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Gender Differences in Preferences for Flexible Work Hours: Experimental Evidence from an Online Freelancing Platform

Author

Listed:
  • Banerjee, Rakesh

    (University of Exeter)

  • Bharati, Tushar

    (University of Western Australia Business School)

  • Fakir, Adnan

    (University of Sussex)

  • Qian, Yiwei

    (Southwestern University of Finance and Economics)

  • Sunder, Naveen

    (Bentley University)

Abstract

We conduct an experiment on a major international online freelancing labor market platform to study the impact of greater flexibility in choosing work hours within a day on female participation. We post identical job advertisements (for 320 jobs) covering a wide range of tasks (80 distinct tasks) that differ only in flexibility and the wage offered. Comparing the numbers of applicants for these jobs, we find that while both men and women prefer flexibility, the elasticity of response for women is twice that for the men. Flexible jobs receive 24 percent more female applications and 12 percent more male applications compared to inflexible jobs. Critically, these changes come at no cost to the quality of applications. In fact, we find suggestive evidence that flexible jobs attract higher quality female candidates. Our findings have important implications for explaining gender differences in labor market outcomes and for equity initiatives in firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Banerjee, Rakesh & Bharati, Tushar & Fakir, Adnan & Qian, Yiwei & Sunder, Naveen, 2024. "Gender Differences in Preferences for Flexible Work Hours: Experimental Evidence from an Online Freelancing Platform," IZA Discussion Papers 17434, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17434
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. M. Keith Chen & Judith A. Chevalier & Peter E. Rossi & Emily Oehlsen, 2019. "The Value of Flexible Work: Evidence from Uber Drivers," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 127(6), pages 2735-2794.
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    3. Christopher T. Stanton & Catherine Thomas, 2016. "Landing the First Job: The Value of Intermediaries in Online Hiring," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 83(2), pages 810-854.
    4. Kuan-Ming Chen & Ning Ding & John A. List & Magne Mogstad, 2020. "Reservation Wages and Workers’ Valuation of Job Flexibility: Evidence from a Natural Field Experiment," Working Papers 2020-124, Becker Friedman Institute for Research In Economics.
    5. Alison Booth & Jan Ours, 2013. "Part-time jobs: what women want?," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 26(1), pages 263-283, January.
    6. Azmat, Ghazala & Petrongolo, Barbara, 2014. "Gender and the labor market: What have we learned from field and lab experiments?," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 32-40.
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    10. Kuan-Ming Chen & Min Ding & John List & Magne Mogstad, 2020. "Reservation Wages and Workers' Valuation of Job Flexibility: Evidence from a Natural Field Experiment," Natural Field Experiments 00715, The Field Experiments Website.
    11. Azmat, Ghazala & Petrongolo, Barbara, 2014. "Gender and the labor market: What have we learned from field and lab experiments?," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 32-40.
    12. Meekes, Jordy & Hassink, Wolter H.J., 2022. "Gender differences in job flexibility: Commutes and working hours after job loss," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    13. Abi Adams-Prassl & Maria Balgova & Matthias Qian & Tom Waters, 2023. "Firm Concentration & Job Design: The Case of Schedule Flexible Work Arrangements," Economics Series Working Papers 1002, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    workplace flexibility; online freelancing jobs; female labor force participation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • O14 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Industrialization; Manufacturing and Service Industries; Choice of Technology
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • L86 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Information and Internet Services; Computer Software

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