Abstract
Women in organizations act as career self-agents. Women workers of the 21″ century determine how much and where they can work. This paper explains FWAs usage in the organization as a strategic tool for women in meeting their financial, societal and other responsibilities.
Introduction
Women contributions in organizations, is immense. Statistics reveal that women opt out of work frequently than before. Professional leaders in organizations argue that they offer flexible working time for their workers but women workers still opt out. Women’s career choices have changed since the inception of the 21″ century. More women workers seem to reject the conventional career model and wish to pursue other societal roles irrespective of work. Women’s roles in the society are different from that of men. Women’s roles are associated with the home-caring roles more than men. Male workers are quoted to be the “ideal worker this is because they are freed from home-caring responsibilities (Shapiro, Ingols, and Blake-beard 53). This means that a male worker in organizations devotes all his time to the job.
Culture of Flexibility
Women’s organizational roles as well as organizational roles have made it necessary for the organization to create flexible work schedules. Several changes in the state of organizations operation mean a shift in performance. The state of technology has evolved making it permitting off-site work schedules. With all of these, women have a reason to make career choices. Women workers are now able to negotiate their work time through the use of FWA. FWA provides flexible time schedule for working women. The scheme provides a choice for work times. Women workers are able to make a choice between having a full time work schedules, having offsite work options or reduced work time options. This type of work schedule ensures that women workers perform their work duties while fulfilling other societal roles (Shapiro, Ingols, and Blake-beard 56).
Organizations therefore have made various decisions concerning FWA and the roles of women workers in organizations. Some organizations require all workers to assimilate into the primary work models. Other organizations have made it their duty to accommodate women’s outside responsibilities in their work schedules. Moreover, other firms have transforms their career cultures to accommodate roles of every worker (Shapiro, Ingols, and Blake-beard 54). For an organization to offer flexible time for its employees, the following matrix would provide the answers.
The matrix above illustrates the organizational reactions on FWA usage. It illustrates its usage in relation to assimilation, accommodation and transformation strategies. The use of WA’s by women workers, relate to organizations vision, management support, its usage, promotion and career path. In relation to the organizations vision, the organization assists workers using FWA to attain societal goals, work at their preferred location and provide for an off-site job option. In relation to management support, the companies management team support WA use, the team is accountable for FWA usage and employees are permitted to use FWA provided they accomplish organizational goals.
Flexible Work Arrangements
The organization employs the following work arrangements; the organization has various branches and employees using FWA have a chance to choice where to work. In respect to time, the organization has two working shifts for those with outside responsibilities. These employees can either work during the first shift that ends in the afternoon or the second on that ends at dawn. To balance between work and family, employees have the chance to get day off once after 3 weeks. Workers also have a chance to make emergency offs provided the reasons are substantial. In relation to job design, the organization has broken down job responsibilities for those using FWA so as to meet the needs of the organization and the working hours of such workers. Training and development is another vital element for the organization. Employees using FWAs get training on being their own career managers. This training program ensures that employees remain relevant in the job market and is a form of motivation. Employees in these organizations receive adequate compensation, which assists in their retention.
Influence of Self Agency Culture
An interview on three employees in our organization provides divergent views on the influence of Career Self Agency Culture. From the discussion, it is evident that women seek competing and multiple goals at the same time. They use FWA to maintain full- time employment while at the same time meet other obligation. The Organizations on the other hand, offer such flexible work schedule and in return benefit (Shapiro, Ingols, and Blake- beard 55-57). FWAs provide a flexible career path for women, since they assist organizations while at the same time meet societal goals. Therefore, Self Agency culture creates a competitive edge for workers as well as organizational talent management. Workers benefit from career progression while organization benefit from their contributions.
Work Cited
Mary Shapiro, Cynthia Ingols, and Stacy Blake-beard. Canaries in the mine shaft: Women signaling a new career model. 32(3). Pp. 53-59. 2009
