Impact of flexible work arrangements on employees’ perceived productivity, organisational commitment and perceived work quality: a United Arab Emirates case-study

Purpose This study aims to examine the impact of flexible work arrangements (FWAs) on employees’ perceived productivity, quality of work and organisational commitment (OC) with a special focus on the United Arab Emirates. It also analyses the mediating effect of employee happiness on the relationship between FWA and employees’ perceived productivity, OC and perceived work quality. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative, non-experimental correlational study was used for this research project. The study yielded numerical data, which were analysed using a deductive approach. The analysis aimed at exploring the relationships between the constructs, which were viewed as variables; these relationships were considered correlations, mediation and moderation. The sample comprises employees currently working at different public and private sector organisations, representing all major service industries in the UAE. Nine questions were used to assess the flexibility at work and six out of the nine questions were used to measure the level of FWAs using the Likert scale. Findings FWA has a significant and positive association with the employees’ perceived productivity, quality of work and OC. It was confirmed that happiness plays a mediating role in the relationship between FWA and employee outcomes. The facility allows employees to manage their personal and professional lives with ease using their preferred work method. This ability promotes employee satisfaction. In conclusion, managers and employees around the world should view FWAs as a positive tool to enhance employee productivity and OC, particularly in an emergency like the Covid-19 pandemic. Research limitations/implications The participants’ honesty was a limitation, which could raise questions on the validity of this study. This limitation arises when the self-report method is used for data collection. Use of multiple instruments could be another limitation. Practical implications Organisational leaders can use FWAs to improve employee outcomes. When an organisation grants flexible work options to employees, it implies that the organisation trusts its employees to complete the task. This factor motivates all employees to work with dedication, which is particularly true if the employees are creative people and wish to work on their preferred time and place. Originality/value This study is significant because the findings will allow managers to assess the benefits of using FWAs to improve employee productivity, particularly in the service sector. It combines the aspects of perceived productivity, OC and perceived work quality, as well as employee happiness to assess the role of FWAs in organisations. The study also investigates the influence of FWAs in improving these employee outcomes. Based on the literature review, this study on FWAs is the first of its kind in the UAE, the country using a truly multinational workforce coming from more than 100 countries and cultures.

Independent assessment of the work quality of social organizations: evolution of the legislative and methodological frameworks

The article is focused on one of the public participation technologies within the scope of the state processes management an independent assessment of the work quality regarding institutions providing services in the social sphere. The author examines the process of changing the legislative norms governing the process of conducting an independent assessment. The main purpose of the analysis is to demonstrate how the understanding of the object, subject, methodology and methods are changing. The informational background for writing the article is domestic researchers data, as well as the authors own experience as the chairman of the public council for carrying out the independent assessment concerning the terms of service quality of the organizations referring to the social service (Ministry of Socio-Demographic and Social Policy of Samara Region), as well as the status of a representative of the organization-operator. Analyzing the key components of an independent assessment, the author describes the risks of reducing the data quality, expanding the practices of conducting work in a cost-cutting format by operating organizations, emasculating the contents from an independent assessment, and, as a result, the loss of significance related to public control technology.

Professionalization of The Principal’s Role

The aim of this work is to point out the importance of the professionalization of the principal’s role in education institutions, with an accent on preschool institutions. The sample included principals (N=57) of preschool institutions in Central Croatia. The goal was to test the mediation relationship through SEM and examine the direct influence of interpersonal relationships within the preschool institution on the development of its work quality; furthermore, to test the indirect influence of these relationships by introducing the mediation variable of professional competence. The structured modelling in the AMOS was applied for testing the direct and indirect influence. The contribution of interpersonal relationships on the work quality is high and statistically significant (β=0,920), which confirms the direct influence. For testing the mediation effects, a bootstrapping method was designed that confirmed the indirect influence of interpersonal relationships on the work quality with the statistically significant serial mediator of professional competence (p= 0,016), thereby confirming partial mediation. This research determined that positive interpersonal relations, mediated by the principal’s professional competence, have a positive effect on the work quality of a preschool institution. In order for preschool institutions to reach the desired quality, it is necessary for them to be managed by professionally empowered and expert principals who promote prime cooperative relationships as the starting point in developing a high-quality institution. The results of this research contribute to a clearer perception and understanding of the professionalization of the principal’s role through key areas of his/her work and activity, and the possibility of their practical implementation into education institutions.

