Flexible working hours only cause stress for a few people

Greater flexibility at work reduces stress, not increases it.Image: trapezoid

Greater flexibility at work reduces stress, not increases it. A study conducted by the polling agency Sotomo on behalf of the Swiss Employers Association (SAV) came to this surprising conclusion.

Workers with flexible hours are more likely to experience a mix of work and leisure than those with fixed hours, but only a small minority (26 per cent) find this mix stressful, according to the paper published on Monday.

Overall, people who work flexible hours are less likely to feel stressed by mixing work and free time than those who work fixed hours. According to the study, this may be due to respondents stating that flexible working hours make it easier for people to meet social and family obligations.

People who work flexibly are less satisfied

It can be seen from the research results that people with flexible working hours are significantly more satisfied with their working hours than those with fixed working hours. The latter were “somewhat dissatisfied” in 17% of cases and “very dissatisfied” in 4% of cases.

For employees with flexible working hours, flexible working hours negotiated with their employer or fully flexible working hours, the proportions of somewhat dissatisfied and very dissatisfied were 7%, 3% and 2% respectively.

Most people want more flexibility

Yet across all of these different groups, people agreed that additional flexibility in work hours would have a positive or somewhat positive impact on their stress levels, according to Sotomo's research. An average of 81% of respondents reached this conclusion.

At least 28% of part-time employees in Switzerland believe that their workload would increase if working hours were more flexible. According to the study, one explanation for this result is that the majority of respondents believed that greater flexibility would reduce their workload.

Middle-aged people have a heavy burden

The paper goes on to say that more than half of employees whose jobs typically allow flexible working hours want a more flexible working time pattern than flextime. This desire is especially pronounced among middle-aged people (36 to 50 years old), since they, among other things, bear the burden of taking care of children.

28% of those who work fixed hours also complain that it is difficult or difficult to reconcile their working hours with family and social obligations. Among those with more flexible work patterns, 8%, 6% and 3% respectively expressed the same discomfort.

Employers' associations encouraged

SAV believes these results reinforce its call for a more flexible working time model, as it writes in the accompanying communiqué. They can make an important contribution to combating growing labor shortages.

The findings also clearly contradict the view often promoted by trade unions that flexible working hours inevitably lead to stress at work and leisure time.

Conflict between the Federation of Trade Unions

However, the Swiss Trade Union Confederation (SGB) interpreted the study's findings differently, writing on Monday that employees want greater flexibility, but in their own interests and not just for their employers interests. For example, respondents said their top priority would be more flexibility to start and end their workday (83% said this was somewhat or very desirable).

More than 70% of respondents also want to be able to interrupt work to take longer breaks. According to the SGB, this is often not possible due to strict employer requirements. Three-quarters of employees want to work from home, but currently only 60% prefer working from home.

Ultimately, the SGB said, the study did not show exactly what SAV was hoping for. In other words, there is no support for deregulation of labor laws, disallowing Sunday and night work, and no need to introduce a 17-hour working day. Instead, employees want their superiors to give them more room to organize their workdays—more employer flexibility, not more employee flexibility.

Basically very satisfied

Basically, Sotomo's research shows that the majority of Switzerland's working population are satisfied with their working time patterns (89% are very or somewhat satisfied) and with their compatibility with social and family life (86% rate for good or better)).

Sotomo said the findings were representative of the working population aged 18 to 65 living in the German-speaking and French-speaking parts of Switzerland. The survey was conducted between March 15 and April 3, 2024, and a total of 1,670 people were surveyed. (Standard Data Authority)

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