The rise of flexible work arrangements comes with one risky drawback. When working nontraditional hours (evenings or weekends, for instance), employees experience a decrease in their sense of intrinsic motivation, which in turn decreases their productivity and happiness, according to a new study from Harvard Business Review. Although previous research from the International Workplace Group shows that 80 percent of workers prefer employers that offer flexible work, HBR’s latest findings–gathered from a survey of 2,000 employees and students–shows that flexible work, in practice, has surprising challenges.
There are certainly benefits to flexible work arrangements. Giving employees more control of their schedules can help them be more productive when they have fewer distractions like meetings and notifications. Flexible hours can also make it easier for working parents to find work-life balance.
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