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How Does Working-Time Flexibility Affect Workers' Productivity in a Routine Job ? Evidence from a Field Experiment

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  • Marie Boltz

    (CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, BETA - Bureau d'Économie Théorique et Appliquée - AgroParisTech - UNISTRA - Université de Strasbourg - Université de Haute-Alsace (UHA) - Université de Haute-Alsace (UHA) Mulhouse - Colmar - UL - Université de Lorraine - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement)

  • Bart Cockx

    (UGENT - Universiteit Gent = Ghent University = Université de Gand, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) Bonn - Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) Bonn, CESifo - Center for Economic Studies and Ifo for Economic Research - CESifo Group Munich, UCL IRES - Institut de recherches économiques et sociales - UCL - Université Catholique de Louvain = Catholic University of Louvain, ROA - Real Instituto y Observatorio de la Armada)

  • Ana Maria Diaz

    (PUJ - Pontificia Universidad Javeriana)

  • Luz Magdalena Salas

    (PUJ - Pontificia Universidad Javeriana)

Abstract

How Does Working-Time Flexibility Affect Worker's Productivity in a Routine Job? Evidence from a Field Experiment 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.

Suggested Citation

  • Marie Boltz & Bart Cockx & Ana Maria Diaz & Luz Magdalena Salas, 2020. "How Does Working-Time Flexibility Affect Workers' Productivity in a Routine Job ? Evidence from a Field Experiment," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) halshs-02994924, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:cesptp:halshs-02994924
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-02994924v1
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    2. Jill Rubery & Isabelle Bi-Swinglehurst & Anthony Rafferty, 2024. "Part-time work and productivity," Insight Papers 031, The Productivity Institute.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Work-life balance; Labor market flexibility; Productivity; Part-time work; Flexible work arrangements; Travail à temps partiel; Horaires de travail flexibles; Productivité; Flexibilité du marché du travail; Equilibre entre vie professionnelle et vie privée;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J33 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Compensation Packages; Payment Methods

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