Flexibility or ethical dilemma: an overview of the work from home policies in modern organizations around the world

Abstract

Purpose The primary purpose of this paper is to highlight the pros and cons associated with the work from home policies and how these policies differ across countries and cultures. The main question to be answered is that why a perk or benefit is now being considered as an ethical issue. Design/methodology/approach Opinions of practitioners and examples of some leading controversial work from home policies have been discussed in detail. Examples from the developed countries have been compared with those of less developed countries, to present a cross country analysis. Findings Culture has a significant impact on the flexible work arrangement policies. Although many companies endorse some degree of flexibility for working mothers or parents in general, working from home as a universal policy is still debatable. The decision to offer this facility to employees majorly depends upon the geographic location of that organization. Originality/value All the discussions and views expressed solely belong to the authors. This paper can be extended by adding some empirical evidences from the companies who actually offer this facility to their employees.