abstract: 'Flexible working arrangements (FWA) ``for all, from the CEO down{''''},

  have begun to be promoted in Australia, heralded as a means to finally

  achieve gender equity in the workplace. However, workplaces are gendered

  spaces in which masculine traits and unconstrained availability are

  usually highly valued, as encapsulated in the notion of the ideal

  worker, and women are seen as lacking or ``other{''''}. We undertook a

  study to examine how upper level managers in large, male-dominated

  organizations endorsing FWA for all perceived and reflected on the use

  of FWA within their organizations and by themselves. Interviews were

  undertaken with 12 upper level managers (9 men). Applying a social

  constructionist perspective and critical theoretical lens informed by

  theories of Acker and Ahmed, qualitative analysis suggested that,

  despite being ``for all{''''} in organizational rhetoric, FWA remains

  viewed as ``for women{''''}, and appropriate to lower level, routinized

  roles. Upper level managers described themselves and other men as able

  to be ``flexible about their flexibility{''''} thus maintaining their

  standing as ideal workers. This framing of flexibility has implications

  for men, women and society. It enabled ongoing positioning of women as

  other in workplace settings, rendering invisible structural inequality.

  Thus, FWA for all does not necessarily transform workplace gender

  equity.'
affiliation: 'Borgkvist, A (Corresponding Author), Univ South Australia, Safe Relationships
  \& Communities Res Grp, Magill Campus,Bldg D,St Bernards Rd, Magill, SA 5072, Australia.

  Borgkvist, Ashlee, Univ South Australia, Safe Relationships \& Communities Res Grp,
  Adelaide, SA, Australia.

  Borgkvist, Ashlee; Moore, Vivienne; Crabb, Shona, Univ Adelaide, Fay Gale Ctr Res
  Gender, Adelaide, SA, Australia.

  Moore, Vivienne; Crabb, Shona; Eliott, Jaklin, Univ Adelaide, Sch Publ Hlth, Adelaide,
  SA, Australia.

  Moore, Vivienne, Univ Adelaide, Robinson Res Inst, Adelaide, SA, Australia.'
author: Borgkvist, Ashlee and Moore, Vivienne and Crabb, Shona and Eliott, Jaklin
author-email: ashlee.borgkvist@unisa.edu.au
author_list:
- family: Borgkvist
  given: Ashlee
- family: Moore
  given: Vivienne
- family: Crabb
  given: Shona
- family: Eliott
  given: Jaklin
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.1111/gwao.12680
earlyaccessdate: APR 2021
eissn: 1468-0432
files: []
issn: 0968-6673
journal: GENDER WORK AND ORGANIZATION
keywords: 'flexible working arrangements; gender; ideal worker norm; managers;

  parenting'
keywords-plus: 'WORK ARRANGEMENTS; FAMILY; EMPLOYMENT; DIVERSITY; FATHERS; LIFE;

  ENTITLEMENT; POLITICS; POLICIES; SUPPORT'
language: English
month: NOV
number: 6, SI
number-of-cited-references: '74'
pages: 2076-2090
papis_id: 665c48c7fe86e941240acfc1efdf730b
ref: Borgkvist2021criticalconsideratio
times-cited: '7'
title: 'Critical considerations of workplace flexibility ``for all″ and gendered outcomes:
  Men being flexible about their flexibility'
type: article
unique-id: WOS:000640658300001
usage-count-last-180-days: '2'
usage-count-since-2013: '16'
volume: '28'
web-of-science-categories: Management; Women's Studies
year: '2021'