TY - JOUR AB - Purpose– Seeks to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoints practical implications from cutting‐edge research and case studies.Design/methodology/approach– This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.Findings– Success in business involves to some extent having a workforce flexible enough to meet changeable demands. But flexibility has become a two way process and employees, particularly mothers of young children, are increasingly requesting work arrangements that allow them to better balance work and home life. One survey revealed several reasons for employees wanting to reduce their working hours but “spending time with family” was the most popular. The difficult challenge, therefore, is to develop workplace policies that serve the interest of both employer and employee alike. Flexibility at work now takes various forms and includes such as job sharing, variable working time and telecommuting alongside conventional part time schedules. These arrangements vary across different countries and reflect the amount of control over working time that employer or employee enjoys in relation to when the work is done and the number of hours worked during a specific period.Practical implications– Provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world's leading organizations.Originality/value– The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy‐to‐digest format. VL - 48 IS - 6 SN - 0309-0558 DO - 10.1108/03090550610715936 UR - https://doi.org/10.1108/03090550610715936 PY - 2006 Y1 - 2006/01/01 TI - Flexibility and the workplace: the battle to control working time T2 - Managerial Law PB - Emerald Group Publishing Limited SP - 536 EP - 540 Y2 - 2024/04/20 ER -