TY - JOUR
T1 - Flexible work arrangements, national culture, organisational characteristics, and organisational outcomes
T2 - A study across 21 countries
AU - Peretz, Hilla
AU - Fried, Yitzhak
AU - Levi, Ariel
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was funded by a grant from the SHRM Foundation. However, the interpretations, conclusions, and recom-
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd
PY - 2018/1
Y1 - 2018/1
N2 - Using a contingency perspective, we investigated two complementary topics: (a) the influence of the GLOBE national cultural values and key organisational variables on employee use of flexible work arrangements (FWAs), and (b) the contribution of the level of congruence between cultural values and FWA use on absenteeism and turnover. The results, based on Cranfield Network on Comparative Human Resource Management—a large data set across multiple countries—supported the hypothesised effects of the cultural values on employee use of FWAs and the moderating effects of these cultural values on FWA use and organisational outcomes. Specifically, we found that national cultural values and organisational characteristics were related to outcomes via FWA use; and employees' use of FWAs had the overall effect of reducing absenteeism and turnover, but this effect was weakened when the FWAs were not consistent with cultural values. Theoretically, our results add to our knowledge and understanding of the effects of FWA use on absenteeism and turnover under different degrees of “fit” with cultural context. From a practical perspective, our results suggest that organisations should consider national cultural characteristics before implementing FWAs. A misfit between national culture and FWAs would potentially reduce employee use of FWAs and increase the likelihood of absenteeism and turnover.
AB - Using a contingency perspective, we investigated two complementary topics: (a) the influence of the GLOBE national cultural values and key organisational variables on employee use of flexible work arrangements (FWAs), and (b) the contribution of the level of congruence between cultural values and FWA use on absenteeism and turnover. The results, based on Cranfield Network on Comparative Human Resource Management—a large data set across multiple countries—supported the hypothesised effects of the cultural values on employee use of FWAs and the moderating effects of these cultural values on FWA use and organisational outcomes. Specifically, we found that national cultural values and organisational characteristics were related to outcomes via FWA use; and employees' use of FWAs had the overall effect of reducing absenteeism and turnover, but this effect was weakened when the FWAs were not consistent with cultural values. Theoretically, our results add to our knowledge and understanding of the effects of FWA use on absenteeism and turnover under different degrees of “fit” with cultural context. From a practical perspective, our results suggest that organisations should consider national cultural characteristics before implementing FWAs. A misfit between national culture and FWAs would potentially reduce employee use of FWAs and increase the likelihood of absenteeism and turnover.
KW - absenteeism
KW - flexible work arrangements
KW - national culture
KW - organisational characteristics
KW - turnover
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85031668256&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/1748-8583.12172
DO - 10.1111/1748-8583.12172
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85031668256
VL - 28
SP - 182
EP - 200
JO - Human Resource Management Journal
JF - Human Resource Management Journal
SN - 0954-5395
IS - 1
ER -