IMPACT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON WORK FLEXIBILITY.
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IMPACT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON WORK FLEXIBILITY.
Abstract
To inform human resource (HR) policymakers about the impact of an abrupt change in working conditions, as reported by their major stakeholders – the employees. 135 Vodafone Ghana employees reported firsthand on how the lockdown situation has affected their normal work expectations.
The study compares the old working conditions (OWC) to the current working circumstances (CWC) to gain insight into the overall attitudes towards the dramatic changes in the workplace.
Most employees thought that OWC needed to be evaluated, and the general feeling was almost evenly split on the efficiency of CWC in contrast to OWC, but the majority appreciated the flexible conditions.
Furthermore, the majority of respondents reported that overall conventional work elements were same or had been positively impacted rather than negatively.
Furthermore, when offered the choice of a hybrid model that includes both remote and on-site work, a significant majority reported being able to efficiently complete at least 80% of their job expectations. Finally, it was discovered that employee expectations are shifting as they anticipate the post-COVID-19 environment.
This research will provide policymakers with an overview of what needs to be reviewed/changed for a successful implementation of remote work in accordance with their original strategies.
Chapter one
INTRODUCTION
Background for the study
Organisations are increasingly challenged to remain serious while keeping up with the tremendous pace of change in their environments (Tovstiga, 2013). Profoundly volatile, unpredictable
complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) events provide opportunities for organisations while also posing risks that need them to be inventive and imaginative in how they tackle these challenges, which are usually unexpected and may even be unusual.
Researchers have demonstrated how HR work, through adjusted HR procedures and practices, and shaping employees’ innovative behaviours, can improve authoritative reaction to rapidly changing external serious conditions influencing their items or administrations (Cappelli & Tavis, 2018; Shafer et al., 2001; Shipton et al., 2017).
The COVID-19 pandemic is a unique example of a difficult change that necessitates quick HR work as organisations respond to travel embargos and isolations, massive workforce rebuilding and cutbacks, physical distancing, and a general shift to a work-from-home method of activities (McCulloch, 2020; Thomas et al., 2020; Wei and Wong, 2020).
COVID-19 is already spreading across Ghana’s regions, and the number of cases and/or deaths is on the rise. This crisis has had an increasing impact on Ghana’s political, economic, social, cultural, defence, security, and welfare elements, necessitating a comprehensive strategy and effort to accelerate COVID-19 response.
The business world and the workers’ community play an important role in breaking the chain of transmission since a major proportion of the worker population is mobile and interacts frequently as a result of work-related activities.
The workplace as a site of interaction and gathering of people is a risk factor that must be considered when predicting the impact of transmission (MENKES, 2020). “We are facing the COVID-19 pandemic with 215 other countries; don’t let anyone think we are normal because we don’t wear masks and forget to wash our hands after unnecessary crowding;
this is seriously dangerous,” said Indonesian President Joko Widodo during a working visit to East Java on Thursday, June 25, 2020 (Jokowi, 2020).
According to the article (Wikipedia, 2020), data shows that the province of Accra ranks first in terms of positive confirmed cases of contracting the COVID-19 virus, with details:
Tema with 12,321 cases, Legon with 11,637 cases, Labadi with 5,214 cases, Teshie with 4006 cases, and Taifa with 3,267. This crisis is far from the only event in which HR must be adaptable and responsive.
Different explanations include unexpected government decisions and administrative changes that affect expert versatility, rising inventions and new skill demands, and the remarkable growth of the gig economy (Duncan et al., 2011; Kochan et al., 2019).
In a culture filled with competing demands and duties, adaptive work practices have become a fundamental concern in the workplace. Three key factors contribute to the passion for and importance of truly flexible work arrangements: global competition, renewed enthusiasm for individual lifestyles, family values, and a mature workforce.
Concerns have frequently been made about strategy and talks on flexible work arrangements of action in terms of the nature of working life when compared to more extensive family problems.
Nonetheless, the difficulty has been how people would adopt great flexible work arrangement rehearsals and how organisations would receive arrangements to control confrontations caused by the intersection of family or social weights and work pressure (Mungania et al., 2016).
The current COVID-19 outbreak demonstrates how swiftly industries must respond to rapidly evolving HR-related issues (McCulloch, 2020; Sylvers & Foldy, 2020; Wei & Wong, 2020).
For example, workers in Kenya’s financial division are more related with their jobs, working longer hours than 48 hours (Ioan et al., 2010), making it difficult for workers to maintain a balance between work, family, and other personal affairs.
This has resulted in work-life conflicts, which have been linked to mental health issues such as stress and depression, which in turn have an impact on organisational performance (Mungania et al., 2016). Human capital is the driving force behind development, and evaluating employees in this manner is a critical methodology for managers to adjust to global competition and environmental vulnerabilities in order to achieve their goals and superior level.
As a result, it is vital to boost human resources’ inventive work behaviour, particularly in responding to the problems posed by the current COVID-19 epidemic.1.2 Statement of Problem
The implementation of Vodafone Ghana (TAKORADI) responsibilities in the communication sector is aided by an internal management sector that is constantly developing and improving. The demand for this sector has grown even more as Vodafone Ghana faces difficult hurdles in the future, particularly considering the country’s complex economic problems.
In terms of Vodafone task implementation, and in accordance with changes in Ghana’s sociopolitical structure, internal management sector policy is primarily aimed at the function of supporting the implementation of Vodafone’s main tasks through the provision of services quickly and appropriately (BI, 2013).
The present COVID-19 pandemic is causing enterprises to consider gaining a competitive advantage in order to continue competing. This makes it difficult for management to develop appropriate work regulation regulations and encourage innovative work behaviour in order to sustain firm performance.
As a result, this enables the detection of the effect of flexible work arrangements on employee performance via innovative work behaviour among West African communication industry employees.
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