Flexible Work: Designing Our Healthier Future Lives

Flexible Work: Designing Our Healthier Future Lives examines flexible working through the lens of social science, in particular using psychological perspective to address not only what forms of flexible working there are and how they are evolving but also their prospect in the future of work. Bringing together views from thought-leaders and underpinned by research evidence, this book addresses two of the most fundamental business challenges for large and medium organisations – mental health and productivity – calling for the bridging of science and policy to design flexible working for our future healthier lives.

Growing from these foundations, this book explains the latest landscape in flexible working, looking at employee psychological health and productivity, including showing up for work sick. Perspectives are provided from around the world on leadership, line management, ‘over attachment’ with technology, commuting, skill-based inequality and control over working time. Readers are offered insights into the relevance of flexible working for a diverse workforce – invisible disabilities, disabilities, older workers and blended families. Throughout, the book offers suggestions for shaping future policy, practice and research.

Each chapter concludes with recommendations, making this essential reading for students, academics, human resource practitioners, policy-influencers, policymakers and professionals interested in flexible work.

Dr Sarah H. Norgate was formerly a Reader in Applied Developmental Psychology at the University of Salford, UK, and is a popular science author. Since completing her PhD at the University of Warwick, UK, she has widely published in both academic and practitioner journals and has enjoyed collaborating with diverse stakeholders on award-winning research. Sarah is also a fellow for life with the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust.

Sir Cary L. Cooper is the 50th Anniversary Professor of Organizational Psychology and Health at the ALLIANCE Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, UK, President of the CIPD and Co-Chair of the National Forum for Health and Wellbeing at Work.