Business Report on Flexible Work Arrangement in Dell Technologies

Question

Task:
Write a detailed business report critically discussing about the flexible work arrangement within business organisation.

Answer

Executive Summary

Flexible Work arrangement at workplace are gaining an edge over organizations human resource practices in the current scenario and a way to future. Here in the report the benefits and implementation of FW in organization is explained with real examples of how they can be implemented by managers. There are both pros and cons of implementing such practices, but they can be overcome with the help of bridging the gap between HRM practices and Flexible work arrangement. Many advantages of FW concept have been explained under the report and impact of adopting such measures into company’s culture. The teamwork and performance of employees have been affected or not with the implementation of FW concept is given due importance in the report. HRM practices conflict with FW concept and how its ca be worked out together with various dimensions being explained here under and can be utilise for the betterment of organization. 

Flexible working in global and domestic context for the organizations with HRM practices are explained and showcased with examples of companies like Dell. Company has faced challenges earlier in terms of environmental challenges with their HR practices but had overcome such challenges while implementing FW concept in their corporate culture. A detailed implementation of FW types in their practices are given and how they are going to achieve their objectives with it over the coming years and support with evidences. Lastly, a conclusion has been provided to say if organizations are ready to implement such FW practices in their HRD processes and can gain competitive advantage over the same.

Flexible Working in Business

Introduction

This business report is about flexible working (FW), also referred to as flexitime or flextime. A concept believed to be invented by Christel Kammerer, a German management consultant. Kammerer came up with the idea that employees could still complete their assigned tasks for the same amount of time required to work, if the employees were allowed to change their start and finish times at work so long as the tasks were delivered in a timely manner.

This report is aimed at answering the question, “how could FW be implemented in a company in an information technology age?” The report explores all possible aspects of FW in the contemporary business context (Arnaud, 2020). 

FW is the norm of working for organisations in this era. FW can benefit everyone, the employer, organisation, employees, and their families, be it the organisations productivity, employee needs including managing home affairs and lifestyle balance with work. FW policy framework can be adopted in business structures so as to provide flexible work arrangements which further improve recruitment and retention efforts, boosts employee morale and enhance company’s image of friendly work environment. (Hon & Lui, 2016). 

It can be challenged to assign accountability as well as recognition in clear and distinct terms when adopting FW approaches. Nonetheless, FW is trending these days in the business environment and is proving favourable for organizational growth and development. We are in era that is seen over 200 years industrial age work practises existing amidst the emerging new Information Age work patterns. Hierarchical organisational structures in a “world of networked individuals and self-employed entrepreneurs,” (A. Maitland and P. Thomson, 2014).

FW in the modern-day business environment is delivering economic advantages such as better recruitment, better retention as well as increased productivity. This paper looks at the various FW approaches, the Dell Technologies employees within its organisation (Dell Technologies, Flexible Work Culture, 2020). 

Flexible Working (FW): Dell

Company background

Formerly known as PC’s Limited, Dell technologies was founded by an American, Michael Dell in 1984. Today, Dell is one of the top and largest multinational technological corporation employing more than 145,000 employees across the United States and worldwide (Guest, 2017). Dell Technologies prides itself in its commitment towards evolving and transforming businesses while shaping the future of creativity, innovation and developing technologies that further drives human progress (HR Magazine, 2011). Dell, an American multinational cooperation (MNC) of computer technology that designs, develops, repairs, sells and supports computer-related products and services. 

Dell typically sells personal servers, computers, network switches, and data storage devices, computer peripherals, software, cameras, HDTVs, printers, electronic devices and MP3 players which are built by other manufacturers (McManus & Mosca, 2015). In this technology-driven era, Dell is constantly innovating in electronic commerce and supply chain management (Engage for Success, 2020). Dell’s approach towards business has been build-to-order, direct sales model, configure-to-order approaches of manufacturing. Dell is also known for delivering personal PCs which are specially configured as per customer specifications. Previously, Dell was a hardware vendor until 2009 when it acquired Perot Systems, which expanded its line of business into IT services. Since then, Dell has made many other acquisitions such as networking and storage systems (Employee Engagement, 2019). This has seen its business portfolio grow from just offering computers to delivering complete global IT enterprise solutions for its customers. In 2014, Dell acquired StarSoft, a global supplier of analytics software, ( McLaren, 2019). This bolstered its data solutions globally. 

What is FW culture: Overview?

