Uneven Grounds: Class, Gender, and the Social Distribution of Work Flexibility

Abstract

This article analyzes the unequal distribution of perceived work flexibility in Chile, drawing on data from the 2023 National Time Use Survey (ENUT). Using multilevel multinomial logistic regression models, this study explores how individual and contextual variables shape the likelihood of perceiving jobs as fully flexible, partially flexible, or non-flexible. The findings reveal that flexibility is a stratified experience: women are more likely to access partial—but not full—flexibility; workers with higher educational attainment report lower perceptions of flexibility, and longer working hours are associated with diminished flexibility. Among the contextual factors, occupation stands out as the strongest predictor, explaining a substantial share of variance across the models. Employers are more likely to report full flexibility, while dependent workers tend to experience only limited forms of autonomy. These results challenge the notion of flexibility as a universally empowering feature of modern labor markets, underscoring the need for policies and organizational practices that address the structural inequalities embedded in flexible work arrangements.