Most employment firms offer part-timers as more of a sideline than anything else. Now, staffing companies geared to providing only part-time help are cropping up across the country. One agency, 10 'til 2 (www.tentiltwo.com), which started with one office in Colorado only two years ago, now has 12. So why the fast growth, and what's in it for you? According to the American Staffing Association, "It's flexibility. Workers want it. Businesses need it."

Think of a small or medium-sized business operating from a 40-hour, full-time permanent employee mindset—staffing decisions are tough. There may be several different needs, but a budget for just one full-time employee. The ability to fill bookkeeping, marketing and IT needs with qualified part-timers and not have to choose which to sacrifice is a great solution.

10 'til 2 specializes in placing college-educated professionals, most of whom are moms. For employers, the nation's 5.6 million stay-at-home mothers with children under 15 represent a large potential pool of untapped talent, often with prior company experience and significant education. Other firms are working with a similar model, such as Mom Corps (www.momcorps.com) in Atlanta, and they've found that retirees and dads are also very interested in working part-time.

Unlike traditional employment agencies, these firms are forging into the arena of flexible work arrangements and developing expertise in work options such as job sharing, leave coverage, at home work, etc. That helps them bring their clients into a future that meets their needs for qualified employees and their workers needs for a work life with balance.