Running head: WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY

Women and Flexibility in the Workplace [Authors Name] [University]

WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY Abstract America is undergoing profound social and demographic changes. These changes the way

women work and balance their family and workplace obligations. This paper provides a brief analysis of workplace flexibility and related issues. Why workplace flexibility is a social and structural issue is discussed. The main factors affecting womens flexibility in the workplace are identified. Factors affecting womens pay and future changes for women in the workplace are evaluated. Keywords: workplace flexibility, Kathleen Christensen, social, discrimination.

WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY Women and Flexibility in the Workplace

America is undergoing a series of structural and demographic changes. These changes greatly affect the way women balance their workplace and family obligations. More women are entering the American labor force; simultaneously, working women are facing a number of organizational challenges, which prevent them from accomplishing their workplace and household tasks. In light of these changes, workplace flexibility is becoming a matter of serious organizations concern. This is particularly the case of large companies, which experience considerable pressures, trying to provide female employees with greater flexibility in the workplace. Given the continuity of demographic and social changes, future organizations will have to ensure more flexible workplace arrangements. Technology advancements will allow for better workplace flexibility, leading organizations toward greater efficiency, profitability, and sustained competitive advantage. Workplace flexibility is an object of continued professional debate. As more women are entering the American labor force, workplace flexibility is also becoming a matter of organizations concern. Flexibility in the workplace is the central topic of Kathleen Christensens, who treats workplace flexibility as a social and structural issue. Really, flexibility in the workplace is a compound product of multiple social and structural changes in the American society. From the social angle, the American way of life has undergone serious social changes in the past thirty years (Christensen & Schneider, 2010). Women, especially middle-class mothers, have entered and stayed in the labor force (Christensen & Schneider, 2010). The prevailing majority of American families have two earners (Christensen & Schneider, 2010). The number of single-parent and single-earner families constantly increases (Christensen & Schneider, 2010). As a result, women need greater flexibility, to manage their workplace and family obligations.

WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY Structurally, the issue of workplace flexibility reflects and confirms the existing mismatch between the social and demographic changes and the static nature of workplace

processes. Christensen and Schneider (2010) claims that the one-size-fits-all workplace, with its full-time arrangements with linear career paths no longer fit in the changeable demographic and social conditions in the U.S. The needs of the workforce are changing, but the organization of the workplace in most organizations remains unchanged (Christensen & Schneider, 2010). American working parents and older workers are paying the price for this structural mismatch and private sector employees in the United States, while slow to respond to this mismatch, are creating opportunities for more flexibility in how work is organized (Christensen & Schneider, 2010, p.2). At the beginning of the 21st century nonflexible workplace does not meet the needs of employees, especially women. The arithmetic of the American family has changed, and only organizations which realize the importance of workplace flexibility and provide flexible workplace arrangements can achieve greater efficiency of operations and outperform their competitors. A multitude of factors affects flexibility in the American workplace. Basically, large companies face greater pressures to respond to workers flexibility concerns, than smaller organizations (Blair-Roy & Wharton, 2002). This is mainly because, due to a greater number of employees, large organizations cannot provide the range of workplace arrangements to meet the unique needs of all workers. In the meantime, many employees, including female employees, are either reluctant or fail to voice their flexibility concerns. Christensen (2011) suggests that many people believe that workplace flexibility is a private problem, which has little to do with the organization. They work hard to balance their family and career lives. Yet, as the number of work-family problems increases, workplace flexibility gradually becomes a public issue which each and every organization should address. Moreover, despite the growing body of workplace flexibility research, many organizations still believe that workplace

WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY flexibility is too costly and is not worth the effort (Christensen, 2011). Organizations do not

know how to implement and maintain flexibility in the workplace, whereas many employees, too, do not ask for flexibility (Christensen, 2011). All these factors make workplace flexibility an unachievable task. Women experience the lack of workplace flexibility; simultaneously, gender gaps in earnings continue to persist. The gender pay gap is usually associated with differences in mens and womens skills and qualifications: women are believed to lack skills and knowledge needed to pursue the main organizational goals (Blau & Kahn, 2000). Women devote themselves to family obligations and tasks; for this reason, they cannot accumulate labor experience to grow professionally (Blau & Kahn, 2000). There is the general consensus that women anticipate shorter and more discontinuous work lives, they have lower incentives to invest in market-oriented formal education and on-the-job training (Blau & Kahn, 2000, p.80). Here, the gap in pay is integrally linked to flexibility in the workplace, as the latter could give women better chances to accumulate experience and skills. Workplace flexibility may help women and organizations reduce the gap in pay, but human capital is not the only factor affecting salaries. Many women intentionally avoid jobs that require extensive skills and knowledge, whereas employers are reluctant to hire women for challenging positions (Blau & Kahn, 2000). Here, labor market discrimination is a significant factor of gender pay gaps. Discrimination comes in a number of forms, mostly due to the discriminatory conceptions and tastes of employers (Blau & Kahn, 2000). Many employers keep to a misleading belief that women are less productive than their male colleagues; in the meantime, the lack of employment opportunities do not allow women showing and realizing their productivity potential. Finally, wage structure can be responsible for persistent pay gaps in U.S. organizations (Blau & Kahn, 2000).

WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY The future holds a promise to offer greater flexibility of workplace arrangements for women. Organizations are coming to realize the value of workplace flexibility and its

implications for growth and profitability. Flexibility in the workplace can become an effective defensive response to business and market uncertainties (Sanchez et al., 2007). In the meantime, technologies provide greater workplace flexibility: teleworking, part-time workplace arrangements, and freelancing are becoming part of organizations routines. Moreover, workplace flexibility can readily become the source of organizations competitive advantage: in case of female workers, flexibility in the workplace allows hiring and retaining the most prospective staff. The intensity of competition constantly increases, and organizations want to reduce their costs. In the next 10 years, women may be able to find jobs and workplace arrangements that meet their family and career needs. Everything depends on whether or not organizations are willing to address the existing structural mismatch. Conclusion Workplace flexibility is an object of continued professional debate. As more women are entering the American labor force, workplace flexibility is also becoming a matter of organizations concern. Flexibility in the workplace is a compound product of multiple social and structural changes in the American society. Workplace flexibility is a structural issue, as it reflects and confirms the existing mismatch between social changes and the static nature of workplace processes. Workplace flexibility is subject to numerous influences; many organizations believe that flexibility in the workplace is too costly to afford. Simultaneously, gender gaps in earnings continue to persist. Women are claimed to lack sufficient knowledge and skills; but how can women grow professionally, if organizations do not allow them to balance their workplace obligations with family tasks? The future holds a promise to offer greater flexibility of workplace arrangements for women. Organizations are coming to realize the value of workplace flexibility and its implications for growth and profitability. Technology

WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY

advancements will allow for better workplace flexibility, leading organizations toward greater efficiency, profitability, and sustained competitive advantage.

WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY References Blair-Loy, M. & Wharton, A.S. (2002). Employees use of work-family policies and the workplace social context. Social Forces, 80(3), 813-845. Blau, F.D. & Kahn, L.M. (2000). Gender differences in pay. The Journal of Economic Perspectives, 14(4), 75-99.

Christensen, K.E. (2011). Building a grassroots movement: Taking workplace flexibility from private to public. Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathleen-e-christensen/workplaceflexibility_b_1021717.html Christensen, K. & Schneider, B.L. (2010). Workplace flexibility: Realigning 20th-century jobs for a 21st century workforce. Cornell University Press. Sanchez, A.M., Perez, M.P., Carnicer, P.L. & Iimenez, M. (2007). Teleworking and workplace flexibility: A study of impact on firm performance. Personnel Review, 36(1), 42-64.