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Current research on negotiated individualized flexible work arrangements focuses on highly paid, skilled professional workers. We refer to this as “flexibility through privilege,” the ability to obtain “flexibility I-deals,” due to high labor market power. Yet as work-life tensions grow across occupations globally, most individuals need increased access to flexibility. As the COVID-19 pandemic illuminated, work-life equality, the ability of workers to have equal access to, opportunity to use, and benefit from flexible working arrangements is a rising form of job inequality. We examine how existing flexibility i-deals can be reconceptualized more broadly to include collectively bargained arrangements across many occupations, and flexible working forms. Our essay advances understanding by (1) broadening notions of the typical employee and occupation involved; (2) expanding negotiation processes beyond an organizational sphere of control; (3) identifying new forms of negotiated flexibility such as control over work-life boundaries and technological availability; and (4) addressing not only employer-employee mutual benefits, but larger societal interests concurrent with new tensions and unintended consequences of mainstreamed implementation. We propose the term “collective flexibility” as the collective right of workers to customize their work schedule, place, workload, boundaries, connectivity, and employment mode with their employer and other stakeholders to benefit employers, employees, and society. We offer a future research agenda. Expanding how we frame and study what a flexibility i-deal is with a collective approach regarding how they are accessed, negotiated, maintained, and who they serve may enhance their potential as a lever for social change to advance economic, social, and health employment rights.

Purpose This paper aims to consider enforced working from home in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and how it may differ from working from home through choice. In particular, the authors discuss how lockdown may be affecting work-family arrangements. Design/methodology/approach This is a thought piece. Findings The paper briefly examines the extant research on remote working. It is argued that as many of the (beneficial) outcomes found for both employees and employers are associated with feelings of greater autonomy and gratitude on the part of employees for being able to exercise choice over their working arrangements, these outcomes may not be found where working from home is required of employees. The authors contend that women, and mothers in particular, have had little choice in relation to when work has taken place, and how much work has been done. Practical implications The authors urge employers to consider the positive and negative outcomes of emerging evidence as they review their flexible working policies. They call for a widespread review of childcare provision in supporting women and men in the labour market. Originality/value The authors explore this unexpected context of the pandemic and highlight the need for research which examines these different circumstances.

This chapter examines human resource management (HRM) in organizations in the not-for-profit sector. It examines the use of HRM practices relating to recruitment, selection, training, reward, performance management, communication, and diversity in not-for profit organizations, drawing on data collected via the Cranet survey. In the light of ongoing debate about how the not-for-profit sector differs from, or is similar to, the public and private sectors, we compare the findings across sectors. Furthermore, in line with commentary about the increasing importance of HRM in this sector, we compare the data collected in 2014/15 with the findings from the 2009/10 survey. We show that many of the HRM practices used in the not-for-profit sector are similar to those used in the public and private sectors, making it difficult to identify a unique not-for-profit approach to HRM. However, we also suggest that some elements of the commonly cited values-based approach to HRM remain.

The work-related use of mobile technological devices allows workers to reach out to digital work content or to engage in job-related communications outside their working hours. ICT-enabled work extension represents a new challenge for workers and management, yet we do not know much about its consequences. We thus systematically review and synthesize empirical results on the consequences of work extending behaviors and availability expectations presented by 68 peer-reviewed pieces of literature published between 2007 and 2019. Our findings reveal a paradoxical situation: The more workers engage in work extending behaviors, the lower is their wellbeing, yet the higher is their work performance and commitment. Availability expectations are only associated with lower levels of wellbeing. We call upon future research to further investigate the mechanism leading to preferable outcomes and to consider moderating factors such as workers’ motivation for ICT-enabled work extension in order to resolve this high-performance-low-wellbeing paradox.

In the context of a wider trend to individualize HRM, this paper examines the relationship between flexible working arrangements and individual performance. Drawing on a range of theories, it examines potential indirect effects on employee performance via job satisfaction and organizational commitment and analyses whether these relationships vary according to whether the arrangement was set up through a formal process, or negotiated informally between the employee and their line manager. Extant research has tended to focus on formal arrangements, however, informal arrangements are widespread and may better accommodate work-life preferences, thereby potentially fostering more positive attitudes from employees. Survey data from 2617 employees in four large organizations with well-established flexible working policies are analysed. Results from structural equation models show average positive indirect effects from informal, but also negative direct effects, from formal flexible working. When two forms of flexible working amenable to being set up by both formal and informal means are examined separately: formal arrangements for flexibility over working hours are found to be negatively associated with performance, but also a source of greater job satisfaction; informal remote working arrangements have positive indirect effects via organizational commitment and job satisfaction on worker performance.

