Flexible work is here to stay. A 2019 survey found that 80% of workers would prefer to work for a company that offers flexible work schedules — and the pandemic has only intensified this trend, with employees in every industry embracing the option to work when and where they want to. This has been hugely beneficial for many people, especially for those balancing work with caregiving responsibilities, side hustles, or even just a demanding personal life. However, our recent research suggests that alongside the benefits, there may also be a hidden downside to flexible work.
Research: Flexible Work Can Dampen Motivation
Working outside of standard hours can be a downer — but a simple mindset shift can help.
April 25, 2022
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Summary.
Whether you’re balancing a day job with caregiving responsibilities, working on a side hustle, or just looking for more autonomy over your schedule, flexible work can be a boon for employees. However, recent research suggests that it can also come with a hidden cost: A series of studies with almost 2,000 employees and students found that working at non-standard times significantly reduced people’s intrinsic motivation, making work less motivating and enjoyable. The good news is, the authors also identified an effective intervention to enable workers to reap the benefits of flexible work without sacrificing their intrinsic motivation. By shifting their mindsets to normalize working during traditionally non-working hours, employees and students were able to stay motivated even when working on weekends or holidays. Based on these findings, the authors recommend tactics such as customizing your calendar display, installing an app to notify you when it’s work time, or simply reminding yourself to focus on the benefits of flexibility, to make working when you want to work more palatable — even if it goes against default social norms.