Flexible Work

This book examines flexible working from a psychological perspective and presents empirical research evidence to address what forms of flexible working there are and how they are evolving.

Flexible Work: Designing Our Healthier Future Lives examines flexible working through the lens of social science, in particular using psychological perspective to address not only what forms of flexible working there are and how they are evolving but also their prospect in the future of work. Bringing together views from thought-leaders and underpinned by research evidence, this book addresses two of the most fundamental business challenges for large and medium organisations - mental health and productivity - calling for the bridging of science and policy to design flexible working for our future healthier lives.

Growing from these foundations, this book explains the latest landscape in flexible working, looking at employee psychological health and productivity, including showing up for work sick. Perspectives are provided from around the world on leadership, line management, 'over attachment' with technology, commuting, skill-based inequality and control over working time. Readers are offered insights into the relevance of flexible working for a diverse workforce - invisible disabilities, disabilities, older workers and blended families. Throughout, the book offers suggestions for shaping future policy, practice and research.

Each chapter concludes with recommendations, making this essential reading for students, academics, human resource practitioners, policy-influencers, policymakers and professionals interested in flexible work.

List of figures

List of tables

Contributors

PART I - Introduction

1. Designing our Healthier Future Lives: Bridging Science and Policy for Flexible Work: The Pervasion of 'cog in the wheel' workplaces across time

Sarah H. Norgate & Cary L. Cooper

2. A Flexible Working Future - The Opportunities and Challenges

Peter Cheese

PART II - The Impact of Flexible Working on Health and Productivity

3. Employees' Psychological Health and The Impact of Flexible Working Arrangements

Carolyn Timms, Paula Brough & Xi Wen (Carys) Chan

4. Workplace Flexibility Increases Productivity Throughout Presenteeism: A Conceptual Framework

Sara L. Lopes & Aristides I. Ferreira

5. Flexible Working and Quality of Life: Compatible?

Sarah Jackson & Jonathan Swan

PART III - What Makes Flexible Working Work?

6. Leadership in Flexible Work Systems

Anika Cloutier & Julian Barling

7. Line Managers and Flexible Working

Sharon Clarke

8. The Balanced Communications Diet for Business: Principles for Working Smarter, Not Harder in A Connected World

Nicola J. Millard

9. The Impact of The Commute on Our Mental Health and Physical Health Within the Context of Flexible and Non-Flexible Working

Anna Mary Cooper-Ryan, Charlotte Stonier & Abolanle Gbadamosi

10. Flexible Working and Skill-Biased Inequality: Causes and Consequences

Egidio Riva & Marcello Russo

11. Control Over Working Time - A Twenty-First-Century Issue

Kate Bell

PART IV - Flexible Working for Particular Groups of Workers

12. Supporting Employees with Invisible Disabilities via Flexible Work

Alexandra Duval, Duygu Gulseren & E. Kevin Kelloway

13. Workers with Disabilities: The Role of Flexible Employment Schemes

Eleftherios Giovanis & Oznur Ozdamar

14. Lone Parents and Blended Families: Advocating Flexible Working to Support Families in Transition

Anneke Schaefer, Caroline Gatrell & Laura Radcliffe

15. Employee FWA Needs and Requests and Employer Provisions across Age Groups

Bernice Kotey & Stuart Wark

16. Flexible Working for Older Workers

Carol Atkinson

Index