Figure 1 - uploaded by Olivier Thevenon
Content may be subject to copyright.
Women are three times more likely to work part-time than men  

Women are three times more likely to work part-time than men  

Source publication
Technical Report
Full-text available
In Europe, on average 3 out of 4 employees have some work-schedule flexibility, and this concerns 9 in 10 employees in the Netherlands and Nordic countries. Flexible working arrangements are most often available to and used by employees with higher education and who work in top-level jobs. Employees with long working hours and commuting times are l...

Citations

... Flexible work arrangements (FWA) appeared for the first time around 1950, when flextime (i.e., flexibility in working hours within specified time frames) was introduced as an initiative to reduce labor shortages (Rubin, 1979). A pronounced increase in FWA occurred during the Fourth Industrial Revolution at the beginning of the twenty first century, when new ways of working were introduced, relying on digitalization and use of information and communication technology (ICT), and enabling employees to connect to work anytime and anywhere (Bouzol-Broitman et al., 2016;Plantenga & Remery, 2010). FWA has become a common way to increase the autonomy of employees regarding when (e.g., how working hours are allocated), where (i.e., where work is done), and how to perform the work (e.g., which work tasks should be performed and in what way) (Eurostat, 2019; The European Commission's Science & Knowledge Service, 2020). ...
... In principle, remote work could be performed anywhere and not necessarily in the employee's home (for example, in a shared third-party office). The profession and the position of the employee must be taken into account (Thevenon et al., 2016;Nijp et al., 2016). ...
Article
Full-text available
The purpose of this study was to generate new insights into the theory of remote work from the Arab region by exploring employees' experience on working away from office during the COVID-19 pandemic in Kuwait. The aim was to identify key challenges employees faced while working remotely and find opportunities for increasing the effectiveness of remote work practices. Using quantitative approach, 385 anonymous responses were collected. Findings show that employees had predominantly positive experience with the remote work. Employees were able to perform work tasks more efficiently and had more space for professional development. However, it was challenging to adapt to new working conditions, balance work and caring responsibilities and cope with feelings of loneliness and isolation. The article further discusses respondents' recommendation towards the management and identifies other strategies to improve remote employee experience.
... Jedan od izazova političkih odgovora jesu i različiti modaliteti zaposlenosti koji se uspostavljaju kao mogućnosti usklađivanja rada i roditeljstva. Iako istraživanja govore o tome da ove opcije mogu imati pozitivan efekat, i to pre na zaposlenost žena nego što doprinose porastu nivoa rađanja (Del Boca, Pasqua & Chiara Pronzato, 2005), ona nose i negativne uticaje na položaj žena i rodni jaz u zaradama (Mandel & Semyonov, 2005;Thévenon, et al., 2016). ...
... Negativne implikacije tog uticaja ne mogu se smatrati povoljnim sa stanovišta odlučivanja o rađanju, pa bi prioritet trebalo dati onim oblicima zaposlenosti koji su prihvatljiviji u smislu reproduktivnog ponašanja. Nepotpuno radno vreme, kao i zaposlenost na određeno vreme, nisu povoljne okolnosti za odluke o proširivanju porodice (Adsera, 2011;Thévenon, et al., 2016). Fleksibilno radno vreme i rad od kuće mogli bi se smatrati povoljnijim modalitetima. ...
Book
Full-text available
Podela na javnu i privatna sferu, koja stoji u osnovi rodne (ne)ravnopravnosti, jeste linija razumevanja veze između rodnih uloga i niskog fertiliteta. Ostvarena rodna ravnopravnost sa stanovišta nivoa obrazovanja i ekonomske aktivnosti žena nije usklađena sa položajem žene unutar porodice i očekivanjima u pogledu njene angažovanosti u privatnoj sferi. U tom odnosu nastaje niz implikacija koje nisu pozitivne sa stanovišta odlučivanja o ulasku u roditeljstvo, kao i o broju dece." "Uspostavljanje balansa između porodice i posla, na način koji ublažava negativne implikacije uticaja zaposlenosti na roditeljstvo, ali i roditeljstva na zaposlenost, predstavlja ključni izazov politika. Razvijenost usluge zbrinjavanja dece zaposlenih roditelja i uključivanje očeva u podizanje male dece, kroz korišćenje roditeljskog odsustva, prepoznaju se kao dva bitna segmenta." "Rodna ravnopravnost jeste okvir unutar kojeg treba definisati političke odgovore na nizak fertilitet. Oni treba da budu usmereni ka optimalizaciji uslova u kojima se odlučuje o rađanju i o broju dece, kako bi se u što većoj meri ublažili negativni uticaji i omogućila realizacija željenog broja dece. Definisani u tom smeru, oni su podsticajni i sa stanovišta rodnog odnosa i sa stanovišta pojedinca. Demografski efekti političkih odgovora na nizak fertilitet zavise od niza faktora koji uobličavaju vezu između rodnog režima i reproduktivnog ponašanja."
