With the launch of the government’s ‘Anywhere Working’ initiative: from the perspective of remote or flexible workers/employees with perceived high self-efficacy – what might be the preferred performance target and appraisal process, as part of the performance management system?

Abstract

MSc Human Resources Management: DissertationLabour markets are changing, demographics are changing; the world is becoming more global with traditional offices being superseded by 'landscapes of mobility' (Hardill & Green 2003) and workers too are changing and demanding change with subsequent rise in remote and flexible working. This study recognises that remote workers may have and demand different performance management and appraisal systems based on their levels of perceived self-efficacy; based on Bandura's (1978) social cognition theory (Bandura 1978) of self-efficacy concerns the judgement an individual makes about their ability to execute a particular behaviour and 'belief in one's capabilities to organise and execute the courses of action required to manage prospective situations' (Bandura 1995). This study utilises a mixed-method of quantitative questionnaire and interpretivist qualitativism to reach a snowball sample of remote workers with perceived high self-efficacy and examines their responses to questions concerning their preferred performance management and appraisal systems and procedures; the results found in this sample including levels of autonomy, styles of communication and systems of feedback might be present in across many remote workers with perceived high self-efficacy which has implications for organisational cultures and objective setting at organisational through to individual level. Recommendation and limitations are expressed along with further ideas for future studies