Flexible and compressed workweek schedules: A meta-analysis of their effects on work-related criteria

Meta-analytic techniques were used to estimate the effects of flexible and compressed workweek schedules on several work-related criteria (productivit y/performance, job satisfaction, absenteeism, and satisfaction with work sc hedule). In general, the effects of both schedules were positive. However, the effects of both flextime and compressed workweek schedules were differe nt across the outcome criteria (e.g., compressed workweek schedules did not significantly affect absenteeism). Thus, the level of positive impact asso ciated with either schedule is dependent on the outcome criterion under con sideration. Further, several variables were found to be moderators of flexi ble work schedules. For example, highly flexible flextime programs were les s effective in comparison to less flexible programs, and the positive benef its of flextime schedules were found to diminish over time.