Individual Differences

Alysa D. Lambert, Janet H. Marler, Hal G. Gueutal: IN DIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES: FACTORS AFFECTING EMPLOYEE UTILIZATION OF FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGMENTS. Journal of Vocational Behavior 73 (2008) 107-117.

School of Business-Indiana University Southeast

Department of Management, School of Business- University at Albany

This article talks about relationship between personal and organizational factors that persuade individual to choose flexible work arrangement. Flexible work arrangement is define by employer allows employees some level of flexible control over when and where they work not restricted by standard work hours. Survey of 144 employees in two different types of organization was studied, and this article provided reasons supported by Human Ecology why people would choose flexible work arrangement over standard work hours.

According to Human Ecology Theory, a person’s behavioral choices are to achieve environmental adaptation, or for one to become attuned to all cues in that environment to function with more efficiency. Once a pattern of behaviors are developed that are efficient and routine, a sense of equilibrium is achieved. Apply this theory to work-family context and found that individual seeks a balance between work and family life. Lack of this balance will lead to higher stress, less life satisfaction and low job efficiency. There are some employees even willing to receive lower pay in exchange for better family-work balance. The end result suggest that flexible work arrangement can provide benefits to a person by allowing better work-family balance, reducing family-work related conflicts. In return that person will perform better at work and resulting higher productivity.

Supportive actions from supervisor can further enhance an individual’s attempts to achieve this balance state. When a supervisor shows support to an individual creating solution to lower a stressful situation, by allowing individual flexible work arrangement, in return the...