Perceptions on Flexible Working Hours and Work-Life Balance Among Hospital Employees in A Department of Health -Retained Hospital

Perceptions on Flexible Working Hours and Work-Life Balance Among Hospital Employees in a Department of Health -Retained Hospital

Rhea Monica Denopol-Pacaña¹, Rosenie S. Coronado²

^1,2Graduate School of Allied Health Sciences, University of the Visayas

DOI: https://doi.org/10.51244/IJRSI.2025.121500032P 

Received: 01 March 2025; Accepted: 06 March 2025; Published: 05 April 2025

ABSTRACT

Work-life balance is vital for health, mental, relationships, and employee productivity and performance. The study utilized the descriptive, correlational design to assess the interrelationship among profiles, perceptions on flexible working hours, and work-life -balance among hospital employees of St. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital (SAMCH) in Basak San Nicolas, Cebu City for 1st quarter of 2023. The findings of the study revealed that just over half of the respondents were young adults between the ages of 19 to 35 years old (n=45). The majority of the respondents were female (n=56) and married (n=54). Additionally, most of them identified as Roman Catholics (n=72) and approximately half of them held college degrees (n=51). The majority of the respondents came from the administrative and support groups. In terms of the years of service, over one-third of the respondents have served for two to five years already (n=27). Moreover, almost a quarter of the respondents reported having four family members at home (n=20). The perception on flexible working hours was generally good; however, the work-life balance of the respondents was only good. Factors such as age, gender, civil status, religion, highest education attainment, department, years of service, and number of household family members at home did not correlate with the perception of flexible working hours. However, religion did have a significant impact on work interference with personal life. On the other hand, factors such as age, gender, civil status, highest level of education, department, years of service, and number of household family members at home did not show any significant relationship with work interference with personal life. There was no correlation found between any of the following factors: age, gender, civil status, religion, highest level of education completed, department, years of service, and number of household family members at home, with regards to personal life interference with work, work-personal life enhancement, and work-life balance. All the independent variables—dimensions of flexible working hours and overall perceptions on flexible working hours were significantly correlated with work-life balance. In response to the study’s findings, a proposed flexible work arrangement guideline was developed.

Keywords: Descriptive, Correlational design; Flexible working hours; Hospital employees; Profile; Work-life balance.

INTRODUCTION

A common perception among hospital employees is that flexi-time in work is something that involves a definite work schedule; however, they are given the opportunity or freedom to adjust their schedule to meet their own personal needs and the needs of their families. Most of the hospital employees belong to the millennial generation. A generation where in work accomplishment is out-put based. Perceptions of flexi-time also include better performance on job functions and better family dynamics at home. Most of the millennials usually look for work that suits their needs or their work can provide them with the lifestyle or quality of life they want. Thus, a flexi- time schedule has been perceived as essential both by hospital employees and young healthcare professionals in looking for a job.

An employee’s life is not complete without their time spent at work.  It is necessary for an employee to accomplish the typical working hours that are required of them. Any employee’s typical workday should not be longer than eight hours, and this rule applies to all employees. Health personnel in cities and municipalities with a population of at least one million or in hospitals and clinics with a bed capacity of at least one hundred are required to maintain regular office hours for eight hours a day, five days a week, excluding breaks. The only exception to this rule is in situations where the exigencies of the service require such personnel to work for six days or forty-eight hours. In such cases, they are entitled to an additional compensation of at least thirty percent of their regular wage for work on the sixth day (Department of Labor and Employment [DOLE]. 2014).

The government hospitals in the country both belonging to the national and local government unit are under the Civil Service Commission which is the central personnel agency of the Philippine government. The CSC is responsible for ensuring that workers in the government service adhere to the work arrangements that are granted. Flexi-time work schedules have been established for employees of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) with the primary goal of guaranteeing the efficient and effective execution of government tasks, the delivery of public services, and the protection of their health, safety, and welfare at all times.

The flexi-time schedule that was mandated by the CSC has not been fully implemented in all government hospitals due to concerns regarding the lack of manpower, the policy of not having a lunch break, and the fact that the majority of employees are on a set work schedule that runs from eight in the morning until four in the afternoon or nine in the morning until five in the afternoon. Other reasons for lack of implementation in the hospital include understaffing, and in certain cases, a lack of budget. Among the staff nurses, the majority of us naturally prefer to prioritize family concerns and quality time with our families during our time off from work. Also, the majority of the workforce is comprised of women. This is especially true among the staff nurses. It is at this point that an employee who struggles to maintain a balance between his responsibilities begins to experience stress. Stress is one of the major reasons that hospital employees quit their jobs in the hospital.

From the perspective of the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety (2023), stress is without a doubt one of the most significant challenges that companies confront in relation to their workers. According to the findings of recent studies conducted in the United States by the American Psychological Association (2020), about half of all persons experience negative impacts of stress, and between 75 and 90 percent of visits to a physician are attributed to stress-related circumstances.  The ability to effectively manage one’s time is another crucial component in maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

Effective time management is a panacea for improving the efficiency of an organization particularly in health care.  A strong work-life balance, which is achieved through the implementation of a flexi-time schedule that is appropriately created, serves to improve the quality of personal and family time, as well as to reduce stress levels among hospital employees, which ultimately leads to improved patient care.

Studies on flexi-time and work life balance are mostly conducted on non-healthcare services. There is a dearth of studies on flexi-time being conducted in hospitals. Thus, this study is a very unique approach to looking at the implementation of flexi-time in a hospital setting. The roles of hospital administrators and supervisors are very crucial in the implementation of flexi-time for employee job satisfaction.  It also impacts on one of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 which goes: “Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all ages.” It is closely linked to over a dozen targets in other goals related to urban health, equal access to treatments, and non-communicable diseases, among others. The different literature gathered in this study is important because it provides healthcare employees, especially women, the opportunity to expand their potential to do more even with the responsibilities of raising their families. More so, there is an increase in hospital employee retention because of job satisfaction. Hospital administrators can formulate better policies for their employees. Once the gaps have been identified and removed through this study, and after this is applied in the healthcare set-up, we can provide quality life for the employees, thus providing better patient care.

It is intended that an output of this study would include a proposed flexible working arrangement guideline that will be developed and that is highly contextualized in terms of the profile having influence over flexible working hours and on work-life balance. According to this, this approach will be able to provide practical value to hospital administration.

REESEARCH OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to assess the interrelationship between profile, perceptions on flexible working hours, and work-life -balance among hospital employees of St. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital (SAMCH) in Basak San Nicolas, Cebu City for 1st quarter of 2023.

Specifically, it answered the following questions:

1. What was the profile of the hospital employees in terms of:
   • age;
   • gender;
   • civil status;
   • religion;
   • highest educational attainment;
   • position;
   • years of service
   • department; and
   • number of family members at home?
2. What were the perceptions on flexible working hours among hospital employees?
3. What was the work -life balance of the of the hospital employees in terms of:
   • work interference with personal life;
   • personal life interference with work; and
   • work personal life enhancement?

4. Was there a significant relationship between:
   • Profile and perceptions on flexible working hours among the hospital employees;
   • Profile and work-life balance of the hospital employees; and
   • Perceptions on flexible working hours and work-life balance among the hospital employees.
5. What flexible work arrangement guidelines was proposed based on the findings of the study?

Statement of Null Hypotheses

Ho1: There was no significant relationship between profile and perceptions on flexible working hours of the hospital employees.

Ho2: There was no significant relationship between profile and work-life balance of the hospital employees; and

Ho3: There was no significant relationship between perceptions on flexible working hours and work-life balance of the hospital employees.

Scope and Limitation of the Study

This study focuses on assessing the interrelationship employee profiles, perceptions of flexible working hours, and work-life balance in a hospital setting during the first quarter of 2023. It explored demographic characteristics, views on flexible work schedules, and aspects of work-life balance, including work interference with personal life, personal life interference with work, and work-personal life enhancement. Additionally, the study analyzed how these factors influenced one another to provide insights into their interrelationship.

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

Flexible Working Hours

Flexi-time refers to the capacity of workers to modify the times at which they begin and end their workdays, which can result in the ability to change the total number of hours worked. Time off work refers to the opportunity to take advantage of time off during working hours in order to fulfill personal obligations. There is evidence that flexible working arrangements can alleviate work-family conflict, which is the conflict that employees experience as a result of competing demands coming from both their work and their family (Chung, 2018).

When it comes to the administration of working hours during the week, the primary distinction between fixed and flexible hours is the management involved. Both of these modes are distinguished from one another by a number of specific properties. On the positive side, there are the following: the certainty of work commitment, avoidance or reduction in the extensions of work, coordination of colleagues – better and organized work schedules, and a linear organization of one’s private life – allows one to make recurring weekly commitments, to have a clear and shareable roadmap, to better coordinate with other members of the family for every aspect of daily life. There are, on the other hand, four primary benefits associated with having flexible hours: it gives a strong psychological influence on performance at work, flexible family organization, which is one of the most important advantages is strictly practical, targeted breaks, and adjustment of schedules according to external factors (HammerSmith Endocrinology, 2020). incentives to focus on work, which gives a strong psychological influence on performance at work. This is an example of a flexible work schedule from George Mason University, where the employee, supervisor, and department head all have to provide their approval for the plan. An example of this would be having flexible working hours while yet adhering to a set schedule: Consistent timetable A flexible time schedule is available from 11 am to 7:30 pm, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 am to 5 pm. One more illustration: Changing Timetables for Each Day: With a flexible schedule, Monday and Wednesday are from 8:30 am to 7 pm, Tuesday and Thursday are from 8:30 am to 5 pm, and Friday is from 8:30 am to 1 pm (Indeed, 2023). The normal schedule is from 8:30 am to 5 pm.