An organization’s ability to meet its strategic goals can be assessed with the help of human resources management and the kind of flexible work arrangements and organisational culture (McManus & Mosca, 2015). In this era, FW practises and culture has an impact on improved retention and recruitment efforts, while augmenting organizational diversity efforts of the HR professionals of a company (Hynes, 2012). With FW arrangements in an organization, employers are usually leveraged by cost savings, improved productivity, and improved attendance as well. FW is a means of increasing employee engagement in an organization like Dell, AirBnB and many others. There are many types of FW arrangements (Insights, 2020). The main types of schedule flexibility in an organization are as follows:

• Job-sharing
• Part-time schedules
• Shift work culture ( Kelleher, 2014)
• Flexible time and working hours
• Compressed workweeks (Kruse, 2012)

Further to the above means of FW approaches, it must be noted that not all types of FW culture are manageable in an organisation as the organizations differ in sizes and complexity (Bal, De Jong, & Kooij, How do developmental and accommodative HRM enhance employee engagement and commitment? The role of psychological contract and SOC strategies., 2013). 

Implementing Flexible Working effectively 

Flexible working arrangement is not only a trend but a way to future Human Resource practices in tough situations and crisis. Before introducing a FW approach in an organisation there are things that needs to be assessed in order to ascertain the extent and suitability of FW arrangement that may or may not work for an organisation and its employees. The types of flexible scheduling which can fulfil both the organizational and employees’ needs (Crawford, 2015). For example, Colorado-based HealthONE, which is a hospital services alliance, once discovered the need for flexible working culture as well as schedules aimed at organizational employees’ retention. Establishing a clear process of how FW is going to work, well-defined roles and responsibilities, level of support currently by managers, a smooth communication and impacts of flexible working on company’s culture. There is an underlying risk of increased employee turnover in the organization where FW practices are not applied in business structure. Many of its employees were unable to fit their work schedules due to clashes with their children's school hours and other personal reasons. Through assessing the needs of its employees and organisational objectives, HealthONE found that some schools in the districts in Colorado held classes in a 9-weeks-on and sometimes in a 3-weeks-off rotation. 

Using this information, HealthONE was able to design and implement flexible working to meet the needs of its employees, thus managing the risk of a high turnover of employees and employee retention. HealthONE built flexibility into its work schedules and offered its employees schedules that accommodated the school calendar the district schools had. An assessment should be made in the organisation to know more about employee needs and the need for flexible working arrangements that can be suitable and help an organisation to make formed decisions which may prove to be cost-effective. 

On the contrary, if the hospital would have replaced departing employees in an extremely competitive market for health care talent then it would have been faced with the risk of high staff turnover, lack of talent and poor staff retention, thus resulting in a great loss for the health organization (Marples, 2020).

HRM practices with Flexible Working Concept

There are some positive and negative effects of flexible HRM practices in an organization. The Flexible working arrangement in an organization collides with the HR practices as their concept of managing workplace are different. Human Resource flexibility is one of the aspects which many organizations are adopting in their processes. There are sub-dimensions of the same namely employee skill flexibility, behaviour flexibility and HR practice flexibility. The concept of HR flexibility fits into the approach of flexible working arrangement at workplace (News.com. au, 2017).

Employee skill flexibility explains human capital enhancing practices which focuses on foster skill flexibility of employees. These practices include skills and abilities to perform various tasks effectively and employees are to improve and enhance their abilities in order to be proficient and obtain desired outcomes. Behaviour flexibility also includes human capital enhancing practices, job enrichment, equitable rewards, and appraisal for development. These factors are the kinds of FW arrangements at workplace. A supportive HR orientation helps an organization to adopt FW arrangements in its HR practices to avoid any conflict in-between and make it a smooth process as a whole. The dimensions, behavioural and skill flexibility are not independent as employees are to express their behaviours in specific situations the need for an adequate skill flexibility arises. This proves the fact that these sub-dimensional flexibilities of FW concept can fit well enough in HRM practices without any conflict ( LEADSOM, 2020).

FW at Dell Technologies

Businesses are modernizing and evolving their work culture so as to attract and keep the most talented, skilled and capable employees and at Dell Technologies, the company is fulfilling the need for a connected workforce through providing flexible work culture and environment (Dell Technologies, Flexible Work Culture, 2020). Dell is continuously evolving its workplace policies that are to have great outcomes for the organisations strategic objectives. Dell prides itself in its vision to enable its employees through its FW programs to promote a good work life balance and employee productivity. To get the best work from their employees, Dell Technologies offers various FW approaches. More than 60% of its employees were found to were able to work before or after their set business hours. This was possible due to thought its “workplace program” it had implemented. (Dell Technologies, About Us, 2020). 

