Why Flexible Work Policies Fail When Employee Preferences Are Ignored
Flexible work has become one of the most talked-about workplace changes of the post-pandemic era. Companies advertise remote and hybrid options as proof they are modern, employee-friendly, and supportive of work-life balance. But new research shows that flexibility on paper doesn’t mean much if it doesn’t align with what employees actually want.
A recent study tracking employees across Australia and Europe found that people are far more likely to leave their jobs when their real work arrangements don’t match their personal preferences. In other words, preferences matter more than policy.
A Study That Looks at What People Actually Do, Not Just What They Say
Most research on remote and hybrid work focuses on employee intentions — whether people say they want to quit or feel dissatisfied. This study did something different. It followed 482 employees over two years, from November 2021 to July 2023, and tracked actual employee departures, not just intentions.
The research was conducted at an international property development company operating across Australia and Europe. It was authored by Dr. Andrew Dhaenens (RMIT University), Associate Professor Weiting Zheng and Professor Karin Sanders (UNSW Business School), and Professor Jennie Sumelius (Hanken School of Economics). The paper was published in the Journal of Construction Engineering and Management.
The central question was simple but powerful: What happens when employees’ real work arrangements don’t match how they want to work?
The Preference Mismatch Problem
The findings were clear. About one-third of employees experienced a mismatch between their actual work arrangements and their preferred ones. This mismatch significantly increased the likelihood that they would leave the organization.
Some employees wanted more time working from home than they were allowed. Others preferred more time in the office but were pushed into hybrid or remote setups. When this gap existed, employees were more likely to disengage and eventually quit.
The study showed that there is no single “best” work arrangement that works for everyone. What matters most is whether employees feel their work setup fits their personal needs, responsibilities, and working style.
Why Matching Preferences Reduces Turnover
When work arrangements matched employee preferences, remote work produced strong positive outcomes. Employees reported higher satisfaction with work-family balance, felt more energized, and were more likely to stay with their employer.
The research demonstrated that remote work itself doesn’t automatically reduce turnover. Instead, it reduces turnover only when the amount of time spent working from home aligns with what employees want.
This distinction is important for employers. Simply offering hybrid work or promoting flexible policies isn’t enough. If employees feel forced into an arrangement that doesn’t suit them, the supposed benefits of flexibility disappear.
What Employees Value About Working From Home
The study also explored why employees value remote work. The results reflect what many workers already know from experience:
- 76% valued working from home because it helped them manage personal and work responsibilities more effectively
- 74% appreciated saving time on commuting
- 68% felt they worked more effectively on certain tasks from home, especially focused or concentration-heavy work
However, remote work was not seen as a perfect solution. Only 15% of employees believed working from home was effective for team collaboration, highlighting clear trade-offs.
These results explain why hybrid work remains the most popular option. In the study, 57% of employees preferred splitting their time between home and the office. Only 7% wanted to be in the office full time, while a smaller group preferred working from home all the time.
Still, even hybrid work can fail if the specific balance doesn’t match what employees want. Adding or removing just one extra office day can be enough to push people toward dissatisfaction.
Gender Differences in Work Preferences
The research uncovered some interesting differences between men and women.
Overall, women tended to prefer more time working from home. About 64% of female employees preferred hybrid arrangements, compared to 53% of men. Meanwhile, 35% of men preferred being in the office most or all of the time, compared to 20% of women.
One surprising finding was that men experienced stronger links between working from home and improved work-life balance satisfaction. This goes against common assumptions that women benefit more from remote work.
The researchers suggested that men may be less tolerant of mismatches between actual and preferred work arrangements. When their preferences weren’t met, the negative impact on satisfaction was stronger.
Caregivers Feel the Impact More Strongly
Employees with family and caregiving responsibilities benefited the most when their work arrangements matched their preferences.
For caregivers, time spent working from home significantly improved work-family balance satisfaction, which in turn reduced turnover. However, when there was a mismatch between what caregivers wanted and what they received, the positive effects disappeared — and sometimes reversed.
This highlights how poorly designed flexibility policies can actively harm the very groups they are supposed to support.
Tenure Also Matters
Another important factor was employee tenure. Workers who had been with the organization longer were more sensitive to work arrangement changes.
For long-tenured employees, working from home had a stronger positive effect on both work-life balance satisfaction and their decision to stay. Newer employees, while still affected, showed weaker reactions.
This suggests that organizations risk losing experienced staff if they impose rigid policies without considering individual preferences.
Why One-Size-Fits-All Flexibility Doesn’t Work
One of the strongest messages from the research is that employee preferences vary widely, even among people in similar roles or life situations.
Some employees prefer strong boundaries between work and home and feel more comfortable in the office. Others thrive on the integration that working from home allows. These differences can’t be reliably predicted based on job title, gender, or family status alone.
Because of this variation, standardized flexibility policies often fail. The study argues that instead of assuming what employees want, organizations should ask them directly.
What Employers Can Do Better
The researchers emphasized that offering remote work options is not enough. Employers need to actively manage work arrangements and regularly check whether they still align with employee preferences.
Simple steps can make a big difference, such as:
- Regular preference surveys
- Open conversations between managers and employees
- Willingness to adjust arrangements as life circumstances change
In environments with high job demands, complex roles, or multiple locations, these conversations are especially important.
Why This Research Matters Right Now
With many industries facing talent shortages, retaining experienced employees has become a major challenge. This study offers a clear lesson: retention isn’t about copying trends or enforcing blanket policies. It’s about understanding people.
Flexible work delivers real benefits — but only when it is personalized, intentional, and aligned with individual needs. When that alignment is missing, flexibility can backfire.
Research paper:
https://doi.org/10.1061/jcemd4.coeng-16727
