The Smart Working practice: the HRM strategy to improve business performance and job satisfaction

Abstract

The subject of this thesis is the new flexible working practice called Smart Working. The thesis analyzes the development, the implementation and the results of this practice. The Smart Working is a new approach to work that was born in the last decade; it is based on the working hours and space flexibility and on the use of the new digital and technological tools. The thesis analyzes and examines the new Human Resource Management practice starting from the ongoing changes within the work environment that involve the workforce, the work organization, the job design and the workplace culture. In this first part, the focus is on the employees tendency towards a better work-life balance and the consequently change in the approach towards the career, the job and the needs. Then, it analyzes several definitions of Smart working , the principles of this practice, the implementation models, the role of the HR professionals, it compares the current regulations in different countries, and in conclusion it outlines the benefits and the barriers regarding the new working way. Then the thesis focuses the attention on the outcomes, or rather, the effects of the practice respectively on the employees, on the employers, on the society. The reduction of workplace costs for the employer, the improvement of work-life balance for the employees and the reduction of pollution and traffic that affect the entire society, are few of the most important effects of Smart Working. An important aspects that is analyzed regards the change of the performance measurement from the calculation of the worked hours to the assessment of the results and the outcomes achieved. The third part of the thesis takes into consideration few case studies in order to demonstrate the different kinds of approach to this practice, the way of implementing, the common results as well as the different point of views and the different outcomes. The case studies concern many companies, large and SMEs, that have implemented the smart working and now are expanding the practice because they have noticed positive changes and few benefits or are abandoning the Smart Working because the outcomes have not been positive enough. The analysis of these case studies has the objective to demonstrate how all these changes lead to a new working practice based on autonomy and flexibility that , in turn, lead to higher job satisfaction, higher motivation, higher commitment that result in higher performances and higher efficiency for the organization. The thesis demonstrates that despite the skepticism toward this practice, the results are positive for the employees, for the employers and for the society and this practice may be the future for all the organizations.