Abstract

While flexible working-time arrangements are highly sought-after entitlements for the reconciliation of work and family responsibilities, they also risk workplace stigma and deterioration in users’ (typically mothers’) employment status and career prospects. Among potential influences on these outcomes is the formality of provisions. In this analysis we examine job satisfaction, work/family benefits and employment penalties among Australian mothers using flexible working arrangements, comparing the outcomes of those who accessed flexible working-time arrangements formally (through policy provisions available at their workplace) with the outcomes of those who used informally negotiated arrangements. Using data from a nationally representative cohort of working mothers, we show that the use of flexible working-time arrangements was positively associated with specific indicators of job satisfaction, and that this association was stronger among mothers who accessed formal arrangements. However, formality was positively associated not only with perceived benefits (such as more time with family) but also with problems (such as intensified workloads and lost opportunities for training). Overall, our findings suggest that while formality is important, it may also amplify the tension between benefits and penalties associated with flexible working-time arrangements.

摘要

虽然灵活的工作时间安排是兼顾工作和家庭责任的广受欢迎的权利，但它们也有可能在工作场所受到污名化以及用户（通常是母亲）的就业状况和职业前景恶化。对这些结果的潜在影响之一是规定的形式。在这项分析中，我们研究了使用灵活工作安排的澳大利亚母亲的工作满意度、工作/家庭福利和就业惩罚，并将那些正式（通过工作场所的政策规定）获得灵活工作时间安排的母亲的结果与那些母亲的结果进行了比较。谁使用了非正式协商的安排。使用来自具有全国代表性的职业母亲群体的数据，我们表明，灵活工作时间安排的使用与工作满意度的具体指标呈正相关，并且这种关联在获得正式安排的母亲中更为明显。然而，正式不仅与感知的好处（如更多与家人在一起的时间）呈正相关，而且与问题（如工作量增加和失去培训机会）呈正相关。总体而言，我们的研究结果表明，虽然形式很重要，但它也可能放大与灵活工作时间安排相关的福利和惩罚之间的紧张关系。正式不仅与感知的好处（例如更多与家人在一起的时间）呈正相关，而且还与问题（例如工作量增加和失去培训机会）呈正相关。总体而言，我们的研究结果表明，虽然形式很重要，但它也可能放大与灵活工作时间安排相关的福利和惩罚之间的紧张关系。正式不仅与感知的好处（例如更多与家人在一起的时间）呈正相关，而且还与问题（例如工作量增加和失去培训机会）呈正相关。总体而言，我们的研究结果表明，虽然形式很重要，但它也可能放大与灵活工作时间安排相关的福利和惩罚之间的紧张关系。