Most firms now give workers a fixed number of personal days off each year, either for vacation or illness. Many also offer flexible scheduling. At Accenture, the large consulting company based in Chicago, staffers can put in their 40 hours in four days instead of five, getting an extra day off.
Some companies also allow trading of benefits.
For instance, workers might be able to forfeit their health insurance if they are covered by a spouse's plan and instead get an educational loan for the same amount. Wells Fargo , the San Francisco-based bank with 1115,000 workers, has added financial planning, day care and adoption benefits, says Paula Roe, senior vice president of compensation and benefits. The trend picked up steam in the late 1990s as companies competed for employees in a tight labor market. But experts say it's likely to continue despite the cooling economy. It requires employees to take more responsibility.