FIIB Business Review

This article explores the changing nature of work across the globe, specifically in India, with the emergence of the gig economy. It discusses the theoretical background debates on work with technological change and highlights how India’s recent job market trends are rather disappointing, with rising unemployment and a decline in new jobs. In this scenario, the gig economy is fast emerging as a respite, offering employment opportunities for millions of Indians. This article also explores the prospects and challenges of gig work in India and the ways in which it can prove to be a provider of decent work opportunities for people. Finally, the article provides some important future-policy suggestions for the growth and improvement of work in the gig economy.

Organizational politics and conflicts thrive at all levels of the organization. It is an unavoidable fact of working life. The present case discusses about Ashish had a lot of ambitions ever since he was employed with the organization. However, during the first three months of his engagement with the organization, something caused him to decide that he decided not to continue working there for another day. After completing his degree, Ashish was hired as a sous chef in a well-known hotel in Gwalior, India (M.P). Ashish was unable to carry out his responsibilities competently simply because he was not provided with an appropriate platform. His immediate boss does not provide him with an opportunity to demonstrate his abilities. The salary that had been promised had also not been delivered. Even the tasks that were assigned were not according to his capability. He was dissatisfied with the conditions of his work environment. He attempted to rectify the situation but was ultimately unsuccessful. Along with this, he also had heated disagreements with his immediate supervisor, Satish. The level of stress was soaring with each passing day. He became even more resentful as a result, and he began to consider quitting his job.

This study systematically synthesizes the existing literature on work-life balance (WLB) over the last 16 years to determine the various constructs associated with it using the Antecedents, Decisions and Outcomes (ADO) model for the WLB construct. It also identifies research gaps and proposes a direction for future research. A rigorous systematic literature review (SLR) process as proposed by Tranfield et al. (2003) is followed. Further, the study uses the PRISMA framework to select the 43 full-text articles relevant to the WLB in business management. The review was conducted for the studies from 2004 to 2020, used only published articles, and excluded books and conference proceedings. This review provides an organized view of the antecedents, decision processes and outcomes of WLB in the business management domain. The analysis provides information on the most prolific authors and journals. This review also found that the most productive institutions publishing WLB-related literature are based in India. This review contributes to the literature by proposing a conceptual model that provides a theoretical understanding of WLB. It also provides essential insights into how personal, household and organizational factors influence WLB.

Women develop stress not only at work but also in their home environment, which leads to chaos in both places. This study not only examines the extent of occupational stress among primary school teachers but also identifies the most important antecedents of occupational stress and its impact on the home environment. A survey was conducted on primary school teachers from Al Batinah Governorate in Oman. A sample of 232 respondents was effectively drawn to analyse data using the SmartPLS-based structural equation modelling (SEM) technique. The job demand control support (JDCS) model was used to study occupational stress. A new variable home environment was included in the study to extend the JDCS model. The findings revealed some factors causing occupational stress and a significant positive relationship between occupational stress and the home environment. The study recommended the creation of a positive work environment, the development of appropriate educational policies, and the improvement of relationships with people in the workplace to ameliorate the stress affecting the home environment.

Turnover is a major concern in the information technology (IT) industry. Using affective event theory (AET) and conservation of resources (COR) theory, this study investigates how employees’ emotional intelligence indirectly affects their turnover intention in India’s IT industry, specifically in northern part of India, through objective career success (salary) and subjective career success (career satisfaction). Furthermore, the underlying role of employee’s happiness at work between overall career success and turnover intention is investigated. Results suggest emotional intelligence to be negatively related to turnover intention via overall career success. In addition, happiness was found to be an underlying factor in the relationship between career satisfaction and turnover intention. Furthermore, perceived career opportunities within the organization is explored as an essential boundary condition in employees’ decision to stay with their current employer. Finally, unique theoretical and practical contributions are offered for employers in the IT industry.

