Study #4:  Adoption, Implementation, and Use of Flexible Work Options by Older Workers

Investigators: Michael Smyer, Ph.D., and Marcie Pitt-Catsouphes, Ph.D.


Key Research Questions:

What factors affect the adoption of flexible work options by the firm?

What factors motivate and hinder departments and work teams from responding to the needs and preferences of older workers?

What factors interest or discourage departments and work teams from adopting and implementing flexible work options for older workers?

What types of departments and work teams adopt and implement different flexible work options for older workers?

What are departments’ and work teams’ experiences with the implementation of flexible work options?

What are the business outcomes associated with the implementation of flexible work options for older workers?

What factors facilitate and deter older workers from using flexible work options?

What are the business outcomes associated with the implementation and utilization of flexible work options for older workers?

What are the well-being and health outcomes for older workers who use flexible work options?


Focus and Purpose of the Study:

There is scant research-based documentation of the experiences associated with the implementation of flexible work options at the workplace. Furthermore, no studies have been conducted to explore older workers’ use of flexible work options in the context of their work teams.

This study will focus on the experiences of departments, business units, and work teams at five different companies as they respond to the aging of the work force and implement different types of flexible work options. In addition, this investigation will carefully examine older workers’ utilization of flexible work options.

One key respondent from each company will provide information about the overall establishment. We will collect quantitative data once from each member of the work team. In addition, we will gather information from older workers at two follow-up times to gain an understanding of their experiences over time. In-depth information will detail employees’ perceptions of the aging workforce, their experiences related to the implementation of flexible work options, and (as appropriate) their use of these options.

The findings will provide information about the relationships between characteristics of specific work teams, such as the nature and the structure of their work, and team responsiveness to the needs of older workers. In addition, this investigation will identify work team factors (such as supervisors’ attitudes toward older workers) that explain the variation in the implementation of different types of flexible work arrangements as well as outcomes associated with the use of those arrangements.

Output:

We will present the findings in a series of reports and articles developed for three audiences: business leaders and managers (reports and articles in practitioner journals), academics (working papers and peer review journals), and older workers (articles in materials published by organizations such as AARP).

The principal investigators will also present the findings at a minimum of one conference for business decision-makers and one scholarly conference. The findings will provide the evidence-based framework for the description of “best practices.”