Another study that focused on the challenges that nurses face in their work, including an aging nursing workforce and anticipated shortages of nursing workforce, required effective approaches to workforce retention, and resulted in participants having a good understanding of flexible working arrangements and recognizing the importance of striking a balance between their own needs and those of their organization. When their requests were denied, the participants were frustrated because they had valid grounds for making them the first place. For the purpose of enhancing employee retention, they suggested job sharing, shorter schedules, the elimination of night shifts, and increased recognition of their efforts. There was a disparity between the application of organizational policy (in cases where such policy existed) and the policy itself. The policies of flexible working arrangements should be reviewed by organizations, with the goal of ensuring that they are comprehended and put into practice at the unit level (Clendon et al. 2015).

According to the findings of the mediation analysis, flexible working hours have a significant and positive role in mediating the connection between supervisor support and job and life happiness. In addition, the support of supervisors and the ability to work flexible hours have a large and favorable impact on both job happiness and overall life satisfaction. According to the findings of the study, flexible working hours are predictive of the level of support that supervisors provide to nurses in order to enhance their career and life happiness. In a study conducted by Dousin et al. 2021, it was found that female nurses who are required to meet high expectations at both their place of employment and their homes require flexible working hours and help from their supervisors.

There were a number of the management groups’ attitudes and benefits of flexible working arrangements that were discovered to be different from one another. The results, on the other hand, suggest that the interaction with patients and/or the immediate nature of the activities being performed are obstacles for shift-work managers. According to Mercer et al. (2014), the nature of the healthcare industry offers challenges for managers who are attempting to implement flexible working arrangements. These challenges differ solely dependent on whether the job is physically demanding (shift work) or desk-related (9 AM-5 PM employment).  However, a study that was conducted on the perceptions of flexi-time in an Indian information technology company revealed that there are no significant differences between employees of different experience categories with regard to the work-life balance practice. However, when looking at the responses of employees based on their age, there are significant differences with regard to the practices that are implemented on the variables, specifically the practices that involve having fun at work and providing support for career advancement (Lopamudra, 2017).

From the point of view of operational management, there are a number of different approaches to react to the fluctuating demand for medical care. Flexibility in deployment is the first option. Flexible employees who are able to step in to cover unforeseen absences, high workloads, or long-term staff shortages can be added to the regular team of a nursing department. This allows the department to better accommodate its patients. Mobile teams are generally utilized in situations where there is a need for specialized expertise or when there is a temporary lack of personnel. On the other hand, this crew is utilized for quite extended periods of time far too frequently. The flexible team is made up of part-time workers who are willing to offer cover on a voluntary basis on the basis of a temporary contract. This contract gives them the ability to choose when and in which departments they would want to work additional hours. Temp agencies also provide assistance during peak times; however, due to the relatively high cost of these agencies, only a small percentage of the affiliated hospitals make use of them. The purpose of this white paper is to present a comprehensive analysis of the benefits and drawbacks associated with the various forms of flexible deployment, as well as to make a few observations concerning the flexible deployment of specialist nursing personnel (Cardoen, 2018).

The second aspect is the adaptable distribution of chores. Patient care, administration, projects, induction, training, and other related activities are included in this. Depending on the amount of work that has to be done, jobs can be postponed accordingly. Training and projects can be scheduled for periods of the year when there is less activity, while administrative responsibilities can be moved to times of the day or week when there is less activity available. Following that is flexible planning for personnel. By utilizing shift work, hospitals are able to more effectively coordinate the supply and demand of healthcare services. There are day shifts, night shifts, early shifts, and late shifts in the majority of hospitals. In today’s world, split shifts are becoming less typical. It is also possible for employees to benefit from working shifts. At University Hospital Brussels, for instance, a 12-hour shift system was implemented in response to staff demand. This system’s primary advantage is that it enables employees to avoid working during rush hour. It is necessary to establish minimum and maximum limitations for each day, week, and/or year in order to prevent individuals from working excessively or insufficiently. According to Cardoen (2018), the annual hours system makes it feasible to adjust for peaks and troughs in the workload in a more effective manner and to take into consideration the personal circumstances of the employee.

When it comes to location, there is the idea of flexibility. It is possible for care personnel (and other staff) to work on multiple campuses of the same hospital, in several hospitals within a network, or in care institutions within an integrated network. This is contingent upon the operational criteria that are being met. This has the potential to be beneficial not only for the organizations that are participating but also for the personnel. When it comes to certain employees, the combination of working in a hospital and providing home care can be a beneficial solution because it enables them to be employed in a more satisfying manner and for a longer period of time. In most cases, it is not practicable for care staff to perform their jobs from home. Lastly, there is the idea of flexibility that is inherent to the system. The decision to do nothing in response to the lack of available workers is still another alternative. In this scenario, the nursing staff that is present is required to take on additional responsibilities by reorganizing their activities, attending to a greater number of patients (which does not improve the quality of care), or working overtime (which can lead to stress and even burnout in the long run). In spite of the fact that doing nothing could appear to be the most straightforward answer, there are undoubtedly some dangers involved (Cardoen, 2018).

Volume flexibility is the umbrella term that encompasses the many types of flexibility that have been mentioned. In addition, this white paper provides a concise discussion on mix flexibility, which refers to the provision of a variety of services, as well as the influence of network formation on this type of flexibility. Additionally, it discusses delivery flexibility, which refers to the possibility of altering the location and time of the services that are provided; for hospitals, flexible examination times are virtually the only possible form of delivery flexibility. Finally, it discusses product/service flexibility, which refers to the possibility of introducing new products or services, with a particular emphasis on the benefits and drawbacks of technological advancement (Cardoen, 2018). According to the findings of one study, there is a statistically significant correlation between flexible working hours and the employee performance. On the other hand, an unexpected FWS was discovered in the hospitals, which are considered to be management-centered rather than employee-centered. Therefore, the study suggested that organization leaders in Nigeria should view the implementation of the flexible working arrangement from a broader perspective and as employee-centered. Additionally, the study suggested that the employees should be given the opportunity to make decisions regarding the flexible working arrangement that is available to them in order to improve the efficiency of the working system (Osisioma et al., 2016).

Theory on Flexible- Firm Model by Atkinson (1984)

The core group and the periphery group are the two separate groups that are created by the Flexible-Firm model, which divides the personnel of an organization together. This core group is comprised of full-time primary workers and internal workers that are essential to the operation of the organization, have a high level of functional flexibility, and are difficult to replace due to their high level of expertise, knowledge, and experience. Alternatively, the peripheral group is made up of secondary workers, who typically have a lower level of expertise and experience than the primary workers. The demographics of the people who belong to the peripheral group are very varied due to the fact that their talents are readily available in the labor market. This indicates that they may be sourced at short notice, in accordance with the amount and nature of specific jobs, and that they are typically only required during times of the week that are particularly task-heavy. Atkinson proposed three distinct types of flexibility that can be found within an organization (Mupani. 2015). These types of flexibility are in addition to his core and peripheral groups.

All of these are as follows: (a) Functional Flexibility – This is linked to high levels of proficiency across a wide variety of jobs, as demonstrated by the core group of workers. It enables management to move core employees between different workforces and activities, which makes it more efficient. For a workforce to develop functional flexibility, it is typically necessary to improve the amount of training provided, to have more flexible working hours, and to reevaluate the amount of compensation and value provided to the organization. (a) Numerical Flexibility – This is a concept that is typically associated with the peripheral workforce and is connected to the number of low-skilled workers that are available in the labor market environment. According to the concept of numerical flexibility, employers are able to match the number of employees under contract at the company with the labor demands of the company. This is something that can be accomplished through the utilization of flexible employment strategies such as temporary labor, short-term contracts, outsourcing, and other alternative approaches. (c) Financial Flexibility – The ability of an organization to modify the price (pay) of labor in accordance with the supply and demand of workers inside the company is what is meant by the term “financial flexibility.” The compensation that is provided to individuals at the termination of their contracts is another aspect that is referred to by this phrase. Based on the findings of Mupani (2015), it can be concluded that financial flexibility is connected to and supportive of numerical and functional flexibility.

Atkinson described two dimensions in which flexibility can be employed, in addition to the three different types of flexibility that are already known to exist. These dimensions are as follows: In the context of the labor market, the concept of flexibility in employment refers to the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. When it comes to making the size and composition of their workforces significantly more flexible, companies have been discovering new and novel ways to do so since probably the 1960s. Subcontracting, remote workers, part-time and “zero-hours” contracts, and many other types of employment are included in this category. Flexibility in the workplace is a term that refers to the degree of adaptability that exists within the organization itself. The debate of work arrangements, such as group work and flexible working hours, as well as the adoption of new technologies that allow for a more flexible production process, are both possible applications of this concept. According to Atkinson (1984), these technologies and work arrangements enable employees to adapt rapidly to changes in the market while simultaneously allowing them to change the composition of their workforce composition. In a study that was conducted in Zimbabwean state institutions, it was found that the universities were experiencing difficulties such rigidity in the labor market and labor allocation, as well as in labor contracts. As a result, the universities were compelled to look for ways to utilize their workers that were both efficient and effective. The primary objective of the study was to determine whether or not their flexible resourcing tactics are an effective branding strategy that has the potential to improve the employer of choice status in state institutions. The findings of the study revealed that specific flexible resourcing tactics, such as flexi-time forty percent of the time, sabbatical leave twenty-one and a half percent, and contact leave twenty-one and a half percent, are effective in enhancing the brand of employers. According to the respondents, these techniques were well received because they gave workers the opportunity to perform additional errands in order to provide for their families. Employees are dissatisfied with the unequal treatment they receive in terms of compensation and benefits, which poses a danger to the psychological contract and is a source of stress (Mupani. 2015).

