Flexible Work Options Within the Organisational System (Report) (Survey‪)‬

The availability of flexible work options provides an opportunity for individuals to shape their careers in order to optimise their work and life goals. This study takes a systems theory approach to examine how the use of flexible work options influences relationships and interactions in the workplace. The Flexible Work Options Questionnaire (Albion, 2004) and the Voice Climate Survey (Langford, 2002) were administered online to 108 employees (70 females, 38 males) from a chartered accounting firm in Australia. Results suggest positive outcomes for organisations providing support for the use of flexible work options for employees wanting to make career choices that balance the demands of work and non-work roles. Current career theory uses a holistic approach in defining work and career-based decisions, recognising that 'quality of life is equally as important as standard of living' (Feller, 2003). This approach requires a new set of competencies for people engaged in the world of work--the ability to understand the link between work and non-work life; and the ability to accommodate, integrate and balance the demands of each. As a means of attaining this balance, flexible work options--such as flexible work schedules, job sharing, part-time work, phased retirement and home-based work--have become routine entitlements in many organisations (Avery & Zabel, 2001).