CROSS-COUNTRY COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF FLEXIBLE WORKING PRACTICES IN THE EUROPEAN COUNTRIES.

Abstract

The dissertation will investigate the diffusion of flexible working practices across Europe and the level of implementation achieved. Flexible work arrangements include all those practices that that fall under the umbrella of “smart working” and “work – life balance programs”. They allow more flexibility in the work schedule and workplace, giving employees and employers the ability to adapt the time and location of work to their needs. Examples are: part time work, flexible working hours, working from home and autonomy in organization of work tasks and methods. In the first part of the research the level and quality of flexible work arrangements adopted for employees across different European countries will be analysed and compared. The second part of the study will focus on the legislative framework that regulates them both at the European and national level. The aim of the thesis is to give a comprehensive view of how flexible work is diffused in Europe, identify relevant differences and also to verify if the patterns of those development could be linked to the current legislation of the countries considered. The cross-country comparison of practices in Europe will be based on the analysis of data collected by the Eurofound in the 6th European Working Conditions Survey and the study of the European legislation to identify similarities and differences between country specific norms adopted by EU Members.