The staff development programs were successful in obtaining twelve percent of the respondents, and it is evident that employees who are provided with the opportunity to enhance their skill range are connected with higher levels of job satisfaction and motivation. The difficulty that was discovered over the course of the study was that colleges receive orders from the government, which makes it difficult for them to entirely wean themselves off of bureaucracy. Additionally, there was a lack of integration between the Human Resources department and other line management functions, as well as between the HR department and the top brass of the university. As a result, there was a lack of funds available for staff development programs, contact leave, sabbatical leave, and to ensure equity in allowances (Mupani. 2015).

Stress

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence that employees’ views of justice on organizational work-life balance initiatives have on their performance of counterproductive work behavior (CWB by employees). Quantitative evidence obtained from 224 individuals working in the public sector indicated that informational justice, adaptive perfectionism, and maladaptive perfectionism all have substantial main and moderating effects on counterproductive work behavior (CWB). According to Beauregard (2014), one of the most important things that can be learnt from this study is that it is crucial to provide employees with complete disclosure of information regarding the availability of work-life balance initiatives and the decision-making process regarding these initiatives in order to prevent an increase in counterproductive work behavior. There was a lower quality of life on the work conditions, control at work, and home-work interface subscales, according to the findings of a sample of 146 healthcare workers in Uganda who were working in a variety of contexts. According to the findings of Opollo et al. (2014), participants reported feeling less stressed at work and reported greater levels of job and career satisfaction.

From the perspective of the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety (2023), stress is without a doubt one of the most significant challenges that businesses confront when dealing with their workers. According to the findings of recent studies conducted in the United States by the American Psychological Association (2020), about half of all adults experience negative impacts of stress, and between seventy-five and ninety percent of visits to a physician are attributed to causes connected to stress. When it comes to successfully managing a work-life balance, the capacity to manage and control stress is one of the most important components.  at order to achieve a better balance between their professional and personal lives, the majority of Filipino workers at a recruitment agency are willing to forego higher earnings or job advancements. There is a tsunami of resignations taking place in the Philippines, according to the Talent Trends 2022 report titled “The Great X.” Almost half of the employees who have been working at their current jobs have not been there for more than two years. The generation of workers that we are currently employing places a high value on contentment (Page, 2019).

The ability to effectively manage one’s time is another crucial component in maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Effective time management is a panacea for improving the efficiency of an organization. Time management practices are difficult to quantify, but the results of employee performance are a significant factor in determining how well they are managed (Chanie et al. 2020).   Workers are able to concentrate on their lives outside of work when they are given time off from their jobs.  It provides the worker with a place to relax and enjoy their time away from the workplace, allowing them to re-energize and appreciate their work. As a result, workers are able to return to their jobs feeling refreshed and with clear minds.  Taking a break from work will assist in maintaining a healthy work-life balance, as well as preventing burnout and stress associated to work. Additionally, research indicates that employees who make full use of their paid vacation vacations have a 6.5% greater chance of being promoted (Janza. 2020).

Work-Life Balance

 It is necessary to constantly negotiate the boundaries between work and non-work-related times and places in order to function effectively in a complex society. In most cases, there is no clear demarcation between work and non-work periods (Sen. et al. 2018). This is not to say that work and non-work life are always at opposing ends of an individual’s life; rather, it is to say that there is no clear dividing line between work and non-work hours.  Within the realm of public discourse, the phrase “work-life balance” (WLB) has been gaining an increasing amount of popularity. It is a term that is frequently used in businesses, particularly large ones, and it is frequently stated to constitute the basis of the activities that corporations engage in by way of corporate welfare. It is described as the individual’s impression that activities that are not related to work are compatible with one another and support growth in accordance with the priorities that an individual is currently focusing on in their life.  According to the findings of a recent study, a better work-life balance (WLB) not only promotes job satisfaction, job performance, and organizational commitment, but it also cultivates life and family contentment. According to Gragnano et al.’s research from 2020, WLB also works to lessen the negative effects of stress, including psychological distress, emotional tiredness, anxiety, and depression.

Work-Life Balance (WLP) Due to the fact that the individual is the fundamental component of the society’s ability to function in a healthy manner, WLB is of the utmost importance to governments and policy makers. The working population is experiencing information overload as a result of the growing dependence on information technology that has occurred over the course of the years. In addition to being willing to work on weekends, it is expected of employees that they will be able to extend their working hours. In addition, it is expected of employees that they will be available at all times and will respond promptly to emails and phone calls that are received outside of normal working hours. For Sen et al. (2018), this contributes to the sources of pressure that are present in the workplace. A number of factors have contributed to the rise in the number of scholarly works that focus on work-life balance (WLB). These factors include the growing number of women who are actively participating in the workforce, technology advancements, societal shifts in attitudes toward the relationship between work and family, and the variety of family structures (Greenhaus & Kossek, 2014). Several theoretical work-family models are included in the research works that are concentrated on the concept of work-life balance. Despite the fact that research on work-life balance has developed to a greater level, there remain significant gaps in our knowledge of difficulties related to work and family (Powell et al. 2019).

In addition, researchers have utilized a variety of operational definitions and measurements for the construct during the course of studies that have investigated WLB and associated issues. According to Kalliath and Brough (2008), work-life balance (WLB) is defined as “the individual’s perception that work and non-work activities are compatible and promote growth in accordance with an individual’s current life priorities.” WLB is defined as “a self-defined, self-determined state of well-being that a person can reach, or can set as a goal, that allows them to effectively manage multiple responsibilities at work, at home, and in their community; it supports physical, emotional, family, and community health, and does so without grief, stress, or negative impact” (Canadian Department of Labor, 2006). WLB is important because it allows individuals to effectively manage multiple responsibilities at work, at home, and in their community. The work–life balance (WLB) has been the subject of study that has, up until this point, concentrated mostly on the work and family domains. On the other hand, the present labor force is diverse, and workers may also place importance on various non-work-related domains in addition to taking care of their families. The findings demonstrated that workers valued their health in the same way as they valued their families in the WLB. The work-family balance (WFB) was shown to explain less of the variance in job satisfaction than the work-health balance (WHB), which explained more of the variance. The effect of the WFB on job satisfaction was affected by several factors, including age, gender, and parental status. Additionally, the effect of the WHB on job satisfaction was moderated by work ability. The findings of this study emphasize the significance of the health domain in the WLB and emphasize how important it is to take into account the specificities of various groups of workers when thinking about the WLB (Gragnano et al. 2020).

Work-life balance was found to have a favorable influence on job satisfaction and performance, according to the findings of one study that involved empirical evidence. In addition, the findings demonstrated that job satisfaction acts as a partial mediator in the connection between work-life balance and job performance. Additionally, it was discovered that the association between work-life balance and job performance, as well as the relationship between job satisfaction and job performance, is moderated when Family-Supportive Supervisor Behaviors interact with work-life balance and job satisfaction. According to Susano et al.’s 2020 research, our findings yield fascinating and important insights that can be used to both research and practice.

A greater proportion of a physician’s time is spent at work than at home. Despite the fact that businesses are reaching new heights, the doctor’s ability to maintain a healthy work-life balance is no longer under their hands. The increase in the amount of work that needs to be done is a reflection of the doctors’ inability to maintain a healthy work-life balance. It is about time that medical professionals devise methods or plans to deal with the issue, which will enable them to take pleasure in their work and allow them to experience life to the fullest.  According to the findings of a multivariate analysis, there is a positive correlation between work-life balance and all three aspects of burnout, namely emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and professional efficacy, as well as the motivation to continue working in the same profession (Thangamalai, 2022).

When compared to the lives of other professionals, those who work in healthcare have a number of distinct differences. Not from the standpoint of an overwhelming level of personal and professional accomplishment, but rather from the perspective of the enormous amount of psychological stress and worry that is engaged in it, this is distinct. Previous research has demonstrated that those who work in the health care industry, particularly those who work in the medical field, are susceptible to mental health issues. Additionally, there is a correlation between stress in the workplace and emotional tiredness, which can lead to a loss of passion for one’s work, feelings of powerlessness, melancholy, and a sense of failure. Emotional factors are inherently associated with a job, and the responsibilities that are associated with the needs of patients, the sensation of being overburdened, the presence of organizational responsibilities, and the problems that are associated with working relationships and career advancement are frequently identified as occupational stressors among medical professionals (Pattnaik et al., 2021).

Work Family Border Theory (Clark 2000)

One of the most important aspects of this theory is the concept that work and family serve as distinct spheres that mutually impact one another. At work, bosses are frequently referred to as “border keepers,” whereas spouses are considered to be the most important border keepers at home. “Border crossers” are employees who make daily transitions between two different settings, frequently adapting their attention, their aims, and their interpersonal style to meet the specific requirements of each setting (Peng et al., 2021). Therefore, employees are deemed to be “border crossers.” According to the findings of a study conducted in China among pre-school teachers, it was discovered that family boundary flexibility acts as a mediator between the relationships between family support and family to work enrichment (FWE). On the other hand, work boundary flexibility did not act as a mediator between organizational support and work to family enrichment (WFE) (Peng et al., 2021). In light of the fact that Chinese society is a sensible society, it is underlined that emotion and rationality should be taken into consideration, with the former being given priority over the latter. As a result, the organization ought to first provide teachers with increased professional autonomy, respect, emotional care, and instrumental support in order to enhance teachers’ capacity to utilize resources across borders. This can be accomplished by providing teachers with a greater number of opportunities for professional development and a variety of demand-based training (Peng et al., 2021). When it comes to healthcare professionals, having a high level of work-life balance is a reflection of a successful integration, transition, and absence of conflict. When it comes to job-related elements that have an effect on an individual’s personal life, the aspect of work-life balance that is being evaluated in this study is the degree to which work interferes with personal life responsibilities. It evaluates the influence that one’s job has on their personal life. In addition to this, it is being evaluated in terms of the interference that personal life has on work, which makes reference to the impact that personal life has on work or the interference that it causes. It is a measurement of the opposite phenomenon, which is the influence that an individual’s personal life has on their professional life. As a last step, it is evaluated in terms of the enhancement of work and personal life, which refers to the ways in which work and personal life complement and improve one another. In addition, the things contribute to a better understanding of the support and enhancement that work provides for personal life and vice versa.

