Future of work and flexible working in Estonia

• Flexible working is increasing in Estonia and there is a higher frequency in the use of flexible scheduling compared to the EU28 average
  • 65% of all companies in Estonia say they have provided flexitime, almost a third of all dependent workers have access to flexitime or working time autonomy, about 1/5 of all workers have teleworked in the past 12 months in Estonia which is about the EU 28 average.
  • The growth in flexible working in Estonia is much quicker than that found for the rest of Europe although a small dip in the proportion of workers with access to flexitime was found during the most recent financial crisis.
• When provided, companies in Estonia on average allow a more “flexible” use of flexitime compared to the European average
  • When companies provide flexitime, they allow workers to work different number of hours across different days and for the hours to be accumulated to allow days off from work.
• The evidence suggests that the provision of flexible working arrangements are driven more by performance goals than provided to those in most need for familyfriendly arrangements
  • Examining who gets access to flexible working arrangements high skilled workers in supervisory roles have significantly higher access to various types of flexible working arrangements.
• Flexible working has mixed results for work-life balance
  • Workers who have flexible schedules are not necessarily feeling less workfamily conflict compared to those who do not, and those who telework feel significantly higher levels of work-family conflict
  • one major reason for this is because flexible working increases the likelihood that work spills over to other spheres of life – making workers worry about work when not at work and workers more likely to work during their free time.
• However, those with more control over their work seem to be happier with their work-life balance

Author: Dr Heejung Chung, Reader in Sociology and Social Policy, University of Kent