Executive summary
This is a report on a study to determine the preferred option of flexible working design for this company. The options that were given to the workers included a modification to the work schedule and telecommunication. The methodology of the study used both quantitative and qualitative techniques. Data collection tool was an online questionnaire via Survey Monkey. The targeted number of employees was 100, and the response rate was 85%. It was determined that a majority (68%) of the workers welcomed the idea of having a flexible working design in the company, be it in the form of modified work schedule or telecommuting. Also, it became apparent that the workers were decided in how they would like telecommuting to be implemented while they were not so sure regarding how modification of working schedule should be done. A resistance of the employees to the implementation of the flexible working design is dependent on whether their days off of salary are going to be negatively affected by the implementation of the design.
Introduction
Flexible working practices are capable of instilling dynamism and adaptability that is needed in the modern organic organization (Teasdale, 2012). This report is concerned with the opinions of employees in such an organization with regards to two flexible approaches. These include telecommuting and a modified work schedule.
Problem statement
There is a growing appreciation of a flexible working design in modern organization environments. This is because this approach leads to logistical efficiencies within the workforce and also makes the workers own their schedule and improve their job satisfaction (Cooper & Baird, 2015). This report considers the feedback of 85 employees from a typical organization regarding the application of telecommuting and modification of the work schedule and in the process, determine the best approach for that particular organization.
Purpose of the study
The purpose of this study was to investigate the opinion of workers on the implementation of flexible work practices and as a result, determine the best approach that should be applied in their specific case.
Research questions
The research questions for this study were as follows:
- Does a modified work schedule meet the goals of positive employee performance?
- Does telecommuting meet the goals of positive employee performance?
- Which working designs do employees within the workplace best prefer?
- Will employees resist any changes to the prevailing working design for a new one?
- What will be the impact of the introduction of a flexible working design?
Research methodology
The research approach that was used in this study was a mixed approach. Quantitative data was collected using online survey. Qualitative data for the study was derived secondary sources, which included previous research texts on flexible work designs. The total number of respondents that gave feedback in this study was 85 of the projected 100.
Discussion of findings
Survey Monkey was used by the researcher to develop an online survey that was anonymous and sent to a hundred employees of the company. Of these 100 employees, 85 responded, and this generated 85% response rate from the employees. Half of the respondents were females and the other half male. Concerning age demographics, 10% of the respondents were 51-70 years old; 45% were in the 35-50 years old bracket; 30% were between 25 years old and 34 years old; and the rest in the range of 18 and 24.
Does a modified work schedule meet the goals of positive employee performance?
This research question was aimed at determining how effective it can be to implement a modified work schedule in the organization while improving or maintaining an acceptable level of performance in the company. In a bid to answer this research question, the respondents were asked whether a modified work schedule is a good option. The results from that question were as shown in the figure below:
68 percent of the respondents were in agreement that modification of working schedule is a good option. Only about 11 percent of the respondents disagreed with the statement, while 21 percent were of a neutral opinion.
The respondents were then asked which options they would prefer if a modified work schedule were to be implemented in the company. The feedback given by the respondents were as shown below:
As observed in the chart above, 31 percent of the respondents preferred having a five 8-hour day per week with the start and end times being flexible. A similar proportion of the respondents preferred having nine 9-hour days per two weeks. 29 percent of the respondent was in favor of four 10-hour days per week while the rest of the respondents did not want any changes to the current schedule. From these observations, it was obvious that a change was needed in the system.
The next question that was posed to the respondents was whether they would be willing to sacrifice their off days to handle special meetings and crises in the event of having the work schedule revised in the company. 14 (16.47%) of the respondents responded in the affirmative while the rest 83.53% answered negatively.
Does telecommuting meet the goals of positive employee performance?
To determine whether telecommuting is a good option in the implementation of a flexible working practice in the company, an online survey was done on the workers of the company to determine their perceptions on telecommuting. The first question in the online survey was whether telecommuting is a good option. The responses given by the participant in the survey were as shown in the chart below:
From the results, it was established that 68 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that telecommunication is a good option for the company in implementing a flexible work design; 11 percent disagreed with the notion that telecommuting is a good option while the rest remained neutral.
The next question that was posed to the respondents regarding telecommunication had to do with their preferred number of days per week for telecommuting.
The results revealed that majority of the respondents (55%) preferred to have 1-2 days of telecommuting per week; 27 percent preferred 3-4 days of telecommuting per week; 11 percent 5 or more days per week; and only 7 percent preferred not to telecommute at all.
