Occupational ApplicationsWork strategies changed following a participatory workplace intervention among office-based employees with flexible work arrangements (FWA). Also, the intervention likely led to clearer rules and routines for FWA within the work group. As FWA increases, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, it will be important to revise work strategies for both the individual and the work group. The results of this study are relevant in the context of interventions that can support organizations and employees in adopting work strategies promoting good working conditions and health in FWA.
Keywords: Digitalization; intervention; participative; work control; work strategies.
Background Flexible work arrangements (FWA) are common, but knowledge on how to organize flexible work to reduce negative consequences and preserve positive aspects is currently sparse, which hampers organizational initiatives.Purpose This study aimed to determine the extent to which work strategies, work-related use of information and communication technology (ICT) outside regular working hours (i.e., use of laptop, tablet, or smartphone, to handle information and facilitate communication), perceived productivity, expectations of availability, and clarity of expectations about availability, had changed among office-based employees with FWA 2 and 4 months after a participative two-step workplace intervention.Methods An intervention group (n = 97) was compared to a control group working as usual (n = 70). The intervention, initiated and approved by the top management of the organization, included individual education intended to change work strategies, and workshops developing common rules and routines for FWA within the work group.Results Participants were satisfied with the intervention and reported larger changes than the control group in work strategies. No statistically significant effects were found, however, on ICT use, perceived productivity, or expectations of availability.Conclusions This participative workplace intervention was successful in changing employees work strategies but may not be effective in influencing ICT use outside regular working hours, perceived productivity, expectations of availability, or clarity of expectations about availability. The results should be treated with caution due to a possible selection bias of the study population, both for technical reasons and due to the specific occupational context.