Information Technology Enabling Flextime: Workplace Behavioural Implications

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1 Information Technology Enabling Flextime: Workplace Behavioural Implications Anthony Ejike Okonkwo Ph.D, Department of Psychology, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu, Nigeria. Conference Paper Presented at the 2 nd Prof. Bart Nnaji Biennal Lecture Series, 6 th -7 th July, Abstract The paper considered how advances made in information technology have enabled flexible working hours. It examined the behavioural implications of such in the workplace. It also suggested the need for researches to improve the benefits and reduce the negative behavioural outcomes. It concluded that for information technology to improve workplace behaviour through flextime, organizations should avail themselves of the services of industrial psychologists in order to alleviate the negative behavioural outcomes that might result. Keywords: Information technology, Flextime, Behavioural implications, Workplace Introduction In recent decades, tremendous changes have taken place in the workplace because of improved technology especially in the area of information technology. Van der Spiegel (1995) noted that advances in information technologies (e.g. computers and communication systems) are the driving forces behind major changes in how we work. Prior to these advances in technologies, communication systems and computers were accessible to only a privileged few, mainly engineers and scientists. Today, these advanced communication systems are easily accessible to all professionals (e.g. doctors, psychologists, lawyers, business administrations etc). In this 21 st century, the microprocessor and the personal computer now give a large population of employees in different workplaces access to new information technologies such as cellular phones, faxes, notebook computers (Van der Spiegel, 1995). These information technologies provide employees and organizations multimedia capabilities independent of space and time. These advances in information technology have altered employee s jobs and careers in fundamental ways (Raghuram, Wiesenfeld & Garud, 2003). Flextime which refers to flexible working hours, ability to work anytime and anywhere is one of the most prevalent and important changes that new information technologies have brought. The main objective of flextime is to create an alternative to the traditional, fixed working schedule by giving workers some choice in arrival and departure times (Muchinsky, 2003). The system is designed in a way that employees must be present at the workplace during certain designated hours (coretime), but there is latitude (freedom) in other 1

2 hours (flexband). Following this flextime as enabled by information technology, coretime may be 10.00am to 4.00pm and flexband may be 7.00am to 7.00pm. Some employees may start working at 10.00am and end at 7.00pm; some may end at 4.00pm by starting at 7.00am while others may work any combination in between. However, it is important to note that flextime in the workplace is enabled because information technologies (e.g. blackberry phones) have made it possible for employees to work wherever they are without being present in the place of work. For example, in Nigeria, computer engineers and scientists in the Banking sector with improved information technologies like Virtual Private Network Access can from the comfort of their homes and elsewhere, log on to systems and servers in their various offices, do configurations and render their normal services without being physically present at the workplace. However, in view of the fact that employees jobs and careers are most altered by this flexible working hours as enabled by information technology, this paper considered the behavioural implications. Behavioural Implications The use of information technology to enable flextime in the workplace has a lot of theoretical and practical behavioural implications which were categorized into positive and negative. Positive Autonomy The emergence of flexible work hours enabled by information technology has not only made it possible for employees to work anytime and anywhere but to enjoy autonomy as well. To this end, employees are increasingly playing proactive in redefining their job roles, responsibilities and making career related decisions (Wrzesniewski & Dutton, 2001). Their ability to make these job related decisions and being in control is enabled by autonomy resulting from the fact they are working from remote locations with their information technology tools (Mirchandani, 1999). By implication, autonomy is likely to give employees sense of control and job satisfaction. Self-efficacy Flextime which enables employees to work from remote locations with their information technologies can make them develop beliefs in their ability or competence to bring about intended results (self-efficacy). Self-efficacy in particular, is a critical predictor of adjustment and the degree to which employees use effective behavioural strategies (Bandura, 1997). 2

3 Following self-efficacy theory, individuals judge their ability to successfully cope with new challenges when presented with environmental demands, thus developing domain specific selfefficacy beliefs. To this end, individuals initiate and persist with behavioural strategies to manage the challenges that they confront and attain successful outcomes (Bandura, 1997, Maddux, 1995). Therefore, when employees are without being supervised by their supervisors in the workplace, they are likely to initiate and persist with behavioural strategies (domain specific selfefficacy beliefs) to manage the challenges and provide the required results. Reduced work interference with family Flexible work hours enhanced by information technology can reduce the tendency of work responsibilities interfering with family responsibilities and reduce problems with family commitments (Muchinsky, 2003). Considering this in the light of traditional sex-role ideology in Nigeria which saddles women with more family responsibilities despite their engagement in paid employment, employees especially women can with the assistance of information technology work form their homes while meeting their family demands at the same time. This can help employees achieve work-family balance as propagated by family-friendly organizations today. Reduced work stress Flextime as enabled by information technology can alleviate job stress. It is likely that when employees enjoy flexible working hours, able to work anytime and anywhere, they will conveniently make job related decisions with regard to managing their time and other job related resources. Thus, pressure on time and other job related resources will be reduced, hence reduced stress. Invariably, this will help to guard against Pelletier (1977) report that stress and psychological factors play a far more central role in chronic disorders than they do in acute and infectious diseases. Lateness eliminated The use of information technology to work from any location anytime can help check the problem of lateness in Nigerian organizations. For instance, in densely populated areas like Lagos and Port-Harcourt, if employees armed with their information technology tools have flexible working hours then they can conveniently work without being trapped in the traffic while struggling to be physically present in their offices. This, if properly managed, can reduce work hours lost due to lateness, thereby enhancing workforce productivity. Negative Reduced efficiency and effectiveness 3

