Implementation of Flexible Work Arrangements for Sustainable Development

Abstract

The rapid globalization, advanced technologies, changing market conditions, variation in demand of products and services, changing demographics, dynamism and flexibility in the workforce inevitably led to the changes in work arrangements. Flexible work arrangement (FWA) can be defined as a set of benefits provided by employer that lets employees to control over when and where they work outside of the standard arrangement. Although the concept of flexible work arrangements (FWAs) is quite widely analyzed by scientific community during past decades, there is a lack of knowledge exploring the impact of flexible work practices on sustainable development. The purpose of this paper is to examine how flexible work arrangements can contribute to sustainable development at different levels of abstraction. Research methodology includes comparative analysis and synthesis of scientific literature, modelling, and empirical research. Research revealed that FWAs, when implemented with care and preparation, have a positive influence on sustainability at different levels of abstraction: individual level, company level, and society level. Benefits of flexible work practices turn up through different dimensions: economic, environmental, social, psychological, and health outcomes.