Flexibility and work-life balance are the most important factors when parents consider a job opportunity, according to FlexJobs, a job search website specializing in telecommuting, freelance, part-time and other flexible work opportunities. In its recent survey, work flexibility was cited by 84% of parents while 80% cited work-life balance.

When evaluating a job prospect, parents surveyed placed these ahead of other factors, such as salary, 75%; health insurance, 42%; company reputation, 39%; and 401(k)/retirement benefits, 29%.

“These survey findings indicate that work flexibility is not just a convenience for working parents, but a real necessity,” said FlexJobs Founder and CEO Sara Sutton Fell. “In fact, nearly 40% have actually left a job because of the lack of work flexibility options, and an additional 20% are actively looking for new work because of it. From recruiting and retention perspectives, it is costly to any company for more than half of their working parent employees to leave or consider leaving, especially when 86% of working parents would be more loyal to an employer if they simply had flexible work options.”

Work-life balance was also ranked as the top reason working parents seek flexible work at 84%, followed by family at 83%, time savings at 45%, and commuting stress at 43%.

The survey included 1,189 respondents, all with children under 18 living at home.