RELATIONSHIPS OF GENDER, FAMILY RESPONSIBILITY AND FLEXIBLE WORK HOURS TO ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT AND JOB-SATISFACTION

Psychological contract theory (Rousseau, 1995) suggests that women and those with family responsibilities may negotiate new psychological co ntracts that include family responsive benefits such as flexible work hours. Relationships of gender, family responsibility, and flexible wo rk hours to organizational commitment and job satisfaction were examin ed among 160 matched male and female managers in a cross-organizationa l study. Results revealed that women who perceived Their organizations offered flexible work hours reported higher levels of organizational commitment and job satisfaction than women who did not. Also, flexible work hours were related to higher organizational commitment and job s atisfaction for those having family responsibilities. Implications of these results for future research and organizational policy are discus sed. (C) 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.