Contains fulltext : 165998.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access) The recent growth in self-employment has sparked scholarly interest in why individuals choose and remain in self-employment. Yet, relatively little is known about how self-employed workers enact their daily lives and what this means for their work–life interface. Self-employment is often presented as a means to enhance life choice and as enabling work and nonwork activities to be combined more satisfactorily. However, extant evidence on how self-employment is experienced is mixed, with some studies reporting long and irregular working hours and high levels of stress. Furthermore, the way in which self-employment is experienced may be influenced by national context – economic, institutional and cultural factors. In this paper, we develop a multi-level model which extends existing work on the Person–Environment Fit by incorporating factors relevant to self-employment. The model assists us to understand how contextual factors create both opportunities and tensions which impact the work–life interface of self-employed workers.

Workplace flexibility is ubiquitous in the 21st century. Research over the past 20 years has informed us that workplace flexibility such as telework, flextime, and reduced-load work are of increasi...

This paper argues that the study of work‐life balance to date has, in the main, adopted a restricted conception of both “work” and “life”, which does not take account of recent developments in life worlds, working arrangements and employment relationships. “Life” has hitherto been viewed as largely comprising caring activities for dependent children, whereas “work” has been premised largely on a traditional model of work, characterised by full‐time, permanent employment with one employer and a conventional understanding of what work involves. This means that extant research and theory only provides a partial view of the work‐life needs and experiences of the workforce. In the paper, we propose extending conceptions of both work and life to incorporate different life worlds and social groups and different working arrangements and employment relationships.

For professionals working in demanding environments, the negotiation of part-time or workload reduction idiosyncratic deals (i-deals) may be challenging, with negative consequences for career progression. Yet there are few studies of part-time i-deals specifically, or empirical studies of their development process. This article examines the process of achieving a part-time i-deal, drawing on interviews with 39 part-time professionals in two organizations, each located in the UK and the Netherlands. The article makes two contributions to i-deal theory: first, it defines the four elements of a new category of ‘reduced time and workload’ i-deal for professionals (perceived suitability of the work, schedule, workload, and career impact); and second, it refines Rousseau’s model of the development process, by adding an initial ‘private consideration’ of options stage, where the feasibility of working part-time is evaluated against alternatives including remaining full-time, or leaving the organization. Third, it identifies as structural constraints two work practices designed for full-time professional work in demanding environments: the routine expectation of unpredictability, and the absence of substitutability in resourcing. Fourth, it shows how, post-negotiation, professionals use informal job crafting, both individual and collaborative, to try to overcome these constraints. The implications for achieving flexible and sustainable careers are discussed.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of new public management (NPM) style practices on public sector managers and in particular on the stress experienced by managers in the UK National Health Service (NHS). Although, ostensibly NPM liberates public sector managers to act more like managers in the private sector, the authors argue that it can also lead to negative work outcomes and high levels of stress. Design/methodology/approach – The authors used a multi-method approach, including 33 focus groups and 15 interviews involving 193 middle- and front-line managers in five NHS organisations; together with a survey of 611 managers in the same organisations. Direct and mediation effects were tested using structural equation modelling; qualitative data are used to illustrate the quantitative results. Findings – An indirect effect, but no direct effect, of NPM use on stress experienced by managers was demonstrated. The relationship between NPM use and stress was fully mediated by a series...

Purpose – To date, work engagement has been the domain of academics whilst organisation engagement has been the focus of practice. The purpose of this paper is to address the growing divide by exploring the construct clarity and discriminant validity of work and organisation engagement simultaneously, providing insight into how these constructs relate empirically, as well as investigating the nomological network of each. Design/methodology/approach – Empirical data were collected through online surveys from 298 employees in two multinational companies. Respondents were primarily managerial and professional employees. The survey included measures of work and organisation engagement, as well as work outcomes and organisation performance. Findings – The findings indicate that work and organisation engagement are distinct constructs, and have differential relationships with important employee outcomes (commitment, organisational citizenship behaviour, initiative, active learning, job satisfaction), and organisational performance. Practical implications – The findings provide opportunities for practitioners to explore the potentially unique ways in which different types of engagement may add value to jobs and organisations. Originality/value – The study takes important steps in bridging the academic/practitioner divide: the paper clearly demonstrates how the two concepts of work and organisation engagement relate to and complement each other as useful constructs for research and practice.

Recent years have witnessed far reaching changes being made to the nature and organization of work and to work relationships, driven at least in part by increased competitive pressures, growing glo...

