Research on the Impact of Work Flexibility on Employee Happiness—Based on the Perspective of Ecological Balance Theory

Abstract

Under the epidemic situation, work flexibility has been widely applied by organizations. However, some doubts have also been generated, attracting the attention of domestic and foreign scholars. From the perspective of ecological balance theory, this paper investigates how work flexibility affects self-efficacy on employee happiness, in which the flexibility-willingness is introduced as a moderating variable. We treat individuals and organizations as a whole framework for research, and select 330 employees from Internet-related companies and tourism, demonstrating the following conclusions. Work flexibility positively affects employee happiness. Only when employees’ work flexibility-ability and work flexibility-willingness are coupled, can formation of employees' self-efficacy be promoted making, the work flexibility-willingness plays a positive regulating role between work flexibility-ability and self-efficacy. Self-efficacy mediates between work flexibility-ability and employee happiness. This paper analyzes the application of ecological balance theory in China, which has certain reference significance for the management practitioners to reduce work-family conflicts and improve employee happiness.