Work-Family Conflict and Flexible Work Arrangements: Deconstructing Flexibility

Details

• Personal Author:
  Allen TD ; Johnson RC ; Kiburz KM ; Shockley KM
• Description:
  Objective: The study meta-analytically investigates the relationship between work-family conflict (WFC) and flexible work arrangements (FWA). These relationships were explored in detail by examining flextime, flexplace, as well as availability and use of each, separately. Furthermore, WFC was broken down into work interfering with family (WIF) and family interfering with work (FIW). Methods: Academic databases, conference programs, and existing meta-analyses and reviews were searched using keywords (e.g., flexibility, telecommuting, work-family conflict). 61 samples from 58 articles were included. Each study was coded by two study authors, and analyses were conducted using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software package using a random effects model. Results: We found that the direction of work-family conflict (WIF vs. FIW) and the specific form of flexibility (flextime vs. flexplace; use vs. availability) make a difference in the effects found. We also found that sample characteristics (single vs. multiple organizations; within the U.S. vs. outside the U.S.) served as moderators. Overall, the significant effects were small in magnitude with effects associated with WIF being stronger than FIW. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that the relationship between FWA and WFC may be smaller than assumed, and influenced by several factors including type of flexibility (flextime vs. flexplace; use vs. availability), direction of conflict (WIF vs. FIW), and sample characteristics. These findings also indicate that flexibility is not a reliable way to help mitigate work-family conflict, and demonstrate the importance of disaggregating flexibility to clarify the relationship between FWA and WFC. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Family Occupational Health Safety Workplace
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Flexible Work Arrangements Families Meta-analysis Negative Spillover Telecommuting Work-family Conflict Work-life Balance Work Environment Workers Work Schedules
• Publisher:
  University of South Florida (USF)
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  Florida ; New York ; OSHA Region 2 ; OSHA Region 4
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  12
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20064175
• Citation:
  Sunshine ERC Research Poster Session/USF Health Research Day, February 23-24, 2012, Tampa, Florida. Tampa, FL: University of South Florida (USF), 2012 Feb; :12
• Contact Point Address:
  Ryan Johnson, University of South Florida Sunshine Education and Research Center
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2012
• Performing Organization:
  Sunshine Education and Research Center, University of South Florida
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Sunshine ERC Research Poster Session/USF Health Research Day, February 23-24, 2012, Tampa, Florida
• End Date:
  20290630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:e84d5915e3acbf974e065ef68ca092200482dedb92b10bec30b16ceb902a23794e02d7d4d027c07368fb8d8cba7122dc4067cf3723c4572e9a318a9def398a27
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/222681/cdc_222681_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 81.71 KB ]