Flexible Working Hours and Employee Performance: Tesco Study

This report investigates the impact of flexible working hours on employee performance at Tesco during the COVID-19 pandemic. It begins with an introduction outlining the research question and rationale for the study, followed by a literature review exploring the concept, importance, and strategies related to flexible working hours. The report then presents data analysis from a survey of Tesco employees, examining their awareness of flexible working concepts, its impact on work-life balance, and its relationship to employee performance. Challenges faced by employees using flexible working hours are also discussed, including potential isolation and career progression concerns. The report concludes with recommendations for Tesco to optimize its flexible working policies to improve employee performance and overall organizational success. Desklib provides access to this and other solved assignments for students.

PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
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Table of Contents
TITLE..............................................................................................................................................4
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
Background..................................................................................................................................4
Research question........................................................................................................................4
Rationale......................................................................................................................................4
Significance.................................................................................................................................5
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................5
Data Analysis...............................................................................................................................8
Evaluation..................................................................................................................................15
Recommendation.......................................................................................................................16
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................17
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1
APPENDIX......................................................................................................................................2

TITLE
To investigate the impact of flexible working hours on employees performance during covid-19.
A study on Tesco
INTRODUCTION
Aim-
To evaluates the impacts of flexible working hours on employees performance during covid-19
Objectives-
 To analyse the strategies of flexible working hours during pandemic and its importance.
 To determine the relation between flexible working hours and employee performance.
Background
Tesco Plc is British multinational groceries and general merchandize retailer which
headquartered in Welwyn Garden city, England. It is retail company which is engaged in
retailing and associated activities and retail banking and insurance services. Tesco is third largest
retailer ion world which can be measured by gross revenues and ninth-largest in world measured
by revenues (Aiello, Quercia and Del Prete, 2020). There are more than 8000 stores of company
in all over the world as well as there are wide variety of products offered by Tesco such as food,
meat, accessories, groceries, vegetable and fruits, clothing, footwear etc. Also, some other
products offered by Tesco are household appliances, pets, health and beauty products etc.
Company has occupied its unique place in British retailer which is visited by million and
UK's biggest retailer by sales and nation's biggest private employer with the help of more than
350,000 staff working in 3,340 stores. Tesco also provide flexible working hours to employees
during pandemic because it is help for improving the performance of employees.
Research question
 What is the concept of flexible working hours?
 What strategies are used by Tesco for flexible working hours during pandemic?
 What challenges faced by Tesco while using flexible working hours for employees?
Rationale
The rationale behind choosing this topic is to evaluate the impact of flexible working
hours during the time of pandemic on economy as well as on retail industry. The mains purpose
for choosing this topic is to enhance the knowledge so that it helps to achieving for achieving
future goals. There are various challenges faced by company during pandemic which is

necessary to identify and then understanding the recommendation which h can be used by
company to improve the performance of the company. This study will be beneficial for whole
retail industry UK in order to understand the importance of flexible working hours. Then, Tesco
can execute other strategy related to flexible working hours which help to improve employees
performance. This study will help other scholar who will study on related topic in order to collect
reliable information that makes the research more effective.
Significance
The significance of study is to explain the importance of flexible working hours or
identified the challenges which can be faced by company. Also, proposed study will help scholar
to improve scientific knowledge, technical capability or clinical practice. Then highlighting the
outcomes of the project by providing its in real world. It will be beneficial for company to use
various strategy by providing flexible working hours to employees so that they can improve their
performance. All the information collected from the reliable sources which help to enhance the
academic knowledge of scholar.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Concept of flexible working hours
According to Austin-Egole, Iheriohanma and Nwokorie, 2020 flexible working hours is
the schedule that allow employee to start and finish their workday when employee want. In this
concept employee can work on the basis of setting time earlier or later. Organizations provide
flexibility in order to focus on work efficiency of employees as well as employees can work
occasional or additional hours for future leaves or beyond urgent work. There are more than77%
of employees are feel that flexible working hour help to increase the productivity as well as
allowed them remote working as compared to work in office.
Putra, Linggautama and Prasetyaningtyas, 2020 said that this can be more or less work
done by employees in flexible working hours. This can be related to the arrangement that allow
employee in order to alter the starting or ending shift of the day. During pandemic there are most
of the companies provide flexible working hours by focusing more on productivity because at
that time people had faced the situation of lock down in which they are not supposed to go
outside for working. For instance, Tesco had offered flexible hours to employees during the
pandemic so that employees can work according to their time.
Importance of flexible working hours