Profile and Perceptions on Flexible Working Hours

A strong statistical correlation was found between the choice to engage in flexible working hours at public health facilities and factors such as age, gender, union power, and workforce shortages (nurses). The findings of the study demonstrated that all of these factors had a significance. The analysis, on the other hand, showed that pay was associated with unfavorable outcomes and is a variable that can be considered inconsequential. At any given period, the choice of flexible hours employed by nurses is negatively impacted by the health workforce as well as the age of the nurse. On the other hand, the adoption of flexible working arrangements by nurses is positively impacted by gender and the power of the union. At a public hospital that serves a dynamic urban population, the use of flexible hours by nurses hampered the efficiency of screening, testing, and possibly management of COVID-19 cases. It was shown that flexible work schedules were associated with a number of negative impacts, including headaches and backaches, stress, difficulty sleeping, poor accuracy, and issues with family life. When compared to their male counterparts, female nurses were more likely to see adverse effects. Flexi hours continue to be an important tool for assisting employees in meeting the demands of their individual lives. However, in order to provide employers with better performance and productivity, there is a requirement for a comprehensive policy structure as well as methods for its execution. If nurses’ safety were guaranteed in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, then the process of systematically implementing flexible hours in settings with limited resources would be beneficial. Both the requirement for safety measures to prevent exposure to coronavirus by nurses and increases in the availability of personal protective equipment (PPE) are equally vital for maintaining the adoption of a flexible working hours schedule that is feasible for nurses (and can be implemented). In order for the nurses to be able to make thoughtful decisions that strike a balance between the expectations of the organization and those of the individual, they need to be properly educated about the impacts of flexible hours. To facilitate the development of evidence-based policy decisions for the management of effects resulting from extended working hours, public health institutions are required to provide data on flexible working schedules. Continued health research is required in order to meet the ever-evolving demands of the health sector and employees working in settings with limited resources, particularly with regard to the elimination of the coronavirus (COVID-19) (Bernard, 2020).

Profile and Work-Life Balance 

According to Waters and Bardoel (2006), what is known as WLB exhibits considerable variances in connection to demographic data.  Regarding WLB, factors such as age (Powell et al., 2019), gender (Thilagavathy & Geetha, 2020), and marital status (Powell et al., 2019) were found to distinguish one another in a manner that was statistically significant. According to Jenkins and Harvey (2019), there has been a notable rise in the number of women who are actively participating in the labor force. WLB problems are more prevalent among couples who have both careers (Crawford et al., 2019). According to Denstadli et al. (2017), the majority of an employee’s time is spent either traveling to and from work or attending to their family and professional obligations. (Dumas & Perry-Smith, 2018; Srinivasan & Sulur Nachimuthu, 2021) Research has shown that spouses who have dual careers and live in nuclear families find it challenging to maintain a healthy balance between their professional and personal lives. Taking care of senior members of the family is one of the challenges that come with having a joint family (Powell et al. 2019). Therefore, family demands are a poor indicator of work-life balance (Haar et al., 2019). Better WLB is made possible by the support of one’s spouse (Dumas & Perry-Smith, 2018). The presence of family support has a favorable impact on work-life balance, particularly for couples who are both working and have dependent responsibilities (Groysberg & Abrahams, 2014).

One conclusion that can be drawn from the findings is that flexible working arrangements have the potential to be beneficial in terms of facilitating a better work–life balance and family functioning. However, it is imperative that we remain cognizant of the gendered ways in which it is being utilized and is anticipated to be utilized. To put it another way, when it comes to comprehending the repercussions of flexible working arrangements, gender is an important factor. Men and women employ flexible working arrangements in various ways, which results in varied outcomes in terms of their well-being, the balance between their professional and personal lives, and the intensity of their job. There is a consistent finding that women are more likely to (or are expected to) carry out more household tasks while working flexibly, whereas males are more likely to (or are expected to) prioritize and expand their work domains. This is a conclusion that has been seen on multiple occasions. As a consequence of this, women who are more likely to experience unfavorable career outcomes as a result of flexible working arrangements are the ones who are more likely to be affected by these results (Chung.2018). When it comes to understanding such patterns, however, we need to exercise caution because it is a matter of choice. According to Chung and van der Lippe (2018), women may be encouraged to view their work realms as a limitation that they must manage and negotiate in order to fulfill their obligations to their families and domestic responsibilities.

Perceptions on Flexible Working Hours and Work-Life Balance

In today’s world, the workplace is increasingly recognizing the significance of flexible working hours. Because of the numerous advantages that flexibility confers on both the employee and the employer, a great number of companies provide their workers with the opportunity to work at their own pace. The most typical benefits are increased employee productivity as well as increased revenue for individuals and organizations. The promotion and facilitation of work-life balance is another benefit of flexible working hours. Having a healthy balance between work and personal life might result in decreased stress and improved well-being for employees.

The authors of this study (Shagvaliyeva & Yazdanifard, 2014) looked into the connection between having flexible working hours and having a healthy work-life balance. Using hierarchical regression analysis, it was discovered that employees’ work-life balance was favorably associated to individual-oriented working time flexibility, whereas organization-oriented working time flexibility had a negative influence on the employees’ work-life balance. There was just a marginal impact from the employees’ individual choices with regard to the separation of their personal lives and professional lives. Those who have a higher desire for segmentation not only benefit marginally more from individual-oriented working time flexibility, but they also suffer marginally more from the demands of organization-oriented working time flexibility (Wohrmann et al., 2021).

According to the findings of a study, a positive and quite substantial correlation exists between work-life balance and flexible working options. In addition, the research showed that a healthy balance between work and personal life is a powerful mediator between flexible working arrangements and job happiness. In the recommendations made by Aziz-Ur-Rehman et al. (2019), the importance of offering acceptable flexible arrangements within a company is stressed. These recommendations aim to improve the satisfaction of employees, enhance their performance, preserve work-family enrichment, and ultimately raise productivity.

Synthesis

 Self-scheduling is another name for flexible scheduling, which allows employees to choose their own shift that has been coordinated with the supervisors and approved by managers or employers.  With the help of this strategy, managers are able to control the work schedule in accordance with their expectations and requirements. The tools or apps that employees use allow them to see what shifts are available for them. They are free to choose the shifts they want to work or to trade shifts with one another. They are able to talk with managers or fellow workers in order to find mutually agreeable solutions to difficulties in their work schedules. One can eliminate the need to undertake all the labor involved in scheduling by using flexible scheduling. This will save time while providing employees with the leeway to maintain a healthy work-life balance. When there is a fluctuation in the requirements of the clientele, this is also an excellent choice.

Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is not only essential for one’s health and the quality of their relationships, but it also has the potential to boost an employee’s productivity and, as a result, their overall performance. Employees are motivated to put in more effort, make less mistakes, and be more likely to become brand champions for their company when they have a healthy balance between their personal lives and their professional lives at work. To lessen the possibility of becoming burned out, it is critical to strike a healthy balance between one’s professional and personal responsibilities. Enjoying life more generally can be one of the benefits that come from striking a healthy balance between one’s professional and personal lives. If one is able to successfully split their time between their work and personal commitments, they will be able to free up more time for themselves to pursue their own interests and spend time with the people they care about the most. It is essential to find a balance between one’s professional and personal life because doing so can also contribute to improved health outcomes.

The review of related literature and studies shows the trend in flexible working hours and the need for a work-life balance. A fast-paced life in the city, an increase in the country’s population and rising poverty in the Philippines makes one parent or both parents need to work one or multiple jobs. Having a flexi schedule allows them to work 1-2 jobs in order to meet the needs of the family as well as being able to give them quality time. A family quality time has been defined by some as having more than 15 mins of uninterrupted time together.   The studies above were based on theories made by Atkinson in 1984 which is known as the Flexible-Firm Model and Work-Border theory by Clark in 2000. Both theories were more or less interconnected that having a good flexible schedule among employees benefited a better relationship between employers and family members.  The majority of the studies were able to point out the relationship between the two variables.  Most of the literature above mostly showed the benefits of flexi-time that there was an improved work productivity, better client satisfaction, better family quality time compared to having a strict set of working schedules. Most of these studies however, were done in private non-healthcare companies. It showed the advantage of having flexi-time resulting in a good work-life balance. A good work-life balance resulted in good mental and physical health. This resulted in lesser stress. Studies in health care companies were scarce. However, a study was done among nurses but showed certain limitations like short-staffing, retention of nurses and budgetary constraints. There was also limitation in the discussion of how nurses cope up between problems at home and in work. Studies on work-life balance should not only include that of the nurses but also the work-life balance among doctors who have longer shifts compared to nurses and are on-call daily 24/7. There was also a lack of study on the flexi-time schedule among the other essential employees in the hospital. Thus, more studies must be done on flexi-time and work-life balance among hospital employees in government and private hospitals since stress and burn-out among them has been relatively high as well.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Design. This quantitative research made use of descriptive, correlational research design. The researcher used a descriptive design as it determines the profile of the respondents in terms of age, gender, civil status, highest educational attainment, position, years of service, and number of family members at home as well as determining the perceptions on flexible working hours and Work- Life Balance. The study is correlational as it assessed the significant relationship between profile and perceptions on flexible working hours, profile and work-life balance, and perceptions on flexible working hours and Work-life Balance

Environment. This study was conducted in Saint Anthony Mother and Child Hospital (SAMCH).  It is a Department. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital (SAMCH).  It is a Department of Health retained specialty hospital that offers accessible, equitable, sustainable, and quality maternal and child health care services.

