Human Resource Management: Workplace Flexibility

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HR INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT

9/27/2015

MMAY15CMM026

UDAYAN PRASHARA

Introduction

The global workforce is in the throes of shifting paradigms. As the baton passes from the Baby-Boomers to Gen X and Y, the delineation between work & life begins to blur. Toggling between work and life is no longer a zero-sum game of balance. It is more a matter of integration. (Kowske, 2013)

Emerging as a response to address the priorities of working mothers, work-life balance and flexibility initiatives have slowly but steadily gone on to encompass individual responsibilities of elder-care, passion to pursue hobbies, involvement in family commitments on weekdays or simply taking some time-off to rejuvenate. (workplace trends , 2015)

This implies that work-place flexibility is now geared towards catering to the individual motivation of striving to gain satisfying experiences in all domains of life by judiciously expending time, energy and commitment.

Thus, as the individual need to control the when, where and how of work gains precedence in an increasingly ‘always on and always available’ workforce, building an environment of flexibility is no longer a matter of choice but an imperative. (workplace trends , 2015)

Flexibility can broadly be viewed in terms of the following :

1. Flexi-time  : the opportunity to plan work as per one’s preferred time and day
2. Flexi-place : the opportunity to choose where one intends to work from
3. Flexi-work : the opportunity to structure one’s job activities (often along with team members) in a manner that best caters to the organization needs but permits the individual to address personal priorities. (Megham M. Biro)

Organizations generally design flexible work arrangements around one or more of these depending on the work-force demographic

Benefits of work place flexibility/work life balance  

Workplace flexibility holds inherent value for both, the employee and the employer.

From an employee standpoint, it allows for more discretion in managing priorities which feeds into higher commitment levels.  

To name a few, an employee may benefit from the following:

• lowered commute times
• avoiding unwelcome disruptions at work
• scheduling work at times when he/she is at his/her productive best
• choosing to engage in part-time work or staggered full-time work depending on important life-stages
• attending to personal commitments and chores like school visits for children, doctor visits for self and family, elder care and the like

Flexible arrangements symbolize a sense of respect and trust from the employer which are of immense value and foster similar attitudes among the employees towards the organization (Kowske, 2013)