Rethinking the ClockWork of Work: Why Schedule Control May Pay Off at Work and at Home

The problem and the solution. Many employees face work—life conflicts and time deficits that negatively affect their health, well-being, effectiveness on the job, and organizational commitment. Many organizations have adopted flexible work arrangements but not all of them increase schedule control, that is, employees’ control over when, where, and how much they work. This article describes some limitations of flexible work policies, proposes a conceptual model of how schedule control impacts work—life conflicts, and describes specific ways to increase employees’ schedule control, including best practices for implementing common flexible work policies and Best Buy's innovative approach to creating a culture of schedule control.