Respondents. The respondents were the hospital employees of SAMCH. Currently there are 323 regular hospital employees with 72 contractual employees. There are a total of 395 regular employees. Of the 395 employees, 116 employees are working on a fixed schedule with a time of 8 AM to 5 PM. The Actual respondents of the study were 86. The respondents were divided according to: Medical department is with 14 population where actual respondents were 10 at 71 percent. Nursing Service department is with 17 population where actual respondents were 16 at 94 percent. Medical Allied Services department is with 20 population where 17 were actual respondents at 85%, and Administrative Department with 66 as the population with 43 as actual respondents at 65 percent.

Sampling Design. No sampling was instituted. Instead, a complete enumeration was used in the study.

Inclusion Criteria. The inclusion criteria of this research study included employees as follows: (a) performing duties between 8 AM to 5 PM; (b) those from the ancillary, administrative /support department, medical department and nursing department; (c) the regular/ plantilla personnel and the contractual/JO employees; and (d) employees performing both patient care and/or clerical or administrative work.

Exclusion Criteria. The exclusion criteria for respondents did not involve employees who are performing 24-hour, 12-hour or 16-hour job functions. Those employees who are on shifting rotation were also included. This does not involve employees who are hired or outsourced from an agency to work in the hospital.

Instrument. This study made use of a three-part questionnaire. Part one of the instrument determines the profile of the respondents in terms of age, gender, civil status, religion, highest educational attainment, position, years of service, and number of family members at home.

Part two of the instrument is an adapted questionnaire from the study known as the Staggered Working Hours (SWH) by Ahmed et al. (2013). It is composed of 15 items using a five-point Likert scale where 1 means strongly disagree and 5 means strongly agree.

Reliability testing. Test conducted from the field indicates that the alpha value for SWH was 0.752.

Parametric scoring and interpretation. A score of 1.00 – 1.80 is very poor 1.81 – 2.60 is poor, 2.61 – 3.40 is fair , 3.41 – 4.20 is good, and 4.21 – 5.00 is very good.

Part three of the instrument is an adapted standard questionnaire named, The Work Life Balance (WLB) from the study of Agha et al. (2017). The 15-item scale measured Work Interference with Personal Life (WIPL) (7 items), Personal Life Interference with Work (PLIW) (4 items), and Work Personal Life Enhancement (WPLE) (4 items) as three constructs of WLB. WLB is measured using a 5-point Likert scale anchored with the end points 1=strongly disagree to 5=strongly agree. Two items, Q6 (I struggle to juggle work and non-work) and Q7 (I am happy with the amount of time for non-work activities), correspond to negative and positive work-life balance respectively

Reliability Testing. The subscales identified above were analyzed for reliability using Cronbach’s alpha model. The results of the reliability analysis are Work Interference with Personal Life is 0.9, Personal Life Interference with Work is 0.0, and Work Personal Life Enhancement is 0.745. All the three subscales were found to have high reliability with Cronbach alphas in excess of 0.8.

Parametric scoring and interpretation. A score of 1.00 – 1.80 is very poor, 1.81 – 2.60 is poor, 2.61 – 3.40 is fair, 3.41 – 4.20 is good, and 4.21 – 5.00 is very good.

Data Gathering Procedures.The study started with the submission of titles for approval and assignment of research adviser.  A letter was secured and addressed to the Dean of the University of Visayas, College of Allied Health Sciences and the Chief Academic Officer. Another letter was given to the Medical Center Chief through the Chief training Officer, then to the Technical Research Committee of St. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital to survey the respondents.  The design hearing was conducted last May 2023 to assess technical ethical soundness of the paper. Approval from the Ethics Committee or Institutional Review Board (IRB) was secured prior to the start of the survey. Once the study was approved by the technical and ethics committee, the questionnaire was immediately given to the respondents. The study used a questionnaire designed for collecting and recording data. The respondents had a self-evaluation in order to answer the questions being asked in the questionnaire. Recruitment was done through face-to-face sessions. With the prevalence of the COVID-19 pandemic, strict measures were applied to prevent cross-infection, such as wearing of masks, social distancing, and sanitizing. The questionnaire was placed in a plastic envelope for easy disinfection. It was also sanitized before and after data gathering. Data collection was done after the respondents have answered the questionnaire. After all data has been gathered, data were collated and subjected to statistical analysis. Data was analyzed and interpreted after being collated. Data were presented in tables along with the interpretations, implications, and supporting literature and studies. At the end of the study, the answered questionnaires were shredded along with any identifying data.

Statistical Treatment of Data. The statistical treatment was used to treat the gathered data, to wit: Simple Percentage and Frequency Distribution was used to present the profile of the respondents. Then, Chi-Square was used in assessing whether there was a significant correlation between the profile and the perceptions of flexible working hours, as well as to determine whether there is a significant correlation between the profile and work-life balance.  Cramer’s V was used to assess the strength of relationship should there be a correlation between the variables of profile and perceived flexible working hours and work-life balance. And, Pearson r. was used to assess the significant relationship between the perceived flexible working hours and work-life balance of the respondents…

Ethical Consideration. The study was approved by the University of the Visayas–Institution Research Board.

PRESENTATION, INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA

Table 1 Profile of the Hospital Employees

Profile	f	%
Age
19 – 35 years old (Young adulthood)	45	52.30
36 – 55 years old (Middle adulthood)	38	44.20
56 years old above (Late adulthood)	3	3.50
Gender
Male	30	34.90
Female	56	65.10
Civil Status
Single	32	37.20
Married	54	62.80
Religion
Catholic	73	84.90.
Protestant	3	3.50
Iglesia ni Cristo	1	1.20
Islam	1	1.20
7th Day Adventist	2	2.30
Others	6	7.00
Highest Educational Attainment
High School Graduate	1	1.20
College Level	11	12.80
College Degree	40	46.50
Master’s Level	13	15.10
Master’s Degree	8	9.30
Doctorate Level	2	2.30
Medical Doctor Degree	11	12.80
Department
Nursing	16	18.60
Medical	10	11.60
Allied	9	10.50
Administrative and Support	42	48.80
Ancillary	9	10.50
Years of Service
0 to 6 months	8	9.30
6 months to 1 year	15	17.40
2 to 5 years	28	32.60
6 to 10 years	16	18.60
11 to 15 years	5	5.80
16 to 20 years	6	7.00
21 years and above	8	9.30
Number of Family Members at Home
One	4	4.70
Two	9	10.50
Three	18	20.90
Four	20	23.30
Five	18	20.90
Six	5	5.80
Seven	5	5.80
Eight	2	2.30
Nine	4	4.70
Ten and above	1	1.20

Note: n=86.

The table shows that for the working population of the hospital are adults. Most of the respondents belong to the early to middle adult age group. Persons aged 15 -64 years old are considered the working age or the economically active population (Philippine Statistics Authority. 2022).  They are considered the prime age of a working population.  In the Levinson theory (1977), the development of individuals in early adulthood manifested itself in 5 periods including 2 building periods and three transitional periods such as early adulthood (17-22 years old), introduction into life structure for early adulthood (22-28 years old) the transition of age 30 (28-33 yrs. old), ending the life structure of early adulthood (33-40 years old), and mid -age transition around 40-45 years old (Aktu et al., 2017).  It can also be divided into middle adulthood (mid 30s to 60s) and late adulthood (mid 60s to death), early middle age (35-44), late middle age (45-64). In the Philippines, individuals who are 15 years old or older are considered to be of working age. In 2022, it was predicted that there were 76.56 million, which is an increase over the previous year’s estimated number. According to the statistics provided by the Statista Research Department in 2023, the employment rate in the Philippines was an estimated 94.6 percent in that year, which is about similar to 47 million people. Policies regarding the working age group in the Philippines are required to adhere to the policies mandated by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). This DOLE mandate states that no child under the age of 15 shall be employed, with the exception of situations in which the child works directly under the sole responsibility of his parents or guardians and his employment does not in any way interfere with his schooling. Also, any individual who is between the ages of 15 and 18 years old is eligible to work for such a certain number of hours and during such a particular time of the day. Under no circumstances will the regulations that have been presented above permit the employment of a person who is younger than 18 years old in a job that is considered to be hazardous (DOLE. 2014).

The majority of the respondents were females and the remaining one-third were males. In the year 2021, the rate of males to females in the Philippines is 100.79 males for every 100 females. Males make up 55.74 million of the population of the Philippines, while females make up 55.31 million. 49.80 percent of the population is comprised of females, while the male population accounts for 50.20 percent of the total population. Statistics Times estimates that there are 0.43 million more boys than females in the Philippines in the year 2021.

The majority of the respondents were married and the remaining one-third of the respondents were single. With regard to the findings, it was discovered that out of the 86 million Filipinos who were included in the census in the year 2020, around 34.3 million had never been married. This figure is somewhat higher than the 33.9 million Filipinos who were married (Gumban, 2023).

The majority of the respondents in this study were Catholics.  This is an affirmation of the fact that the Philippines is a Catholic-dominated country. It is a point of pride for the Philippines to be the sole Christian nation in all of Asia. Over eighty-six percent of the population is Roman Catholic, six percent is affiliated with a variety of nationalized Christian cults, and two percent is affiliated with well over one hundred Protestant denominations. The southern islands of Mindanao, Sulu, and Palawan are home to a sizeable Muslim minority that accounts for four percent of the population. This minority is in addition to the Christian majority that rules the country. The remaining two percent adhere to non-Western, indigenous beliefs and customs, and they are dispersed over mountainous regions that are secluded from the rest of the world (Miller, 2023).

