Flexible work arrangements from generation and gender perspectives: Evidence from Lithuania

Abstract

The demand for employee-oriented and individualized work arrangements and practices that permit temporal and spatial flexibility in work processes and help to fit changing personal needs and environmental conditions is constantly increasing. A growing number of private companies and public organizations are adopting flexible work arrangements (FWAs) to help employees balance their work–family demands, and companies cope with variations in demand, reduce expenses, and be more attractive for employees. Employees representing different age and sex groups have different expectations and priorities towards work, and, it is likely that they evaluate and respond to flexible work practices differently as well. The paper investigates how different genders and generations evaluate and respond to flexibility at work. Empirical research was conducted in Lithuania, 316 employees participated in the poll. According to the research, high expression of flexible work arrangements is observed in Lithuanian organizations. Flexible work schedule and flexible work load are dominating in the organizations. Work flexibility in terms of time and load is more attractive to employees than flexibility in terms of working place. Research revealed that representatives of generations B and Y are most satisfied in the forms of flexible work arrangements applied in their organizations. It was also revealed that women tend to work flexibly slightly more than men; women emphasize coordination of work and family interests, decrease of stress, positive effect on health, time and cost saving, and ability to earn according to their needs.