The flexible workplace design, as attractive as it can sound, does not consider much about gender roles. With these designs, work meetings and independent responsibilities can be brought home and cut into the home life. Extending the work day to possibly cut into home-life can interfere with mother’s roles that they typically play at home. As time progresses, there may continue to be a shift in the role that father’s play at home, but presently, the flexible work environment does not benefit women very much.


Workplace flexibility and gender

If someone is pressured or told constantly that a flexible work environment will be best for everyone, even if it is not best for them, they may feel the need to adjust to that way of living. Upon agreeing to it, they will have to alter their life and allow work to integrate into their home life, which may be harmful to them. The flexibility and blurred lines of when to complete work and when to dedicate time to home life can become overwhelming. 

How can a flexible work structure be detrimental to a worker?

In a flexible workplace design, workers’ needs both inside and outside the workplace are prioritized. It is understood that everyone’s lives are different and people need different set ups regarding their ideal work-life breakdown. This approach aims to have people be more engaged in their work, as well as lower their work/life conflicts and stresses.


Syracuse University

Flexible workplace design is seen differently by different people. Some think that the flexible schedule allows for work to take over a whole day, providing me stress from work, and others feel that allowing flexibility lowers stress because there is not a rigid timeline on workdays

The debate surrounding flexible workplace design

Peters, P., Jan Blomme, R. (2019). Forget about ‘the ideal worker’: A theoretical contribution to the debate on flexible workplace designs, work/life conflict, and opportunities for gender equality. Business Horizons.


Forget about ‘the ideal worker’: A theoretical contribution to the debate on flexible workplace designs, work/life conflict, and opportunities for gender equality. 

This theory is the idea that in order for people to work to their full potential, they must have autonomy, competence and relatedness in their work environment. Theses three characteristics are called the basic psychological needs of an individual.

Self Determination Theory

Boundary theory suggests that people experience relatively low boundaries between their work lives and lives outside of work. Their identities are dependent on their roles in both of these environments and each environment contributes to who they are as a person.


Boundary Theory

This is the idea that people should clearly differentiate their work duties and life duties in order to avoid confusion about where they should allocate their time. The opinions on this are split, as some feel as though having a less rigid schedule can reduce work-related stress, while other feel that in order to reduce stress, it is necessary to understand when to dedicate time to one’s work and when not to


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