Predictors of Alternative Scheduling: Age, Level, & Tenure

Abstract

Employees (N = 3,129) were surveyed to determine their likelihood to use three types of alternative work schedules: fewer hours (e. g., part-time), at home hours (e. g., occasional or part-time work at home) and more flexible hours (e. g., a flexitime schedule) if offered by the employer, in the next five years. It was found that half of the employees indicated that the schedules might apply to them (n = 1,290). Regression analyses tested the relationship of need for childcare, age, organizational level, and tenure with the alternative schedules. It was found that respondents who needed childcare were more likely to use all three types of alternative work schedules than those who did not need childcare. Younger respondents were more likely to use all three types of alternative work schedules than were older respondents. Higher level employees were found to be as likely to use alternative schedules as lower level employees. While employees of differing tenure were equally likely to work alternative schedules, many who indicated that the schedules did not apply to them were of higher tenure, thus biasing the final sample on which the tenure conclusion was based.