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Telecommuting and Flexible Work Hours: Alternative Work Arrangements that Can Improve the Quality of Work Life

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Work and Quality of Life

Part of the book series: International Handbooks of Quality-of-Life ((IHQL))

Abstract

In this chapter, we examine work  →  nonwork conflict, its causes, and its consequences. We also address in detail two alternative work arrangements (i.e., telecommuting and flextime) that can reduce the incidence of work  →  nonwork conflict. Our coverage of telecommuting and flextime makes apparent that these arrangements are not quick fixes. Rather, there are several contingency factors (e.g., supervisor support) that need to be considered by an employer given they influence the likely success of these nontraditional work arrangements. If implemented effectively (e.g., participation is voluntary, employees have a voice in program design), telecommuting and flextime can help an employee balance the sometimes competing demands of their work and nonwork lives. Facilitating such a balance not only has tangible benefits for employers (e.g., lower turnover), it is the ethical thing for employers to do.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Business Administration, University of Missouri – St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63121, USA

    James A. Breaugh Ph.D.

  2. Psychology Department, University of Missouri – St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63121, USA

    Angela M. Farabee

Authors
  1. James A. Breaugh Ph.D.
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  2. Angela M. Farabee
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to James A. Breaugh Ph.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Psychology, Radford University, Radford, 24142, Virgin Islands, USA

    Nora P. Reilly

  2. Pamlin College of Business, Dept. Marketing, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Pamplin Hall 2025, Blacksburg, 24061-0236, Virginia, USA

    M. Joseph Sirgy

  3. , Psychology, Radford University, Russell Hall 444, Radford, 24142, Virginia, USA

    C. Allen Gorman

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Breaugh, J.A., Farabee, A.M. (2012). Telecommuting and Flexible Work Hours: Alternative Work Arrangements that Can Improve the Quality of Work Life. In: Reilly, N., Sirgy, M., Gorman, C. (eds) Work and Quality of Life. International Handbooks of Quality-of-Life. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4059-4_14

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