Yu, Burke and Raad, 2019 evaluated that during flexible working hours employees are
more likely to be happier by control over their work hours. Then this is help employees in order
to balance work life relation that help to employees who have faced health issue or parent so that
they can manage their time accordingly. This is beneficial for employees by giving them ability
to schedule their work at the quiet time by accomplish more. Flexible working hours often means
working from home. In addition to this, employees can work from home by using flexible
working hours as well ass it is beneficial to manages their work accordingly. Also, there is less
stress taken by employee by improving the inclusivity as well as it help by money saving from
transportation.
Chung and Van der Lippe, 2020 then this is help for creating positive working
environment which is necessary to work in effective manner. Also, with the concept of
procrastination regarding flexible working hours are related to provide high degree of self
motivation which is easy to avoid or getting down to work. In this situation employees can work
according to the additional working hours as well as work by catching evening as well as
spending with the family time. This is help for improving employee morale. This is necessary to
being honest while making flexible working hours. Tesco trust their employees in order to focus
increasing productivity. Employees feel happy to get work according to their needs as well as it
help to fulfilled their personal lives in order to increase employees engagement and morale that
means more productive employees. During pandemic there were very common to use flexible
working hours which help to motivate employees and work better for profitability.
Strategies related to flexible working hours
There are various strategy used by company related to flexible working hours such as
employees can invest in solution which support an exceptional employee experience. According
to Van der Horst, 2020, in which employee can work with their laptop and working at kitchen
or table while caring small children will eager to return to the office. It is easy to find their co-
workers in order to navigate them or order food easily. By managing hybrid work environment
help organizations to start with good point in orders occupying and engage with the workplace.
Another strategy is related to draft a formal flexible work schedule policy by implementing
officially flexible working hour model with the help of informal arrangement with individual
employees.

Most of the employees are expected to encourage the team by building same cues into
their days. Those who are live near office get frustrated from work from home on the other hand
those who are live far from office are able to work from home efficiently. Soga, Bolade-
Ogunfodun and Laker, 2022 with the help of online communication it is easy to manage flexible
workforce by emphasizing and prioritizing regular communication like, video calls with team
and weekly one on one meeting between employees and managers. Reducing hours is one of the
best strategy which is used by Tesco while providing flexible working hours because it helps
them to complete their work according to their time. Also, this is motivated employees by
providing them flexible working hours as well as it help to increase the productivity of company.
For those who are working part-time can complete their work as their own schedule.
Kolasa, Rubaszek and Walerych, 2021 said that by providing mentor help to encourage
for flexible working hours by showing employees who are still in reach their career goals. Then,
in Tesco senior manager who are managing staff by provide advice on balancing work and life
commitments. Also, employees can solve their problem by their own which help them to allocate
responsibilities accordingly or able to face difficult situation.
Challenges faced by employees while using flexible working hours
Nwokorie, 2020 one of the important cause of flexible working hours are this can cause
employee isolation which is impact on thought on limited choice because it does not allow them
to communicate with others employee like in office. Also, encouragement is missing while in
fixed working everyone follows the same time or can solve their problem with their collogues.
Some employees feel isolated as well as uninspired or demotivated. Then employees can work
on higher risk which develop depression some time and this is reducing benefits such as
employer insurance or getting other benefits in office. There are lack of career progression in
order to focus on parts time working as well as employee may face challenge related to gender
pays gaps. Those who work at office get more professional by face different types of situation as
well as help to build positive personality.