... The share of workers with various types of flexible work arrangements (FWAs), such as flex-time and non-regulated working hours (non-regulated work), is high in Sweden compared to many European countries. As many as 84% of the Swedish working population have work arrangements with some dimension of flexibility (Allvin et al., 2013;Eurostat, 2020;Thévenon et al., 2016). ...
... A driving force for the introduction of FWAs is the possibility of balancing conflicting demands from work and family for working men and women (Thévenon et al., 2016). Conflicting demands between work and private-life arise when demands of one role impede an individual's ability to fulfil the demands of another role (Greenhaus & Beutell, 1985). ...
Article
Full-text available
Flexible work arrangements (FWA) may be beneficial for increasing perceived flexibility (i.e. control over when, where and how to work) and reducing interference between work and private-life, but knowledge of gendered patterns of these relationships is sparse. Drawing on gender theory, the aim of this study was to conduct gender-differentiated analyses of the associations between FWA (non-regulated work or flex-time) and work–life interference using perceived flexibility as a mediator. Survey data were collected in 2016 from a sample of 2614 employees in the Swedish Transport Administration (response rate 67%). The sample included 39.6% women and 60.4% men, 71.7% had non-regulated work and 28.3% flex-time. Associations were determined using linear mixed models and mediation analysis. Results indicated a beneficial effect of non-regulated work (referencing flex-time) on work–life interference through an increase in perceived flexibility. The indirect effect of FWA was pronounced and statistically significant in the total sample, as well as in men and women. However, in men, non-regulated work was associated with a statistically significant increase in interference (competitive mediation). Gender did not interact significantly with work arrangement nor with perceived flexibility. In conclusion, the type of FWA can result in different perceptions of flexibility which in turn may affect experiences of work–life interference. Furthermore, it should be acknowledged that both FWAs and flexibility may be experienced differently for men and women regarding interference. Thus, employers seeking to reduce employee interference should consider gender norms and individual needs.
... Malahan banyak kajian sebelum pandemik menunjukkan bahawa BdR yang telah diamalkan sebelum COVID-19 memberi peluang kepada pekerja untuk meningkatkan keseimbangan kehidupan kerja (Hjorthol and Nossum, 2019). Kajian Bouzol-Broitman et al. (2016), misalnya turut mendapati bahawa 90% daripada pekerja di Belanda dan negara Nordik mempunyai akses kepada jadual kerja yang fleksibel yang menjadikan negara ini mempunyai kadar tertinggi dalam pekerjaan wanita tanpa jurang jantina apabila melibatkan waktu bekerja. Ia telah meningkatkan keseimbangan kerja-kehidupan pekerja dengan berkesan dan keperluan mereka untuk memenuhi keperluan mendesak apabila ia berkaitan dengan keluarga. ...
