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School of Business and Management

Making flexible work sustainable

Dr Maria Adamson

Senior Lecturer in Organisation Studies; Programme Director for MSc International Human Resource Management

Making flexible work sustainable

Within the ever-evolving realm of flexible working, this research insights brief, based on extensive longitudinal qualitative research, exposes a critical and often underestimated dimension of flexibility – the support given to line managers. 

Titled “Making flexible work sustainable: Why supporting line managers is key”, the brief underscores that, particularly in crises like the pandemic, line managers wield decisive influence in shaping organisational responses and employee experiences. 

The key message of the brief is that investing in training and supporting line managers to role model flexibility is instrumental in fostering a sustainable culture of flexible work, safeguarding employee well-being, and nurturing equality in organisations.

Who should read this brief?

Tailored for large organisations, both in the public and private sectors, this brief is a must-read for human resources (HR) teams and senior management teams. 

Despite drawing from the experiences of line managers during the pandemic, the brief provides insights to help organisations maintain a resilient workforce in a post-pandemic context. 

For HR and senior management teams, the findings serve as a strategic guide to mitigate burnout, enhance organisational commitment, and navigate the complexities of flexible and hybrid work. 

As the business landscape continues to grapple with crises, empowering line managers has never been more crucial, making this brief essential for those shaping the future of work policies and practices.

Making flexible work sustainable

In the context of crisis or change, when there is no quick way of creating policy, the role of line managers becomes even more important. Supporting them across the organisation and enabling them to role model flexibility is one of the key ways to embed flexible working into the organisational culture.
— Dr Maria Adamson

About the researchers

Dr Maria Adamson

PhD from the University of York, specialising in gender and sociology of work. Dr Adamson’s research delves into topics of gender inequalities in professional work, work-life balance, and role models, seeking to advance our understanding of the gendered workplace barriers in organisations.

This research insights brief has been co-authored with:

Be the next author

Are you an academic at the School of Business and Management and want to share your research insights in a brief? Email Dr Elena Doldor, Research Impact & Engagement Director, at e.r.doldor@qmul.ac.uk.

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