Much time and effort has been devoted to researching the mental health benefits of flexible work environments, but can the ability to leave work early to watch your son’s soccer game, or arrive at the office a bit later in the morning in order to see to some personal matters, have physical health benefits besides making you feel a bit relaxed?
According to new research published in the Cochrane Library Database of Systematic Reviews, it seems so. In a review of 10 previous studies examining the health effects of unfixed work conditions for more than 16,000 people, researchers from the U.K.. Durham University and University of Newcastle, as well as the University of Montreal, found that flexible work schedules, for instance, when employees can shift their starting times, were associated with improvements in a person’s overall health. In addition, perhaps, unsurprisingly, in all of the studies included in the review, researchers found no evidence for negative effects of more flexible work schedules.
This initial analysis was intended to throw light on the potential health benefits of flexible work options, which are increasingly popular throughout Scandinavia, and have recently gained some ground in the U.K. For example, last April, the British government implemented a policy that allowed parents of children aged six and under to request flexible work arrangements to include parents of children aged 16 and younger. In the U.S., the phenomenon is a bit slower to catch on. Yet, the economic slowdown of recent years may have contributed to growth in workplace flexibility—as companies unable to reward employees with bonuses or raises may turn to other forms of compensation, Reuters reported early last year.
Original analysis too, of course, indicated the benefits of flexible work environments toward positive mental health outcomes. And while these latest findings are promising, the researchers stress that more study is vital to understanding the detailed relationship between flexible work and improved health outcomes. To truly grasp the benefits of flexible working conditions, the researchers say, additional study analyzing health outcomes among a wide range of workers—from high-ranking executives to hourly employees – is critical, which helps to gain a deeper understanding of the issue, and to shape future workplace policy.
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