Flexible Working as an Employee Recruitment and Retention Tool in the

Public Sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina

 

Introduction

            Intense competition between the public and private sector in attracting

employees has pushed the public sector to adapt new Human Resources

practices. From recruitment to performance appraisal to compensation and

benefits, the public sector is committing itself to innovative practices that seek to

attract and retain employees. Flexible working and work-life balance are

considered as tools that increase the attractiveness of public sector jobs. This

research paper aims to analyze the role of flexible working (flexi-time) in

the recruitment and retention of public sector employees.

This research paper will focus on the impact of Flexi-time on the

recruitment and retention processes of public sector organizations. It aims to

determine whether flexi-time attracts and retains public sector employees.

Background of the Study

Flexible Working

One of the most striking labor market developments of the post-war era has been

the growth in female participation in the labor force, with the 1980s in particular

seeing rapid growth in employment among women with children. This change in

the configuration of the labor market, as well as a range of other factors including

competitive pressures labor shortages and the need to retain employees,

coupled with a recognition of the challenges of reconciling work and family life,

has led to an increased interest in the notion of ‘flexible working’ arrangements

and in so-called ‘family friendly policies’. The two concepts are easily blurred.

Flexible working including part-time work, flexi-time, job sharing and home

working may be of benefit to employees with and without children, while family

friendly policies including the implementation and extension of statutory maternity

rights, parental leave, help with childcare, career breaks and so on, are geared

specifically to managing work and family life (Cully 1999).

Flexi-time

Flextime (flexi-time) is a scheduling option that allows workers to select their

starting and quitting times within limits established by management. There are

generally core hours when all employees must be present. Although starting and

quitting times vary, employee are required to work a standard number of hours

within a given time period (Avery and Zabel 2001). There are several variations

on the use of flextime such as fixed starting and quitting times that vary daily,

variations in the length of day with required core hours, and variations in the

length of day without mandatory core hours. Some  flextime programs  allow

workers to bank hours for the future (Olmstead and Smith 1994).

Benefits of Flextime for Employees

Flextime options has several benefits for the employees.. One of flextime’s

advantages is that it allows employees to work according to their biological clock

(Ronen 1981; Nollen 1982; Grensing-Pophal 1993; Olmstead and Smith 1994;

Peak 1996 cited in Avery and Zabel 2001). Early risers can start their workday

early in the morning when they feel most alert. At the same time, staggered

starting times accommodate workers who feel most productive later in the day.

Another advantage of flextime is that it can result in reduced commutes (Ronen

1981; Nollen 1982). Employees can arrange their schedule so that they can

travel to work during off-peak hours. Another advantage is that flextime increases

the employees’ amount of leisure and family time (Ronen 1981; Friedman 1991).

It gives individuals enough time to attend to personal matters. Flextime was

found out to allow better coordination of work and family obligations, and it

results in increased work satisfaction among parents (Ralston 1989). Flextime

according to Levine and Pittinsky (1997), gives employees some control over

their work hour without having to reduce their earnings. Flextime can also

boost employee morale. Employees are given independence in choosing their

own work schedules; employees become responsible for getting work done

within their own work schedules. In a research conducted by Gottlieb, Kelloway,

and Barham in 1998, they found out that employees in organizations where

flextime is available experience less stress than employees who are employed in

organizations without flextime policies.

Benefits of Flextime for Employers

Numerous advantages have been reported regarding the benefits of flextime

for employers. One benefit is the reduction of tardiness, absenteeism, and

turnover. Some other benefits include improved recruiting, decreased overtime,

improved employee morale, and better utilization of equipments (Swart 1978;

Ronen 1981; Nollen 1982; Levine 1987; Tober 1988; Friedman 1991; Sommer

and Malins 1991; Bankston 1996; Olmstead and Smith 1997; Klaus 1997;

Martinez 1997; Gill 1998 cited in Avery and Zabel 2001). Another benefit for

employers is flextime allows businesses to extend their hours of operation

(Bankston 1996; Gottlieb, Kelloway, and Barham 1998). Flextime can also

improve scheduling, since it allows firms to respond to workload peaks and

demands. Flextime results in better work organization. According to Olmsted and

Smith (1994), one of long-term benefits of flextime is improved managerial

practices. It treats employees like adults, emphasizes planning, and promotes a

team approach to problem solving. Flextime requires a shift from a controlling to

a facilitative management style.

