Nineteenth International Conference on Knowledge, Culture, and Change in Organizations

Abstract

Flexible work arrangements (FWA) are increasingly widespread and have been recommended in various workplaces for more than a decade. Recent literature has highlighted the importance of deconstructing workplace flexibility into employee perceptions of the availability of FWA and the self-reported use of FWA as they can be associated with different aspects of well-being (e.g., Allen, Johnson, Kiburz & Shockely, 2013; Bal & De Lange, 2015). The current study examines the relationships between FWA availability and use (i.e., variable hours, compressed workweek, telework, reduced hours, and job sharing) and various facets of self-reported well-being using data from the Defence Workplace Well-being Survey (DWWS). The DWWS is based on an instrument that aligns with Canada’s national standard for psychological health and safety in the workplace (Ivey, Blanc, Michaud, & Dobreva-Martinova, 2018). It includes measures related to job resources and job demands as well as outcome measures that assess psychological health. Results from 4708 Canadian Department of National Defence public servants will be presented including the extent of perceived availability and use of FWA in relation to job resources (e.g., autonomy, organizational support), job demands (e.g., work-life conflict, psychological stress) as well as work outcomes (e.g., morale, engagement, burnout). Results will examine differences between specific types of FWA (e.g., flextime, flexplace, or reduced hours) and aspects of workplace well-being. Finally, FWA availability and use will be examined in more detail including potential moderators of relationships to better understand FWA and workplace well-being. Implications of deconstructed FWA in large, public organizations will be discussed.