Asked to name the one benefit program that would make them more productive on the job, an overwhelming majority of respondents (63 percent) cited a "flexible work schedule" – the top reply to a poll by LifeCare Inc.

The next most popular response was "enhanced health and wellness program" (10 percent).

Here are the full results of the poll, conducted on LifeCare’s private Web site among employees of its 1,500 client organizations:

What One Benefit Program Would Enable You to Be More Productive at Work?

• Flexible work schedule – 63 percent
• Enhanced health and wellness program – 10 percent
• Enhanced child or elder care assistance – 8 percent
• Stress management program – 7 percent
• Time management program – 6 percent

Another six percent cited a variety of other reasons, each representing less than one percent. These included: family sick time, an on-site gym, regular break times and less micro-management.

"Clearly, flexible work schedules are attractive to far more people than Gen Y-ers alone," said LifeCare CEO, Peter G. Burki. "They’re a great attraction and retention benefit because they enable people of all ages to take care of important obligations outside of their jobs – caring for a spouse or older loved one, taking care of their children or addressing their own health and fitness needs."

However, Burki noted, flexible schedules don’t work for every organization due to the nature of their business. In these cases, employers should look to the other items mentioned in the poll to enhance their attraction and retention strategies.

"Enhanced wellness programs, enhanced child and elder care programs and stress management programs all offer employers a win-win proposition," he said. "They not only help employees become more focused and productive on the job but they also reduce an organization’s medical expenses and other productivity losses related to these issues. They’re the kind of benefits that end up paying for themselves in the long run."

Address: LifeCare Inc., 2 Armstrong Rd., Shelton, CT 06484; (203) 226-2680, www.lifecare.com.