Line managers play an important role as implementers of performance appraisal, enacting procedures designed by the HR function. However, the actual employee experience of these procedures (which may differ from how they were intended or enacted) in terms of perceptions of justice in the process is likely to have consequences for levels of organizational commitment. Furthermore, based on signaling theory, the broader organizational climate, measured here in terms of the level of trust employees have in the senior management, sets the context in which this experience takes shape. Presenting multilevel analysis of 4,422 employees across 22 business units, we show that organizational units with high trust in senior management have both higher levels of commitment, and show a stronger link between employee perceptions of fair treatment by their line manager during performance appraisal, and organizational commitment. This provides initial evidence that the impact of line manager actions is important for employee-level outcomes but is also constrained by the organizational climate. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Organizations increasingly implement new work practices (NWPs) (e.g., flexible working hours, reporting to multiple leaders) to remain competitive in changing work environments and fulfill employees' needs. Research findings show that NWPs lead to contradicting and ambiguous results and may bring about both positive and negative outcomes for employees. Yet, research on how employees and their organizations exploit the potential of NWPs is largely absent. This leaves open important questions on how organizations can cope with these new work practices. The aim of this symposium is to shed light on employee-driven initiatives and responses that can aid in reaping the potential benefits of NWPs. The symposium combines three empirical studies examining the effects of adaptive and proactive behaviors (e.g., spatial and ICT job crafting, employee intrapreneurship, polychronicity) on employee well-being, innovation, and performance in the context of NWPs. Furthermore, one case study explores the initiatives flex working managers undertake to cope with flex working employees; and a final case study is presented that explores how employees experience and cope with a specific NWPs, namely annual hours contracts. Following the presentations, Darl Kolb and Paul Collins will act as discussants to link the emerging insights from the contributions, provide both theoretical and practical suggestions, and lead the interactive discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with examining the reactions of managers to the process of global restructuring in a large, multinational food-processing company. Much extant research concerning globalisation has focused on the wider economic, political and social outcomes. Perhaps surprisingly, relatively little attention has been given to how globalisation is experienced inside organisations. This paper examines how country-level managers have been affected by the move to a new global structure in their organisation. We present evidence of these managers feeling disempowered by global reorganisation and of a largely negative impact on their feelings towards the organisation they work for.

Fuchs’ Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy is the most common corneal endotheliopathy, and a leading indication for corneal transplantation in the US. Relatively little is known about its underlying pathology. We created a cellular model of the disease focusing on collagen VIII alpha 2 (COL8A2), a collagen which is normally present in the cornea, but which is found in abnormal amounts and distribution in both early and late-onset forms of the disease. We performed cellular transfections using COL8A2 cDNAs including both wild-type and mutant alleles which are known to result in early-onset FECD. We used this cell model to explore the cellular production of wild-type and mutant monomeric and trimeric collagen VIII and measured production levels and patterns using Western blotting and immunofluorescence. We studied the thermal stability of the mutated collagen VIII helices using computer modeling, and further investigated these differences using collagen mimetic peptides. The Western blots demonstrated that similar amounts of wild-type and mutant collagen VIII monomers were produced in the cells. However, the levels of trimeric collagen peptide in the mutant-transfected cells were elevated. Intracellular accumulation of trimeric collagen VIII was confirmed on immunofluorescence studies. Both the computer model and the collagen mimetic peptides demonstrated that the L450W mutant was less thermally stable than either the Q455K or wild-type collagen VIII. Thus, although both mutant collagen VIII peptides were retained intracellularly, the biochemical reasons for the retention varied between genotypes. Collagen VIII mutations, which clinically result in Fuchs’ Dystrophy, are associated with abnormal cellular accumulation of collagen VIII. Different collagen VIII mutations may act via distinct biochemical mechanisms to produce the FECD phenotype.

PurposeThis paper seeks to examine the practice of human resource management (HRM) in the UK voluntary sector. In recent years many voluntary sector organisations have experienced a changing context, where they have become increasingly involved in contracting for the provision of publicly funded services. This paper examines the suggestion made by a number of commentators that as a result the government has exercised influence over the way in which human resources are managed in this sector.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses data from the Workplace Employment Relations Survey 2004 (WERS 2004) to examine HRM practice in the voluntary sector and compares this with the public and private sectors.FindingsThe findings show that most voluntary sector organisations have adopted performance‐oriented HR practices, communication and involvement schemes, and welfare‐oriented practices. This suggests a departure from the relatively unsophisticated HRM that has traditionally been found in the voluntary sector and which may be as a result of the influence of government on HRM standards in the sector.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research, which adopts a longitudinal approach, would allow the impact of government influence on HRM practices in the voluntary sector to be examined in more depth.Originality/valueThis paper represents a rare examination of HRM practice across a wide range of voluntary sector organisations and provides insight into the potential influence of government on HRM in the sector.

