Working time flexibility and work-life balance

Anne M. Wöhrmann,Alexandra Michel,Nicola Dilchert

doi:10.1007/s41449-020-00230-x

Abstract

Based on border theory (Clark 2000), we aim to investigate the relationship between individual-oriented and organization-oriented working time flexibility and employees’ work-life balance, as well as the moderating role of segmentation preference. We use data from around 18,000 employees from the 2015 Working Time Survey of the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in Germany. Survey data were collected through computer-assisted telephone interviews. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that individual-oriented working time flexibility was positively related to employees’ work-life balance, whereas organization-oriented working time flexibility had a negative effect. Employees’ individual preferences regarding the segmentation of work and private life only played a minor role. Those with a higher segmentation preference profit only marginally more from individual-oriented working time flexibility and suffer only marginally more from organization-oriented working time flexibility demands.Practical Relevance: Taken together, the study’s findings highlight the importance of the design of flexible working time arrangements for improving employees’ work-life balance. Employers should grant their employees a certain degree of working time autonomy while keeping organization-oriented working time requirements, such as changes of working time at short notice to accommodate operational demands, to a minimum. This applies to all employees, not only those with a strong preference for separating work and private life.

Highlights

Current trends in the working world such as globalization, digitalization, and changing values result in the need for employees and organizations to become more and more flexible
While it has repeatedly been found that behavior aimed at the segmentation of work and private life domains is related to favorable work-life outcomes (e.g., Kreiner 2006; Michel et al 2015; Rexroth et al 2017), research on segmentation preferences is not that consistent
Emerging research indicates that segmentation preference as a personal attitude may affect the extent to which working conditions are related to aspects of work-life balance

Summary

Introduction

Current trends in the working world such as globalization, digitalization, and changing values result in the need for employees and organizations to become more and more flexible. The flexibility requirements of organizations translate into flexibility requirements for employees In contrast to this organization-oriented working time flexibility, which results in nonstandard schedules, changes in the working world allow for more individual-oriented working time flexibility, that is, the possibility for employees to have some autonomy in determining their working time (Costa et al 2004). There is evidence that individual-oriented and organization-oriented working time flexibility are related to worklife balance, health, and well-being of employees (Kossek and Michel 2011). Diminishing boundaries between work and private life as a result of working time and workplace flexibility have triggered research on employees’ preferences regarding the segmentation or integration of life domains (Ammons 2013). Derks et al (2016) found that smartphone use is related to reduced work-family conflict for employees preferring integration (integrators) but not for employees preferring segmentation (segmenters)

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