Adam, Duncan (2020) Flexible working arrangements in British workplaces : employer provision, employee take-up and associated outcomes for employees. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

The thesis uses data from the Workplace Employment Relations Survey 2011 to assess the extent of flexible working provision in British workplaces, the perceived accessibility and use of the different flexible working options and the employee-level outcomes which are associated with their use.

Provision of flexible working is measured in three different ways; the overall number of options available at the workplace; the provision of a type of flexibility (hours, schedule or location); or the provision of individual options for flexibility.

The findings show support for the institutional and organizational adaptive perspectives of provision; there is little support for situational, or equal opportunities perspectives on provision, whereas there is qualified support for a link between High Performance Working Practices (HPWPs) and the overall level of provision of flexible working.

There is no strong evidence to suggest that recessionary effects either result in provision being increased (which would be supportive of perspectives which suggest that flexibility can be a tool of the employer to reduce costs) or reduced at workplaces (which would be supportive of perspectives which suggest that employers would seek to impose greater control over their workforce when facing a challenging economic climate). It is suggested that organizational strategies around flexibility including response to financial adversity is an area which merits further empirical study.

The evidence suggests that perceived accessibility and use of FWAs differ by the type of FWA under consideration. Schedule and location flexibility perceived accessibility and use are associated with a more privileged labour market position, either in terms of employment role, or with the individual characteristics traditionally associated with labour market advantage. Perceived accessibility of hours flexibility, which is necessarily accompanied by a reduction in pay, is found to be heavily associated with characteristics associated with labour market disadvantage. Taken together the findings suggest the need to consider the specific type of flexibility more carefully. Although the findings on the perceived accessibility and use of the different options show strong associations with different individual and job characteristics, the limited evidence available suggests most employers believe that their flexible working options are available to all employees.

Perceived accessibility and use of the different types of options are found to have significant associations with certain individual level outcomes. Higher levels of job satisfaction and organizational commitment are associated with use and perceived accessibility of the schedule and location flexibility types. These findings are supportive of both social exchange theories and signalling theories. Use of hours flexibility is found to be associated with lower levels of work-related anxiety. The results suggest that employees who use flexible options do not experience better WLB than those who do not.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Flexible work arrangements -- Great Britain, Flextime -- Great Britain, Telecommuting -- Great Britain, Non-standard employment -- Great Britain, Hours of labor -- Great Britain, Labor market -- Great Britain
Official Date:	December 2020
Dates:	Date Event December 2020 UNSPECIFIED
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Warwick Business School
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Hoque, Kim, 1970- ; Fernando, Dulini
Sponsors:	Warwick Business School
Format of File:	pdf
Extent:	viii, 224 leaves
Language:	eng

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