Relationship Between Flexible Working Arrangements and Job Satisfaction Mediated by Work-Life Balance: Evidence From Public Sector Universities’ Employees of Pakistan

Abstract

The research focused on relationship between flexible working arrangements, work-life balance and job satisfaction in Karachi’s public universities. To investigate the null hypothesis that there is no relationship between these variables. Research design is descriptive as we determine the association between dependent and independent variables. Independent variable is flexible working arrangements which include: flexi-time, contractual working, work shifts and telecommuting, that are provided to employees to improve their productivity and maintain work-life balance. A structured questionnaire is designed to collect approximately 200-sample size via online and by university visits. Survey forms were distributed using random sampling method among more than nine different public universities of Karachi. The research is quantitative in nature and analyzed through CFA and SEM, using smart PLS. Findings show that flexible arrangements are significantly correlated with work-life balance. It also revealed that work-life balance is a strong mediator between flexible arrangements and job satisfaction. Importance of flexible arrangements within an organization is highlighted in the recommendations to improve employees’ satisfaction, their performance, work to family enrichment hence to increase productivity. Research included both quantitative and qualitative data and examined the relationship of flexible arrangements, work-life balance and job satisfaction from the view point of public universities.

The moderating role of organizational culture on the relationship between workers' attitudes towards telework and happiness

“…Indeed, telework can help accommodate the preferences and needs of the younger workers by providing them with time and location flexibility that can facilitate a better work-life balance (Bae and Kim, 2016; Kwon and Jeon, 2020). This was also demonstrated in the study of Aziz-Ur-Rehman and Siddiqui (2019), who revealed that telework was positively related to the balance between professional and personal life which accounted for higher levels of subjective well-being.…”

The future of work: work engagement and job performance in the hybrid workplace

“…Our finding is aligned with previous studies highlighting the importance of flexible working arrangements in promoting work-life balance and employee performance in developing countries like Nigeria (Abioro et al, 2018; Abba, 2018; Kabir et al, 2022). Other studies have also emphasized the importance of flexible work schedules, work hours and job autonomy in promoting work-life balance (Aziz-Ur-Rehman & Siddiqui, 2019; Haddock et al, 2006). The finding confirmed the assertion of the JD-R model, which emphasizes the importance of job demand, job autonomy and time control in providing flexible work and promoting job performance (Bakker & Demerouti, 2017).…”

Job happiness: influence of work flexibility through work-life balance and gender moderation

“…The facilities of access to a compressed work week, part-time work, flexible schedule and job sharing are appreciated by workers, as it is reflected in better WLB, which has a positive and significant effect on LS (Aziz-Ur-Rehman and Siddiqui, 2019) and having greater influence on AOC, followed by normative commitment and with little effect on continuance commitment (Shabir and Gani, 2020).…”

“…Of these arrangements, rotating shifts and part-time or hourly contracting do not favor the worker's WLB, and even affect the family's finances or, endanger their health (Palumbo et al, 2022), but flexible scheduling arrangements, reduced workweeks and hour averaging systems allow workers to fulfill their family and work responsibilities, as it allows workers to manage their time to accumulate hours or even days that they can take advantage of with their family, and this favorably influences LS. Having control reduces stress and workers can schedule their work hours in relation to family schedules (ILO, 2022;Aziz-Ur-Rehman and Siddiqui, 2019).…”