How Flexible Work Arrangements Affects Affective Organizational Commitment, and Work-Life Enrichment in Pakistan’s Service Industry: The Role of Time Planning, Work-Life Conflict, and Engagement

Abstract

Work-life balance is now being encouraged in organizations across different cultures. Moreover, amidst the current ‘pandemic’ status of widespread disease COVID-19, its essential for businesses to operate remotely as FWAs response to these challenges. The purpose is to focus on explaining how FWAs induce affective commitment as well as help in achieving work-life enrichment. For this, we proposed a theoretical framework hypothesizing that FWAs reduce work-life conflicts as well as make employees more engaged. The effect of FWAs on these two is also complemented by better time planning. Reduction of conflicts and enhanced engagement would, in turn, increase affective organizational commitment and work-life enrichment. Empirical significance was calculated by performing a survey using a questionnaire to collect data from 300 service sector employees in Pakistan. We determined our results by using structural equation modeling. The results suggested that FWAs are significantly and positively related to affective organizational commitment, engagement, and work-life enrichment, whereas negatively and significantly affect work-life conflict. Moreover, engagement also positively affects enrichment and affective commitment. Surprisingly, work-life conflict seems to positively affect work-life enrichment. Time planning seems to negatively complement the effect of FWAs on work-life conflict whereas, positively affect engagement. This study concludes that positive outcomes are generated by simply providing FWAs and more friendly policies whereby increasing effectiveness and ensuring business success continuity.