The pandemic has brought in unprecedented changes in societies across the globe. It has altered the equilibrium and forced individuals to move out of their comfort zone, leading to disturbance in psychological well-being in the new normal (Kuster, 2021). This empirical study examines the effect of psychological well-being (PWB) on subjective happiness (SH) of students of higher educational institutions (HEIs) during the global pandemic. Total of 290 students of HEIs were administered with the PWB questionnaire and SH questionnaire. The relationship between the variables was examined using multiple regression. The results indicated that the SH levels of the sample were above average (M = 19.76). SH was found to be more in women. No gender difference was found in PWB levels. The findings also revealed that improving PWB will positively influence the SH (r = 0.581) of the students. PWB can explain 32% variation of SH. Self-acceptance (p = .01), autonomy (p = .01), positive relationships with others (p = .03), and personal growth (p = .002) increases the feeling of SH. The findings validate the set point theory that while recent life events influence SH, individuals tend to return to natural set point over a period in time. The findings add to the repertoire of research on PWB and SH in the context of Set point theory. Study findings can help in strategizing the student counselling process as well as curriculum design of HEIs to ensure greater SH of its stakeholders.

A lack of job security and other challenges mark the circumstances of temporary agency workers (TAWs). Yet, data from 511 TAWs of the Indian information technology (IT) industry captured via a structured questionnaire revealed the presence of volition or TAWs holding temporary jobs by choice. The study was conducted in two phases. In phase one, logistic regression was used to differentiate between voluntary and involuntary TAWs. In phase two, multiple regression was used to analyse the influence of volition on work engagement–overall and its individual components (vigour, dedication, and absorption). Logistic regression analysis showed that TAWs who were younger, single, educated in smaller cities and had worked for less than a year with a client were more likely to voluntarily choose temporary work. Further, multiple regression analysis demonstrated that such volition significantly boosts TAWs’ work engagement, in line with Self-Determination Theory’s perspective on autonomous motivation. The predictive model of categorizing TAWs into voluntary and involuntary groups based on demographic and job characteristics will help client and staffing organizations design customized policies for each group and promote factors enabling voluntary selection of temporary work arrangements.

The present study intends to investigate the influence of perceived organizational support (POS) on employee intention to stay (ITS) in an organization. Further, study examines the mediating role of employee engagement (EE) on the relationship between perceived organizational support (POS) and employee intention to stay (ITS). Data has been collected from 323 employees working in three major private telecom companies, namely, Airtel Limited, Vodafone–Idea Limited and Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited operating in J&K (UT). Data has been scrutinized using structural equation modelling (SEM). Findings of the study indicates that POS has a significant positive influence on ITS and EE, partially mediates the relationship between POS and ITS. The study has significant implications for managers as well as practitioners. First, it contributes to social exchange theory by understanding employees’ perception about organizational support on their intention to stay via engagement. Second, it encourages managers to cultivate an environment of support in order to engage the employees because only the engaged employees show intense desire to stay with their organization. It is the first study that examines the indirect impact of POS on ITS via EE.

The COVID-19 crisis has drawn broader public interest in how companies treat their workers, so going forward, people management would be of an increasing concern. As we make a transition from a service-based economy to experience economy, where time well saved takes a back seat to time well spent, the notion of employee experience (EX) is set to become a fundamental workplace design principle. EX is about the work, not the office. EX aims for a complete redesign of the workplace practices and environment to fit the employees and not the other way around. This article examines and verifies EX scale as one-dimensional as well as multidimensional constructs with six dimensions, namely cohesiveness, vigour, well-being, achievement, inclusiveness and physical environment. Six dimensions were explored with focus group and open-ended survey and validated with closed-ended survey of 299 employees working in multinational corporations across India. Structural equation modelling is used to validate the proposed latest construct. Establishing the EX scale would help researchers as well practitioners in empirically measuring EX and its relationship with various individuals as well organizational constructs.