Journal Article

THE ROLE OF FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENTS IN RETAINING GEN Y AND GEN Z NURSES: EVIDENCE FROM INDIA

Kaushik, Akash, Kumar, Arvind, Prasad, Shivani

2025

Overview

Purpose This paper will consider the hypothesis about the promotion of retention of Generation Y and Generation Z nurses in India as a means of Flexible Work Arrangements (FWA), flexitime, self-rostering, and compressed schedules. The study is the Delhi-National Capital Region (Delhi, Gurugram, Noida/Gautam Buddha Nagar) a densely concentrated healthcare area with non-homogeneous types of hospitals, multi-shift times, shortages of early-career nurses, and high rates of turnover that increase the cost of staffing and break continuity of care. Design/methodology/approach Our design is qualitative and phenomenological, and, therefore, we held semi-structured interviews with 25 frontline nurses in the public, private, and semi-public hospitals in urban and semi-urban areas of Delhi-NCR. The interviews were conducted in English or Hindi, as was preferred. Reflexive thematic analysis of data in NVivo informed by Self-Determination Theory, Psychological Empowerment and Organisational Flexibility scholarship was applied. Findings It came up with four themes, namely: (1) empowerment with scheduling autonomy; (2) work-life integration; (3) managerial and cultural barriers; and (4) psychological outcomes influencing retention intentions. Being able to access FWAs, in particular, schedule control and predictable rotations were linked to greater job satisfaction, reduced burnout, and enhanced organisational commitment, which supported turnover intentions. Control was limited through understaffing, scepticism amongst managers and instability of institutions, especially in high-throughput wards. Relevant gains comprise reduced cost in terms of decreased recruitment/induction processes and patient care in terms of staffing and operational stability. Research limitations/implications Results indicate a small, cross-sectional, qualitative sample and self-reports. Next-generation studies should use a mixed-method or longitudinal study design as objective retention and patient-care outcomes to ascertain causal paths. Practical implications It is recommended to develop a gradual implementation strategy: explicit FWA policy guidelines, management development of capabilities, AI-based rostering/demand prediction, and motivated pilots holding performance-based incentives and preset KPIs. Social implications FWAs have the potential to enhance the sustainability of the workforce, employment that is gender-inclusive, and patient experience, particularly in resource-deprived public and semi-urban environments.