Workplace flexibility practices gained momentum during the last years as it is beneficial for employees as well as organizations, e.g., in recruiting and retaining highly qualified employees in the war for talent (Beham et al., 2015; Illegems and Verbeke, 2004; Illegems et al., 2001; Iscan and Naktiyok, 2005; Kossek et al., 2006). Especially the flexibility to work where and when enables employees – and is therefore advantageous for those – to work anytime and anywhere, like in cafes, train stations etc. (Hill et al., 2008; Kingma, 2016; Oldenburg, 2001, 1999; Oldenburg and Brissett, 1982).
This work is re-visiting previous research which raised the claim for analyzing all types of workplace flexibility practices in one all-encompassing model in small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) (Tirrel et al., 2021a). Theoretically, it is based on the flexibility firm theory (Chatterjee et al., 2022; Rodgers, 1992). Previous studies, like that of Martínez-Sánchez et al. (2008) as well as Whyman and Petrescu (2015) focus on certain individual but not all comprehensive workplace flexibility practices. However, this combined analysis offers the possibility to identify and analyze interdependencies between workplace flexibility practices (Whyman and Petrescu, 2015). Moreover, previous research is lacking the aspects of information and communication technology (ICT) as well as trust when researching flexible work. Especially the combination of ICT and leaderships calls for heightened attention (Chatterjee et al., 2023; Van Wart et al. 2017; Tirrel et al., 2022, 2021b) as information sharing and communication are possible without working at the same location or time (Cowan, 2014; Darics, 2020; Hou, 2020; Kingma, 2016; Sharpp et al., 2019). This comprises the gap for this research and leads to the following research questions:
RQ1: Is there any influence of workplace flexibility practices on company performance?
RQ2: How can workplace flexibility practices influence each other?
RQ3: Is there any influence of (1) leadership, (2) ICT or (3) trust on flexible work?
Thus, a conceptual framework based on existing literature and qualitative research (Tirrel et al., 2021a) will be analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) (Hair et al., 2022). Thus, hypotheses were derived which will be analyzed using SmartPLS version 3.3.9 (Ringle et al., 2015). According to Henseler (2017), this is the most comprehensive software for PLS-SEM analysis. After the measurement model analysis, the structural model will be analyzed, enabling the researcher to assess the significance and relevance of relationships (Hair et al., 2022). In addition, advanced PLS-SEM analysis, i.e., moderation and mediation analysis, will be conducted. Finally, the authors will present a validated model with its evaluated relationships.
It is anticipated that the relevance of workplace flexibility practices in relation to SME performance is identified. This will make it easier for companies to decide whether to introduce and use workplace flexibility practices. Moreover, insights will be provided on how leadership works in flexible work arrangements and how ICT intervenes the relationship between leadership and working flexibly. Therefore, this study contributes to the theory of leadership as it is influenced by the skilled use of ICT. Furthermore, the analysis of the conceptual framework on workplace flexibility practices with their interrelations contributes to new knowledge.