Furthermore, FW has become an integral part of Dell Technologies’ plan for corporate social responsibility globally. The company had reported that it had exceeded its 2020 goal of encouraging eligible team-members towards leveraging from its FW alternatives. The company had aimed to constantly enhance global participation of up to50% of it steams and employees to work within flexible working hours and from anywhere and at any time. Dell has reported recently in its 2020 Legacy of Good Plan, that 68% of Dell’s team members are considerably leveraging of FW in their jobs ( ROCCA, 2018). 

Dell technologies employed the services of FlexJobs, a company that provides an online job board with job opportunities that have flexible working as part of the work conditions. Flexjobs enables Dell to further promote its flexible work culture as well as remote work arrangements (Service Futures, 2020).This is described below;

• Using FlexJobs online board, Dell posts all remote as well as flexible working jobs to attract persons who may who prefer FW jobs. Using Flexjobs established network, Dell has been able to source ideal candidates. ( Wainwright, 2018).
• Dell sponsored FlexJobs annual works forums and at these forums, Dell also led multiple panels and discussions that were on optimizing flexible working on a big scale organization.
• Dell also participates in FlexJob’s Online Job hiring webinars.
• Through Flexjobs webinars and forums, Dell also shares its insights related to running a big remote team through Remote.co.
• Dell continues to be featured on Flexjobs advertisements’ as a corporate organisation that fosters and promotes FW. (Marples, 2020). 

Dell Technologies: Flexible Working Policy

Using its technology capabilities, Dell continues to be innovative and advances it FW initiatives through its “connected workplace program” (CWP) aimed at driving employee engagement, productivity and improved performance. This includes the following:

• The FW arrangements enables team-members and employees to get their assigned work done successfully wherever they are in the world (Dell Technologies, Flexible Work Culture, 2020). 
• Dell Technologies continues to foster a FW culture through its investment in technology and evolving of the Connected Workplace program (CWP).
• Dell’s FW culture enables the employees and team members to give their best to complete assigned tasks. This is a major part of Dell’s corporate culture. 
• The FW culture at Dell has enabled it to attract very skilled persons for the jobs it offers. (Dell Technologies, Flexible Work Culture, 2020). 
• The CWP was designed to promote FW is a strategic business initiative aimed at enabling its international and national employees to select the desired work style as per their preferences. It enables employees to fulfil their work-life balance needs convenient to them. 
• Dell’s FW policy promotes a highly collaborative, mobile, and most importantly flexible work culture and environment. 
• Dell’s FW programs eliminates the hindrance of anchoring its business operations to a time or place. It is focused on organizational outcomes (Dell Technologies, Flexible Work Culture, 2020). 
• In 2013, Dell established a goal to enable more than 50% of its workforce to working in a friendly, flexible environment by 2020. It achieved 68% of its workforce adopting flexible working practises in 2020, (Dell Technologies, About Us, 2020). The CWP is implemented through its technology infrastructure, training, and employee resources groups. Team-members and employees can design their own flexible and ideal working arrangements. Options available at Dell, include flexible hours, remote work, and job sharing, part-time and compressed work week. (Dell Technologies, Flexible Work Culture, 2020).
• Lastly, the FW programs and practises at Dell does have an impact on its social and corporate responsibilities and more so the CWP has impact on the environment. For example, when employees of Dell technologies work remotely, it is estimated its employees travelling to or for work is reduced by 136 million miles per year. It has an estimated reduction in35,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases that would have been potentially emitted by its employees travel to and for work. ( McLaren, 2019).

The implementation of Flexible Working affects teamwork and individual performance is an important question to ask before. Flexible working may or may not change teamwork there are two forces behind this argument and they are both constructive and destructive forces. Teamwork and individual performance are about having shared goals in the company, collaboration, and self-achievement goals but not co-location. Employee work in their flexible hours but for the common goal of the organization so it does not affect internal environment. Teamwork and individual performance depend upon individual organization’s cultures and if employees are enough motivated through such HR Flexible working practices they will work best of their ability in benefit of a company. The example here is Dell, as of how they have overcome the gaps between HRM practices and concept of FW ( Vance, 2020).

