gong)作(zuo)方(fang)式(shi)
？同(tong)事(shi)的(de)靈(ling)活(huo)工(gong)作(zuo)製(zhi)是(shi)否(fou)給(gei)你(ni)的(de)工(gong)作(zuo)帶(dai)來(lai)了(le)問(wen)題(ti)
？