New research from the University of St Andrews is calling on employers to rethink flexible-working policies, warning that current approaches fail to reflect increasingly blurred boundaries between work and personal life.
As hybrid and remote working become more common and household structures evolve, simply offering flexibility is not enough. The study finds that whether employees can truly "switch off" depends less on the existence of formal policies and more on how those policies function in practice.
Led by Dr Giulia Giunti of the University of St Andrews Business School and published in Human Resource Management, the research draws on 'border theory' – the idea that work and non-work are distinct domains that individuals navigate daily. The study identifies three key mechanisms that shape whether people can disengage from work: prompting employees to stop, enabling them to do so, and legitimising time away.
However, these mechanisms rarely align. A policy may encourage staff to take leave, while heavy workloads prevent it. Others may support caregiving, but overlook leisure, social, or personal needs. When these mechanisms are misaligned, support appears robust on paper but fails in reality.
The findings are based on interviews with 45 UK academics, evenly split between three groups: partnered with children, partnered without children, and single without children. Participants were also asked to photograph their work-life boundaries, revealing the extent to which work seeps into personal life.
The study shows how offering time without the conditions to use it – or addressing one demand while ignoring others – quietly undermines work-life balance. Parents reported particular strain in juggling professional and caregiving responsibilities.
However, the research highlights that other groups face equally significant, and often overlooked, challenges. Employees without children, particularly those who are single, reported being disproportionately assigned unsociable hours, having less control over their schedules, and feeling that their lives outside work are treated as less legitimate due to the absence of caregiving responsibilities.
This is despite the fact these groups represent a substantial and growing share of the population. In 2025, there were 8.3 million UK households comprising couples without children (42% of all family units) and 8.6 million single-person households (30% of all households), trends mirrored across the EU.
As workforces become more diverse in terms of family and relationship status, the researchers urge organisations to critically assess whether their policies genuinely support employees' ability to disconnect, and whether that support is equitable.
Dr Giunti said: "Flexibility is not freedom. At present, work-life balance is not available to everyone."
The study also identifies a subtler gendered impact. Because caregiving remains the most socially accepted reason to step away from work – and women continue to shoulder the majority of care responsibilities – family-focused policies may unintentionally reinforce traditional roles. This risks limiting women's opportunities for rest, career development, social life, and broader personal fulfilment.
Dr Giunti said: "If organisations are serious about their Equality, Diversity and Inclusion commitments, they must look beyond whether policies exist and instead examine which mechanisms those policies activate – and for whom. Otherwise, EDI remains rhetoric."
Category Research