Key Advantages of FW approach at Dell

Furthermore, the flexible work culture at Dell is considerably bridging the gap between home and work life. Dell has built a technology that allows people to give their best to work at any time ( Kelleher, 2014). Due to FW culture at Dell, people can work from anywhere in the world which allows the company to take leverage of global expertise. It is because when no one is restricted from working at Dell, then people from different nations, cultures, expertise, and languages can work together irrespective of their location and presence. Dell has demonstrated that the adoption of the FW approach to generate FW arrangements is for the benefits of their team members. The company is connected for their workplace programs which ultimately allow the company to make FW implementation possible (Bal & De Lange, From flexibility human resource management to employee engagement and perceived job performance across the lifespan: A multisample study, 2015). 

Furthermore, after implementing the FW approach, there are positive results from research. It has been found that around two-thirds of the workers internationally conduct at least one business from home regularly. Thus, the average employee spends at least 2 hours per week working from public places such as restaurants, cafes, bars, and homes. On the other hand, recent research showed that around 80% of millennial workers believe that workspace technology can influence the jobs they take (Marples, 2020). 

A global vision of HRM is adopted by organizations and it also includes internal fit among some of supportive HR practices where employee flexibility will be much easier to understand and follow. There are many challenges that HRM practices are facing at a global level and to improve organizational effectiveness both at domestic and global level the changes are needed to be made in response to such environmental challenges. The enhancement of organizational effectiveness can be made possible by adopting FW Human resource practices which will ultimately build core competencies and create competitive advantage in a global scenario (News, 2017).

Key FW arrangements at Dell

Based on this research about flexible working in business, it has been found that employees and team members of Dell can easily choose from a broad range of FW arrangements as well as FW options. The company is offering a huge number of FW options so that people at Dell can be as productive as possible. The people at Dell can also choose from full-time remote to prefer days on campus to job-sharing and many more (Calderone , 2020). 

Dell Technologies offers Flextime

As the company knows that in an individual’s family as well as personal responsibilities are equally important and hence deserve attention and enough time. Therefore, the CW program launched in 2009 by Dell offers flextime option. In this FW option, employees are allowed to customize the working day while managing their key responsibilities outside of the office in the best way (Dell Technologies, About Us, 2020).

Dell Technologies offers to work remotely

In this context, Dell enables their team members to make the most of the FW option through allowing working-from-home (Bal & De Lange, From flexibility human resource management to employee engagement and perceived job performance across the lifespan: A multisample study, 2015). In such a case, the team members are allowed to work from another location, while saving time which would otherwise be spent on travelling and commuting on the roads. In addition to that, the employees of Dell can work productively without office distractions, while opting out for the FW style which ultimately enhances their organization’s overall productivity (Arnaud, 2020).

Dell Technologies offers Part-time

It has been found that Dell allows as well as offers part-time work. In such a case, the company employees are allowed to bridge the gap amid work and other priorities (App, Merk, & Büttgen, 2012). It is because by doing part-time work; an individual can fulfil their duties and responsibilities. Moreover, a part-time option within the FW policy supports those people who are committed to further education or any other value-added training. In addition to that, Part-time work also supports people who are phasing into retirement. In this way, at Dell technologies, a part-time work option enables people to work flexibly so that business operations can be continued with the valued and eligible individuals (Lundgren , Ernsth Bravell , & Börjesson , 2018).

Dell Technologies offers compressed work week

In this context, it has been found that Dell has been evolved a five-day work week recently as a part of their CW program. It has been done so that team members of Dell can have the option to compress their workweek to less than 5 days. They can also expand their work week into ten days while having time off on a recurring basis for further attending personal matters and events (Dell Technologies, About Us, 2020).

Dell Technologies offers Job sharing

In the context of FW options available at Dell Technologies, the company is offering job sharing which is a mix of part-time work solutions but with full-time coverage for the position. In such a scenario, job sharing allows the share teams along with their leaders to work out the best schedule as well as the work design process to profit those who have involved (Dell Technologies, Flexible Work Culture, 2020).

Conclusion

In whole, the business report has successfully covered all possible areas of research for the topic of ‘Flexible Working’ in a business context. The paper has explored the importance of trending work culture in the contemporary business environment. The discussion has found that FW is a means of working which best suits an employee’s and team member’s personal and professional needs. The paper has included real-life examples of FW in business with the help of Dell Technologies and others. Throughout the discussion, it has been discussed how flexible working can be implemented in an organization through taking a real-life example of Dell Technologies. In this way, the report on FW has been discussed and researched about the flexible working policy of the organization Dell Technologies so as to understand and demonstrate ‘Flexible Working’ in a business case scenario. 

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