Challenging common myths about workplace flexibility: Research notes from the multi-organization database

Abstract

Three common myths about workplace flexibility are examined using findings from WFD Consulting's multi-organization database. First, comparisons of engagement and stress levels reveal that part-time workers are not, as often assumed, less committed or less valuable to the business enterprise than their full-time colleagues. Second, comparisons of employee outcomes challenge the faulty assumption that flexibility for exempt workers offers greater benefit for employers than flexibility for non-exempt workers. Finally, findings suggest that, contrary to common conjecture, workplace flexibility is not incompatible with the growing work demands of a competitive economy. As illustrated by these research notes, data-driven examinations of flexibility myths lead to a better understanding of flexibility as a versatile organizational tool for sustaining employee engagement and productivity.