Individual and Organizational Impacts of Flexible Work: A Study of Women Workers in North America
Purpose – In this research we investigated how North American women experienced flexible work along with the benefits and challenges associated with such modes of work. Aim – The study aimed to understand the impacts of hybrid/remote work environments and determine why women working in North America...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Management
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Journal of Human Resource Management |
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| Online Access: | https://www.jhrm.eu/239-individual-and-organizational-impacts-of-flexible-work-a-study-of-women-workers-in-north-america/ |
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| _version_ | 1849221885633495040 |
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| author | Marija TRESOGLAVIC Ron FISHER |
| author_facet | Marija TRESOGLAVIC Ron FISHER |
| author_sort | Marija TRESOGLAVIC |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose – In this research we investigated how North American women experienced flexible work along with the benefits and challenges associated with such modes of work. Aim – The study aimed to understand the impacts of hybrid/remote work environments and determine why women working in North America perceived them to be important. It also aimed to investigate the impact of a forced return to the physical workplace. Design/methodology/approach – The study employed a qualitative approach with data collected by interviewing 14 women selected from a social network. A constant comparison approach was used to analyze data thematically and to identify meta-themes. Findings – Women participants regarded work-life balance, flexibility and a trusting work relationship as benefits associated with flexible work. However, they expressed feelings of alienation leading to an intention to leave, resulting mainly from a loss of control, if forced to return to a wholly in-workplace mode of work. For organizations the findings suggest negative outcomes, which include employees leaving prematurely, lack of trust, alienative commitment, and perceptions of presenteeism. Limitations of the study – As with all qualitative research the finding are not generalizable. However, this does not detract from the value of the findings. Originality/value – The study extended previous research about women’s work/life balance, loss of control and turnover associated with flexible work modes. It also identified the presence of feelings of alienation associated with a perceived lack of control if women were forced to return to the physical workplace. Alienation can lead to alienative commitment, a powerful negative organizational force that often remains undetected and leads to dysfunctional outcomes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7eb0d6ab33024cebbf3d89a449c6324d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1335-3888 2453-7683 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Management |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Human Resource Management |
| spelling | doaj-art-7eb0d6ab33024cebbf3d89a449c6324d2025-08-26T11:31:02ZengComenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of ManagementJournal of Human Resource Management1335-38882453-76832025-06-0128123925810.46287/IZAM3058Individual and Organizational Impacts of Flexible Work: A Study of Women Workers in North AmericaMarija TRESOGLAVIC0Ron FISHER1University of LiverpoolCardiff Metropolitan UniversityPurpose – In this research we investigated how North American women experienced flexible work along with the benefits and challenges associated with such modes of work. Aim – The study aimed to understand the impacts of hybrid/remote work environments and determine why women working in North America perceived them to be important. It also aimed to investigate the impact of a forced return to the physical workplace. Design/methodology/approach – The study employed a qualitative approach with data collected by interviewing 14 women selected from a social network. A constant comparison approach was used to analyze data thematically and to identify meta-themes. Findings – Women participants regarded work-life balance, flexibility and a trusting work relationship as benefits associated with flexible work. However, they expressed feelings of alienation leading to an intention to leave, resulting mainly from a loss of control, if forced to return to a wholly in-workplace mode of work. For organizations the findings suggest negative outcomes, which include employees leaving prematurely, lack of trust, alienative commitment, and perceptions of presenteeism. Limitations of the study – As with all qualitative research the finding are not generalizable. However, this does not detract from the value of the findings. Originality/value – The study extended previous research about women’s work/life balance, loss of control and turnover associated with flexible work modes. It also identified the presence of feelings of alienation associated with a perceived lack of control if women were forced to return to the physical workplace. Alienation can lead to alienative commitment, a powerful negative organizational force that often remains undetected and leads to dysfunctional outcomes.https://www.jhrm.eu/239-individual-and-organizational-impacts-of-flexible-work-a-study-of-women-workers-in-north-america/flexible workwomenloss of controlturnoveralienative commitmentwork-life balancetrust |
| spellingShingle | Marija TRESOGLAVIC Ron FISHER Individual and Organizational Impacts of Flexible Work: A Study of Women Workers in North America Journal of Human Resource Management flexible work women loss of control turnover alienative commitment work-life balance trust |
| title | Individual and Organizational Impacts of Flexible Work: A Study of Women Workers in North America |
| title_full | Individual and Organizational Impacts of Flexible Work: A Study of Women Workers in North America |
| title_fullStr | Individual and Organizational Impacts of Flexible Work: A Study of Women Workers in North America |
| title_full_unstemmed | Individual and Organizational Impacts of Flexible Work: A Study of Women Workers in North America |
| title_short | Individual and Organizational Impacts of Flexible Work: A Study of Women Workers in North America |
| title_sort | individual and organizational impacts of flexible work a study of women workers in north america |
| topic | flexible work women loss of control turnover alienative commitment work-life balance trust |
| url | https://www.jhrm.eu/239-individual-and-organizational-impacts-of-flexible-work-a-study-of-women-workers-in-north-america/ |
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