The effects of a flexible organization of working time on health are increasingly examined and discussed in current occupational research. “Working time flexibility” is a heterogeneous construct and thus defined and operationalized in different ways. Working time flexibility can be individual-oriented, such as the possibility for employees to control their working time. On the other hand, working time flexibility can also be organization-oriented in terms of the variable temporal disposition of employees, such as in on-call work or in capacity-oriented variable working hours.

These different aspects of flexible working time are expected to relate differentially to indicators of psychological health. Therefore, in the present review article individual-oriented (i. e., autonomy and working time control) and organization-oriented working time flexibility (i. e., non-autonomous, non-rigid working times characterized by variability, unpredictability, and on-call work) are analyzed separately.

The literature analysis shows that individual-oriented working time flexibility is associated with fewer health problems, a reduced stress experience and reduced burnout symptoms. On the other hand, organization-oriented working-time flexibility is associated with a higher degree of affective symptoms, increased stressfulness, and increased burnout symptoms.

The present literature analysis presents the current state of knowledge concerning the connection of essential facets of flexible working hours (individual-oriented and organization-oriented working time flexibility) and indicators of psychological stress consequences (e. g., affective symptoms, burnout and subjectively experienced stress). Several results could be confirmed and clarified by longitudinal studies. However, there is still a considerable need for research on the interaction of flexible working hours and psychological stress consequences.