SUPERVISOR AND COWORKER BARRIERS TO EMPLOYEES’ USE OF FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENTS AND EXTENDED LEAVES OF ABSENCE IN CONSULTING FIRMS

Abstract

Work-life balance includes options for the employee to complete work away from the office, provide for child care, and attend to personal needs. The benefits of these options include employee retention, productivity, job satisfaction, and engagement, among others. However, for organizations to realize these benefits, employees must use the options available to them. Little research has focused on what barriers exist to employees’ use of work-life balance policies, and no studies have explored the barriers as they exist in consulting firms, notorious for poor work-life balance. This study does just that, and its ultimate goal is to provide insight to consulting firms where they can support employees in their efforts to make use of work-life balance options. Results indicate that supervisor support can help employees use flexible work arrangements and extended leaves of absence, and that supervisor and coworker support will influence an employee’s use of extended leaves of absence.