Article
Full-text available
Abstrak: Sejak Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan (PKP) diumumkan di Malaysia pada 18 Mac 2020, semua organisasi kecuali sektor penting telah diarahkan bekerja dari rumah (BdR) bertujuan untuk memutuskan rantaian COVID-19. BdR bukanlah amalan biasa di Malaysia sebelum COVID-19. Bekerja dari rumah mungkin sebahagian daripada 'norma baharu' kerana komuniti global terus memerangi COVID-19. Timbul persoalan bagaimana proses perhubungan pekerjaan berlaku semasa bekerja dari rumah kerana PKP. Adakah kemudahan teknologi dan peranti pintar berjaya mencipta kerja yang harmoni dan berkesan? Secara idealnya BdR yang telah diamalkan di kebanyakan negara maju sebelum COVID-19, adalah untuk menyediakan peluang meningkatkan keseimbangan kerja-kehidupan. Tetapi timbul persoalan sama ada BdR berkesan, apabila seluruh keluarga termasuk anak-anak berada di dalam rumah, dan apakah implikasinya kepada pekerja. Apabila PKP berlaku, organisasi dan pekerja mesti menghadapi semua cabaran dalam memastikan BdR dapat dilaksanakan. Makalah ini bertujuan untuk membincangkan sejauh mana BdR boleh diamalkan secara mampan sebagai langkah ke hadapan. Berdasarkan data tinjauan kualitatif daripada 725 responden, dapatan berdasarkan analisis tematik refleksif menunjukkan bahawa ada pekerja yang merasakan amalan BdR membantu meningkatkan keseimbangan kerja-kehidupan mereka. Namun ada juga yang mendapati bahawa BdR turut menyumbang kepada konflik kerja-kehidupan dan menyukarkan mereka untuk menumpukan pada tanggungjawab dalam kedua-dua domain. Keadaan ini menunjukkan bahawa jika norma baharu ini diamalkan walaupun selepas pasca COVID-19 di Malaysia, Kerajaan dan organisasi kerja memerlukan penstrukturan semula yang menyeluruh untuk menjayakan amalan BdR. Selain itu, beberapa
... Jedan od izazova političkih odgovora jesu i različiti modaliteti zaposlenosti koji se uspostavljaju kao mogućnosti usklađivanja rada i roditeljstva. Iako istraživanja govore o tome da ove opcije mogu imati pozitivan efekat, i to pre na zaposlenost žena nego što doprinose porastu nivoa rađanja (Del Boca, Pasqua & Chiara Pronzato, 2005), ona nose i negativne uticaje na položaj žena i rodni jaz u zaradama (Mandel & Semyonov, 2005;Thévenon, et al., 2016). ...
... Negativne implikacije tog uticaja ne mogu se smatrati povoljnim sa stanovišta odlučivanja o rađanju, pa bi prioritet trebalo dati onim oblicima zaposlenosti koji su prihvatljiviji u smislu reproduktivnog ponašanja. Nepotpuno radno vreme, kao i zaposlenost na određeno vreme, nisu povoljne okolnosti za odluke o proširivanju porodice (Adsera, 2011;Thévenon, et al., 2016). Fleksibilno radno vreme i rad od kuće mogli bi se smatrati povoljnijim modalitetima. ...
Book
Cilj ove monografije jeste da se na primeru evropskih država što argumentovanije razmotri veza između niskog fertiliteta i rodne ne/ravnopravnosti. Nedovoljno rađanje je višedimenzionalan fenomen, a njegova deterministička osnova je složena. U relevantnoj literaturi podvlače se pozitivni efekti rodne ravnopravnosti na reproduktivno ponašanje. Ta veza je složena. Otuda namera da se pozabavimo naučnom građom i statističkim podacima, na osnovu kojih ćemo doneti konstatacije o uticaju rodnih režima na nivo rađanja u evropskim državama. Demografski ugao znači fokus na razumevanje uslovljenosti niskih stopa rađanja. U ovom slučaju razmatramo rodne uloge kao relevantne faktore i rodnu ne/ravnopravnost kao relevantan okvir reproduktivnog ponašanja u savremenom društvu. Razmatranje ima i aplikativnu vrednost. Ukazuje se na pozitivne i negativne implikacije. Kritički odnos prema negativnim pojavama koje se tiču veze između rodnih uloga i fertiliteta vodi ka afirmaciji stava da je rodna ravnopravnost okvir unutar kojeg treba pronalaziti adekvatna rešenja i definisati političke odgovore, koji će rezultirati pozitivnim efektima sa stanovišta fertiliteta. U centru takvih reagovanja jesu pojedinac, porodica i kvalitet uslova života. Rodni odnos predstavlja bitan segment celovitog odgovora na nizak fertilitet.
... This study examines the association between FWA provision and innovation in SMEs. SMEs have been shown to lag behind large firms in FWA provisions due to the relatively high cost and their low employee numbers (Thevenon et al., 2016). We investigate whether or not FWA provisions enhance innovation in each domain and across a number of domains (innovation breadth). ...
... Specifically, allowing employees to choose their start and finish times and convenient roster or shift times improves product, process, market and organisational innovations as well as innovations across these domains. Flexitime is the most common FWA that employers provide their employees (Thevenon et al., 2016) so that SMEs that do not provide flexitime miss out on accessing good employees and/or achieving the levels of employee commitment associated with this FWA (Hill et al., 2010). Moreover, improvements in WLB and stress reduction from flexitime provide employees the freedom to explore and create knowledge. ...
