Flexitime and the Long-hours Culture in the Public Sector: causes and effects

By David Peetz and Cameron Allan

The extent and impact of extended working hours in the Queensland public service.

The study found that for some groups of workers, the development of a long-hours culture was largely caused by flexitime. The long-hours culture developed as part of managerial prerogative and in the absence of adequate regulation. The research also finds that employees reluctantly working longer hours consistently long hours consistently reported negative effects on their working and non-working life.

(Economic and Labour and Relations Review, vol. 15, no. 2, January 2005; 159-80)