How Does Working-Time Flexibility Affect Workers' Productivity in a Routine Job? Evidence from a Field Experiment

Arbeitspapier

We conducted an experiment in which we hired workers under different types of contracts to evaluate how flexible working time affects on-the-job productivity in a routine job. Our approach breaks down the global impact on productivity into sorting and behavioral effects. We find that all forms of working-time flexibility reduce the length of workers' breaks. For part-time work, these positive effects are globally counterbalanced. Yet arrangements that allow workers to decide when to start and stop working increase global productivity by as much as 50 percent, 40 percent of which is induced by sorting.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: IZA Discussion Papers ; No. 13825

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure ; Time Allocation and Labor Supply ; Labor Demand ; Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity ; Compensation Packages; Payment Methods
• Subject: flexible work arrangements ; part-time work ; productivity ; labor market flexibility ; work–life balance

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Boltz, Marie ; Cockx, Bart ; Diaz, Ana Maria ; Salas, Luz
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
• (where): Bonn
• (when): 2020

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/227352
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:41 AM CET