The Impact of Flexible Work Arrangements on Employee Performance: Evidence from Private Universities in Baghdad

Authors

• Mariam Adeeb Rasheed, Department of Business Administration, College of Administration and Economics, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, IraqFollow
• Noor Khalil Ibrahim, Department of Business Administration, College of Administration and Economics, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, IraqFollow

Abstract

This study examines the effect of Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAs) (flexible scheduling, compressed workweek, and telecommuting) on employee performance among administrative leaders in private universities in Baghdad. Addressing inconsistent findings in prior research regarding whether different forms of workplace flexibility contribute equally to employee performance. Guided by Social Exchange Theory, a quantitative cross-sectional design was employed using data collected from 321 administrative leaders across 15 private universities in Baghdad. Measurement reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and confirmatory factor analysis were assessed using the covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) procedure in SmartPLS4. The proposed hypotheses were subsequently tested through structural model analysis. The findings indicate that FWAs positively and significantly impact employee performance. Furthermore, flexible scheduling, compressed workweek, and telecommuting each demonstrate significant positive associations with employee performance. These findings suggest that workplace flexibility functions as an important organizational resource that encourages employees to reciprocate through improved performance. The study contributes to the literature by providing dimension-level evidence on FWAs rather than treating the construct as a single managerial practice and extends Social Exchange Theory to the context of Iraqi private higher education. Practically, the findings guide university administrators seeking to enhance administrative performance through the effective implementation of appropriate flexible work practices.

DOI

10.33095/2227-703X.4362

Article Type

Research Article

Subject Area

Managerial

First Page

63

Last Page

76

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

Recommended Citation

Rasheed, M., & Ibrahim, N. (2026). The Impact of Flexible Work Arrangements on Employee Performance: Evidence from Private Universities in Baghdad. Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences, 32(3), 63-76. https://doi.org/10.33095/2227-703X.4362