The Influence of Covid-19 on Employers’, Managers’ and Workers’ Perception of Flexible Work Arrangements

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• COVID-19 as a transformational trigger for the future of flexible work arrangements
• Theory and Status Quo
  • Well-being in companies
    • Employee well-being and job satisfaction
    • Effects on the company and the workforce
    • Affective-Events Theory
  • Perception of flexible work arrangements
    • Forms of flexible work arrangements
    • Perception of flexible work arrangements before COVID-19
    • Perception of flexible work arrangements during COVID-19
• Methodology
  • Research Design: Mixed-Method
    • Qualitative Study
    • Quantitative Study
  • Interviews
    • Selection criteria
    • Realisation of the interviews
  • Qualitative Content Analysis
    • Mayring's QCA (2014)
    • Adaptation and procedure in the study
• Empirical Analysis
  • QCA of the Interviews
    • Flexibility
    • Concentration and distraction
    • Communication
    • Cooperation
    • Personal relations
    • Technical equipment
    • Emotional stability
    • Job performance
    • Work time
  • Quantitative questionnaire findings
    • Results divided by hierarchy groups
    • Results divided by other factors
  • Consolidation, summary and interpretation
• Discussion
  • Implications for theory
  • Implications for practice
  • Limitations and directions for future research

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This master's thesis investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the perception of flexible work arrangements among employers, managers, and employees in Germany. The research aims to understand how the pandemic has influenced perspectives on various aspects of flexible work, including communication, cooperation, personal relations, emotional stability, and job performance. The thesis seeks to analyze the changes in perception and explore the implications for future work arrangements in a post-pandemic world.

• Impact of COVID-19 on the perception of flexible work arrangements
• Analysis of changes in perception regarding communication, cooperation, and emotional stability
• Implications for the future of work arrangements in a post-pandemic context
• Exploration of the impact of flexible work arrangements on employee well-being and job satisfaction
• Examination of the influence of COVID-19 on the perception of flexible work arrangements across different hierarchical levels

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Chapter 1 introduces the topic of flexible work arrangements in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting its transformative impact on the future of work.
• Chapter 2 provides a theoretical framework by examining concepts such as well-being in companies, job satisfaction, and the Affective-Events Theory, as well as exploring the perception of flexible work arrangements before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Chapter 3 outlines the research methodology, describing the mixed-method approach, qualitative and quantitative study designs, interview process, and the application of Mayring's Qualitative Content Analysis.
• Chapter 4 presents the empirical analysis, focusing on the qualitative content analysis of interviews and the quantitative questionnaire findings, including results categorized by hierarchy groups and other factors. It also provides a consolidated summary and interpretation of the data.
• Chapter 5 discusses the implications of the findings for both theory and practice, identifying limitations of the study and suggesting directions for future research.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The core keywords and topics of this master's thesis revolve around the impact of COVID-19 on flexible work arrangements, employee well-being, job satisfaction, communication, cooperation, emotional stability, and job performance. The research employs a mixed-method approach, combining qualitative content analysis with quantitative questionnaire findings. The thesis investigates the perception of flexible work arrangements across different hierarchical levels within German companies. It aims to contribute to the understanding of the evolving nature of work in a post-pandemic world.