Assessment of and perceptions on the implementation of an adjusted official working hours (AO 117) in selected institutions in the Province of Iloilo

Abstract

The study was conducted in five government agencies which implemented the four-day work scheme to determine the following: effect of the four-day work scheme on the government’s electrical, water, and fuel and lubricant consumption; perceived effect of the four-day work scheme as experienced by the government employees’ in terms of their psychosocial condition, productivity and transportation and food expenses; variation in government employees’ perception on the four-day work scheme as to age, sex, civil status, education, position, length of service, and monthly income; perceived effect of the four-day work scheme as experienced by government clientele in terms of their accessibility and convenience; variation in government clientele’s perception on the four-day work scheme as to age, sex, civil status, education and employment status; perception of CPU Administration employees towards the four-day work scheme in terms of psychosocial condition, productivity, transportation and food expenses; and variation on CPU Administration employees perceptions on the four-day work scheme as to age, sex, civil status, education, position, length of service and monthly income. The respondents of the study were government employees, government clientele and CPU Administration employees. The data were gathered using a self-administered questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS Software. Variations in psychosocial condition and productivity classified according to age, sex, civil status, education, position, length of service and monthly income were analyzed using the Z-test. The results showed that the five agencies were able to reduce their electrical, water, and fuel/lubricant consumption by an average of 4.35, 25.33, and 12.91 percent, respectively. They were able to generate savings on their water utility by an average of 23.75 percent. The increase in the price of electricity and fuel resulted to an average of 2.85 percent and 32.62 percent deficit on electric and transportation utilities, respectively. Any monetary savings derived from decreased utility consumption however, was just enough to cover for the price escalation in utility charges. Government employees had a positive perception regarding their experiences in their psychosocial condition and productivity under the four-day work scheme. However, the employees revealed that the implementation of the new work scheme did not affect their transportation and snack/meal expenses and the opportunity to earn extra income. In terms of variation in the perception of government employees regarding their experiences in their psychosocial and economic condition and productivity under the four-day work scheme, the following findings were found: the psychosocial and economic conditions particularly in coordinating marital and parental obligations and transportation expenditures of the government employees significantly vary according to age. Psychosocial conditions, productivity and economic activities particularly in spending quality time with family and love ones, scheduling of medical, dental and other appointments/errands, pursuing a hobby and adjusting sleeping time, decrease of tardiness counts, attainment of work targets and snack/meal expenses significantly vary according to sex. Economic activities specifically in terms of transportation expenditures significantly vary according to civil status. Psychosocial condition and productivity particularly in coordinating marital and parental obligations and decreased tardiness counts significantly vary according to position. Psychosocial condition particularly in coordinating marital and parental obligations, stressfulness, tiresomeness significantly vary according to length of service; and psychosocial condition and productivity particularly coordinating marital and parental obligations, and meeting of work targets significantly vary according to monthly income. Most government clientele were not available to transact business with the government agencies as early as 7:30 AM or after 5:30 PM. They find it inconvenient to transact business with government agencies implementing the four-day work scheme. Convenience o f the clientele to transact business with government agencies that implements the four-day work scheme vary significantly according to employment status. Age, sex, position and monthly income have nothing to do with the psychosocial, productivity and transportation and snack/meal expenses of the government employees. Most of the respondents among the CPU employees group perceived that the implementation of the four-day work scheme will improve their psychosocial conditions. Moreover, the CPU employees perceived that the implementation of the four-day work scheme will not affect their productivity level. Likewise CPU employees perceived that the implementation o f the four-day work scheme will not affect their personal expenditures and their opportunity to earn extra income In terms of the variation of the perception of CPU employees in the implementation of the four-day work scheme the following findings were found: economic perception particularly in earning extra income significantly vary according to sex; psychosocial perception particularly in terms of risk in commuting after the 6:30 PM off significantly vary according to civil status; psychosocial perceptions particularly in coordinating marital and parental obligations and tiresomeness significantly vary according to education; psychosocial perception specifically on tardiness counts significantly vary according to length of service.