Flexible for Whom? Caregiving Visibility, I-Deals, and Gendered Career Progression in Hybrid Work

Flexible work is often presented as a way to include, retain and achieve gender equality. However, there exist alternative pathways to creating new forms of inequality when an employee is visibly associated with care giving. This study investigates the interaction between caring visibility and flexibility i-deals and career advancement in Hybrid workplaces. It is based on the concepts of i-deals theory, flexibility stigma and gendered organizations theory. By proposing to connect visibility of caregiving with individualized flexibility to promotion, through manager-rated commitment and employee experiences of visibility penalties, the model has implications that extend beyond the day-to-day work of managers and caregivers.The proposed model not only resonates in the daily work of managers and caregivers but also has implications that go beyond that. The study is conducted on a three-wave matched employee-manager dyad design, objective human resource records, and a nested interview sample over 24 months.The study is designed through a three-wave matched employee-manager dyad design that is based on objective human resource records and a nested interview sample over a period of 24 months. For this manuscript build no raw data was provided and hence the numerical results reported are simulated and should be replaced in the manuscript before submission. As illustrated, the results present a twofold situation. Flexibility i-deals help to minimize work-family conflict. When caregiving is very visible, the same arrangements are associated with fewer chances for promotion and greater visibility penalties, however. Such effects are greater in females. These qualitative themes support this pattern, and indicate that hybrid working does not eradicate ideal-worker norms. Rather, these norms shift to judging responsiveness, availability and promotability. The study makes a contribution to the literature by demonstrating the possibility for flexibility to serve as a support and as a gendered signal to the work market at the same time.