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Who Wants and Gets Flexibility? Changing Work Hours Preferences and Life Events

Author

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  • Robert Drago
  • Mark Wooden
  • David Black

Abstract

Using panel data for 2001–2005 from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey, the authors examine workers' desires for, and achievement of, work hour flexibility. They estimate a dynamic model that controls for preferences in previous years and tests for the effects of life events on both desired employment and desired work hours. Many life events, such as motherhood and retirement, are found to have predictable effects. Parallel regressions are estimated for actual employment and the number of hours usually worked, and the results are compared to those for preferences. The dynamics of usual hours often mirror those for preferences, suggesting that labor markets function effectively for many employees. However, mismatches are associated with three life events: motherhood, widowhood for men, and job loss. The results also suggest that many men and women would extend employment under phased retirement programs, although only for a brief period.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert Drago & Mark Wooden & David Black, 2009. "Who Wants and Gets Flexibility? Changing Work Hours Preferences and Life Events," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 62(3), pages 394-414, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ilrrev:v:62:y:2009:i:3:p:394-414
    DOI: 10.1177/001979390906200308
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    10. Rowena A Pecchenino & Julie Byrne, 2017. "Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho:The Way We (Would Like to) Work Now," Economics Department Working Paper Series n282-17.pdf, Department of Economics, National University of Ireland - Maynooth.
    11. Cahill, Kevin E. & McNamara, Tay K. & Pitt-Catsouphes, Marcie & Valcour, Monique, 2015. "Linking shifts in the national economy with changes in job satisfaction, employee engagement and work–life balance," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 40-54.
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    13. M. Haley & Laurie Miller, 2015. "Correlates of flexible working arrangements, stress, and sleep difficulties in the US workforce: does the flexibility of the flexibility matter?," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 48(4), pages 1395-1418, June.
    14. Haysetta Doresa Shuler & Kimily Faulk & Barbara Hidleburg-Johnson & Demetrice Williams, 2016. "Engaging Diverse Generations in the 21st Century Workplace," International Journal of Business Research and Management (IJBRM), Computer Science Journals (CSC Journals), vol. 7(3), pages 31-39, July.
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