An increasing number of countries and organizations offer now flexible working schemes, not only to help employees get balance between work and personal life, but to fight unemployment. Studies had shown that the term work-life balance can be defined as satisfaction and performance at work and also at home with a minimum conflict in between.
Many questions arise when we think about the changing structure of the labor relations, followed by new tendencies and reforms of western judicial labor regimes. For example, the possibility to arrange flexible working conditions, the productivity and quality of the work, the new employment responsibilities, and the real impact in the employee´s family. Part time work, compressed work week and teleworking are fine examples of flexible working, where the employees have more control and may opt for alternatives that help them balance their work and personal life. For example, in Colombia, New provisions regarding telework were issued.
At the end of the day the aim is to create an expanding awareness in a greater number of employees and employers in connection with the positive aspects of flexible working arrangements. As an example, one of the greatest rewards of this type of work is the increasing happiness standards among employees.
Also there is criticism and contrary ideas about this phenomenon, that suggest that flexible working schedules can increase work-life conflicts and exacerbate the balance that employees are looking for. If you don’t know how to control your flexible time, it will be hard to adapt work hours according to your own personal needs, and it can end up in more work. Additionally, flexible work may put an additional effort as a way to compensate the benefits.
It is important when analyzing this type of work to think about the cultural diversity, which includes; gender, employee background and globalization. Therefore, part of the employee stability lies on having clarity and certainty on working loads, assignments, payment conditions, benefits, expected performance, results and productivity.
In conclusion, flexible working represents not only strength in global dynamics and new requirements in trade and markets, but also allows the employees to control more their time, by being more productive, but without sacrificing their personal commitments or needs.
