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Happiness is Flextime

Author

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  • Adam Okulicz-Kozaryn

    (Rutgers University Camden
    Vistula University)

  • Lonnie Golden

    (Penn State Abington)

Abstract

We study how work a schedule flexibility (flextime) affects happiness. We use a US General Social Survey (GSS) pooled dataset containing the Quality of Worklife and Work Orientations modules for 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, and 2014. We retain only respondents who are either full-time or part-time employees on payrolls. For flextime to be associated with greater happiness, it has to be more than just sometimes flexible or slight input into one’s work schedule, that is, little flextime does not increase happiness. But substantial flextime has a large effect on happiness–the size effect is about as large as that of household income, or about as large as a one-step increase in self-reported health, such as up from good to excellent health. Our findings provide support for both public and organizational policies that would promote greater work schedule flexibility or control for employees.

Suggested Citation

  • Adam Okulicz-Kozaryn & Lonnie Golden, 2018. "Happiness is Flextime," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 13(2), pages 355-369, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:ariqol:v:13:y:2018:i:2:d:10.1007_s11482-017-9525-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s11482-017-9525-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Maryam Dilmaghani, 2022. "Revisiting the gender job satisfaction paradox: The roots seem to run deep," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 60(2), pages 278-323, June.
    3. Alexander Pacek & Benjamin Radcliff & Mark Brockway, 2019. "Well-Being and the Democratic State: How the Public Sector Promotes Human Happiness," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 143(3), pages 1147-1159, June.
    4. Gabriela Mihaela Mureșan & Melinda Timea Fülöp & Cristina Ciumaș, 2021. "The Road from Money to Happiness," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-13, September.
    5. Raufhon Salahodjaev & Nargiza Ibragimova, 2020. "Height and Life Satisfaction: Evidence from Russia," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 15(1), pages 219-237, March.

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