Interest in the outcomes of flexible working arrangements (FWAs) dates from the mid-1970s, when researchers attempted to assess the impact of flexitime on worker performance. This paper reviews the literature on the link between FWAs and performance-related outcomes. Taken together, the evidence fails to demonstrate a business case for the use of FWAs. This paper attempts to explain the findings by analysing the theoretical and methodological perspectives adopted, as well as the measurements and designs used. In doing so, gaps in this vast and disparate literature are identified, and a research agenda is developed.

PurposeReward research has focussed on level (what individuals are paid) and structure (relationship between different levels of reward). Less emphasis has been given to reward mix decisions, i.e. the relative proportions of each element making up overall reward. This paper seeks to examine the determinants of reward mix.Design/methodology/approachInterview based research with reward consultants as key organisational observers and participants in reward mix decision making.FindingsBenchmarking has led to the development of reward mix norms. Organisations are under pressure to conform to these norms, moderated by leadership beliefs, the occurrence of events and the extent to which organisations' change capability can overcome strong institutional forces.Research limitations/implicationsThe results question agency theory based explanations of reward mix determination and point towards resource dependence and institutional theory perspectives being more suitable theoretical frameworks.Practical implicationsThe model developed allows reward managers to consider how the moderating variables, to the dominant mimetic pressure faced, could be manipulated for their firm to allow greater differentiation of the reward mix.Originality/valueAcademically the work contributes to a programme of research into reward determination from a constructionist perspective and aims to provide greater theoretical robustness to the subject. Practically, the findings may prompt practitioners to think more consciously about the drivers of their firm's reward mix. Policy makers may use the stronger theoretical base for understanding the determinants of reward mix choices and the extent to which organisational free choice and institutionally determined choice influence final choices in reward policy decision making.

Using exchange theory, this study examines how perceptions of employee voice, the employee–line manager relationship, and trust in senior management are related to organizational commitment. It is hypothesized that the direct relationship between perceptions of opportunities for employee voice and organizational commitment is mediated by the longer-term effects of the perceived employee–line manager relationship and trust in senior management. Multiple regression analysis of a sample of 2,291 employees in organizations undergoing significant change finds some support for this hypothesis, highlighting in particular the importance of trust in senior management as a partial mediator of the relationship between employee voice and organizational commitment. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

This article examines an unanticipated consequence of adopting flexible working practices — that of work intensification. Based on a study of professional workers and in line with other studies, we present evidence showing that flexible workers record higher levels of job satisfaction and organizational commitment than their non-flexible counterparts. However, we also report evidence of work intensification being experienced by both those who work reduced hours and those who work remotely. We identify three means by which this intensification occurs — imposed intensification, enabled intensification and intensification as an act of reciprocation or exchange. We argue that the apparent paradox of high job satisfaction and organizational commitment, alongside work intensification can be explained by employees trading flexibility for effort. Using social exchange theory we propose that employees respond to the ability to work flexibly by exerting additional effort, in order to return benefit to their employer.

Endothelial keratoplasty (EK) has recently emerged as an alternative to penetrating keratoplasty (PK) for patients with endothelial diseases, including Fuchs’ endothelial dystrophy, pseudophakic bullous keratopathy, and corneal graft failure. EK provides distinct advantages over PK, in that it is a less invasive procedure and leads to more rapid recovery of vision. Additionally, this procedure does not require long-term corneal sutures, eliminating problems with suture breakage, suture abscesses, astigmatism, and wound dehiscence. Disadvantages of EK include the need for specially prepared donor tissue and additional surgeon training or experience. In this review we discuss the history of EK, recent advances that have led to its widespread use, limits and complications of the procedure, and areas for future improvement.

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to report findings from a major study into flexible working and to examine the link with employee engagement.Design/methodology/approachThe study was conducted within seven case organizations using a mixed method of semi‐structured interviews and an electronic questionnaire.FindingsThe findings show that flexible working has an impact on employee engagement through a positive relationship with organizational commitment, job satisfaction and employee discretionary behavior.Practical implicationsAllowing employees a degree of choice over when, where and how much work they do has benefits for the organization. However, for these gains to be realized, support is needed for the implementation of a flexible working policy.Originality/valueThe study included both quantitative and qualitative data and examined the impact of flexible working from the point of view of managers and co‐workers of flexible workers, as well as those who worked flexibly themselves.

