Summary: [You might view the earlier post "Work conditions: The red line" before this.] Workers taking issue with their unpaid overtime and negotiating their own work schedules – flexibility of time and developmental opportunities - could happen.
The workforce composition is now heterogeneous. New workgroups are increasingly knowledge-based. They have a clear idea of their priorities, and can take the necessary steps to achieve them.
The 'i-deal'
For example, with individualized negotiations on work conditions with their supervisors.
The effects of such i-deals – “idiosyncratic deals” between employer-employees were studied. The negotiations promote, for instance, arrangements like telecommuting or working part-time, giving the workers more control over their work.
Survey results
A survey conducted in a government agency in Germany (published in APA journal) compared conditions before and after introduction of i-deals.
Researchers reported two types of i-deals: time flexibility and developmental opportunities.They found that:
The workforce composition is now heterogeneous. New workgroups are increasingly knowledge-based. They have a clear idea of their priorities, and can take the necessary steps to achieve them.
The 'i-deal'
For example, with individualized negotiations on work conditions with their supervisors.
The effects of such i-deals – “idiosyncratic deals” between employer-employees were studied. The negotiations promote, for instance, arrangements like telecommuting or working part-time, giving the workers more control over their work.
Survey results
A survey conducted in a government agency in Germany (published in APA journal) compared conditions before and after introduction of i-deals.
Researchers reported two types of i-deals: time flexibility and developmental opportunities.They found that:
- Flexibility i-deals were negatively related to work-family conflict and working unpaid overtime - but unrelated to increased performance expectations and affective organizational commitment.
- Developmental i-deals were positively related to work-family conflict, working unpaid overtime and also to increased performance expectations and affective organizational commitment.
What might these findings imply?
Finding equity
By negotiating flexible hours of work, the workers may have two objectives in mind. Firstly, to resolve the conflict that arises between home and work-life responsibilities. And secondly, to perhaps turn down their working unpaid overtime.
The move to flexitime seems to be to achieve equity; neither performance nor their commitment to the organization tends to increase as a result. Employees may simply be unprepared to increase stress in their lives catering to managerial whims!
Motivated choice
On the other hand, in negotiating developmental opportunities, workers may choose to work unpaid overtime despite their work-home conflicts rising. The job content constitutes the satisfiers that may motivate it.
The objective may be the accumulation of knowledge, to learn, understand and enhance their organizational roles. Performance expectations and organizational commitment, therefore, are also high, as perhaps are their ambitions.
Finding equity
By negotiating flexible hours of work, the workers may have two objectives in mind. Firstly, to resolve the conflict that arises between home and work-life responsibilities. And secondly, to perhaps turn down their working unpaid overtime.
The move to flexitime seems to be to achieve equity; neither performance nor their commitment to the organization tends to increase as a result. Employees may simply be unprepared to increase stress in their lives catering to managerial whims!
Motivated choice
On the other hand, in negotiating developmental opportunities, workers may choose to work unpaid overtime despite their work-home conflicts rising. The job content constitutes the satisfiers that may motivate it.
The objective may be the accumulation of knowledge, to learn, understand and enhance their organizational roles. Performance expectations and organizational commitment, therefore, are also high, as perhaps are their ambitions.
Rethink work organization
Research is finding out that the worker mindset and quality of work has changed. Their motives and attitudes to work are also different, and they’re far less open to being intimidated or exploited.
Managers stuck on ‘the way things have always been around here’ should rethink their own mindsets, and attitudes to employment and conditions of work. Attrition and poor performance add up to wastage and loss of valuable resources for the company itself.
Comments/Opinions, Anyone??
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