flexibility
flek-suh-BIL-uh-tee
/ˌflɛksəˈbɪləti/
The quality of bending easily without breaking; the ability to be easily modified to respond to altered circumstances.
In the workplace, it refers to the ability to choose when and where one works.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'flectere,' meaning 'to bend.' Originally used to describe physical objects like willow branches, it was adopted by the business world in the late 20th century to describe 'flextime'—the bending of the rigid 9-to-5 schedule.
Word relationships
- adaptability: Adaptability is the capacity to change yourself; flexibility is the capacity of the system to be changed.
- rigidity: Rigidity is the inability to bend or change under pressure.
Commonly confused with
- agility: Agility is about speed of movement; flexibility is about the range of movement.
Word family
- flexible (adjective): able to bend or change.
- flex (verb): to bend.
Collocations
- workplace flexibility
- schedule flexibility
- maximum flexibility
- lack of flexibility
Example sentences
- "I am looking for a role that offers flexibility in terms of working hours." Job negotiation.
- "The key to survival in a changing market is strategic flexibility." Describing a strategy.
Memory hook
Flexibility is like a 'Flex'—you can bend the rules without breaking the career. Bend, don't break.
When not to use
In a strictly physical sense, it refers to muscles; in a business sense, it refers to schedules.
Fun facts
- The first 'flextime' experiments began in Germany in 1967 to help mothers balance work and home.
Related words
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