Flexible Working Practices and Employee Retention in England: An Integrative Review and Conceptual Framework of Post-COVID-19 Evidence

Abstract

Aim – This research aims to explore the link between flexible working practices and staff turnover in England after the onset of COVID-19. It will take a particular interest in how working flexibly might impact the likelihood of employees staying within an organisation and the conditions that influence this.
Design/methodology/approach – The study employs an integrative literature review approach to compile the evidence related to the English employment area after the COVID-19 pandemic. The main synthesis included eight empirical studies that focused on areas related to healthcare, education, policing, and social work. The analysis is based on Job Demands-Resources theory and Social Exchange theory to explain the relationship between flexible working, employee experience and retention.
Findings: The findings suggest that flexible working alone is not enough to boost staff retention. It may be more important to see if they can make good use of the flexibility that is offered. This experience is affected by managerial support, workload, organisational culture and the practical demands of various occupations. In the evidence that was reviewed, three conditions were especially significant, namely: meaningful employee control, organisational support and occupational feasibility. In these situations, flexible working could benefit work-life compatibility, autonomy and perceptions of organisation support thus facilitating continued work.
Originality/value – The paper separates formal opportunities for flex from employees’ experience of flex. It suggests that experience of flexibility is a more relevant consideration of why people stay in the job than any policy availability and outlines a framework that links flexible working with employee retention through both the job and the employee/organisation relationship.