Paderborn graduates focus on flexible workplace concepts
At the Professorship for Personnel Economics at Paderborn University, two outstanding theses have not only received academic recognition, but have also provided the impetus for a further research project. Graduates Johanna Horsthemke and Mona Täuber analysed the effect of flexible working models on the attractiveness of employers among job applicants - on the one hand in the form of questionnaires and experiments, and on the other with the help of interviews. The Research Centre for Business Administration and Social Practice e.V. in Mannheim awarded them the Eduard Gaugler Prize for Personnel Management for their excellent work, which is presented in memory of the renowned economist. Together with their supervisor Dr. Katharina Radermacher, the Paderborn students have also brought together their respective findings for a new research project.
In their work, Horsthemke and Täuber have independently shown that hybrid working models are perceived as more attractive by applicants with little or no professional experience than completely flexible or rigid models in terms of place and time of work. Applicants with professional experience showed almost the same attitude towards hybrid and fully flexible models. In addition, the award winners were able to show that flexible working models are primarily associated with an increased work-life balance as well as care and appreciation on the part of the employer. Inexperienced applicants particularly value appreciation and care, while experienced applicants value a better work-life balance more.
"The results suggest that companies should consider target group-specific design and communication of flexible working practices," explains Radermacher, who researches the impact of modern workplace concepts as an academic counsellor at Paderborn University and supervised the two studies. Together with Horsthemke and Täuber, she combined the quantitative and qualitative results of the studies and conducted further surveys and in-depth analyses in order to gain further insights.
A scientific publication of the research results is already in preparation. Radermacher, Horsthemke and Täuber will also present them in September at the autumn workshop of the "Wissenschaftliche Kommission Personal". "This example shows in an exemplary way how student work can also contribute to further research and academic discussion," says Radermacher happily.
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