Transforming Work with Sophie Wade · 2025-11-21 · 48 min
Cali Williams Yost, CEO and Founder of Flex+Strategy Group, has pioneered workplace flexibility since 1995. Cali shares her journey from banking to becoming a flexibility strategist. She explains why flexible work is essential for business growth and attracting and retaining top talent. Cali explains the pitfalls of hybrid and flexible model policy-only approaches and the need for full operational system-wide integration. She urges leaders to rethink outdated work constructs and outlines practical steps for embedding flexibility into organizational culture for sustainable success. TAKEAWAYS Chapter 1: Origins of a Flexibility Strategist [01:19] Cali studies English and Economics appealing to her two contrasting interests. [02:08] Cali's first job at a bank gives her training and allows her to go to New York City! [02:43] Client relationships are key to success, but rigid systems cause Cali's colleagues to quit. [03:35] Cali sees flexible work as logical and proposes it, unsuccessfully to bank leadership. [04:30] A bank client CEO explains he offers flexible working to retain his employees long-term.
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