Flexible working practices are now considered the norm rather than the exception in today’s workplace. The changing demographics, which include an increase in the number of working mothers, dual-income couples, and a younger generation, have created the need to set up working programs that enable employees to achieve a sense of balance on their ever-increasing set of responsibilities at home and the workplace. Flexible working practices enable employees to work and tend to other matters they perceive to be equally important; consequently, they tend to associate the flexible working practice with freedom and a sense of balance (Dettmers, Kaiser& Fietze 2013).
The workplace values have also changed over time, and monetary or extrinsic rewards such as allowances and bonuses are no longer motivating factors. The current workforce is more concerned with job satisfaction and motivation derived from a perceived sense of value. Flexible working practices serve this role. Employees enjoy a sense of freedom and autonomy, especially with more flexible arrangement practices such as telecommuting.
Flexible working practices are also strategically useful to companies such as Nestle in employee retention and attracting a highly qualified workforce (Idris, 2014). This strategy stems from realizing that an attractive remuneration package is not enough to retain employees. Flexible working arrangements though not linked, directly provide the needed job satisfaction and sense of well-being in employees hence resulting in employee retention (Gordon, McMullin,& Adams, 2015).
Previous research has largely focused on the effects of flexible working practices on a general level. The perceived benefits of flexible workplace practices include reduced work conflict, job stress, and higher productivity and satisfaction. However, these benefits may not accrue evenly to all forms of flexible working arrangements. For instance, telecommuting may result in isolation and detachment of an employee from the rest of one’s colleagues. Isolation is known to inhibit creativity mainly because one cannot share and exchange ideas with other colleagues openly. In the long run, this may hay the effect of undermining any perceived increase in productivity that is usually associated with telecommuting.
Flexible working practices also blur the lines between the workplace and a person’s private life. This is especially the case in Flexitime, where employees set their own working hours. The clear-cut boundaries in standard working conditions such as 9-7 are nonexistent. Given the technological world we exist in, it is likely that in the long run, an employee’s frame of mind is tuned to rotate around work hence the need to check their emails and an “always on culture constantly.” This culture dampens any sense of balance associated with flexible working arrangements (Kelliher & Anderson 2008).
Flexible working has also been attributed to some levels of stress and anxiety whereby employees are charged with the organization of their work, thereby creating new demands on employees. Flexible working gives employees a sense of emotional flexibility, but the psychological commitment from having a standard job remains. The latter is compounded by the intensity of workload that results from working on compressed times.
There are various reasons why companies are opting for flexible working practices. These reasons include the need to be the employer of choice, raise employee productivity, and cut costs. The manufacturing industry is one of the many industries that have successfully incorporated flexible working practices. An example is Proctor and Gamble company which manufactures consumer products. The company introduced a “work from home” program to cut costs and boost employee morale. It provided the needed technological and financial support needed to make this transition. The company attributes the success of this program to clear communication of the company’s policies and expectations. The program gained employees’ support over time, and the company, in return, recorded increased productivity, a highly motivated workforce, and reduced costs.
Norsk Hydro, a company involved in the production and supply of oil, gas, and electricity, reports similar success after implementing flexible working arrangements. The main reason behind this program was to attract and retain highly qualified employees. Norway has a small population base, so obtaining highly skilled employees can be challenging. The employees had to work full time, but they could decide when and where to work. The company was able to attract and retain a highly-skilled workforce and enjoy increased productivity levels. The program allowed employees to focus on results and outcomes instead of the daily motions of standard work programs. The success of flexible working arrangements indicates the effectiveness of flexible working arrangements in terms of improved productivity and job satisfaction that comes from autonomy, freedom, and a sense of control.
Flexible working arrangements may have worked for some companies, but in some other cases, they have failed. A good example is Yahoo, a multi-national corporation in the technology sector. The company’s management halted the flexible working program, which allowed employees to telecommute. The company’s decision to end the program was founded on the concerns that the huge increase in telecommuting employees was responsible for the decline in productivity and quality levels. Given that telecommuting has been associated with social isolation and a sense of detachment, as pointed out earlier on, may justify the company’s decision, given the role creativity and innovation play in the success of telecommunication companies.
These three examples reflect previous research findings on flexible working arrangements. While some findings have associated flexible working arrangements with increased productivity, higher job satisfaction, and a highly motivated workforce, other research findings indicate mixed effects on the various aspects of flexible working arrangements. Regardless of the different outcomes in the three companies, there were common emerging issues regarding successful implementation of flexible working arrangements; these include providing the necessary technological support needed to facilitate collaboration, a result-based performance appraisal system, and proper communication of the company’s expectations and policies.