How does working-time flexibility affect workers’ productivity in a routine job? Evidence from a field experiment

Marie Boltz, Bart Cockx, Ana Maria Diaz, Luz Magdalena Salas

Research output: Working paper / PreprintWorking paper

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Abstract

We conducted an experiment in which we hired workers under different types of contracts to evaluate how flexible working time affects on-the-job productivity in a routine job. Our approach breaks down the global impact on productivity into sorting and behavioral effects. We find that all forms of working-time flexibility reduce the length of workers’ breaks. For part-time work, these positive effects are globally counterbalanced. Yet arrangements that allow workers to decide when to start and stop working increase global productivity by as much as 50 percent, 40 percent of which is induced by sorting.
Original languageEnglish
Place of PublicationMaastricht
PublisherMaastricht University, Graduate School of Business and Economics
Number of pages52
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2 Nov 2020

Publication series

SeriesGSBE Research Memoranda
Number030
ISSN2666-8807

JEL classifications

  • j21 - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
  • j22 - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
  • j23 - Labor Demand
  • j24 - "Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity"
  • j33 - "Compensation Packages; Payment Methods"

Keywords

  • flexible work arrangements
  • part-time work
  • productivity
  • labor market flexibility
  • work–life balance

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