Statement of the Problem

            The study aims to determine the impact of Flexi-time in the recruitment

and retention processes of public sector organizations in Bosnia and

Herzegovina. Specifically, the study intends to answer the following questions:

1. What are the impacts of flexi-time options in the recruitment of employees in

public sector organizations in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

2. What is the impact of flexi-time options in the retention of employees in public

sector organizations in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

3. How do flexi-time options affect employee absenteeism, turnover, and

tardiness in public sector organizations in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

4. How do flexi-time options affect employee motivation in public sector

organizations in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Aims of the Study

            The study is designed to determine the importance of flexi-time

arrangements as a recruitment and retention tool in public sector organizations in

Bosnia and Herzegovina. The specific aims of the study are:

1. To determine whether flexi-time arrangements attract job applicants to apply to

public sector organizations.

2. To determine whether flexi-time arrangements affect the employee’s decision

to stay in public sector organizations.

3. To determine whether flexi-time arrangements affect employee motivation, its

impact on employee performance in particular.

4. To determine whether flexi-time arrangements in public sector organizations in

Bosnia and Herzegovina affect employee absenteeism, tardiness and turnover.

            The overall aim of the study is to educate and inform the public about the

importance of flexi-time. By focusing on public sector organizations, the

researcher aims to contribute to the existing literature about the value of flexible

working arrangements to both the employer and the employees. In addition, the

researcher also aims to offer useful to decision makers and Human Resource

Personnel that are planning to introduce flexible working arrangements in their

organizations.

Significance of the Study

            The topic of flexible working and its impact on recruitment and retention

of employees are seldom discussed in recent literature. This study would be a

welcome addition to the existing studies and materials on flexible working. The

research will also be useful as it addresses issues in recruitment and retention of

employees, a topic that has gained much interest from organizations worldwide.

The research can also be a useful reference for managers and policy makers

especially in the public sector.

References

Avery, C and Zabel D 2001, The Flexible Workplace: A Sourcebook of

Information and Research, Quorum Books, Westport CT.

Bankston, K 1996, ‘Flextime’, Credit Union Management,  vol.19, no. 5, pp. 38 –

41.

Cully, M et al. 1999, Britain at Work: As Depicted by 1998 Workplace Employee

Relations Survey, Routledge, London.

Gottlieb, B H, Kelloway, E K, and Barham, E J 1998, Flexible Work

Arrangements: Managing the Work-Family Boundary, Wiley, Chichester,

England.

Grensing-Pophal,  L 1993, ‘Flextime Lets Night Owls and Early Birds Soar’,

Office Systems, vol. 10, no. 6, pp. 66-67.

Levine, J A and Pittinsky, T L 1997, Working Fathers: New Strategies for

Balancing Work and Family, Addison-Wesley, Reading, Mass.

Martinez, M N 1997, ‘Work-Life Programs Reap Business Benefits’, HRMagazine

vol. 42, no. 6, pp. 110-114.

Nollen, S D 1982, Work Schedules in Practice: Managing Time in a Changing

Society, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York. 

Olmsted, B and Smith, S 1994, Creating a Flexible Workplace: How to Select

and Manage Alternative Work Options. 2d edn, AMACOM, New York.

Peak, M H 1996, ‘Face-Time Follies’, Management Review, vol. 85, no. 3, p. 1.

Ralston, D A 1989, ’The Benefits of Flextime: Real or Imagined?’, Journal of

Organizational Behavior, vol. 10, pp. 369-373.

Ronen, S 1981, Flexible Work Schedules: An Innovation in the Quality of Work

Life, McGraw-Hill, New York.

Sommer, K L and Malins, D Y 1991, ‘Flexible Work Solutions’, Small Business

Reports, vol. 16, no. 8, pp. 29-40.

Tober, P A 1988, ‘The Emerging Flexible Workplace’, Compensation and

Benefits Review, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 70-74.

Read more: http://ivythesis.typepad.com/term_paper_topics/2012/01/research-proposal-on-flexible-working-as-an-employee-recruitment-and-retention-tool-in-the-public-se.html#ixzz2pvYrdqFW