Synergizing flexible work arrangements with learning organizations: a bibliometric analysis and strategic research agenda

PurposeThis study explores how flexible work arrangements have led to advancements in talent acquisition and management strategies, highlighting how these arrangements have helped meet the changing demands of the modern workforce. The goal is to present a thorough bibliometric systematic literature review and thematic analysis of flexible work arrangement research from 1974 to mid-2024, as workplace policies are changing due to continuous innovation and technology adoption.Design/methodology/approachA bibliometric analysis was conducted using 939 documents from the Scopus database, employing rigorous performance analysis, science mapping techniques, co-word analysis, content analysis and keyword co-occurrence analysis. The study utilized the PRISMA protocol, VOSviewer, R-Studio, Biblioshiny, B-SLRs techniques and the technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework to analyze journal articles, review papers and articles in the press.FindingsThe study identified six key trends through cluster analysis: workplace transformation, well-being in the future of work, navigating autonomy, engagement and organizational support in flexible work arrangements, dynamic workforce management, diverse and equitable workplaces and dynamic workforce adaptation. Content analysis revealed future research areas such as egalitarian division of labor, regulatory interventions, preference of different age cohorts, flexible work arrangement satisfaction, formal and informal FWA and flex work-flex travel. A summary of the elements that affect the acceptance and implementation of flexible work arrangements by the extended TOE framework is provided.Practical implicationsThis pioneering study links bibliometric trends from the past five decades and provides insights into meaningfulness, interrupted employment and formal-informal flexibility, offering valuable guidance for designing organizational policies and work arrangements that align with employee and organizational needs.Social implicationsThis study adds to the knowledge on teaching gleaned from a wealth of academic literature and empirical research, particularly in 2023, which has produced the most publications. Our findings and our current comprehension of the equivocal FWA literature provide unions and policymakers with an expanded foundational resource to enhance family well-being and gender equality issues. In the health sector, on the emancipatory scorecard, FWA can be proved to be a revolutionary benefit; giving autonomy and control to employees over their work boosts the healthcare burden in developing countries. Other than that, for caregivers, FWA is a means to avoid interrupted employment. This will also help to reduce the wage gap. Also, four workdays weekly as an FWA helps address the labor shortage concern. It also marks a change for better work-life balance in a workaholism culture like Japan.Originality/valueThis study presents a seminal state-of-the-art overview of the flexible work arrangement research with creative application of the TOE structure, B-SLR methodology and Biblioshiny tool. This study summarizes a large body of literature into a complete framework, providing a unique synthesis and clarity of previous research on this topic. With the increasing amount of research on flexible work arrangements and related keywords, this study offers a useful resource that integrates previously scattered knowledge into a unified and insightful narrative.