Almost half of the respondents were college degree holders. This is then followed by respondents at the master’s level. Some were college degree holders and medical doctor degree holders. Also, few were master’s degree holders and very few were at the doctorate level and one was a high school graduate. This is also a confirmation that if one is a degree holder in the Philippines, it is simple to obtain employment opportunities. This is a positive development for those who are interested in working. The highest educational attainment was a question that was asked of all individuals aged five years and older in the Census of Population and Housing that was conducted in the year 2020. According to the census, 38.6% of the population had reached or completed the majority of high school or secondary school (graduate: 21.7%; undergraduate: 16.8%), 29.5 percent had reached or completed the majority of elementary school (graduate: 9.5%; undergraduate: 20.0%), and 23.4 percent had reached or completed the majority of college (graduate: 13.5%; undergraduate: 10.0%). On the other hand, only 0.3% of the population have achieved or finished their post-baccalaureate education (Philippine Statistics Authority, 2023).

Most of the respondents came from the administrative and support group. This is then followed by the respondents coming from the nursing department and followed by those coming from the medical department. The remaining respondents came from the allied health group and ancillary department. In contrast to the findings, the World Health Organization (2022) estimates that the global workforce for nursing and midwifery consists of around 27 million men and women. This constitutes close to half of the number of people working in the health sector worldwide. There is a lack of health workers all throughout the world, particularly healthcare professionals such as nurses and midwives, who account for more than fifty percent of the current shortage in health workers. When it comes to the delivery of primary and community care, as well as the promotion of health and the prevention of disease, nurses play an essential role. They are able to provide medical assistance in emergency situations and will play a crucial role in the realization of universal health coverage. If there are sufficient numbers of nurses and midwives who are well-trained and educated, regulated and well-supported, and who receive remuneration and recognition that is appropriate with the services and quality of care that they deliver, then it will be possible to achieve health for all.

In terms of the years of service over one-third of the respondents have served for 2 to 5 years already. Some have served for 6 to 10 years already while some had served for 6 months to 1 year. Few had served for 0 to 6 months and 1 year and above. Very few had served for 16 to 20 years and 11 to 15 years. This implies that respondents vary in terms of their years of service. Security of tenure is one of the benefits of working in the national government service. 15 years is the minimum years of service that a government employee can retire and receive retirement benefits. Maximum is up to the age of 65 years old or 36 years in the government service.

 Almost a quarter of the respondents had four family members at home. This was then followed by those with three and five family members. Few had two and the remaining respondents had six, seven, one, nine, and eight family members at home. Lastly, there was one respondent who had ten family members at home. All of the employees are working to meet the demands of their families.

According to the findings of the research carried out by Galotera (2013), which was also done among hospital personnel, the majority of hospital employees were found to be between the ages of 21 and 29 years old, and more than fifty percent of them were female (53.0%). The vast majority of them had just graduated from college and had worked in the hospital for a period of time that was less than three years. In addition to that, the majority of the staff members were employed by the Nursing Committee.

Table 2 Perceived Flexible Working Hours on the Hospital Employees

Statements	Mean score	SD	Interpretation
I feel comfortable with the implementation of staggered working hours (SWH) compared to the normal working schedule.	3.78	1.14	Agree
Selection of suitable working shift (WS) allows me to spend more time with my family.	4.21	.960	Strongly agree
Selection of suitable working shift (WS) allows me to sort out my personal matters at home without interrupting working hour.	4.14	1.03	Agree
I have ample rest time to be with my family by selecting the suitable working shift (WS).	4.12	.987	Agree
Implementation of SWH is able to increase my service quality to the customer.	3.77	1.12	Agree
I feel stressed at work when my responsibilities and my children’s welfare and safety at home are neglected.	3.77	1.04	Agree
I feel SWH helps me from being late to the office.	3.42	1.21	Agree
I feel that service to customers will be affected if staffs are late to work.	4.38	.785	Strongly agree
9.     I feel that tardiness issues can be reduced through the implementation of SWH in all departments in the government sector.	3.48	1.09	Agree
10.  I have a high commitment to come to work through the implementation of SWH.	3.74	1.02	Agree
11.  In my opinion high commitment among staff is important in strengthening the public sector system.	4.44	.761	Strongly agree
12.  My motivation level at work can be increased through SWH.	3.71	1.12	Agree
13.  Staff motivation level can be increased through the implementation of new policy by the government such as SWH.	3.78	.951	Agree
14.  In my opinion, more time spent with the family may increase my motivation level at work.	4.34	.761	Strongly agree
15.  I found that the implementation of SWH provides more time for the customer to deal with the government.	3.79	.935	Agree
Grand mean	3.92	.756	Good

Note: n=86.  *- Negative statements.

Legend: A score of 1.00 – 1.80 is very poor, 1.81 – 2.60 is poor, 2.61 – 3.40 is fair, 3.41 – 4.20 is good, and 4.21 – 5.00 is very good.

The table shows that the perception of flexible working hours was Good. This is backed by the fact that the respondents were able to strongly agree that having the option to choose flexible working hours enables them to spend more time with their families. Additionally, they are in complete agreement that they believe that the quality of services provided to clients will be negatively impacted if employees are tardy to work, and that, according to their viewpoints, a high level of commitment among employees is essential in order to enhance the public sector system. In addition, they are in complete agreement that, in their perspective, spending more time with their family may boost the degree of motivation they have at work.

On top of that, they are in agreement that they are at ease with the implementation of flexible working hours in comparison to the standard working schedule. They are in agreement that having the option to choose flexible working hours gives them the opportunity to handle their personal affairs at home without interfering with their work schedules. In addition, they are in agreement that they have sufficient time to relax and spend with their families because they have chosen flexible working hours. They are also in agreement that the deployment of flexible work schedules has the potential to improve the level of service that they provide to their customers. Additionally, they are in agreement that they experience feeling overwhelmed at work when their obligations, as well as the health and safety of their children at home, are disregarded. Furthermore, they believe that flexible working hours assist them in avoiding arriving late to the office. In addition, they are in agreement that they believe that all departments within the government sector may benefit from the implementation of flexible working hours, which would help minimize the number of instances of tardiness. They are in agreement that the implementation of flexible working hours has resulted in a high level of commitment on their part to come to work, and that the introduction of flexible working hours has the potential to boost their level of motivation while they are at work. In conclusion, they are in agreement that the level of motivation of staff members may be raised by the adoption of new policies by the government, such as flexible working hours. Furthermore, they discovered that the introduction of flexible working hours offers more time for customers to interact with the government.

When it comes to work arrangements, flextime is considered to be the most desirable and viable option. The majority of respondents believed that having flexible working hours helps improve social separation among coworkers and minimizes the likelihood that they may be exposed to COVID-19. According to Poh et al. (2022), a total of nearly half of the respondents were in agreement that the hospital is prepared to commence the implementation of flexible working hours. According to Yeves et al. (2022), flexible work schedules have a favorable impact on mental health over time because they reduce the amount of work that employees have to do. However, this benefit is only seen by employees who do not work from home. The integrated influence of resources acquired through such positive gain spirals increases well-being (Yunnus et al., 2022). These drive perceptions of resource spirals, which in turn enhances well-being.

Those who participated in the survey were able to recognize the benefits and advantages that come with adopting flexible working hours. The employees are aware that this method has the potential to bring about a great deal of efficiency and effectiveness, despite the fact that they have not completely adopted flexible working hours. The advantages that they perceive are the basis for the flexible working hours that they perceive. The fact that nurses and doctors alternate their shifts makes it possible for them to have flexible working hours. In point of fact, they are permitted to take part in the procedures that determine their shift assignments. As an illustration, nurses are permitted to make requests for shift transfers so long as they demonstrate that they meet the qualifications. There is no single shift that nurses are assigned to; rather, they rotate on a regular basis. Flexible working hours are being adopted by consultants, and these hours are determined by the patients they have admitted. Schedule rotation is frequently experienced by other individuals working in the allied healthcare field. Although non-healthcare professionals do not typically have the opportunity to experience flexible working hours, they were able to adjust to the duties and responsibilities that were assigned to them. Given the monotonous nature of their labor, there is no justification for the requirement of flexible working hours. Therefore, they have a favorable impression of flexible working hours since they believe that it offers a greater number of benefits and advantages than is currently the case.

Table 3 Work-life Balance of the Hospital Employees

Dimensions	Mean score	SD	Interpretation
Work Interference with Personal Life
1. My personal life suffers because of work	2.58	1.07	Disagree
2. My job makes personal life difficult	2.57	1.10	Disagree
3. I neglect personal needs because of work	2.67	1.05	Neither agree nor disagree
4. I put personal life on hold for work	2.81	1.13	Neither agree nor disagree
5. I miss my personal activities because of work	2.71	1.06	Neither agree nor disagree
6. I struggle to juggle work and non-work	2.62	.996	Neither agree nor disagree
7. I am happy with the amount of time for non-work activities	3.51	.979	Agree
Factor mean	2.78	.854	Fair
Personal Life Interference with Work
8. My personal life drains me of energy for work*	2.45	1.06	Disagree
9. I am too tired to be effective at work*	2.20	.879	Disagree
10. My work suffers because of my personal life*	2.13	.930	Disagree
11. I find it hard to work because of personal matters*	2.16	.956	Disagree
Factor mean	2.24	.830	Poor
Work Personal Life Enhancement
12. My personal life gives me energy for my job	4.08	.755	Agree
13. My job gives me energy to pursue personal activities	3.88	.832	Agree
14. I am at better mood at work because of my personal life	3.91	.821	Agree
15. I am at better mood because of my job	3.73	.846	Agree
Factor mean	3.90	.684	Good
Grand mean	2.97	.583	Fair

Note: n=86. *- Negative statements.

Legend: A score of 1.00 – 1.80 is very poor, 1.81 – 2.60 is poor, 2.61 – 3.40 is fair, 3.41 – 4.20 is good, and 4.21 – 5.00 is very good.

