IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/ilrrev/v62y2009i3p394-414.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

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

Author

Listed:
  • 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
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/001979390906200308
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/001979390906200308?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fischbach, Ruth L. & Herbert, Barbara, 1997. "Domestic violence and mental health: Correlates and conundrums within and across cultures," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 45(8), pages 1161-1176, October.
    2. Mark Wooden & Nicole Watson, 2007. "The HILDA Survey and its Contribution to Economic and Social Research (So Far)," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 83(261), pages 208-231, June.
    3. Joachim Merz, 2002. "Time and Economic Well–Being—A Panel Analysis of Desired versus Actual Working Hours," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 48(3), pages 317-346, September.
    4. Sakiko Tanaka, 2005. "Parental leave and child health across OECD countries," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 115(501), pages 7-28, February.
    5. Landers, Renee M & Rebitzer, James B & Taylor, Lowell J, 1996. "Rat Race Redux: Adverse Selection in the Determination of Work Hours in Law Firms," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 86(3), pages 329-348, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Yang, Xiaolan & Huang, Yidong & Gao, Mei, 2022. "Can digital financial inclusion promote female entrepreneurship? Evidence and mechanisms," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    2. Chad D. Cotti & M. Ryan Haley & Laurie A. Miller, 2014. "Workplace Flexibilities, Job Satisfaction and Union Membership in the US Workforce," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 52(3), pages 403-425, September.
    3. 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.
    4. 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.
    5. Christian Grund & Katja Rebecca Tilkes, 2021. "Working Time Mismatch and Job Satisfaction: The Role of Employees’ Time Autonomy and Gender," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 1149, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    6. Miranti, Riyana & Li, Jinjing, 2020. "Working hours mismatch, job strain and mental health among mature age workers in Australia," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 15(C).
    7. Genevieve Knight & Zhang Wei, 2015. "Isolating the Determinants of Temporary Agency Worker Use by Firms: An Analysis of Temporary Agency Workers in Australian Aged Care," Australian Journal of Labour Economics (AJLE), Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC), Curtin Business School, vol. 18(2), pages 205-237.
    8. Julie Byrne & Rowena A. Pecchenino, 2019. "Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho: flexible labor contracts with real option characteristics," Business Economics, Palgrave Macmillan;National Association for Business Economics, vol. 54(1), pages 25-34, January.
    9. Huber, Martin & Lechner, Michael & Wunsch, Conny, 2013. "The effect of firms' partial retirement policies on the labour market outcomes of their employees," Working papers 2013/12, Faculty of Business and Economics - University of Basel.
    10. Gustavo A. Caballero, 2017. "Responsibility or autonomy: children and the probability of self-employment in the USA," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 49(2), pages 493-512, August.
    11. 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.
    12. 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.
    13. Bellmann, Lutz & Hübler, Olaf, 2015. "Are Working Time Accounts Beneficial for German Establishments?," IZA Discussion Papers 9583, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Robert Drago & Mark Wooden & David Black, 2009. "Long Work Hours: Volunteers and Conscripts," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 47(3), pages 571-600, September.
    2. Masood Badri & Mugheer Al Khaili & Guang Yang & Muna Al Bahar & Asma Al Rashdi, 2022. "Examining the Structural Effect of Working Time on Well-Being: Evidence from Abu Dhabi," International Journal of Social Sciences, European Research Center, vol. 11(2), pages 24-44, September.
    3. Weber, Enzo & Zimmert, Franziska, 2017. "The creation and resolution of working hour discrepancies over the life course," IAB-Discussion Paper 201729, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    4. Steffen Otterbach, 2010. "Mismatches Between Actual and Preferred Work Time: Empirical Evidence of Hours Constraints in 21 Countries," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 33(2), pages 143-161, June.
    5. Miriam Maeder, 2014. "Earnings-related parental leave benefits and subjective well-being of young mothers: evidence from a German parental leave reform," Working Papers 148, Bavarian Graduate Program in Economics (BGPE).
    6. Mark Wooden & Robert Drago, 2007. "The Changing Distribution of Working Hours in Australia," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2007n19, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    7. Osea Giuntella & Sally McManus & Redzo Mujcic & Andrew J. Oswald & Nattavudh Powdthavee & Ahmed Tohamy, 2023. "The Midlife Crisis," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 90(357), pages 65-110, January.
    8. Alison L. Booth, 2006. "The Glass Ceiling in Europe: Why Are Women Doing Badly in the Labour Market?," CEPR Discussion Papers 542, Centre for Economic Policy Research, Research School of Economics, Australian National University.
    9. Barbara Hanel, 2012. "The Impact of Paid Maternity Leave on Labour Market Outcomes," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2012n19, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    10. Son Nghiem & Rasheda Khanam & Xuan-Binh Vu & Bach Xuan Tran, 2020. "Implicitly Estimating the Cost of Mental Illness in Australia: A Standard-of-Living Approach," Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 261-270, April.
    11. Ishida, Kanako & Stupp, Paul & Melian, Mercedes & Serbanescu, Florina & Goodwin, Mary, 2010. "Exploring the associations between intimate partner violence and women's mental health: Evidence from a population-based study in Paraguay," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(9), pages 1653-1661, November.
    12. Diana Warren, 2008. "Retirement Expectations and Labour Force Transitions: The Experience of the Baby Boomer Generation," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2008n24, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    13. Mark J. Garmaise & Tobias J. Moskowitz, 2002. "Confronting Information Asymmetries: Evidence from Real Estate Markets," NBER Working Papers 8877, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    14. Samuel Cameron & Mark Fox, 2011. "Half Full or Half Empty: The Economics of Work–Life Balance," Chapters, in: Samuel Cameron (ed.), Handbook on the Economics of Leisure, chapter 6, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    15. Hans Gersbach & Hans Haller, 2012. "“Hard workers” and labor restrictions," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 25(2), pages 469-494, January.
    16. Markus H. Hahn & John P. Haisken-DeNew, 2013. "PanelWhiz and the Australian Longitudinal Data Infrastructure in Economics," Australian Economic Review, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, vol. 46(3), pages 379-386, September.
    17. Hope Corman & Dhaval Dave & Nancy E. Reichman, 2018. "Evolution of the Infant Health Production Function," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 85(1), pages 6-47, July.
    18. Sousa-Poza, Alfonso & Ziegler, Alexandre, 2003. "Asymmetric information about workers' productivity as a cause for inefficient long working hours," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 10(6), pages 727-747, December.
    19. Francisco Azpitarte, 2014. "Was Pro-Poor Economic Growth in Australia for the Income-Poor? And for the Multidimensionally-Poor?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 117(3), pages 871-905, July.
    20. Nicole Watson & Roger Wilkins, 2012. "The Impact of Computer-Assisted Interviewing on Interview Length," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2012n10, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:ilrrev:v:62:y:2009:i:3:p:394-414. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.ilr.cornell.edu .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.