Flexible Work Arrangement and Employee Performance: An Evidence of Work-life Balance Practices

Abstract

Work-life balance is basically the positive relationship between work and other equally important activities in life which include family, leisure, personal development, and community development issues. The relationship cannot be clearly defined and varies from person to person according to their life demands. Work-life balance is intended to allow employees greater flexibility in their working patterns so that they can balance what they do at work with the responsibilities and interests they have outside work. This study sought to assess flexible work arrangements and employee performance in agricultural co-operatives in Kericho County. The study was anchored on spillover theory. A correlational research design was adopted. The target population of the study was all the employees working in agricultural co-operatives in Kericho County, who are 210 employees and a sample size of 137 respondents. The study utilised primary data collected using both structured and unstructured questionnaires. The study use means and standard deviation as descriptive analysis. Correlation analysis was used to test the hypothesis and the relationship between the study variables. The study found that flexible work arrangement was achieved through employee reorganisation, schedule and development shifts. This reduced absenteeism, expanded the number of hours of giving out service and enabled employees to seek new roles. The results revealed a significant positive relationship between flexible work arrangements and employee performance (R = 0.801, p < 0.05). The study concluded that the flexible work arrangement and teleworking had a significant positive effect on employee performance. The study recommended that the Agricultural societies should improve flexible work arrangements through the adoption of ICT infrastructure.