Flexible working is preferable for women, but not for men

Flexible working, such as stagger work hour or working at home, is spread in some companies. We sometimes see working women with delayed attendance for taking her child to a nursing home. Nomad working is now a trend in workers in the IT industry.

However, there seems a difference between men and women about the efficacy of flexible working. If you are male, you should not expect to be a flexible worker, according to a new research.

The Guardian: Flexible working helps women succeed but makes men unhappy, study finds

In this study conducted by Brain & Company, over 1,000 employees in Australia were asked to tell the perspective of flexible working. As a result, male workers were not accepted as a flexible worker compared to women. In addition, men were less likely to commit their jobs deeply in a flexible work than women. Thus, flexible working seems not fitting for men.

The historical factor can explain the difference. Until some decade ago, men usually got a full-time job, and women never. Recent tendency of gender equality brought both employers and female employees an opportunity to consider alternative working styles. Part time work, early or late shift work, and working at home apply to women who are willing to care their children or old parents on their own. On the other hand, it is hardly acceptable for employers to alter male workers’ work styles, especially as a form of reducing the quantity of work time.

The fact that tasks for caring children dominantly rely on mothers rather than fathers may be another reason. The familial environment is gradually changing in every culture, but only women can get pregnant, at present. It is natural that women are permitted to have diversity in choosing work style.

However, it is problematic if many men are suffering from flexible working. Male workers, as well as employers, have to recognize the current situation, to make their organization plastic and acceptable for various workers.