The Effects of Workplace Flexibility on Health Behaviors: A Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Analysis

Grzywacz, Joseph G.; Casey, Patrick R.; Jones, Fiona

doi:10.1097/jom.0b013e31815ae9bc

Cited by 78 publications

(69 citation statements)

References 20 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Research suggests that flexibility can enhance perceptions of job control (Kossek, Lautsch, & Eaton, 2006;Thomas & Ganster, 1995), and there is a substantial body of research linking greater levels of control with better health and reduced health care costs (de Lange, Taris, Kompier, Houtman, & Bongers, 2003;Ganster, Fox, & Dwyer, 2001;Stansfeld & Candy, 2006). One aspect of control is the ability of workers to engage in positive lifestyle habits, and some evidence suggests that greater flexibility is associated with more frequent engagement in positive behaviours such as physical activity and healthy sleep patterns (Grzywacz, Casey, & Jones, 2007). Third, flexibility may engender greater productivity at work (Shepard, Clifton, & Kruse, 1996), perhaps resulting in greater pay and a higher socio-economic status (Weeden, 2005), a variable that is strongly related to health (e.g., Adler et al, 1994).…”

Section: Job Flexibility and Healthmentioning

confidence: 97%

Workplace flexibility, self-reported health, and health care utilization

et al. 2009

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Flexible work arrangements, or organizational practises that permit employees to adjust their work schedule or location to better manage demands outside of work, are a popular familyfriendly benefit. There is relatively little research examining the health outcomes associated with flexibility and no published studies examining associations with health care utilization. We analyzed responses to self-administered Health Risk Appraisals (HRAs) completed by employees of a large multinational pharmaceutical company in the USA (N 02976). The HRA included measures of perceived flexibility and self-appraised health. Health care utilization records from the year following completion of the HRA were merged with the selfreported data. Greater levels of flexibility were associated with better health: that is, with less self-reported stress and strain, and better physical health. Flexibility was not related to either acute visits to a health care provider or number of prescriptions. However, after controlling for self-reported health, those participants with greater flexibility had marginally more health care visits. The results suggest that, despite their other benefits, workplace flexibility programmes are unlikely to reduce organizational health care costs in the short term.

show abstract

Section: Job Flexibility and Healthmentioning

confidence: 97%

Workplace flexibility, self-reported health, and health care utilization

et al. 2009

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…is indeed damaging to their health", [32] so it is likely that telework benefits health more than it damages it because it helps people to be better able to control their life. In fact, some evidence seems to indicate that telework has net benefits for employees; [28,[33][34][35] in other words, "telecommuting is likely more good than bad for individual". [36] 3.3.1 Identified health problems The health problems associated with telework can be grouped into four categories: musculoskeletal problems, isolation and depression, stress and overwork and others.…”

Section: Health Issues Associated With Teleworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Telework and health effects review

Tavares

2017

IJH

308

296

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Telework is an increasingly popular flexible working arrangement. The aim of this article is to describe the features that characterize telework. The advantages and disadvantages of teleworking are outlined, as well as its effects on the health of the worker. The method used was a literature review. The outputs of this search show that in general, empirical evidence favours a positive association between telework and worker health. However, there are also negative impacts on health such as stress and depression. The overall conclusion is that telework is likely to yield more good than bad for individual health.

show abstract

“…Advocates suggest that workplace flexibility contributes to better health, in part because it helps workers better balance their work and family lives (Corporate Voices for Working Families & WFD Consulting, 2005;Halpern, 2005) and it enables workers to maintain healthier lifestyles (Grzywacz, Casey, & Jones, 2007). Workplace flexibility therefore provides a concrete mechanism for improving population health because only a minority (28%) of American workers report having access to a flexible schedule (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2005) and few employers make flexible work arrangements available to all of their employees (Bond, Galinsky, Kim, & Brownfield, 2005).…”

mentioning

confidence: 98%

Schedule flexibility and stress: Linking formal flexible arrangements and perceived flexibility to employee health

Grzywacz

Carlson

Shulkin

2008

Community, Work & Family

Self Cite

161

114

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Despite widespread public appeals, the evidence base linking worker health to workplace flexibility remains weak. The goal of this study was to improve understanding of the potential health benefit of promoting schedule flexibility at work. Using data from several businesses across a variety of industries (N 019,704), this study tested hypothesized associations among employee participation in formal flexible work arrangements, perceived flexibility, and stress and burnout. Results indicated that stress and burnout was lower among workers engaged in all types of formal flexible arrangements, and that 30Á50% of observed differences between workers engaged in flextime (either alone or combined with compressed workweeks) and those not engaged in a formal arrangement were explained by perceived flexibility. Evidence also indicated that the generally beneficial effect of schedule flexibility differs by gender and the employment arrangement of a worker's spouse or partner. This study provides clear support for advocates' calls for employers to expand flexible arrangements, particularly flextime.A pesar del gran esfuerzo hecho por el pú blico, la evidencia para conectar la salud de los trabajadores con la flexibilidad en el trabajo permanece débil. El objetivo de este estudio fue aumentar el entendimiento del beneficio potencial de la promoció n de un horario flexible de trabajo. Usando informació n obtenida de un consorcio de negocios a través de una variedad de empresas (N 019.704), este estudio analizó hipó tesis de asociación entre la participació n de empleados en arreglos formales de trabajo flexible, con flexibilidad percibida y estrés y agotamiento. Los resultados indicaron que el estrés y el agotamiento fue más bajo entre los trabajadores que participaron en todos los tipos de arreglos de flexibilidades formales y 30Á50% de las diferencias observadas entre los empleados que trabajaron horario flexible (ya sean solos o combinados con semanas de trabajo comprimidas) y esos que no participaron en un arreglo formal fueron explicado por la flexibilidad percibida. Las evidencias también indicaron que los efectos generales de un horario flexible difiere entre los sexos y del acuerdo de empleo de la pareja del trabajador. Este estudio proporciona un soporte claro para que las personas que abogan por los derechos de los trabajadores les pidan a los empleadores que expandan los arreglos flexibles, particularmente horario flexible.

show abstract

The Effects of Workplace Flexibility on Health Behaviors: A Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Analysis

Abstract: Workplace flexibility may contribute to positive lifestyle behaviors, and may play an important role in effective worksite health promotion programs.

Cited by 78 publications

References 20 publications

Workplace flexibility, self-reported health, and health care utilization

Workplace flexibility, self-reported health, and health care utilization

Telework and health effects review

Schedule flexibility and stress: Linking formal flexible arrangements and perceived flexibility to employee health

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About