The table shows that in terms of work interference with personal life, this correlation was rated as Fair. According to the findings, the respondents are in agreement that they are content with the amount of time they have for activities that are not related to their employment. However, they did not agree or disagree with the statement that they fail to meet their personal needs due to their work, that they put their personal lives on wait because of their work, that they lose out on their personal activities because of their work, and that they struggle to balance their work and their personal lives. In addition, they did not agree with the notion that their personal lives are negatively impacted by their jobs or that their jobs made their personal lives more challenging.

Both positive and negative interpretations are possible with regard to the findings. In the sense that the fair level has the potential to advance to the good level when interventions or activities are implemented, this concept is positive. Nevertheless, what is more troubling is the fact that these can lead to perceptions that are poor or even very poor. The fact that they have a fair level may indicate that their personal life is occasionally disrupted by their employment. In the case of physicians, for instance, it is possible that they will have to divert their attention away from their families or other personal affairs in order to attend to patients or emergency circumstances that require their presence in the hospital. In a similar manner, nurses move on to the following shift in the event that the shift that they are supposed to be working is absent. A lesser amount of control is also exercised on the shift that has been assigned, which may potentially interfere with personal matters. With everything taken into consideration, working in the hospital can be extremely challenging at times due to the nature of the business. Since it is open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, so the services should be accessible at all times; yet, it is during these times that they interfere with personal life.

This item received a rating of Poor for the degree to which it interfered with the task that was being done. On the other hand, they did not agree with the assertion that their personal lives sap their energy for work and that they are exhausted from being productive at work. Additionally, they disagree with the notion that their personal life has a negative impact on their work, and they also disagree with the notion that they find it difficult to work due to aspects of their personal lives.

In light of the fact that the assertions are negative, the fact that the respondents disagreed with the statement should be interpreted as representing a positive finding. They do not permit their personal life to get in the way of their professional responsibilities. Due to the fact that the hospital is in the business of dealing with people’s lives, concentration is of the utmost importance. Whenever a person is not paying attention and makes a mistake, it has the potential to result in the death of a patient. It is true that working in a hospital requires concentration, and it is encouraging to learn that nurses and other medical staff members are able to keep their personal lives separate from their professional experiences.

Regarding the enhancement of work and personal life, the rating was given as Good. In agreement with this conclusion, the respondents stated that their personal lives provide them with the energy necessary to perform their jobs, and that their jobs also provide them with the energy necessary to engage in personal activities. Furthermore, they concurred that they are in a better mood at work as a result of their personal lives, and that they are in a better mood as a result of their employment. The fact that hospital staff members feel that their personal lives provide them with inspiration and motivation is a positive discovery. A number of the respondents enable their personal life to have a favorable impact on their professional lives.

According to the findings shown above, the respondents had a healthy balance between their professional and personal lives. It demonstrates that the respondents have reasonable perspectives on the concept of work-life balance, and that they do not permit their personal lives to interfere with their job, nor do they permit their work to have an effect on their personal lives. a showed that six out of every ten hospital employees have a high level of work-life balance in terms of managing time and stress, and that fifty percent of them have perceived a very high level of social skills and work habits in terms of job performance (Sianquita et al., 2017). This serves as evidence in support of the findings that were presented earlier.

On the other hand, a study that contradicted the conclusions presented above found that the majority of nursing staff members were unhappy with the way they balanced their work and personal lives. The nursing staff was concerned about concerns that were related to their families as well as personal troubles. Problems continue to arise in the workplace, and the manner in which nursing staff respond to these challenges is likely to differ from case to case. In the nursing profession, there are a few hurdles that are specific to female employees, and it is necessary to train them to deal with these difficulties.

According to Suguna et al. (2017), hospital authorities have the ability to develop family-friendly initiatives in order to assist nursing staff to better balance the obstacles that they face between their job and family lives. The majority of employees at the chosen organizations experience a work-life imbalance as a result of their employment. Long working hours, pressure at work, demands on the job, expectations to take work responsibilities home, an overachieving corporate culture, and demanding management and supervisors are the primary factors that have contributed to the disruption. When employees felt that they never did enough at work, regardless of how much effort they put in, this led to feelings of stress, worry, physical exhaustion, and, for some, low self-esteem. This was the case regardless of how much effort they put in.

According to Khalid (2023), it was determined that people are currently experiencing work and family imbalances, even when they are in a satisfying career, have defined work goals, and have positive social contacts at work. This is due to the fact that work overload and job expectations force people to work longer hours. The results of a study

showed that a significant proportion of head nurses felt that they had a poor overall balance between their professional and personal lives. More than forty head nurses reported experiences that ranged from moderate to low levels of total quality work life, and more than half of them reported experiencing moderate levels of whole life satisfaction.

Demerdash (2019) found that the complete work life balance of head nurses, as well as the augmentation of their professional and personal lives, had a statistically favorable association with their overall quality of life and its dimensions, which included support services and job perception, as well as their overall life satisfaction.

Table 4 Relationship between Profile and Perceptions of Flexible Working Hours

Independent Variable	chi value	p value	Cramer’s V	Decision	Interpretation
Age	88.087	.096	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Gender	30.603	.723	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Civil Status	38.681	.350	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Religion	1.716E2	.661	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Highest Educational Attainment	2.164E2	.479	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Department	1.562E2	.230	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Years of Service	2.155E2	.497	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Number of Household Family Members at Home	3.207E2	.541	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant

Legend: Significant f p value is < .05. Dependent variable: Perceived Flexible Working Hours. To interpret Cramer’s V, a value of 0.1 – 0.3 is weak association, 0.4 – 0.5 is medium association, and > 0.5 is strong association.

Table shows that for the independent variables of age, gender, civil status, religion, highest education attainment, department, years of service, and number of household family members at home did not correlate with perceptions of flexible working hours. Supporting this finding is the fact that the p values of the profile were greater than the significant value of .05 which was interpreted as not significant leading to the decision of failing to reject the null hypothesis. Thus, all the profiles did not have a significant relationship with the perceptions on flexible working hours. This implies that no matter what age, gender, civil status, religion, highest education attainment, department, years of service, and number of household family members at home, the perceived flexible working hours can still be very good.

A substantial statistical correlation was found between the decision to engage in flexible working hours at public health institutions and factors such as age, gender, union power, and staffing shortages. The findings of the study demonstrated that these factors all play a similar role. The investigation, on the other hand, showed that the salary was a variable that was not significant and that it was connected with a bad outcome. According to Bernard (2020), the choice of flexible working hours at any given time is negatively impacted by the health workforce as well as the age of a nurse. On the other hand, the adoption of flexible working arrangements by nurses is positively impacted by gender and the power granted to unions. An further study, which contradicted the findings, revealed that flexible working hours are an indicator of what supervisor support can do to increase the workplace and life satisfaction of nurses. According to the findings of the study (Dousin et al., 2021) that was conducted, female nurses who are required to meet high expectations at work as well as at home require not only flexible working hours but also support from their supervisors.

Table 5 Relationship between Profile and Work-life Balance

Independent Variable	chi value	p value	Cramer’s V	Decision	Interpretation
Work Interference with Personal Life
Age	31.327	.952	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Gender	35.102	.051	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Civil Status	19.930	.646	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Religion	1.445e2	.033	.580	Reject Ho	Significant
Highest Educational Attainment	1.383e2	.478	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Department	92.009	.480	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Years of Service	1.349E2	.558	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Number of Household Family Members at Home	2.13E2	.360	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Personal Life Interference with Work
Age	24.439	.658	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Gender	9.399	.805	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Civil Status	19.521	.146	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Religion	38.650	.999	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Highest Educational Attainment	75.238	.742	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Department	44.785	.859	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Years of Service	75.341	.739	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Number of Household Family Members at Home	1.084E2	.868	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Work Personal Life Enhancement
Age	20.814	.532	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Gender	8.539	.664	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Civil Status	6.674	.825	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Religion	37.524	.966	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Highest Educational Attainment	77.899	.150	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Department	57.398	.085	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Years of Service	51.931	.897	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Number of Household Family Members at Home	86.954	.801	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Overall Work-life Balance
Age	1.337E2	.303	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Gender	62.374	.499	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Civil Status	75.300	.138	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Religion	3.247E2	.342	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Highest Educational Attainment	3.330E2	.954	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Department	2.419E2	.665	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Years of Service	3.690E2	.621	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant
Number of Household Family Members at Home	5.600E2	.575	—	Failed to reject Ho	Not significant

Legend: Significant f p value is < .05. Dependent variable: work-life Balance. To interpret Cramer’s V, a value of 0.1 – 0.3 is weak association, 0.4 – 0.5 is medium association, and > 0.5 is strong association.

The table shows that for the dependent variable of work interference with personal life, it was only religion that had a significant relationship while all the other profiles of age, gender, civil status, highest education attainment,

department, years of service, and number of household family members at home did not correlate. Supporting this finding is the fact that the independent variable of religion had a p value which was lesser than the significant value of .05 which was interpreted as significant leading to the decision of rejecting the null hypothesis. Thus, religion had a significant relationship with work interference with personal life. The correlation was also positive and strong.  The other variables failed to reject the null hypothesis which means that there is no significant relationship between them and work life balance.