... The findings are consistent with trends in the global labour market where governments are empowering employees to access FWAs to meet their WLB needs (Russell et al., 2009;Thevenon et. al 2016). While the global literature is largely positive on outcomes from FWAs, it remains that FWAs such as job-sharing and WFH are more limiting in the outcomes generated for SME employers, particularly with respect to innovation. This finding is particularly relevant post COVID-19 as employees' requests for WFH FWA increase. The challenge fo ...
Article
Employee wellbeing is vital for their job satisfaction and motivation to achieve the long-term goals of their employers. Organisations provide flexible work arrangements (FWAs) as one of the strategies for attending to employee wellbeing. Despite the motivating role of FWAs, their links with firm level innovation are rarely considered. This study examines the relationships between FWAs and innovation. It also investigates how the competitive environment in which firms operate moderates the FWA-innovation relationship. Drawing upon a rich longitudinal data of 1513 Australian SMEs, our findings suggest that provision of flexitime and flexi-leave encourage innovation as they provide the mental space and diversity needed for knowledge creation, sharing and exploitation. Moreover, high market competition has limited effect on the positive associations between flexitime and flexi-leave, as FWAs, and innovation but attenuates the relationship between job-sharing and innovation. Our findings imply that SME managers should prioritize the provisions of flexitime and flexi-leave to their employees as these FWAs have pronounced effects on firm-level innovation.
Article
Full-text available
The turbulent environment that influences the contemporary business has caused a reconfiguration of operations, where organizations have developed flexible work arrangements that involve the modification of traditional work. The goal of applying various forms of flexible work arrangements is to attract and retain talent, develop employee skills and capabilities, and become more innovative in terms of job organization. The aim of the research is to investigate differences in the use of flexible work arrangement according to socio-demographic characteristics of employees in the Republic of Serbia. The research was conducted on a sample of 582 employees, using the independent sample T-test and univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) by using the IBM SPSS software for data processing. The research results indicated that there are statistically significant differences between employees who use flexible work arrangements according to gender, age, and level of education, and accordingly, the research hypothesis was confirmed. The scientific contribution is focused on a key segment related to the lack of scientific research on this topic in the Republic of Serbia and beyond. The results represent significant propositions for future research in this field and provide a basis for amending labor laws.
Article
The purpose of this study was to generate new insights into the theory of remote work from the Arab region by exploring employees’ experience on working away from office during the COVID-19 pandemic in Kuwait. The aim was to identify key challenges employees faced while working remotely and find opportunities for increasing the effectiveness of remote work practices. Using quantitative approach, 385 anonymous responses were collected. Findings show that employees had predominantly positive experience with the remote work. Employees were able to perform work tasks more efficiently and had more space for professional development. However, it was challenging to adapt to new working conditions, balance work and caring responsibilities and cope with feelings of loneliness and isolation. The article further discusses respondents’ recommendation towards the management and identifies other strategies to improve remote employee experience.
Article
Full-text available
In this text, the gender dimension of low fertility is considered on the basis of the relevant literature and statistical data regarding the impact of employment on reproductive behaviour in postmodern societies. A review of fertility rates and employment rates of women with young children from 2010 onwards leads to several interesting observations. For example, during the period of study, the birth rate in Hungary increased, while it decreased in Finland by 0.4 children per woman. The most stable and relatively high fertility rates are observed in France and Sweden. At the same time, the employment rate of women with children aged three to five grew in Hungary, but the employment rate of those with children under the age of three was extremely low. In countries with higher fertility, the lowest employment rates for women with children under the age of three are in Finland and France, but they are about four times higher than the rate in Hungary. During the observed period, the employment of mothers remained stable at a relatively high level in Sweden, Norway, and the Netherlands, without differences in female employment according to the age of their children. The fertility rates in these countries are relatively high. The results of empirical research in European countries suggest that the gender dimension of low fertility cannot be understood outside the specific social context, nor without considering the conditions at the micro level. Central to this consideration is the link between low fertility and women?s employment, as raising children is still gender-specific to an extent. However, men can participate in parenthood not only in terms of their reproductive behaviour, but also their right to participate in raising children. In addition, this text identifies negative perceptions of employment that refer to the modalities of worklife balance and the uncertainty regarding female and male employment. Both aspects produce certain effects on the socioeconomic position of the family, which can influence decisions relating to parenthood and the number of children the parents would like to have. In terms of taking action on low birth rates, it could be concluded that endangering families? economic status and reproducing patriarchal gender regimes are not favourable outcomes. This article provides a framework for more concrete research into these issues in Serbian society.