Seminar paper from the year 2014 in the subject Business economics - Business Management, Corporate Governance, grade: 1.4, Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, language: English, abstract: I would like to start this paper with a quote from the American president: "[Workplace flexibility] is an issue that affects the well-being of our families and the success of our businesses. It affects the strength of our economy -- whether we'll create the workplaces and jobs of the future we need to compete in today's global economy" (Obama, 2010, p.1). The World at Work report states that "employers in advanced economies could face a shortage of 16 to 18 million college-educated workers in 2020 ... many nations can narrow the skill gap raising the labor force participation rate of college-educated women and keeping older high-skill workers [emphasis not in original] in the labor force" (Dobbs et al, 2012). One of the possible ways to handle this problem is to implement work place flexibility and telework opportunities for these two groups of employees. Commerzbank is the second largest bank in Germany and Poland with more than 54,000 employees around the globe (Commerzbank, 2014, p.1). Its business is influenced by world labour trends, as well as the business of other organisations. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate a theoretical basis of flexible work arrangements and telework for Commerzbank. The implementation of work place flexibility should definitely help Commerzbank retain its competitiveness and attractiveness on the international labour market.

This paper investigates the effects of telework and flexible work schedules on the performance of teams in new product development projects. Organizations increasingly introduce workplace flexibility practices that provide flexibility with regard to where or when the employee works. The findings of NPD teams in five cases, situated in two telecommunication firms, show that telework has a positive effect on NPD performance through enabling knowledge sharing, cross-functional cooperation and inter-organizational involvement. This improves the speed and quality of product development, provided that face-to-face contact is not completely replaced by virtual contact. A basic level of face-to-face contact is necessary to offset the negative effects of telework on the quality of the shared knowledge, which are larger when the knowledge is sticky. Flexible work schedules and unexpectedly hot-desking were found to increase telework usage. This implies for managers that workplace flexibility needs enablers and cannot do without a sufficient level of face-to-face contact.

This book provides a multi-stakeholder perspective on sustainable HRM for the policymakers, managers and academics, addressing issues, approaches, research studies/frameworks and emerging patterns relating to the subject. It discusses various aspects of sustainability, such as making HR more responsible for ensuring sustainability focusing on the triple bottom line, characteristics of sustainable HRM, psychological contracts, emotional intelligence, and psychological capital. The book also explores organizational citizenship behavior, employment relations, employee engagement, sustainable leadership, disruptive HR practices, sustaining employee motivation, educational sustainability, sustainable career management, sustainable environment, employer and employee branding, sustainable organizations, organization culture, training for sustainability, sustainable employee performance, business sustainability and sustainable employability. It provides an update on the concept, processes, issues and emerging paradigms from multidimensional and cross-country perspectives to showcase sustainable HR practices, and appeals to the academics, practitioners and policymakers in the area of HRM.

There is growing interest in flexible working, not only as a means to manage labour more efficiently and for greater agility, but also as a response to increasing concerns over well-being, work-life balance, and participation in the labour force of those with significant non-work commitments (e.g. parents, carers, older workers). As a result, a comprehensive stream of literature on the benefits and challenges of flexible working has developed and led to a body of evidence on the implementation and outcomes of different forms of flexible working arrangements. This book assesses the current state of this literature as follows: Background: the authors review the different definitions that have been proposed, policy developments, availability and uptake. Outcomes from flexible working: the main chapters focus on the outcomes for employers (e.g. performance, employee retention, organisational commitment etc.), as well as for individual employees (e.g. well-being, job satisfaction etc.). Evaluation of extant knowledge: the authors comment on the existing literature and consider the methodological approaches adopted in the literature. Conclusion: suggestions for future research are proposed. Of interest to students, academics and policy-makers, this book provides an expert overview of the empirical evidence and offers critical commentary on the state of knowledge in the field of flexible working and new forms of work.

The surge in remote and hybrid work arrangements has sparked a paradigm shift in the employment ecosystem. While remote work offers employees the coveted flexibility and freedom from daily commutes, it also introduces challenges such as isolation, reduced visibility, and questions about productivity. Impact of Teleworking and Remote Work on Business: Productivity, Retention, Advancement, and Bottom Line delves into the multifaceted impact of teleworking on businesses, exploring how different organizations grapple with these challenges, drawing on the experiences of industry giants like Google and IBM. It carefully dissects the advantages and disadvantages of teleworking, addressing distractions, cybersecurity concerns, and the polarized nature of remote work across global and skill dimensions. The book presents an exploration of solutions tailored for diverse stakeholders. From strategies to enhance employee productivity and maintain confidentiality to fostering human connections and tackling the challenges faced by new hires, each chapter offers actionable insights. Employers, employees, and management teams will find guidance on creating a collaborative and innovative remote work culture, mitigating distractions, and striking a balance between work and personal life. The suggested topics span the gamut of remote work intricacies, from the relationship between remote work and job satisfaction to strategies for maintaining connections between managers and remote employees. With small, medium, and large companies, government agencies, and universities as the target audience, the book serves as a strategic guide for entities seeking to harness the potential of remote work while mitigating its challenges.

"Sociological essays on policies that could help employees balance their workplace responsibilities with their other responsibilities. Policies examined encompass organizational policies, municipal policies, state policies, and federal policies. Workers studied include salaried professionals and low-wage part-time hourly workers"--Provided by publisher.