The last query that was made on the respondents with regards to the telecommuting option was whether they would be willing to take deductions on their salary to cover the costs of implementing such a program. 71 of the respondents (83.53%) were unwilling to take small deductions on their salary while the rest (16.47%) were willing to take cuts on their salary for the sake of telecommuting program.
Which working designs do employees within the workplace best prefer?
The flexible working designs that were presented to the respondents were the option of modifying the work schedule or telecommuting. When asked whether either of options would contribute to positive performance, the respondents were positive in both instances that either option would promote good performance in the company. Differences were observed when the workers were asked to state the preferred implementation of either option.
Will employees resist any changes to the prevailing working design for a new one?
From the feedback given by the employees, there is little resistance to changes in the prevailing working conditions, provided that other factors such as their days off or salary remain unaffected. Limiting the number of days off or suggesting the workers take cuts on their will result in an outright rejection of the flexible work designs.
What will be the impact of the introduction of a flexible working design?
There is a benefit of increased efficiency and savings in cost. The company can make savings on overheads when the employees are working from home and also avoid downtime for machinery in the event of having 24-hour shifts at a workplace (Rubery, Keizer & Grimshaw, 2016). Flexible working designs are attractive to employees that are highly skilled and not in need of being constrained by tight work schedules. Further, it is easier for the company to have a diverse workforce if the work design is flexible (Rubery, Keizer & Grimshaw, 2016). There are reduced instances of absence due to sickness and greater job satisfaction among the employees.
Conclusions
In conclusion, it was determined that the workers welcomed the idea of having a flexible working design in the company. Also, it became apparent that the workers were decided in how they would like telecommunication to be implemented while they were not so sure regarding how modification of working schedule should be done. The resistance of the employees to the implementation of the flexible working design is dependent on whether their days off or salary are going to be negatively affected by the implementation of the design.
Recommendations
The recommended option for flexible working design for the company is telecommuting. This is because the workers are in agreement on how it should be implemented, namely, 1-2 days of telecommuting per week.
References
Cooper, R., & Baird, M. (2015). Bringing the “right to request” flexible working arrangements to life: from policies to practices. Employee Relations, 37(5), 568-581. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/er-07-2014-0085
Rubery, J., Keizer, A., & Grimshaw, D. (2016). Flexibility bites back: the multiple and hidden costs of flexible employment policies. Human Resource Management Journal, 26(3), 235-251. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12092
Teasdale, N. (2012). Fragmented Sisters? The Implications of Flexible Working Policies for Professional Women’s Workplace Relationships. Gender, Work & Organization, 20(4), 397-412. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0432.2012.00590.x
APPENDICES
Appendix 1
Survey Results for the Telecommuting Option
NOTE: Results for each question are shown in red.
- Telecommuting is a good option. Choose one.
16 Strongly agree
42 Agree
18 Neutral
6 Disagree
3 Strongly Disagree
- If a telecommuting option were offered, how many days per week would you prefer to telecommute? Choose one.
6 0 days per week
47 1-2 days per week
23 3-4 days per week
9 5 or more days per week
- Would you be willing to take a small salary deduction to cover the costs of implementing a telecommuting program?
14 yes
71 no
Survey Monkey® was used to develop an anonymous online survey to assess worker preferences concerning telecommuting. The survey link was sent to all 100 employees in the company. A total of 85 employees responded to the survey.
Of the 85 respondents, approximately half are female and half are male. About 10 percent of the respondents are 51-70 years old; 45 percent are 35-50 years old; 30 percent are 25-34 years old, and the rest are between the ages of 18 and 24.
Appendix 2
Survey Results for the Modified Work Schedule Option
NOTE: Results for each question are shown in red.
- A modified work schedule is a good option. Choose one.
16 Strongly agree
42 Agree
18 Neutral
6 Disagree
3 Strongly Disagree
- If a modified work schedule option were offered, which options would you prefer? Choose one.
8 No change
25 Four 10-hour days per week
26 Nine 9-hour days per two week period
26 Five 8-hour days per week, with flexible start and end times
- If a revised work schedule resulting in a long weekend were implemented, would you be willing to come in on your day off to handle special meetings or crises?
14 yes
71 no
Survey Monkey® was used to develop an anonymous online survey to assess worker preferences concerning revised work schedules. The survey link was sent to all 100 employees in the company. A total of 85 employees responded to the survey.
Of the 85 respondents, approximately half are female and half are male. About 10 percent of the respondents are 51-70 years old; 45 percent are 35-50 years old; 30 percent are 25-34 years old, and the rest are between the ages of 18 and 24.