Dissertation

Staying healthy and happy at work: how job flexibility can help

XII, 160 pages. Groningen, University of Groningen (2022), unpublished

Abstract

Working conditions are important determinants of the health and well-being of the working population. This thesis examines the relationship between flexible employment and health and well-being in the workplace using longitudinal household survey data from Australia and Germany. Chapter 2 examines the effect of three forms of flexible employment on parental subjective well-being during the transition into parenthood. Chapter 3 studies the effect of unexpected health shocks on the uptake of home-based work. Chapter 4 studies how the burden of commuting impacts employees' life satisfaction and health. The three chapters jointly highlight the crucial role of flexible working arrangements in improving health and well-being in the workplace by reducing work-life conflicts, satisfying demands for healthcare and avoiding the burden of commuting.

The Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR) in Rostock is one of the leading demographic research centers in the world. It's part of the Max Planck Society, the internationally renowned German research society.