Flexible work schedules good for employees—and the company
A new study shows that a flexible work schedule leads to satisfied and less stressed employees.
Researchers tested their theory in the IT Department of a Fortune 500 company. Half of the department retained their normal schedules, while the other half got flexible work schedules.
The flexible work group had more control on their schedules and was focused on results, not face time in the office. Employees shifted their work schedules, worked from home, and communicated through instant messenger.
After 12 months, employees on the flexible schedules felt more in control, felt that they were supported by their bosses and spent more time with their families. These employees reported that they were more satisfied with their jobs and less likely to be burnt out and stressed.
Authors say that happier employees are more efficient and productive, and will benefit the company in the long run.
“Today’s workers are bombarded by advice on how to juggle their work and family lives–we’re told to take up yoga, or learn to meditate, or only check email twice a day,” says study author Phyllis Moen Moen. “But individual coping strategies alone won’t solve the problem. Our study makes clear that organizational initiatives, including programs that promote greater flexibility and control for workers as well as greater supervisor support, are needed.”
The study was posted online and will appear in the print issue of American Sociological Review. The study was lead by Phyllis Moen, who holds the McKnight Endowed Presidential Chair in Sociology at the University of Minnesota; and Erin L. Kelly, a Professor in Work and Organization Studies at the MIT Sloan School of Management.
