Study shows being in control of your own work patterns has clear health and wellbeing benefits

The Cochrane Systematic Review included 10 studies involving a total of 16,603 people, which focused on various different forms of flexible working.

Self-scheduling of working hours was found to have positive impacts on a number of health outcomes including blood pressure, sleep and mental health. In one study, for instance, police officers who were able to change their starting times at work showed significant improvements in psychological wellbeing compared with police officers who started work at a fixed hour.

lare Bambra, of the Wolfson Research Institute, Durham University, the lead researcher of the review, said: "Flexible working seems to be more beneficial for health and wellbeing where the individuals control their own work patterns rather than where employers are in control."

Co-author Kerry Joyce, also based at the Institute, added: "We need to know more about how the health effects of flexible working are experienced by different types of workers, for instance, comparing women with men, old with young and skilled with unskilled. This is important as some forms of flexible working might only be available to employees with higher status occupations and this may serve to increase existing differences in health between social groups."

Bambra said: "These findings certainly give employers and employees something to think about. Being in control of how and when we work is good for us and has clear health benefits. Employees who are able to adapt their work schedules to fit in with their wider lives feel better."  

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