The effect mechanism of work flexibility on employee job satisfaction

This study is aimed to explore the effect of work flexibility on employee job satisfaction and the mediating effect of perceived organizational support based on the conservation of resource theory. In this study, we collected 309 data through self-assessment of employees in the R&D departments and sales departments of companies, and performed hypothesis verification through the structural equation modelling approach. The results of regression analysis show that: (1) the two dimensions of work flexibility (i.e. scheduled flexibility and workplace flexibility) are positively correlated with job satisfaction; (2) perceived organizational support acts as full mediators between scheduled flexibility and job satisfaction, and between workplace flexibility and job satisfaction. The study concluded that implementing work flexibility in a company can enhance the employee's perception of organizational support, and according to the reciprocity viewpoint in social exchange theory, the employee will have better recognition to the company and tasks, and their job satisfaction will increase accordingly. These results will enrich the application theory of work flexibility in companies and provide theoretical basis for the subsequent implementation.