Religion not only has a big influence on a person’s spirituality and psyche, but it also has a significant impact on the behaviors that individuals engage in and how they interact with the various areas of life. The ability to cope with stress and triumph over challenges can also be facilitated by an individual’s religious beliefs. In addition, it appears that religion exerts a positive influence on the reduction of mental tensions and criminal activity, in addition to the enhancement of life satisfaction. The majority of individuals who have a high level of religiosity are committed to their occupations and organizations, and they have positive attitudes such as responsibility and tolerance. It is because of this that religious beliefs and values improve an individual’s comprehension of the significance and meaning of their work, which in turn has a beneficial impact on the level of satisfaction and retention experienced by employees. Extrinsic religious orientation did not have any moderating effect on the negative relationship between burnout and job satisfaction, according to the findings of this study, which was carried out on 326 individuals (Bal et al., 2021). This study concluded that intrinsic religious orientation served to mitigate the negative effects that were associated with the relationship between burnout and job satisfaction. Everyone, regardless of their profile, is capable of achieving a work-life balance, and this is especially true for hospital staff, who are already familiar with the nature of their work and their schedules. They will be able to adjust to the circumstances and make some alterations in their personal life if they are aware of all of these things. This explains why profile does not have an effect on the balance between work and life.

Table 6 Relationship between Perceived Flexible Working Hours and Work-life Balance

Variables	r value	p value	Decision	Interpretation
Perceived Flexible Working Hours vs. Work Interference with Personal Life	.395	.000	Reject Ho	Significant
Perceived Flexible Working Hours vs. Personal Life Interference with Work	.299	.005	Reject Ho	Significant
Perceived Flexible Working Hours vs. Work Personal Life Enhancement	.277	.010	Reject Ho	Significant
Perceived Flexible Working Hours vs. Work-life Balance	.442	.000	Reject Ho	Significant

Legend: Significant f p value is < .05. Pearson r value interpretation: -1 perfectly negative, -0.8 strongly negative, -0.5 moderately negative, -0.2 weakly negative, 0 – no association, 0.2 weakly positive, 0.5 moderately positive, 0.8 strongly positive, and 1 perfectly positive.

Table 6 shows that all the independent variables—dimensions of flexible working hours and overall perceived flexible working hours were significantly correlated with work-life balance. Supporting this finding is the fact that the p values of the dimensions of work interference with personal life, personal life interference with work, work personal life enhancement, and overall perceived flexible working hours were less than the significant value of .05 which were interpreted as significant leading to the decision of rejecting the null hypothesis. Thus, all the dimensions of flexible working hours and overall perceived flexible working hours were significantly correlated with work-life balance. The correlation is also positive and yet weak for all the dimensions and overall perceived flexible working hours as reflected in the r values. This implies that an increase in the perceived flexible working hours, results in an increased work-life balance.

The promotion and facilitation of work-life balance is done through flexible working hours. Employees who have a healthy work-life balance experience lower levels of stress and higher levels of overall wellbeing. In this study, Shagvaliyeva and Yazdanifard (2014) analyzed the association between flexible working hours and the ability to maintain a healthy balance between work and personal life. It is true that organizational elements, such as flexible work arrangements, also contribute to an individual’s capacity to maintain a healthy balance in their life. When we talk about flexible working hours, we are referring to arrangements that provide workers more flexibility over when they begin and end their workdays, as well as the option to change their schedules to fit their personal or family obligations. There is a correlation between persons having the ability to better manage their time and having flexible working hours. This can make it possible for them to allocate time for personal commitments, such as attending to the needs of their family, pursuing hobbies, or taking care of personal responsibilities, without having to sacrifice their obligations towards their place of employment. Having a healthy equilibrium between one’s personal life and professional life might help one achieve a better work-life balance. Flexible working options have a large and favorable correlation with a healthy balance between work and personal life. In addition, the research showed that a healthy balance between work and personal life is a powerful mediator between flexible working arrangements and job happiness. In the recommendations made by Aziz-Ur-Rehman et al. (2019), the importance of offering acceptable flexible arrangements within a company is stressed. These recommendations aim to improve the satisfaction of employees, enhance their performance, preserve work-family enrichment, and ultimately raise productivity’s.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Conclusion. The results of this study show having a good perception of flexible working hours affects having a good work life balance. A good work- life balance allows one to enjoy personal life  , reap the benefits of his career and to live a healthy life. Religion greatly affects the person’s work-life balance. Religion orientation reduced the negative effects of job dissatisfaction, stress and burn-out. Practicing one’s religion through daily praying, having faith relieves anxiety resulting in stress. His religion affects the person’s emotional and spiritual well-being , psychology and personal development.

The perceptions of the employees about flexible working hours are reflections of the Flexible-Firm Model. It addresses the changes in the demands of the employees in the business and hospital market. Further, the findings on work-life balance are reflective of the Work/Family Border Theory in terms of how hospital employees try to balance their work and life as the domains possibly cross its borders. They are a reflection of integration, transition, and conflicts between life and work. To address the gaps of this study, a proposed flexible work arrangement guideline has been made. This will help enhance the employee’s perceptions on flexible working hours and work-life balance.

Recommendations. The following recommendations are given.

Practice. As part of the research utilization, the proposed flexible working arrangement guidelines will be presented to the hospital administrators and department heads of the hospital. It will be proposed for adoption in the hospital which will result in the revisit, review and revision of the already available operational and strategic plans.

Policy. Per Civil Service Commission CSC Resolution No. 2200209 promulgated on May 18, 2022. The CSC emphasizes that flexible work arrangements are subject to the discretion of the head of agency on the condition that all their stakeholders are assured of continuous service deliveries from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. The CSC seeks to institutionalize flexible work arrangements as part of the nationwide effect to transition to the new normal. The CSC aims to improve the work-life balance. The work arrangements include flexi-place, compressed work-week, skeleton work-force, work-shifting, flexi-time and a combination of the flexible work arrangements (CSC.2022).  This study will pave the way to the development of internal policies that will allow the achievement of work life balance among hospital employees mandating their specific activities to be incorporated in both the operational and strategic plans. It will also bring about changes and adoption of flexible working hours for hospital employees to promote work-life balance.

Education. The study can be used as an educational tool serving as an article for reaction papers relating to research design, sampling design, or research methodology and even research ethic.

Research. As part of the research dissemination, the study is intended for possible research presentation both local and international. Due to a small sample size being conducted in one institution, further research could be done to include :

1. Comparative study between perceptions on flexible working hours and work life balance between employees performing Shifting work arrangements and fixed working arrangements
2. A comparative study of the Work life Balance among the employees of all DOH – Retained Hospitals in Cebu Province.
3. A study on the impact of Work-Life Balance among employees in all DOH hospitals in Cebu

PROPOSED FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENT GUIDELINES

Rationale

When hospital employees have greater say over how long they spend at work, they are more likely to report higher levels of happiness. Satisfied healthcare workers are directly correlated to improved quality health care service and better patient outcome. A greater level of dedication and passion to one’s work results in increased productivity, decreased absenteeism, and improvements in both one’s physical and mental health. Achieving this equilibrium also has the potential to benefit to the hospital employee’s personal relationships. Findings of the study revealed that there is a need to further improve the perceptions on flexible working hours and the need to increase the work-life balance among hospital employees. To do that, we need a proposed flexible working arrangement guideline.

General Objective

The main purpose of this proposed flexible working arrangement plan is to enhance the perceptions on flexible working hours and work-life balance of the hospital employees.

Specific Objectives

This flexible working arrangement guidelines aims to achieve the following specific objectives:

1. To increase or improve the work-life balance among hospital employees; and
2. To further increase the perceived flexible working hours among hospital employees.

Concern	Specific Objectives	Activities	Persons Responsible	Resources	Time Frame	Success Indicators
Work-life balance being rated as moderate.	To increase or improve the work-life balance among hospital employees.	Personally-initiated activities: ·       Read articles or view videos about achieving work-life balance. ·       Attend webinars or seminars about achieving work-life balance. ·       Take breaks. ·       Improve time management by using project management software or getting a daily planner, setting reminders, giving tasks a time limit and limiting distractions. Hospital-initiated activities: ·       Conduct webinars on: ·       Time Management ·       Work-life Balance ·       Self -Compassion ·       Create employee health initiatives as this will allow a more balanced and healthier workplace. Consider hosting optional fitness activities, such as the following like yoga, walking groups during lunch, fitness challenges, such as steps walked per day, wellness events led by experts, or offer discounts on local gym memberships as an extra incentive. ·       Encourage a pet-friendly workplace.	·       Hospital employees. ·       Department Heads. ·       Hospital Administrators. ·       HRDM.	·       Internet connectivity. ·       Laptop, desktops, tablets or android phone. ·       Budget for webinar (Php 5,000 / webinar). ·       Survey tool for work-life balance. ·       Leave credits. ·       Instrument to assess work-life balance.	First quarter of 2024.	·       Saved articles or videos. ·       Certificates of attendance on the webinars. ·       Approved Employee Health Initiative. ·       Results of survey. ·       Created group chat. ·       Minutes of meetings. ·       Result of the reassessment: A high level of work-life balance.
The need to further increase the perceived flexible working hours.	To further increase the perceived flexible working hours among hospital employees.	Personally-initiated activities: ·       Read articles or view videos about advantages and disadvantages of flexible working hours. ·       Attend webinars or seminars about advantages and disadvantages of flexible working hours. Hospital-initiated activities: ·       Discuss the possibility of implementing flexible working arrangements among non-healthcare professionals and rotation of shifts among healthcare professionals. ·       Conduct webinar on Motivation, Stress Management ·       Conduct activities on work-life balance (see previous concern for activities) ·       Conduct periodic departmental meetings. ·       Re-assess the perceptions on flexible working hours six months following the implementation of this plan.	·       Hospital employees. ·       Department Heads. ·       Hospital Administrators. ·       HRDM.	·       Internet connectivity. ·       Laptop, desktops, tablets or android phone. ·       Budget for webinar (Php 5,000 / webinar) ·       Instrument to assess perceived flexible working hours.	First quarter of 2024.	·       Saved articles or videos. ·       Certificates of attendance on the webinars. ·       SOPP on SWS. ·       Minutes of meetings. ·       Result of the reassessment: A high level of perceived flexible working hours.

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