PurposeDrug treatment services in the UK have recently undergone significant expansion, alongside the introduction of a set of quality standards, which included the management of people. Consequently, voluntary organisations in this sector have been faced with the dual challenges of meeting these standards and simultaneously attracting and retaining additional staff in an already tight labour market. This paper aims to examine the response of voluntary sector organisations to these pressures within the wider context of the so‐called “contract culture”, whereby, in order to remain competitive, organisations have experienced continuous pressure on labour costs.Design/methodology/approachThis paper reports findings from a large‐scale nation‐wide survey and interviews with HR Managers.FindingsThe results showed that these organisations had a range of “good practice” HR policies in place and had made some progress in achieving the quality standards, although many struggled to recruit and retain suitable staff. The consequences of these findings are discussed in relation to the literature on both recruitment and retention and HRM in the voluntary sector.Practical implicationsThe paper has practical implications for resourcing practice within the wider voluntary sector.Originality/valueThe authors have provided a contribution to an under researched field through the examination of the challenges facing voluntary sector drug treatment providers in recent years.

Age-related maculopathy (ARM) remains the most common cause of blind registration in people aged 50 years or over in the developed world, and its prevalence continues to rise. Although effective new treatments have become available in the recent past, these are expensive and cumbersome to the healthcare provider and to the patient, and many cases remain resistant to such therapy. There is a biologically plausible rationale whereby macular pigment, which is entirely of dietary origin, may prevent or delay the onset, or ameliorate the clinical course, of ARM. In this article, we review this rationale, and critically appraise the current evidence base germane to the use of supplements containing the macular carotenoids in patients with, or at risk of developing, ARM.

The global mining industry is characterized by increasing demands for international mobility. With growing calls for more work-life balance across many professions, therefore, it offers a potentially important context in which to explore the impact of international mobility on the interface between work and personal life. Drawing on a study of 60 expatriate mining professionals, this chapter reports widespread perceptions that during expatriation ‘work’ and ‘life’ become more integrated – particularly in situations where organizational support systems are limited. Specifically, it will report how interviewees relied on work colleagues for support and how that reliance created more integration between work and non-work domains. It will also report the perceived impact of financial status and job security on the work-life interface– a relatively unexplored theme in the current literatures. Drawing the findings of the chapter together, we will suggest that this increased integration encourages a reordering of the work-life interface during expatriation.

Functional flexibility has been advocated as a mechanism for improving efficiency and service quality and is, it is argued, especially appropriate to service environments. In recent years the UK public health service has been subject to an ongoing programme of reform, designed to modernize the way in which health services are provided. A central feature of the reform involves breaking down traditional boundaries and the reorganization of work roles. This article is concerned with examining the implementation of functional flexibility in three health-care settings. Case-study data are presented, focusing on the responses of employees and managers to initiatives to work more flexibly. For managers the implementation achieved efficiency gains and improvements to service quality, in spite of some resistance from employees. For employees the outcomes were more mixed. There was evidence of ‘humanization’ through greater job variety, challenge and access to training, but there were also costs in terms of intensification, role confusion and stress. The implications of these findings both for understanding the issues raised by the use of functional flexibility and for the implementation of policies in the NHS involving job redesign are discussed.

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the practice of human resource management (HRM) in voluntary sector organisations providing substance misuse treatment services and to compare these findings with similar organisations in the public sector.Design/methodology/approachHRM practices are examined using a survey of voluntary and public sector drug and alcohol treatment provider organisations. The survey data are supported with a number of case studies and qualitative interviews with the HR managers of such organisations.FindingsThe data show that in many areas practice is broadly similar in the voluntary and public sectors. However, there are also a number of important differences, influenced by both their relative financial positions and the value‐led nature of the voluntary sector.Originality/valueRecent estimates suggest that over half a million people are in paid employment in the UK voluntary sector; however, relatively little is known about HRM within this sector. This paper provides a valuable insight into HRM within this sector and highlights the similarities and differences between this and the public sector.

In April 2003 the UK Government introduced the right for working parents to request flexible working arrangements under the provisions of the Employment Act 2002. This legislation has been widely criticised as providing only weak rights for employees, as neo-institutionalist business systems theory would lead one to expect in Britain?s ?Liberal Market Economy?. However, criticism of the law has to be tempered by understanding how it relates to practice in large companies and this paper investigates these practices. It finds that large companies have gone beyond the terms of the legislation, in order to establish themselves as ?employers of choice?. It is therefore argued that British practice, in reality, only partly conforms to the expectations generated by neo-institutionalist business systems theory.