Analisis Kinerja Pengrajin Perempuan di Batik Blimbing Malang

This study aims to analyze the performance of female artisan in work quantity indicators, work quality, and work effectiveness in accordance with the terms and conditions in Batik Blimbing. The data collected in this study is used as a reference for the performance of the female artisan so that when the results are good, batik entrepreneurs are expected to prioritize female artisans in carrying out their business. This type of research is descriptive qualitative with techniques for collecting data on interviews, observation and documentation. Check the validity of source triangulation data: Leader of Batik Blimbing, Manager of Management, Female Craftsmen. The female craftsmen have work performance with work quantity indicators, work quality and work effectiveness that can fulfill the requirements of the Blimbing Batik even though when the woman works women have a double duty. But because of the work system that makes craftsmen comfortable at work and also because of motivation support from within the family to help, the opportunity and workers who can do without special knowledge with education, make female craftsmen choose to become craftsmen because of the female character known with patience and painstakingness and the support of Blimbing Batik itself which prefers female craftsmen because it is known as a patient, painstaking and easier to teach character in batik making that requires high concentration. Based on the result of the study, it is suggested that batik entrepreneurs are expected to implement a work system that makes artisan have a longer working period so that the artisans’ turnover is not too frequent and can work longer so the performance of female artisan can be increased. And the artisan can get a wider knowledge about batik, so that in the production process the female artisan can provide input and become more active in the production process, so that it is not monotonous to just follow the manager’s instructions. Penelitian ini menganalisis kinerja pengrajin perempuan dalam indikator kuantitas kerja, kualitas kerja dan efektivitas kerja sesuai dengan syarat dan ketentuan di Batik Blimbing, data yang dikumpulkan dalam peneltian ini digunakan untuk referensi kinerja pengrajin perempuan agar ketika hasil yang didapatkan baik, diharapkan para pengusaha batik lebih memperioritaskan pengrajin perempuan dalam menjalankan usahanya untuk mempercayai sebagai pengrajin yang bersangkutan. Jenis penelitian ini deskriptif kualitatif dengan teknik pengumpulan data wawancara, observasi dan dokumentasi. Pengecekan keabsahan data triangulasi sumber: Pemimpin Batik Blimbing, Manager Pengelola, Pengrajin perempuan. Para pengrajin perempuan memiliki kinerja kerja dengan indikator kuantitas kerja, kualitas kerja dan efektivitas kerja yang dapat memenuhi syarat ketentuan di Batik Blimbing meskipun ketika perempuan itu bekerja perempuan memiliki tugas ganda. Tetapi karena sistem pekerjaan yang membuat para pengrajin nyaman dalam bekerja dan juga karena adanya dukungan motivasi dari dalam keluarga untuk membantu, adanya kesempatan dan pekerja yang bisa lakukan tanpa adanya pengetahuan khusus dengan jengjang pendidikan, membuat para pengrajin perempuan memilih untuk menjadi pengrajin karena karakter perempuan yang dikenal dengan sabar dan telaten dan adanya dukungan di Batik Blimbing sendiri yang lebih memilih pengrajin perempuan karena dikenal dengan karakter yang sabar, telaten dan lebih mudah untuk diajarkan dalam hal membatik yang membutuhkan konsentrasi yang tinggi. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian disarankan mewujudkan peningkatan kinerja pengrajin perempuan di Batik Blimbing dengan Adanya kontrak kerja yang membuat para pengrajin perempuan dapat bekerja lebih lama agar kesalahan dalam proses membatik dapat menjadi lebih terampil dalam membatik. Para pengrajin dapat pembelajaran yang lebih luas tentang batik, sehingga dalam proses produksi para pengrajin perempuan bisa memberikan masukan dan lebih aktif dalam proses produksi, sehingga tidak monoton hanya mengikuti instruksi dari manager pengelola.

Pengaruh Kualitas Kerja, Fasilitas Kerja, Motivasi Kerja dan Pembagian Tugas terhadap Kinerja Pegawai Dinas Perkebunan Kabupaten Muara Enim

The purpose of this study was to determine, analyze and prove the effect of work quality, work facilities, work motivation and division of tasks on the performance of the employees of the Muara Enim Plantation Service. The sample in the study, namely all employees of the Plantation Service of Muara Enim Regency, totaling 60 employees, will be sampled in this study. A significant value of 0.001 <0.05 then accepts Ha and rejects Ho, which means that there is a significant influence between work quality (X1) on performance (Y). A significant value of 0.016 <0.05 then rejects Ho and accepts Ha, which means that there is a significant influence between work facilities (X2) on performance (Y). A significant value of 0.586> 0.05 then accepts Ho and rejects Ha, which means that there is no significant effect between work motivation (X3) on performance (Y). Value 0.000 <0.05 then accepting Ha and rejecting Ho, which means that there is a significant influence between the division of tasks (X4) on performance (Y). Sig value 0.000 <0.05, then Ha is accepted and Ho is rejected, which means that the quality of work (X1), work facilities (X2), work motivation (X3) and the division of tasks (X4) have a significant effect together on the performance variable (Y).