The impact of workplace flexibility on employee performance in a construction company in South Africa

Abstract

The primary goal and objective of this research study was to establish how workplace flexibility impacted employee performance at a South African construction company. Research highlighted that workplace flexibility had grown in popularity because of its cost reduction opportunities and that remote workforces have created competitive advantage in the industries they work for. This study is important because flexible employees who work remotely and are engaged and enabled in the workplace positively affect employee performance, which ultimately positively affects organisational performance, keeping a company competitive in its sector. The approach that was used for the research was qualitative, and the targeted population consisted of administrative workers who work remotely and participate in workplace flexibility practices in a construction company where most of the employees from this type of industry usually work on-site. Ten participants were purposively selected, and the framework used to collect data from the participants was semi-structured interviews. Before data collection, the interview framework was tested with pilot testing four participants from the construction company. Data were analysed, interpreted, and categorised into themes using thematic analysis methods. The study findings led to the development of the three main themes, together with subthemes, as was shown in the researcher’s own compilation figure 4.3 in Chapter 4, named Sharon’s Workplace Flexibility and Performance Framework (SWFPF), which illustrates the thematic relationships of the findings. The findings strongly supported a positive relationship between workplace flexibility and employee performance, where participants highlighted improved job satisfaction, which heightened their organisational commitment and performance. They attributed this improvement to the flexibility of their work arrangements, predominantly working-from-home or any preferred location, which improved their performance and strengthened their commitment to their job and additionally lowered their stress levels. However, challenges were noted, particularly in managing organisational conflicts that arose from the implementation of workplace flexibility and its impact on work-life balance. Recommendations for improvement to workplace flexibility practices to optimise their effectiveness included strategies to mitigate biases in data collection, the participant pool to be expanded beyond a single company, and the ensuring of comprehensive understanding and utilisation of workplace flexibility policies amongst employees. In addition, recommendations for resource investment to improve the effectiveness of workplace flexibility included training programs, technological infrastructure, and communication channels. Stakeholder motivation remained crucial in maintaining a positive impact of workplace flexibility on employee performance. The proposed avenues for future research were designed to explore more depth into the effects of flexibility at work in multiple construction companies, evaluating differences in performance, satisfaction, and turnover rates. Longitudinal studies were recommended to monitor the evolving impact of workplace flexibility over time, while an examination of technology's role in enabling workplace flexibility within the construction industry was also suggested. The researcher’s own compilation figure 5.1 in Chapter 5, named Sharon’s Consequences of Workplace Flexibility (SCWF), illustrates the conclusions that the researcher had drawn from the findings and from the results that were highlighted in Chapter 4.