Finding an extra day a week: The positive influence of perceived job flexibility on work and family life balance

This study examines the influence of perceived flexibility in the timing an d location of work on work-family balance. Data are from a 1996 internation al Business Machines (IBM) work and life issues survey in the United Slates (n = 6,451). Results indicate that perceived job flexibility is related to improved work-family balance after controlling for paid work hours, unpaid domestic labor hours, gender, marital status, and occupational level. Perc eived job flexibility appears to be beneficial both to individuals and to b usinesses. Given the same workload, individuals with perceived job flexibil ity have more favorable work-family balance. Likewise, employees with perce ived job flexibility are able to work longer hours before workload negative ly impacts their work-family balance. Implications of these findings are pr esented.