FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENTS AND EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE IN SELECTED CHARTERED PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN KENYA
Abstract
Statement of the Problem: Employee performance in Kenyan public universities has remained a concern amid increasing workloads, unfavourable staff to student ratios, and declining institutional performance indicators. Although flexible work arrangements have been adopted as part of quality of work life practices, limited empirical evidence exists on their relationship with employee performance in chartered public universities in Kenya.
Purpose of the Study: This study examined the relationship between flexible work arrangements and employee performance in selected chartered public universities in Kenya. The study was anchored on Atkinson’s Flexible Firm Model.
Research Methodology: The study adopted a positivist philosophy, a deductive research approach, quantitative methods, and a cross sectional survey research design. The accessible population comprised 16,933 faculty and non-faculty employees drawn from eight chartered public universities. Using stratified random sampling, a sample of 385 respondents was selected, comprising 135 faculty and 250 non faculty staff. Data were collected using a semi structured questionnaire and analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in the analysis.
Findings: The findings indicated that flexible work arrangements had a positive and statistically significant relationship with employee performance. The regression results showed that flexible work arrangements significantly predicted employee performance (B = 0.465, t = 22.793, p < .001), demonstrating that greater flexibility in work arrangements was associated with improved employee performance in the selected public universities.
Conclusion: The study concludes that flexible work arrangements are significantly associated with employee performance in Kenya’s chartered public universities. Flexible arrangements such as part time work, flextime, teleworking, and compressed work schedules can support employees in managing their work responsibilities while contributing to improved performance.
Recommendation: The study recommends that public universities develop clear institutional policies to guide flexible work arrangements, including the use of online and blended teaching, teleworking, and flexible scheduling.
Keywords: Flexible Work, Arrangements, Employee Performance, Selected, Chartered Public Universities
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