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.
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