Effect Of Workplace Flexibility On Employee Engagement
[A STUDY OF COVENANT UNIVERSITY]

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

The main objective of this research is to examine the extent to which workplace flexibility affects employee engagement. Specifically, this study aims to:

1. To determine the significant effect of vacation on employee commitment. 

2. To evaluate the significant relationship between job shift and job involvement.

3. To examine the significant relationship between flexible working hours and employee performance.

1.4 RESEARH QUESTIONS

The study will aim to answer the following questions:

1. What is the effect of vacation on employee commitment?

2. Is there a significant relationship between job shift and job involvement?

3. Is there a significant relationship between flexible working hours and employee performance?

1.5    RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

These hypotheses would be tested in the course of this study and have been designed to guide this study:

Hypothesis 1:

H0: There is no significant effect of vacation on employee commitment.

H1: There is a significant effect of vacation on employee commitment.

Hypothesis 2:

H0: Job shift has no significant relationship with job involvement.

H1: Job shift has a significant relationship with job involvement.

Hypothesis 3:

H0 : Flexible working hours have no significant relationship with employee performance.

H1: Flexible working hours have no significant relationship with employee performance.

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will be significant to the following people:

This research will be useful to the management of Covenant University in that it would further enlighten the management on ways in which the staff engagement can be improved upon to achieve their goals and targets.

Furthermore, the study will be significant to the education industry as it will show the need for the working environment in the education industry to be flexible in order to improve the employees’ engagement and overall performance.

Not only that, the study will be significant in showing the government the importance of establishing a convenient working environment for public sector employees.

Moreover, the study will contribute to the expansion of existing knowledge on this area of study. It would also provide useful starting/reference points for future researchers and a sound basis for intellectual exercise.

1.7 SCOPE OF STUDY

The scope of this study shall cover employee engagement as it relates to workplace flexibility in the education industry in Nigeria. Therefore, the target population are the non-academic staff of Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State. The study adopted Covenant University as a case study due to the fact that it is one of the leading Universities in the education industry and such the work flexibility patterns they adopt and their effect on their employees’ engagement needs to be studied.  The study will adopt the simple random sampling technique while data will be analysed using the regression analysis. The geographical location of the study will be Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State. Finally, the study would be carried out between January 2019 and April 2019.

1.8   OPERATIONALISATION OF RESEARCH VARIABLES

Y = f(X)

Y= dependent variable

X= independent variable

Y=Employee Engagement

X= Workplace flexibility

From this equation, employee engagement is dependent on workplace flexibility.

Therefore;

Employee engagement = f(workplace flexibility)

That is EE = f (WF)

Where Y = Employee engagement

Y= y1,y2,y3

y1= Employee commitment

y2= Job involvement

y3= Employee performance

X= x1,x2,x3

x1=Vacation

x2=  Job Shift

x3= Flexible Working Hours

1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS 

Workplace: A place where people work, such as an office or factory.

Flexibility: The quality of bending easily without breaking. 

Workplace Flexibility: This is a situation whereby employers and employees make arrangements about working conditions that suit them.

Telecommuting: Telecommuting is also called telework, teleworking, working from home, mobile work, remote work, and flexible workplace, is a work arrangement in which employees do not commute or travel to a central place of work, such as an office building, warehouse, or store. 

Job Shifts: Shift work is work that takes place on a schedule outside the traditional 9 am – 5 pm day.

Flexible Working Hours: The most common flexible hours arrangements are: Flexible hours or flexi-time schemes. 

Employee Commitment: It denotes an employee's enthusiasm for the company he or she works for.

Job Involvement: Job Involvement refers to the psychological and emotional extent to which someone participates in his/her work, profession, and company.

Employee: A person employed for wages or salary, especially at non-executive level.

Engagement: this is an arrangement to do something or go somewhere at a fixed time.