The Autonomy Paradox: How Night Work Undermines Subjective Well-Being of Internet-Based Freelancers. (January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shevchuk, Andrey; Strebkov, Denis; Davis, Shannon N.
• Is Part Of: Industrial and labor relations review. Volume 72:Number 1(2019)
• Page Start: 75
• Page End: 100
• Publication Date: 2019-01
• Subjects: nonstandard employment -- freelancers -- working time -- flexible schedules -- work–life balance; Industrial relations -- Periodicals; 331.05
• DOI: 10.1177/0019793918767114
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0019-7939

Abstract

Nonstandard work schedules have important consequences for workers in the new economy. Using unique data on the work times of Internet-based freelancers, specifically, self-employed professionals participating in a Russian-language online labor market ( N = 4, 280), the authors find that working at night has adverse effects on workers' subjective well-being as measured by satisfaction with work–life balance, life satisfaction, and emotional exhaustion. Night work has differential effects on freelancers' well-being based on gender, partnership status, and caregiving responsibilities. Highlighting the autonomy paradox, the authors' findings document how freelancers' discretionary application of a flexible schedule to work at night consequently undermines their well-being.