Data Analysis
Theme 1: Are you aware of concept regarding flexible working hour.
Particulars Frequency
Yes 10
No 5
Don’t Know 5
Total 20
Figure 1: Concpet regarding flexible working hour
Interpretation:
From the above graph it can be stated that majority of the employees are aware about the
conept regarding flexible working hour as it is new method that has been used most during the
time of pandemic. Along with this, Tesco has make use of this method so that it can increase the
employee motivation and performance. However, fewer employees are not aware about the
concpet reharding felxiblity as it prefer job routin for fixed hour instead of working through
home. Moreover, it can be depicted that Tesco has clearly given explanation to their workers
regarding it.
Theme 2: . Do you agree that flexible working hour helps in improving the working life?
Particulars Frequency
Agree 5

Highly agree 5
Disagree 5
Highly Disagree 5
Total 20
Figure 2: Relation of working hour and worklife
Interpretation:
From the above Pie chart it can be state that working hour of the employees helps in balancing
the work life balance. Along wiith this, it has been seen that reaction of workers are constant.
Such as 5% of the employees are agreeing that flexible hour has imporve their work life as it
was ableto distribute their time for the compnay and family during the time of pandemic (Paais
and Pattiruhu, 2020). The highly agree percentage was also 5% and it states that flexi hour has
reduce their stress while working. In addition to this, some of them disagree on the basis that
such type of wokring has procastinated their work and due to that there has been delay in
achiving the goal.
Theme3: Do you think is there is relation between flexible working hour and employee
performance
Particulars Frequency
Yes 10
No 5
Maybe 5
Total 20

Figure 3: Relation between employee productvity and flexible working hour
Interpretation
The above pie chart is based on relation of working hour and employee’s productivity. The data
represent natural answer of Tesco Workers. Although subordinates express that it agrees with it
because flexible working hour help in motivating the workers and it work according to their time
that helps in increasing their concentration (Kuswati, 2020). Furthermore, 5% of employees do
disagree with it because they think giving excessive freedom make the employee take work
lightly and that lead in procrastination of work. Along with this, people that are disagreeing with
it has seen that their performance level has decreased during the time of pandemic. So from pie
chart it can been seen that every worker has their opinion regarding the work and for some it is
helpful and for others is decrease their productivity.
Theme 4: What kind of strategies has been adopted by Tesco in order to implement flexibility?
Particulars Frequency
Flexi Time 5
Work from home 10
Job Share 5
Total 20

Figure 3: Strategie related to felxible working hour
Interpretation
From the above report it can be stated that there are various strategies that has been used by
Tesco during the time of pandemic. Along with this, majority of the worker has voted for work
from home as it has helped in balancing their work life balance and allow them to improve their
productivity. As workers were able to work according to their relaxation and it has also allowed
them in improving their performance. Moreover, few of the employees are adopted for flexi
time as workers are able to complete their task on time and also able to complete their extra
work.
Theme 5: Do you agree that work from home strategy helps in enhancing employee
performance during the time of pandemic
Particulars Frequency
Agree 10
Disagree 5
Neutral 5
Total 20

Figure 5: WFH strategy effectivness during pandemic
Interpretation
From the above graph it has been conclude that majority of the worker has selected WFH facility
as one of the most important techniques during the time of pandemic. Along with this, it has
been found that reason behind adopting this is employees are able to work without restriction and
also in their comfort zone. Moreover, most of the are disagree as due to working at home
various workers was not able to focus on the task and there was delay in achieving goals.
Theme 6: Has Tesco provided for any kind of tools and techniques to promote flexible
working hour within organization?
Particulars Frequency
Yes 15
No 5
Total 20

Figure 6: Tools and techniques used by Tesco
Interpretation
The chart shows that majority of the workers are in favour that Tesco has provided tools like
computer, internet facilities during the time of pandemic due in order to provide them flexibility.
Along with this, only few workers have said no because there were no facilities for subordinate
living near office.
Theme 7: Of the below possible flexible work arrangements, specify which one/s would make
the biggest difference to your life
Particulars Frequency
Fully remote 5
WFH 10
Time shift 5
Total 20