Work flexibility in eight European countries: A cross-national comparison

Flexibility is often attributed to the extent of de-regulation or 'a-typical' work, such as part-time employment, fixed-term contracts and self-employment. Based upon a study carried out in 2001 that compared flexibility in 8 countries (UK, the Netherlands, Sweden, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Romania and Bulgaria) using a representative sample survey of people aged between 18 and 65 (N=10123) and on a study of policy frameworks, the article develops new ways of looking at flexibility, which focus upon the actual work practices of people in the labour market and how they undertake flexibility of time (working hours), place (where the work takes place) and conditions (contract). The article argues that, based upon these definitions, there is in fact a great deal of flexibility in European labour markets, which goes beyond 'atypical' employment alone. It explores this in the context of the different regimes of regulation found in different European countries. Furthermore, the article identifies good flexibility, associated with highly educated people being able to regulate their own working time, and bad flexibility, associated with people with low education, low income, and often with young workers and those found in rural areas. Some types of flexibility were more typical for men and some for women.