Gender Norms and Perceptions of Employees Using Flexible Work Arrangements

Last registered on June 15, 2026

Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Gender Norms and Perceptions of Employees Using Flexible Work Arrangements
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0018817
Initial registration date
June 03, 2026

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published
June 15, 2026, 5:37 AM EDT

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Locations

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Primary Investigator

Affiliation
Institute for Structural Research

Other Primary Investigator(s)

Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2026-03-06
End date
2026-12-31
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
Flexible work arrangements (FWAs), which give employees greater control over when, where, and how they work, are increasingly popular measures that can facilitate work–life balance, particularly among parents. FWAs may help reduce gender disparities in the labour market when both parents use them to manage childcare responsibilities. However, employees who use FWAs may face what is known as flexibility stigma. This term refers to the negative perceptions, biases, and stereotypes associated with employees who utilise flexible work arrangements. Coworkers and supervisors may perceive such employees as less committed or dedicated to their work, potentially leading to workplace penalties, such as lower earnings and reduced promotion opportunities. Flexibility stigma may also be a gendered phenomenon, shaped by societal attitudes toward gender roles. The aim of this project is to assess whether men and women who use FWAs experience flexibility stigma and to examine the relationships among flexibility stigma, gender, parental status, and gender norms.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Smoter, Mateusz. 2026. "Gender Norms and Perceptions of Employees Using Flexible Work Arrangements." AEA RCT Registry. June 15. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.18817-1.0
Sponsors & Partners

Sponsors

Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
Intervention Start Date
2026-03-06
Intervention End Date
2026-06-30

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Recommendation for promotion (0-10 scale)
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Recommendation for a salary increase
Recommendation for training
Recommendation for leadership of a prominent project
Recommended salary level
Evaluation of candidates’:
- competence,
- engagement,
- likelihood of working overtime,
- perceived absenteeism.

All outcomes measured on a 0-10 scale.
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
I will use a Computer-Assisted Web Interviewing (CAWI) technique. The sample will be restricted to individuals aged 20–64 who are employed and working in occupations classified under ISCO 1–5 groups, with the exclusion of workers in the health and education sectors, and who work in companies with 10 or more employees.

In the first part of the survey, I will collect basic information on participants’ socio-demographic and workplace characteristics. I will also ask respondents about their attitudes toward gender norms.

In the second part of the survey, I will introduce vignettes. Study participants will assess fictitious candidates for internal promotions presented through vignettes. Each participant will rate six vignettes with candidates. The candidates will vary by gender (man/woman), age (32 years old / 42 years old), job experience (5 years / 10 years), productivity (rated 6/10 or 9/10 in the most recent evaluation), parental status (no children / two children), work arrangement (working fully from the office, teleworking two days per week, or irregular hours), and the reason for using flexible work arrangements (50% of candidates who use flexible work arrangements and have children will be described as using them for child-related reasons).

After each vignette, study participants will assess the candidates in terms of the outcomes mentioned above (on a 0–10 scale). The main focus of the study will be on analysing how candidates’ gender, parental status, and the reason for using FWAs are associated with participants’ evaluations of these candidates. In addition, the relationship between candidates’ evaluations and study participants’ gender, as well as their attitudes toward gender roles, will be examined.
Experimental Design Details
Not available
Randomization Method
Randomization will be done by a computer. Vignette characteristics will be randomly assigned.
Randomization Unit
Randomization at the vignette level.
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
The study does not use clustering.
Sample size: planned number of observations
2000 individuals
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
Not applicable
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
The IBS & CENEA Research Ethics Committee
IRB Approval Date
2025-06-26
IRB Approval Number
3/2025