Workplace Flexibility, Empowerment and Quality of Life

Empowering women to participate in economic life is one way to improve the quality of life for women, families and communities. However, many Malaysian women exit from the formal labour market resulting in women's participation stagnating at around 40 percent since the 1990s. Using a mixed method approach, this study examines whether workplace flexibility may impact women's empowerment and quality of life. A sample of 400 female employees from the services sector answered a self-administered questionnaire complemented with 30 interviews. Multivariate analysis and structured interviews showed that workplace designed with flexibility has a positive impact on women's empowerment and quality of life