Flexible Work and Work-related Outcomes: The Role of Perceived Organizational Alignment

Abstract

Recent developments in information and communication technology have led to renewed interest in the impact of flexible work on work-related outcomes such as job satisfaction, organizational identification and work engagement. Although there is a vast amount of literature indicating the positive association between job autonomy and work-related outcomes, there has been little discussion about the contextual conditions that strengthen this relationship. This paper analyzes the role of perceived organizational alignment as a conditional factor and shows that autonomy alone cannot explain an organization’s success in improving work-related outcomes. An analysis of online survey from 481 employees shows that the perceived organizational alignment moderates the positive effect of autonomy on work-related outcomes in the context of flexible work. For employees who perceive organizational alignment to be high, the positive relationships are strengthened for work engagement and organizational identification, but attenuated for job satisfaction. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.