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Flexitime and the Long-Hours Culture in the Public Sector: Causes and Effects

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

David Peetz  and
Cameron Allan
David Peetz
Affiliation:
Department of Industrial Relations, Griffith Business School, Griffith University
Cameron Allan
Affiliation:
Department of Industrial Relations, Griffith Business School, Griffith University
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Abstract

There has been a major international debate about the importance of work time change. One key aspect of this debate has been the extent and impact of extended work hours. In this paper we examine the effects of a flexitime system on excessive hours in a Queensland public service department. This study finds that, for some groups of workers, the introduction of the flexitime system directly contributed to the development of a long-hours culture. The long-hours culture developed as part of managerial prerogative and in the absence of adequate regulation. Our research also finds that employees reluctantly working long hours consistently reported negative effects on their working and non-working life.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Economic and Labour Relations Review , Volume 15 , Issue 2 , January 2005 , pp. 159 - 180
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2005

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Footnotes

*

We would like to thank the participants in our case study and our colleagues Andrea Fox, Linda Colley, Chris Houghton, Bob Russell and Keith Townsend for their advice and support for this project. This research was jointly funded by the ARC and the Queensland Dept of Industrial Relations. The views expressed in this paper are solely those of the authors. We would also like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their constructive advice.

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