4 Flexible working hours using information technology tools which enable employees to work anytime and anywhere away from the organization can reduce efficiency and effectiveness. For instance, specific times to begin or end the workday are less likely to be clearly defined. Deadlines for completing a task and pressures to organize the day may be more distant and easily ignored when employees work alone from a distant. Away from the office, pressure to respond to office cues are lower because voic and messages are easier to postpone or ignore than supervisors and co-workers standing over an employee s shoulder asking for results or help (Raghuram, Wiesenfeld & Garud, 2003) Poor supervision and monitoring In the workplace, presence of supervisors or co-workers may remind employees of appropriate goals and priorities. Supervisors may monitor work progress by stopping in or asking questions about the ongoing work. Salient cues in an office environment are often work-oriented, potentially reinforcing employees focus on their work. Specifically, in a traditional office setting employees are exposed to cues, rules and regulations that help define and constrain not only the nature of their tasks and outcomes that are desirable, but also the process by which the work should be done and how outcome should be obtained (Raghuram, Wiesenfeld & Garud, 2003). In contrast, when employees enjoy flexible working hours because of information technology tools, they work from a distance devoid of traditional office setting cues (supervisors for proper supervision and monitoring.) Family interference with work Flexible working time to an extent empowers employees to work from the home environment using their information technology. However, the home-based work environment may be relatively more fluid and less structured. Invariably it will be difficult to draw a line between work and family responsibilities when both occupy the same physical space. To this end, employees are tempted to complete household chores or relax during work hours (Mircharidani, 1999). Following this, family responsibilities interfere with work responsibilities. Absence of formal mentoring The ability of employees to work anytime and anywhere away from the organization using information technology tools is likely to destroy formal mentoring process. Mentoring which is the process of an inexperienced worker (protégée) learning from an experienced worker (mentor) is facilitated when the two are usually physically present on the job. 4

5 Therefore, flextime is likely to separate the two and destroy formal mentoring processes in organizations. Reduced social interaction/social network/support group The use of information technology to work away from the workplaces (flextime) affects the social pattern of integration among workers. This is because working away from the organization does not give room for workers to communicate and interact with each other. Consequently, social support which would have emanated from such social interaction and network is lost among the employees. Conclusion Considering the advances made in technology especially in the area of information technology, it is plausible to conclude that the workplace is not an exception to the transformations that have come with such. These advances in information technologies have made it possible for employees today to enjoy flexible working hours and ability to work anytime and anywhere without being physically present in their workplaces. However, despite the positive influence of such flextime on employees behaviour like autonomy, self-efficacy, reduced work interference with family, reduced work stress and reduced lateness to work, there are still negative behavioural outcomes like reduced efficiency and effectiveness, poor supervision and monitoring, family interference with work, absence of formal mentoring, reduced social interaction, social network and social support. Thus, researches should be geared towards improving these benefits and reducing the negative behavioural outcomes. In addition, services of industrial psychologists can be utilized in order to achieve these desired results. 5

6 References Bandura, A(1997).Self-Efficacy: The exercise of control. New York W.H. Freeman & Company Maddux,J.E. (1995). Self-Efficacy theory: An introduction. In J. E Maddux(ed), Self-Efficacy, adaptation and adjustments. Theory, research and application (pp.3-33). New York: Plenum Press. Mirchandani, K. (1999). Legitimizing work: Telework and the gendered reification of the worknetwork dichotomy. The Canadian Review of Sociology and Anthropology, 36 (1) Muchinsky, P. M (2003). Flexible working hours. In P. M Muchinsky(ed), Psychology applied to work: An introduction to industrial and organizational psychology (p.361). Thomson Wardsworth. Pelletier, K. (1977). Mind as healer, mind as slayer: A holistic approach to preventing stress disorders. New York: Delacorte Raghuram, S. Wiesenfeld, & Garud, R(2003). Technology enabled work: The role of self-efficacy in determining telecommuter adjustment and structuring behaviour. Journal of Vocational Behviour 63, Van der Spiegel, J. (1995). New information technologies and changes in work. In A. Howard(ed), The changing nature of work (pp ). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Wrzesniewki, A & Dutton, J. E. (2001). Crafting a job: Revisioning employees as active crafters of their work. Academy of Management Review, 26(2),