Abstract:
FWAs have found increased attention among organisations who wish to support employee resolution of work-life conflict. The growing demand for FWAs by employees has resulted in the need by organisations to understand the resultant impact of FWAs on employee performance. The many quantitative studies on the matter had relied on Blau’s (1964) social exchange theory to explain the positive impact FWAs can have on performance; there was scant literature on a direct relationship between FWAs and employee performance. The contrary findings of other studies also contributed to the question of the impact of FWAs on employee performance being deemed to be inconclusive. This resulted in confusion among organisational leaders and a reluctance to adopt these arrangements even in the face of increased employee demand.
The purpose of this qualitative, cross-sectional study was to gain deeper perspectives on the relationship between FWAs and employee performance. Data was collected from a sample of eleven employees and nine managers through semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data and a frequency analysis was used as a persuasive statistical measure to validate the themes that emerged from the analysis. The study found that contrary to extant literature, the pursuit of productivity was the primary motivator for employee demand and manager extension of FWAs. The pursuit of work-life balance was important, but it was a secondary motivator. The findings confirmed the continued applicability of Blau’s (1964) social exchange theory in explaining how FWAs impact employee performance positively but also established a direct link between FWAs and employee performance. FWAs have a direct impact on performance by enabling employees to work where and when they are most productive. Workplace trust was found to be both an antecedent as well as effect of FWAs.
The manager-employee relationship was deemed a critical enabler to the success of FWAs. There also emerged common leadership attributes and behaviours among managers whose teams successfully exercised FWAs. An outcome of the study was a framework of the building blocks for effective FWAs. This framework provides a guide to organisations on how to adopt and ensure the optimal use of these widely sought employee practices.
