Essays on Professionals' Temporal Autonomy

Abstract

Professionals struggle to control their work time, despite often (1) having relatively greater control over their work tasks, and (2) wanting to control their work time. My dissertation addresses this empirical and theoretical puzzle by refining our understanding of why professionals face difficulties expanding their temporal autonomy, and identifying mechanisms and processes that can address these barriers. I draw upon data from four separate ethnographic studies of STEM professionals. In my first essay, I identify conditions under which managers either support or limit employees’ use of flexible work policies, and in turn, facilitate increases in professionals’ temporal autonomy. In my second essay, I show how professionals— independent of managers—collaborate to expand control over their work hours. In my third essay, I show how professionals’ temporal autonomy is shaped by family responsibilities. Overall, I contribute to the literature on professions, as well as related literatures on temporality and time in organizations, flexible work schedules, and the work-life interface. This dissertation also contributes to our understanding of gender inequality by showing how gendered experiences of time subtly disadvantage women.